Rate our CM’s from the last decade

A

Air Resistance

Well-known member
As per the title, rate in anyway you want. List is below (not including those who only played a handful of games).

Smallwood
Haroun
Leadbitter
Butterfield
Whitehead
Forshaw
Clayton
De Roon
Howson
Besic
Wing
Saville
Tavernier
Morsy
Crooks

For me, my favourite 5 would be Leadbitter, Howson, Tavernier, de Roon and Wing
 
Can't believe you didn't include Barry Robson.

For me:

1) Leadbitter
2) Howson
3) Crooks
4) Clayton
5) Robson

Was very very torn between Leadbitter and Howson for #1. Went for leadbitter because of his goal output and the fact he was captain in our promotion season.
 
Leadbitter
Clayton (in his prime with Grant)
Robson
Howson
Crooks

I think Grant and Clats complimented each other so well and pivitol to everything Karanka.

I really rated Robson. We often forget about him as part of the failed SPL project. A leader and a decent goal scoring record. Although a booking / red card waiting to happen😂

We have to remember Howson cost 7mil. So not really in the price bracket of many above. Although he's in for consistency and 200+ appearances.

Crooks at 1mil? Absolute signing of the season. I have to say it didn't surprise me and its not hindsight. He always impressed when Rotherham a were on TV for what seemed every night with covid fixture backlog.
 
Leadbitter - True leader with high standards.
Clayton - Completed the donkey work for others.
Howson - Fine Wine
De Roon - Quality footballer
Crooks - We look much better with him in the team and brings the best out of Jones.
 
Yea agree Robson has to be in that list & would be in my top 5 from the others

Grant Leadbitter - Excellent captain, some fantastic performances & goals
Barry Robson - Fantatsic attitude, some cracking goals & one of the rare players to score 2 penalties for Boro in the same game
Adam Clayton - Done his job so well
Jonny Howson - Has he played any better in his career?
Matty Crooks - What a snip of a signing, modern day Willie Falconer
 
Air Resistance said:
As per the title, rate in anyway you want. List is below (not including those who only played a handful of games).

Smallwood
Haroun
Leadbitter
Butterfield
Whitehead
Forshaw
Clayton
De Roon
Howson
Besic
Wing
Saville
Tavernier
Morsy
Crooks

For me, my favourite 5 would be Leadbitter, Howson, Tavernier, de Roon and Wing
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Leadbitter, Clayton, Forshaw, Howson and Tav for me.

EDIT: If Robson is allowed then he goes in instead of Tav.
 
I've got to say, i'm surprised at the inclusion of De Roon. Apart from a couple of important goals, I thought he was extremely underwhelming.

He was brought in as a defensive mid to break up play etc, but he was quickly pushed further forward, almost as a number 10 at times. Scored 4 goals and 0 assists.

Don't get me wrong, he's obviously a very good footballer whos having a great career - really pleased for him as he seemed like one of the good guys that season.

I just expected a lot more.
 
DanBoro4499 said:
I've got to say, i'm surprised at the inclusion of De Roon. Apart from a couple of important goals, I thought he was extremely underwhelming.

He was brought in as a defensive mid to break up play etc, but he was quickly pushed further forward, almost as a number 10 at times. Scored 4 goals and 0 assists.

Don't get me wrong, he's obviously a very good footballer whos having a great career - really pleased for him as he seemed like one of the good guys that season.

I just expected a lot more.
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I think it just shows the average boro fans ability to assess a footballers ability. He did a lot of work that goes unnoticed, he did that for us. He was also asked to play out of position a lot of the time.

I would say his career before us and after us shows what a good footballer he is. Regular champions league football and regularly called up to the Dutch national team.

Great attitude, it’s a shame we didn’t utilise him in the right way, but despite that I thought he was head a shoulders above the rest of cm that season.
 
1. Crooks. An excellent, under-rated footballer who scores goals; does the lot. He's going to be a major cult figure at Boro.
2. Clayton. Another grossly under-rated (by many).
3. Howson. His performances since lockdown was lifted have been outstanding.
4. Leadbitter. Battling captain.
5. Tavernier. He is improving rapidly and blossoming into a proper player.
 
GazC_MFC said:
He did a lot of work that goes unnoticed, he did that for us.
Click to expand...
We won 5 games all season ;)

I'm not wrongly assessing his ability like you're suggesting. As I said in my post, he's obviously a very good footballer, but for boro......he didn't do what he was brought in to do, hence why he moved position.

He looked very lightweight and off the pace in the first few months. We certainly didn't see any of this "wavebreaker" stuff.
 
Leadbitter
Crooks
Howson
Clayton
Tav

I expect Tav too take over Clayton soon though. He’s in exceptional form right now. Also Howson at his best is better than Grant at his best. Another level really.
 
DanBoro4499 said:
We won 5 games all season ;)

I'm not wrongly assessing his ability like you're suggesting. As I said in my post, he's obviously a very good footballer, but for boro......he didn't do what he was brought in to do, hence why he moved position.

He looked very lightweight and off the pace in the first few months. We certainly didn't see any of this "wavebreaker" stuff.
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A marten de roon played out of position isnt alone going to win or lose game.

I wasn’t saying you specifically, it was a generalisation of boro fans and perception he was crap for us.

I would disagree he was moved because he wasn’t doing what he was supposed to. Karanka changed system and chose to play de roon out of position
 
1. Leadbitter - Captain fantastic, leader of men, great pens, rocket shot, always gave his all
2. Clayton - seriously underrated player by some. Uncompromising master of the dark arts
3. Howson - He’s here, he’s there he’s every flippinwhere. A human dynamo at times.
4. Crooks - He is a true goalscoring midfielder, has good ball control & great engine
5. Tavernier - Blossomed under Wilder, and has a touch of class, incredible work rate of late

P.s De Roon was a headless chicken not a wavebreaker for me
 
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