Scale of task ahead laid bare as Boro fall well short

PLENTY TO WORRY BOSS IN 2-0 BRADFORD DEFEAT

- By CRAIG JOHNS

THE scale of Rob Edwards' task to get Middlesbrough ready for the new season felt sobering in a disappointing evening at Bradford City.

A paper-thin squad, no new signings, and now fresh injury woes. The 2-0 defeat to league One Bradford City felt like the least of the new head coach's worries in West Yorkshire.

Despite once again naming a strong starting lineup, Boro lacked the attacking quality they'd shown in the first half at Mansfield at the weekend.

And with Alex Bangura and Riley McGree both picking up injuries, the state of Boro’s squad was once again laid bare too, as they await their first breakthrough in what's so far been a concerning summer transfer transfer window.

The game started in unfortunate circumstances for Boro man Bangura. Freshly back from a 12-month layoff after an Achilles injury, he was back in the starting lineup at Bradford, as the only change from Saturday's strong starting XI at Mansfield Town. That meant Rav van den Berg started again, just 24 hours after Boro rejected two Feyenoord bids for him.

Left wing-back Bangura lasted only 11 minutes, in a cruel blow to the injury-hit Sierra Leone international.