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QPR correspondent and author Ben Kosky gives us the lowdown on Middlesbrough's new goalkeeper Joe Lumley
By
Craig Johns
19:09, 19 MAY 2021
Joe Lumley in action against Boro for Queen Park Rangers (Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
With a more reliable goalkeeper and a focal point up front, Middlesbrough's season might have been very different.
As they ultimately faded away from the Championship play-off race, manager Neil Warnock turned his attentions to next season and what he would need this summer to make the outcome different.
On paper, the signing of Marcus Bettinelli looked a solid one. A one-time England call-up, Bettinelli had twice been promoted to the Premier League with Fulham.
He was certainly vocal. He made himself heard in his early performances and that played a big role in establishing the solid foundations Boro had at the back in the first half of the season.
And despite being a really integral member of the dressing room behind the scenes too, it cannot be ignored that his form, and also his confidence, declined as the season went on.
He would lose his place in the team for the final five games and finished the season with the third worse shots-per-save ratio in the division.
Warnock thanked Bettinelli for his service but knew this summer he needed better.
The answer came to the Boro boss in the first game that Bettinelli sat out - a 2-1 defeat to QPR at the Riverside.
That game saw 26-year-old Joe Lumley come off the bench for 32 minutes after Seny Dieng's red card. The back-up goalkeeper produced two incredible reflex saves and calmed his side to ensure they left Teesside with all three points despite being a man light for a third of it.
One month later and Lumley is Boro's first new recruit of what is hoped to be a busy summer ahead.
And QPR correspondent and author of new book Are you Rangers in Disguise? Ben Kosky says the shot-stopping capabilities that Lumley displayed that day at the Riverside are typical of what the new Boro goalkeeper is capable of.
“You do wonder if his performance against Middlesbrough not so long ago is what clinched this deal. If I remember rightly he made some great saves," Ben told Teesside Live.
“That sums Lumley up really. He’s a shot-stopper more than anything else.
“His kicking was always good when he had someone to hit. Thinking about the season before the one we’ve just finished, he had Jordan Hugill to hit and it made a big difference.
“There are a few times you would think he’s done well with his distribution and anticipated something well to set off a counter-attack, which I’m sure Warnock will like in him.
“I would say he will be very reliable in the shot-stopping department and he’s had some very good performances in that regard - that one at Middlesbrough being a prime example of what he’s capable of.
“Where there might be question marks raised over his game are probably on things like crossing and positioning.
“With that said, I can’t recall any massive howlers that he’s suffered. I don’t think he’s had any disasters.
“He’s certainly someone you feel could do a job at Championship level.
“He stayed in the side for the next game against Swansea and made a couple of very good saves to help them win then as well.
“It will be very interesting to see how he does, but I would imagine he will be a very reliable Championship goalkeeper.”
Joe Lumley produces a great save to thwart George Saville (Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
Lumley joins Boro after 11 years at QPR.
He joined aged 16 from Tottenham's academy in the same year that Warnock took charge at Loftus Road. A long way off the first-team at that point, he worked his way through the ranks and was back-up five years later when Warnock had a month in caretaker charge - with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink giving him his Rs debut a month after taking over from Warnock's caretaker post.
There have been numerous loan spells in that time before in 2018 Steve McClaren joined the club and made Lumley his number one.
The youngster impressed but former Boro boss McClaren did not. A run of one win in 15 saw McClaren sacked as QPR ultimately finished 19th.
“His career has taken an interesting path at Rangers," Ben recalls.
“There was certainly a point where he was firmly established as the first-choice keeper under Steve McClaren.
“Up until the start of this season even, he wasn’t the undisputed number one but he was very much in contention for the shirt.
“But he had a poor game against Coventry at the start of this season and Dieng came in and has looked fantastic ever since - untouchable really - which meant Joe hasn’t really had a look in since then.
“Were it not for the emergence of Seny Dieng I’m almost certain he’s somebody QPR would have wanted to keep hold of.”
So it comes to pass that Lumley leaves QPR and makes the move to Teesside this summer in search of regular first-team football.
Ben is interested to see how he copes, but convinced he is capable of being a reliable Championship first choice.
He concluded: “At 26, Lumley is in a position where he needs to be playing first-team football.
“Presumably, with Marcus Bettinelli going back to Fulham, he arrives at Middlesbrough with the chance to establish himself as the number one choice at Middlesbrough.
“It’s a real pity to see him leave QPR, but it is a real credit to him that he doesn’t have any desire to stay and sit on the bench and instead wants to go out and get some games.”
With thanks to Ben Kosky for providing his thoughts on Lumley. Ben's new book Are you Rangers in Disguise?, published by JMD Media, is out now and follows his years covering QPR for local media, including Warnock's time at the club.
“It probably is the best time for him to move on now, because, to his credit, he doesn’t want to be a backup.
