The Middlesbrough defender wants the Riverside Stadium to become unfriendly territory for visiting teams.
Middlesbrough’s Ben Gibson applauds fans after the game
Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson has called upon the club’s fans to turn the Riverside Stadium into a raucous and partisan environment for Boro’s home games.
Speaking to GazetteLive, the 23 year-old said fans need to make their home stadium a cauldron of noise and reignite the Riverside roar, as the club battle to climb the league table.
After taking four points from their opening two games on returning to the Premier League, Aitor Karanka’s men sit in 17th spot and are yet to win at home, having lost three out of four outings on Teesside this term.
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka
‘Boro are in dire need on a change of fortunes at home and Gibson, a born-and-bred fan of the club, believes that begins by making the Riverside a pressure cooker environment.
Gibson stated to gazettelive.co.uk, “We have to make the Riverside a really hostile place for teams to come. So I encourage the fans to get out and get behind us.
“We want the colour. We want the noise”, he continued. “Be raucous and make it like it was for that Brighton promotion game because that really does help”.
The defender has won rave reviews for his performances this season, with many calling for an England call up. Nevertheless, Karanka’s side have struggled for clean sheets, keeping just two so far.
Middlesbrough’s Alvaro Negredo in action with Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny
Goals have also been a source of consternation in the North-East. Middlesbrough have scored just four times in their last seven games.
Last weekend’s point against in-form Arsenal was an indication of what ‘Boro are capable of and Gibson says the fans can play their part.
“The fans have been brilliant but we have to keep at it and make sure it is like that at full volume all game every week”, the 23 year-old said.
“For us to stay up this season we have to have a good home record, and it hasn’t been good enough so far”.
“I don’t think we’ve got as many points from our start as we actually deserved and I think some of the criticism hasn’t been fair”.
Gibson also speaks of this weekend’s clash, as AFC Bournemouth visit the Riverside. Despite an impressive point at The Emirates, the defender acknowledges the game as of greater importance in the long-run.
Middlesbrough’s Ben Gibson in action with Arsenal’s Francis Coquelin
“I actually think if we play in the same vein as we did at Arsenal then we will make it very tough for Bournemouth. We need to get three points to really kick-start our season.
“We’ve taken a point and a clean sheet against Arsenal – now let’s go and make things happen, get up that table and win a few games”.
Gibson finishes, “Bournemouth is bigger, 100 per cent, than Arsenal was. It is at home and they are down in our half of the table.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
