Middlesbro' v
N Forest
Sat 21st Nov - Riverside Stadium
Sat 7th Nov - Selhurst Park
By Graeme Bailey Last updated: 3rd September 2008
Alves: Wants goals
I will be fighting to win the Golden Shoe this season.
Afonso Alves
Quotes of the week
Middlesbrough star Afonso Alves insists he wants to top the Premier League goalscoring charts this season.
The Brazilian striker opened his account for the new season at the weekend with a superlative free-kick.
Alves top-scored in Holland whilst with Heerenveen and he just missed out on the Golden Shoe - awarded to the leading scorer in European football.
Now the South American ace has set his sights high this term.
"The goal I scored against Stoke City on Saturday was my first in this season, that's just the start. I'm setting my targets high," he told his official website.
"I will be fighting to win the Golden Shoe this season. I almost won it when I played in Holland.
"The only reason I missed out was that Uefa doesn't rank goals scored in the Dutch Eredivisie as highly as those scored in some other European leagues.
"My goals are worth more here in England, and I feel I can snatch the prize this season.
"The fact is that in the 2006/07 season, I scored 34 goals in 31 matches for SC Heerenveen.
"That was even better than Ronaldo and Romario managed when they played in Holland. And nobody else in Europe scored more than that."
Alves is now feeling fully settled in England following his move in January when Boro broke their transfer record to land him.
"I've had now the opportunity of enjoying a full pre-season with my team-mates in England, and that's a decisive factor for a good campaign. I managed to score a few in our friendlies and feel I played pretty well," he said.
"Now I have the chance to play a full season with Boro for the first time, I truly believe I can finish as top scorer in the Premier League - and in Europe too."
He is also looking to break back into the Brazilian national side.
"Besides that, I have a very strong and clear desire to get back into the Brazilian national team," he said.
"I won the Copa America in 2007, and I'm sure that some more good performances in England could earn me a fresh call-up from Dunga, our national team coach."

Crystal Palace 1-0 Middlesbrough
Crystal Palace 1-0 Middlesbrough - Strachan
Strachan pushing for promotion
Strachan welcomes Boro challenge
Irvine - I've heard nothing
Boro 2-0 Derby - Southgate & Clough
Home form confuses Southgate
Reading 0-2 Boro - Rodgers & Southgate
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 21st November | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Nottm Forest |
| Saturday 28th November | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 15:00 | Peterborough vs Middlesbrough |
| Saturday 5th December | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 15:00 | QPR vs Middlesbrough |
| Tuesday 8th December | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 19:45 | Middlesbrough vs Blackpool |
| Sunday 13th December | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 13:15 | Middlesbrough vs Cardiff |
| Sunday 20th December | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 13:00 | Newcastle vs Middlesbrough |
| Saturday 26th December | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Scunthorpe |
| Monday 28th December | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 15:00 | Barnsley vs Middlesbrough |
| Saturday 9th January | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Swansea |
| Saturday 16th January | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 15:00 | Sheff Utd vs Middlesbrough |
| Tuesday 26th January | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 19:45 | Doncaster vs Middlesbrough |
| Saturday 30th January | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Bristol City |
| Saturday 6th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 15:00 | Ipswich vs Middlesbrough |
| Tuesday 9th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 19:45 | Middlesbrough vs Barnsley |
| Saturday 13th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 15:00 | Middlesbrough vs Peterborough |
| Tuesday 16th February | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| 19:45 | Blackpool vs Middlesbrough |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 7th November | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Crystal Palace 1 - 0 Middlesbrough | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Middlesbrough 0 - 1 Plymouth | |
| Saturday 24th October | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Preston 2 - 2 Middlesbrough | |
| Tuesday 20th October | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Middlesbrough 2 - 0 Derby | |
| Saturday 17th October | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Middlesbrough 0 - 1 Watford | |
| Saturday 3rd October | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Reading 0 - 2 Middlesbrough | |
| Tuesday 29th September | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Middlesbrough 0 - 1 Leicester | |
| Saturday 26th September | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Coventry 2 - 2 Middlesbrough | |
| Saturday 19th September | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Middlesbrough 0 - 5 West Brom | |
| Tuesday 15th September | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Sheff Wed 1 - 3 Middlesbrough | |
| Saturday 12th September | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Middlesbrough 3 - 1 Ipswich | |
| Saturday 29th August | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Bristol City 2 - 1 Middlesbrough | |
| Tuesday 25th August | |
| Carling Cup | |
| Nottm Forest 2 - 1 Middlesbrough | |
| Saturday 22nd August | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Middlesbrough 2 - 0 Doncaster | |
| Tuesday 18th August | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Scunthorpe 0 - 2 Middlesbrough | |
| Saturday 15th August | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Swansea 0 - 3 Middlesbrough | |
| Friday 7th August | |
| The Coca-Cola Football League Championship | |
| Middlesbrough 0 - 0 Sheff Utd | |
| Saturday 1st August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Millwall 1 - 1 Middlesbrough | |
| Saturday 25th July | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Carlisle 0 - 2 Middlesbrough | |
| Wednesday 22nd July | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Dumbarton 0 - 5 Middlesbrough | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Nottingham Forest | 16 | 25 |
| 9 | Swansea City | 16 | 25 |
| 10 | Middlesbrough | 16 | 24 |
| 11 | Preston North End | 16 | 24 |
| 12 | Watford | 16 | 24 |
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