The QPR view on Boro's new signing Joe Lumley
QPR correspondent and author Ben Kosky gives us the lowdown on Middlesbrough's new goalkeeper Joe Lumley
www.gazettelive.co.uk
By
Craig Johns
19:09, 19 MAY 2021
Joe Lumley in action against Boro for Queen Park Rangers (Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
With a more reliable goalkeeper and a focal point up front, Middlesbrough's season might have been very different.
As they ultimately faded away from the Championship play-off race, manager Neil Warnock turned his attentions to next season and what he would need this summer to make the outcome different.
On paper, the signing of Marcus Bettinelli looked a solid one. A one-time England call-up, Bettinelli had twice been promoted to the Premier League with Fulham.
He was certainly vocal. He made himself heard in his early performances and that played a big role in establishing the solid foundations Boro had at the back in the first half of the season.
And despite being a really integral member of the dressing room behind the scenes too, it cannot be ignored that his form, and also his confidence, declined as the season went on.
He would lose his place in the team for the final five games and finished the season with the third worse shots-per-save ratio in the division.
Warnock thanked Bettinelli for his service but knew this summer he needed better.
The answer came to the Boro boss in the first game that Bettinelli sat out - a 2-1 defeat to QPR at the Riverside.
That game saw 26-year-old Joe Lumley come off the bench for 32 minutes after Seny Dieng's red card. The back-up goalkeeper produced two incredible reflex saves and calmed his side to ensure they left Teesside with all three points despite being a man light for a third of it.
One month later and Lumley is Boro's first new recruit of what is hoped to be a busy summer ahead.
And QPR correspondent and author of new book Are you Rangers in Disguise? Ben Kosky says the shot-stopping capabilities that Lumley displayed that day at the Riverside are typical of what the new Boro goalkeeper is capable of.
“You do wonder if his performance against Middlesbrough not so long ago is what clinched this deal. If I remember rightly he made some great saves," Ben told Teesside Live.
“That sums Lumley up really. He’s a shot-stopper more than anything else.
“His kicking was always good when he had someone to hit. Thinking about the season before the one we’ve just finished, he had Jordan Hugill to hit and it made a big difference.
“There are a few times you would think he’s done well with his distribution and anticipated something well to set off a counter-attack, which I’m sure Warnock will like in him.
“I would say he will be very reliable in the shot-stopping department and he’s had some very good performances in that regard - that one at Middlesbrough being a prime example of what he’s capable of.
“Where there might be question marks raised over his game are probably on things like crossing and positioning.
“With that said, I can’t recall any massive howlers that he’s suffered. I don’t think he’s had any disasters.
“He’s certainly someone you feel could do a job at Championship level.
“He stayed in the side for the next game against Swansea and made a couple of very good saves to help them win then as well.
“It will be very interesting to see how he does, but I would imagine he will be a very reliable Championship goalkeeper.”
Joe Lumley produces a great save to thwart George Saville (Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
Lumley joins Boro after 11 years at QPR.
He joined aged 16 from Tottenham's academy in the same year that Warnock took charge at Loftus Road. A long way off the first-team at that point, he worked his way through the ranks and was back-up five years later when Warnock had a month in caretaker charge - with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink giving him his Rs debut a month after taking over from Warnock's caretaker post.
There have been numerous loan spells in that time before in 2018 Steve McClaren joined the club and made Lumley his number one.
The youngster impressed but former Boro boss McClaren did not. A run of one win in 15 saw McClaren sacked as QPR ultimately finished 19th.
“His career has taken an interesting path at Rangers," Ben recalls.
“There was certainly a point where he was firmly established as the first-choice keeper under Steve McClaren.
“Up until the start of this season even, he wasn’t the undisputed number one but he was very much in contention for the shirt.
“But he had a poor game against Coventry at the start of this season and Dieng came in and has looked fantastic ever since - untouchable really - which meant Joe hasn’t really had a look in since then.
“Were it not for the emergence of Seny Dieng I’m almost certain he’s somebody QPR would have wanted to keep hold of.”
So it comes to pass that Lumley leaves QPR and makes the move to Teesside this summer in search of regular first-team football.
Ben is interested to see how he copes, but convinced he is capable of being a reliable Championship first choice.
He concluded: “At 26, Lumley is in a position where he needs to be playing first-team football.
“Presumably, with Marcus Bettinelli going back to Fulham, he arrives at Middlesbrough with the chance to establish himself as the number one choice at Middlesbrough.
“It’s a real pity to see him leave QPR, but it is a real credit to him that he doesn’t have any desire to stay and sit on the bench and instead wants to go out and get some games.”
With thanks to Ben Kosky for providing his thoughts on Lumley. Ben's new book Are you Rangers in Disguise?, published by JMD Media, is out now and follows his years covering QPR for local media, including Warnock's time at the club.
“It probably is the best time for him to move on now, because, to his credit, he doesn’t want to be a backup.
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