Source: Northern_Echo
Arca left unhappy with the boo-boys
JULIO ARCA wants the Middlesbrough boo boys to unite behind the team for the promotion run-in after reassuring supporters that Gordon Strachan's squad are desperate to return to the Premier League.[LNB] Arca has returned to somewhere near his best form in the last two matches, after a frustrating season in which he has been in and out of the Boro starting line-up but an injured toe makes him a doubt to start against Reading tomorrow.[LNB] The approachable Argentine claims to have found it difficult to come to terms with criticism from sections of the Riverside Stadium crowd this season.[LNB] Arca was saddened by the boos he received when he was used as a second half substitute against QPR on February 27 and at Cardiff the following week, which ironically paved the way for two encouraging displays against Newcastle and Derby.[LNB] The 29-year-old, in his fourth year on Teesside, has made over 100 appearances for Middlesbrough and hopes fans continue to create an atmosphere to that which surrounded last Saturday's 2-2 draw with Newcastle.[LNB] Recently I was not 100 per cent happy. In my last three or four games (before Newcastle) I was booed by my own fans, so that's not very good.[LNB] I was disappointed. When your own fans boo you it does affect you, said Arca.[LNB] I try to do my own thing, I tried against Newcastle to put myself in a bubble and not listen to anyone, making sure I concentrated on my own thing. Hopefully I shut up some of the fans who booed me.[LNB] It's not everyone. I know that. But some of the fans, like against QPR when I played just ten minutes, they booed me. That's something that has never happened to me before.[LNB] It concerned me. I have always been faithful to the club, I try to do my best here.[LNB] We went down but I stayed to fight for promotion. But they don't take that into consideration.[LNB] It hurts, especially when you have your family in the stands.[LNB] With Rhys Williams suspended for tomorrow's visit of Reading, Arca hopes to start his third match in a row as Gordon Strachan faces selection problems in midfield.[LNB] Arca said: Everything went OK against Newcastle last Saturday. But you do have moments when you miss a pass and that can lead to the boos instead of the support.[LNB] All of the players here play for this club, so instead of criticising us they should support us more than ever because we need to be in the play-offs. We want to be in there.[LNB] Arca's comments arrive at a time when Boro sit six points short of the play-offs with nine matches remaining.[LNB] A failure to claim victory over Reading tomorrow would make a Premier League return highly unlikely.[LNB] In-form Reading, though, are starting to have designs on the play-offs too and winning their two matches in hand could propel them up into seventh spot.[LNB] Arca, however, has outlined a desire to treat every match like last Saturday's battle for local pride with Newcastle.[LNB] We have been disappointed to lose two points in the last two matches, we could have had three in both, said Arca. It was upsetting when we let it slip when we did against Newcastle, it was like getting beat.[LNB] There's nothing we can do and we just have to try to put in the same performances and hopefully we can be luckier and win the game this time.[LNB] The match with Newcastle was like a final, so was the match at Derby. We have another nine cup finals and we have to win the majority of those if we want to be in the play-offs.[LNB] We are not too far away from the play-offs. We are still there. We have to play against Leicester, some others like Coventry, if we can beat those then we might have a chance.'' Defender Kyle Naughton is struggling to shake off a knock picked up in Tuesday's 2-2 draw at Derby.[LNB]
