Middlesbrough’s apparent striker shortage could prompt head coach Michael Carrick to turn to two of his young academy proteges.
The club’s difficulty in securing a deal for another striker to accompany new arrival Emannuel Latte Lath has been well documented. The former Atalanta front man is showing early signs of promise, but will not be expected to carry the goal threat alone and, with Boro only managing three goals in five league games, it is a concern.
There will be times throughout the season that the schedule will dictate a change in the line-up in attack, which is why Boro decided against sanctioning a loan deal for Josh Coburn to join Plymouth. Instead, the 20-year-old, who stands at 6ft 3, will be utilised as back-up for his hometown club.
Those two are the only specialist strikers or number nines currently in the first team squad, but there are two goal-getters that are catching the eye in the Premier League 2 Reserve league.
Calum Kavanagh
Calum Kavanagh, son of former Middlesbrough, Stoke, Cardiff, Wigan, Sheffield Wednesday and Carlisle United player Graham, has recently returned from a loan spell with League 2 club Newport County. He joined them in January of this year, contributing two goals and one assist in eight starts.
Before joining Newport County, he struck an impressive seven goals and one assist during his nine starts for Middlesbrough’s Premier League 2 side, and has since rejoined following his loan spell, picking up exactly where he left off this term. He has two goals in his first two starts, including one in the recent 4-1 demolition of Liverpool reserves.
His goal against Liverpool – rounding the ‘keeper and slotting home – was taken with maturity and class and prompted a congratulatory ‘back at it son’ tweet from Dad Graham.
Kavanagh has steadily improved under the guidance of Boro’s coaches and regularly catches the eye playing in Mark Tinkler’s young side.
At the age of 20, he has no need to rush his already admirable progression, but he will have noted how teenager Sonny Finch was offered the opportunity to show his worth in a number of first team call-ups during the last campaign. He would love to achieve something similar this season.
Sonny Finch
Sonny Finch, like Calum Kavanagh, has already signed a long term contract with the club, which will give him confidence and an unerring faith that the club value him enough to want to secure his services for future years.
The fresh-faced 18-year-old who was born down the road in Sunderland, excelled in the Under-18 Premier League and the Premier League 2 division last season, scoring a total of six goals and adding three assists in 13 starts overall. Those performances propelled him into Michael Carrick’s plans, with Boro’s head coach bringing him into the first team Championship squad on six occasions.
That kind of experience, just being in and around a squad of that calibre at that level on match-days is invaluable. He will have learned so much already, but appears to be champing at the bit to continue with his footballing education. He-like Calum Kavanagh-also scored recently in the impressive Liverpool scalp.
Boro need to be patient
Both players represent the kind of number nine threat that Carrick appears to favour in terms of pace, movement and finishing. Morgan Rogers, Matt Crooks and Josh Coburn possess a very different set of attributes, but the Boro boss likes his forwards to stretch the back line and run in behind.
He has brought in Emannuel Latte Lath to be the kind of player that Cameron Archer was last season, and Finch and Kavanagh are of similar ilk, albeit it still far from realising their full potential just yet.
Their development is important to the club and the selfish needs of the side should not take precedence over their individual progression.
We have seen already that the burden can be difficult to bear if you are introduced as a young player in a very competitive Championship, but if they are introduced patiently, these two hot-shots with their boundless energy and youthful approach, could just provide the first team squad with the tonic they so crave.
I am sure they don’t, but if they should need any inspiration, then they can look at the ‘Redcar Iniesta’ Hayden Hackney. He has never looked back since he was offered a chance to play for the first team.