|  Middlesbrough FC

Gordon Strachan revealed that Julio Arca has needed a series of injections to get through games in recent weeks, and it was time to give him a rest.

Gordon Strachan says Boro were chasing shadows the first half of the game at Portman Road because the players were out of position.

Ipswich boss Roy Keane didn't need his calculator to work out: "When you look back at all the draws we've had we might have been better to lose half and win the other half."

Scott McDonald was an unexpected late withdrawal at Ipswich on Saturday with a groin niggle.

Boro went into the match with Ipswich with THREE central defenders and THREE full-backs. Was it confusing for the players? You bet yer bottom dollar it was!

We will find out this week if we have a genuine chance of becoming play-off contenders.

Barnsley head to Teesside on the back of imoressive wins over Watford and Preston. It is there first visit to Boro since March 1995.

A goal from David Wheater comes about as regular as Santa ... but boy did we need it on Saturday.