Boro need to bounce back

I´m getting closer and closer to full match fitness. I´ve just had a few little niggles that have set me back here and there. Tuesday night was another good run out when we played Newcastle reserves. It was Joey Barton´s first game back after his ban so there was a lot of attention, even SKY TV were down there, which is not normal for a reserve game.

It was a bit of a strange match really as I was playing centre-back. I felt like I didn´t have much to do, although we lost 4-1! We basically controlled the game and had a lot of possession but they hit us on the break with four counter-attacks and that was it. Like most of the games I´ve played in while I´ve been making my comeback, I came off after about 70 minutes. Because I didn´t have a full pre-season and have picked up the odd knock on the way back the staff are just being cautious with me really. I feel fit enough to play the full 90 minutes though which is good.

All the players are keen to get Boro back on track after the 5-0 result against Chelsea last weekend. We had a lesson taught to us that day - we couldn´t get anywhere near them. This week Gareth Southgate sat all the players down and made us watch the entire 90 minutes in silence. That was our punishment and it was pretty tough to sit through. We´ve got Blackburn away on Saturday and then Man City in midweek, so we need to bounce back quickly. I´m feeling good so hopefully I can be involved in some way.