Middlesbrough

Max Arfsten

Arfsten would rather beat a man than pass around him, using close control from left back to dribble his side out of trouble where most defenders just look to clear it. He plays with a forward's confidence in tight spaces, unusual for a defender.
USA Middlesbrough FWD
Appearances
9
Tackles won
7

Season Snapshot

Minutes played
388
43.11 per match
Tackles won
7
Interceptions
1
Clean sheets contributed
19
as defensive proxy

Season Stats

Appearances
9
Minutes played
388
Tackles won
7
Interceptions
1
Clearances
19
Blocks
1

League Rankings

Among EFL Championship 2026/27 forwards

Tackles won
43rd of 170
Interceptions
151st of 174
Clearances
97th of 188
Blocks
155th of 156
💪 Workhorses #26 of 451
👑 Assist Kings #46 of 442
🎯 Pass Master #131 of 562
😈 Bad Boys #133 of 481
👻 Ghost Players #408 of 451
img EFL
MID
MID
13:30
Sat 17 Oct
CAR
CAR
img EFL
BOL
BOL
20:00
Fri 23 Oct
MID
MID
img EFL
MID
MID
15:00
Sat 31 Oct
CHA
CHA
img EFL
WRE
WRE
19:45
Wed 4 Nov
MID
MID
img EFL
WAT
WAT
15:00
Sat 7 Nov
MID
MID

Max Arfsten, The Wing Back Who Dribbles Out

An American left back who trusts his close control to escape pressure rather than clearing the danger the simple way.

Arfsten receives the ball under pressure from an opponent and looks to take him on rather than immediately releasing it, trusting his close control to escape a tackle in areas of the pitch where losing possession would normally be dangerous. That bravery on the ball helps Middlesbrough build attacks from deep. It offers a route out instead of constantly going long to avoid the risk of a mistake.

The tension is obvious, because a full back who dribbles this often eventually gets caught in possession somewhere he really should not be. Coaches have to weigh the attacking value he creates against the moments his confidence briefly leaves his team exposed at the back. Watch how his manager balances that risk whenever the opposition presses aggressively high up the pitch and cuts off his passing options.

The Rest Of The Squad

29 players

Goalkeepers

1
Radek Vítek
Bristol City · Age 22
10 apps
33
Jon McLaughlin
Age 39
0 apps
31
Sol Brynn
Age 25
0 apps

Defenders

2
Callum Brittain
Age 28
10 apps 1g 1a
12
Luke Ayling
Age 35
10 apps 2a
30
Neto Borges
Bristol City · Age 30
10 apps 1g
29
Adilson Malanda
Age 24
9 apps 1g
4
Ashley Phillips
Stoke City · Age 21
7 apps 1g
5
Alfie Jones
Canada · Age 29
5 apps 1g
24
Alex Bangura
Age 27
0 apps
25
George Edmundson
Age 29
0 apps
3
Sam Byram
Leeds United · Age 33
0 apps

Midfielders

8
Riley McGree
Age 27
10 apps 1a
6
Sebastian Berhalter
USA · Age 25
10 apps 2g 1a
10
Aidan Morris
Age 24
9 apps 1g
14
Myles Peart-Harris
Oxford United · Age 24
8 apps
11
Amario Cozier-Duberry
Bolton Wanderers · Age 21
5 apps 2g 2a
19
Leo Castledine
Age 21
3 apps
21
Rokas Pukstas
Age 22
1 app
18
Connor Barron
Age 24
0 apps
44
Cruz Ibeh
Age 18
0 apps
28
Law McCabe
Age 20
0 apps

Forwards

22
Kyle Joseph
Hull City · Age 25
10 apps
7
Will Lankshear
Oxford United · Age 21
10 apps 8g
9
Tommy Conway
Age 24
8 apps 3a
16
Jeremy Sarmiento
Brighton and Hove Albion · Age 24
7 apps 1g
13
David Strelec
Age 25
2 apps
49
Josh Dede
Age 20
0 apps
—
Micah Hamilton
Age 22
0 apps
View all posts
Tom Davis • October 1st, 2026

Clean sheets in the Premier League and Championship

Five Premier League keepers have three clean sheets from five games, but Konstantinos Tzolakis has made the most saves of the group. In the Championship, George Wickens has matched Lawrence Vigouroux's four clean sheets while facing far more shots.
Tom Davis • September 30th, 2026

Eight Championship players are one yellow card from a ban

Eight Championship players are one yellow card away from a one-match ban. Card rates show who might be missing, and QPR should line up cover for Jake Clarke-Salter now.
Tom Davis • September 29th, 2026

Five Premier League games in and some players are already halfway to a ban

Matt Crooks has three yellows from three games for Hull. Our Most Cards and Bad Boys boards show who is closest to a Premier League ban after five matches.
Bingo • Tom Davis • September 4th, 2026

Match Bingo Game Modes Explained

There are three game types on Match Bingo and they behave less alike than they sound. Live Games follow a real fixture as it's played. Bingoals swaps the fifteen events for fifteen teams and needs every one of them to score. Quick Games run every few minutes on football from last season, so there's nothing to wait for.
Football News • Tom Davis • September 1st, 2026

Does a New Signing Change Anything on Your Match Bingo Card?

Deadline day comes and goes and your card stays exactly as it was. Match Bingo cards are built from things that happen in a match, goals and corners and fouls, rather than from the players who make them happen. No name on a teamsheet reaches a single square. Here's what a signing does change, and what it doesn't.
Bingo • Tom Davis • August 31st, 2026

Is Match Bingo Safe? Licensing, Fair Play and Player Protection

Two things usually sit behind that question: whether the company is real and regulated, and whether the game itself can be got at by somebody sharper than you. Match Bingo is operated by RTSB Limited under Gambling Commission account 51467, which takes about a minute to check. The second answer is duller: there's nothing to press.
Bingo • Tom Davis • August 28th, 2026

What Is Football Bingo?

A card holds fifteen things that can happen in a football match, and each square marks itself the moment its event happens in the fixture you've chosen. You buy before kick-off, then you go and watch the game. Complete a horizontal row of five before anybody else and you take the fixed prize for that tier.
Weekly Round Up • Tom Davis • August 27th, 2026

This Week on Match Bingo: Premier League and Championship, 28 to 31 August

A Friday night opener, a full Saturday, and Villa against Arsenal alone on the Monday.
View all posts

100% Deposit Match Bonus For New Players

Eligible new players get a 100% matched deposit bonus when they deposit £20 or more.

18+. New GB customers only. One per customer/household/payment method. Min deposit £20. Bonus credit can't be withdrawn, winnings can, no wagering requirement. Making a withdrawal or claiming another deposit bonus will cancel any unused bonus credit. Bonus expires 14 days from claiming. Please gamble responsibly. GamCare.org.uk. Full T&Cs apply.

Updated after the match on . Next update after the fixture on .

18+

You must be over 18 years old to gamble. Please gamble responsibly and in moderation — see our Responsible Gaming page. RTSB Limited is licensed and regulated in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission under account number 51467.