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WEST HAM v MIDDLESBROUGH - SAMBA STYLE AT THE RIVERSIDE
Gareth Southgate is banking on a return of samba style football to help
take his Middlesbrough team into the top half of the Barclays Premier League.
Teesside fans loved their former Brazilian duo Juninho and Emerson, but
since their departures the flair factor seems to have slipped away from Boro.
Now Southgate is finally drawing out the special qualities of his Brazilian
midfielder Fabio Rochemback, who has otherwise struggled to establish
himself in the previous two years following his £2.5million transfer from Sporting Lisbon.
Rochemback has been a revelation so far this season, and is forming an
effective midfield partnership with his South American colleague Julio
Arca, who hails from Argentina.
Arca is another personal success story for Southgate because the Boro boss
has converted him from a left-back into a creative midfielder.
Southgate said: "We put Arca and Rochemback together at the end of last
season and it worked very well.
"They complement each other and they are adaptable to each other's games.
"They are prepared to put the work in and they are capable of forming a
good partnership.
"I have never doubted Fabio's qualities. He is such a good player, and what
has helped him is that his girlfriend is now over here from Brazil.
"Arca is such a good footballer that he has taken the switch to midfield in
his stride."
The terrific form of the South American duo means that Southgate has had to
move his skipper George Boateng out of the middle on to the right flank.
But now Boateng's place is once again under threat following the arrival of
£5million midfielder Gary O'Neil from Portsmouth.
O'Neil may have to settle for a place on the bench against West Ham on Saturday, because the tremendous form of the whole Boro midfield - which
also includes England winger Stewart Downing - is making it difficult for
Southgate to leave anybody out at the moment.
Southgate said: "I am delighted with the business we have done over the
summer because we now have two players competing for every position.
"That's what we have wanted to create for a while now.
"There have been times in the past when we have had the bare starting 11,
but we have gradually been building up the squad.
"The other thing we have generated is terrific competition in training and
this is having a beneficial effect in games.
"Every player knows that he is under pressure for his place."
Whether Southgate makes changes or not on Saturday will depend on the
fitness of the seven players returning from international duty.
Mark Schwarzer is the biggest worry. The goalkeeper took a kick on the knee
in Australia's 1-0 home defeat by Argentina on Tuesday and has spent 24
hours travelling back.
However Southgate said: "I have been in touch with Mark and he is confident
he will be fit to play at West Ham. He's not due to arrive until tonight
and we will look at him then."
The Boro boss has stressed that he is comfortable with Schwarzer's contract
situation, even though the keeper has rejected the offer of a new deal and
could sign a pre-contract for a new club if nothing is agreed by January.
Southgate said: "I am very relaxed about Mark's situation.
"The fact of the matter is that we want to keep him and in fact he wants to
stay longer than the contract we have offered him at the moment.
"Mark wants to play all the way through to the next World Cup. He believes
he can do it and I believe it as well.
"But at the moment nothing has been signed and Mark wants to leave it a bit
longer and concentrate on his football.
"He is a fantastic professional and there is no questioning his commitment
to the club.
"In fact he has already played in games when he has been carrying injuries
which on other occasions would have ruled him out.
"Mark's contract situation is still one that I would like to resolve and it
will come under consideration again later in the season."
By Bettingzone.co.uk
Used with permission.
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