Who makes the case for the defence now Lenihan has arrived?
CHRIS Wilder needed defensive reinforcements this summer after releasing Sol Bamba and Lee Peltier.
He has also since sold Nathan Wood, while Grant Hall is expected to leave too.
It left the Boro boss with just three senior centre-backs at his disposal.
In that respect, adding Darragh Lenihan was a no-brainer.
The centre-back was available on a free transfer and is someone Wilder has coveted for a long time, having tried to sign him for Sheffield United five years ago.
Instead, the Republic of Ireland international opted to stay at Blackburn, where he would establish himself as one of the league’s best defenders under Tony Mowbray, before finally deciding to link up with Wilder at Boro this summer.
At 28, he signs a four-year deal on Teesside and having rarely missed a game as captain of Rovers in the last few years comes to Teesside with the obvious intention of wanting to play games and get the club back to the Premier League.
It is a really positive signing and a real statement of intent.
Having said that, though, there is one question mark surrounding the signing - and that is what that means for Boro’s other defenders.
The slight uncertainty is because Lenihan, while at Blackburn, has always been considered a right-sided centreback - the one position we thought Boro had their two players in ahead of this summer’s transfer window.
Paddy McNair, who will miss the first game of the season against West Brom as a result of his red card on the final day of last season at Preston, played the majority of last season under Wilder as the left-sided centre-back.
It was a role he played really well in a settled back three but Wilder has gone on record with his desire to add more balance by signing a left-footed centre-back instead.
It in turn was expected to mean McNair would switch over to the right where he would compete with Anfernee Dijksteel, who made huge strides under the Boro boss since his arrival in November.
However, Lenihan’s arrival puts question marks on that pre-season
There will be speculation
that Lenihan’s arrival could pave the way for
one of McNair or Dijskteel to leave.
expectation because surely all three are not going to challenge for the one role.
Versatility is potentially Wilder’s friend here, though. McNair has proved himself capable of playing that left-sided role well, while the Boro boss knows Lenihan would be capable of playing anywhere across the back three too.
Perhaps the need to do so will depend on what other business Boro are able to do between now and the end of the window, Wilder presumably still preferring to sign a left-footer for that role. Perhaps a lack of viable options this summer has led to a reshuffle.
Naturally, there will be speculation Lenihan’s arrival perhaps paves the way for one of McNair or Dijskteel (both inset) leaving.
Certainly in the case of McNair, he will be one of Boro’s top earners and while it is perhaps a little gross to look at it in such light the reality is in the current financial climate Boro need to be shrewd with their business and McNair’s wage is one of an important first-teamer rather than a back-up or utility player.
It would come as a huge surprise to see either of them leave this summer, though.
Dijksteel improved massively under Wilder last term.
He was not named among the players the manager said he wanted to keep and get more out of next season - although it should also be noted that was rather off the cuff within a long-winded answer and was by no means a complete list.
McNair was on that list Wilder named post-match at Preston. There is one more option and again it is all to do with McNair’s versatility.
While he has largely played as a defender for the last two years at Boro, he remains a midfielder when representing Northern Ireland and he can play at right wingback too, a position Boro need cover in with just Isaiah Jones there currently.
The Teessiders are well-stocked in midfield but Wilder is unconvinced by Martin Payero.
Jonny Howson committing to a new deal was an important bit of business this summer too and while he keeps himself in excellent condition McNair could fill in the deeplying role comfortably if ever Howson had to drop out.
It is an interesting situation to monitor after Lenihan’s arrival. The new centre-back is here to play and, while competition for places is excellent, McNair and Dijksteel will have those same ambitions too.