The calamitous start to Boro’s Championship campaign could signal a change in personnel as they prepare to navigate the international break, before returning to action against Blackburn Rovers.
Michael Carrick has been keen to play down any panic felt by fans who have seen their side ship 11 goals in five league games, losing four out of five so far.
The head coach has pointed to a squad in transition and highlighted the positives from the performances so far, refusing to criticise the plethora of mistakes that have left them rooted to the bottom of the league.
In spite of that Carrick is fully aware that, as a club, they need to protect their young charges, many of whom are experiencing the hustle and bustle of the Championship for the first time in their career. He said in the post-match interview following the QPR defeat on the club’s website, “There’s some young players in there that we need to help and look after and get the best out of.”
The need to steady the ship
Only Carrick will know exactly how he intends to achieve that, but with the experienced Lewis O’Brien coming on and impressing following his loan move from Nottingham Forest, one theory is that he could draft in the once Huddersfield midfielder alongside the evergreen Jonny Howson and the talented Hayden Hackney to create a three-man midfield; thus giving the side a little bit more solidity and control in the middle of the park.
Other more senior players, could also find themselves drafted back in to the fold in an attempt to steady the ship as it were. They are not in choppy waters just yet, but a few more poor results and the sharks could be circling.
That does not explain how he will get the best out of the young new arrivals like Morgan Rogers and Sami Silvera amongst others, but what it does do, is takes them out of the firing line.
They look a little like they are feeling the burden that comes with playing for a club fancied to do well. They just need that reprieve, so they can breathe a little and recharge and come again, hopefully into a side that will be playing better football and perhaps more importantly, a side that is picking up points.
Boro new boys need period of stability
Mistakes have unfortunately littered Boro’s early season matches, something which cannot be legislated for, even so, it may be a period for stability, and if that means switching to a 4-3-3 or even a 4-5-1 without the ball, then surely, there would not be too many complaining.
Carrick could go with a more tried and tested line-up in coming weeks. The likes of Isaiah Jones, Marcus Forss could be integrated into a new system and would provide a sturdier platform for the new signings to be gradually introduced onto.
Watching your team play attractive football and losing occasionally is one thing, seeing them capitulate by trying to outscore their opponent when they haven’t clicked into gear as an attacking force themselves, could be a hard watch week after week.