It's a defender special on this week's Tripe Supper as Middlesbrough boss Garry Monk weighs up his centre-back options ahead of Saturday's trip to Bolton.The arrival of Ryan Shotton before Deadline Day further stocked an already-strong department, and the big challenge for Monk will now be to determine the best centre-back partner (or partners) for Ben Gibson.
Will Boro's best system during a hectic September include three central defenders, or just the two? We'll soon find out - but with Dael Fry's early-season form catching the eye, competition for places is as fierce as ever at the back.
With the luxury of an international break to get back to top condition, can Daniel Ayala return to his top form and dislodge Boro's homegrown pairing, and what role will new boy Shotton have over the coming months?
They are all topics for discussion in this week's podcast, along with the importance of Cyrus Christie and George Friend's quest to hold off Fabio at left-back. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy