Middlesbrough return to the Riverside on Wednesday night, for a Championship clash vs Norwich City.
Middlesbrough lost 2-0 vs Stoke City over the weekend to continue their poor recent run of form.
Michael Carrick now sees his side sitting in 14th place of the Championship table and alarmingly, Boro are now just eight points above the drop zone.
There’s still 14 games of the season left for Middlesbrough and plenty of teams in between them and the bottom three.
But if this poor run of form continues much longer then Boro could quickly be in troubled waters.
With that in mind, here are three players who Carrick must axe for the home game vs Norwich City on Wednesday night…
Luke Ayling poor in early Middlesbrough performances
The January loan signing from Leeds United has now featured eight times in the Championship for Boro.
There’s no denying his experience and pedigree at Championship level with a staggering 242 second tier appearances to his name.
But so far at Middlesbrough he’s had mixed appearances; in the win against Leicester City last month, he was one of many who shone, but in games against Preston, Plymouth, and Stoke City last time out, Ayling has been poor.
He’s making too many basic errors in possession and getting turned over by some of the league’s pacy wingers, so Carrick may have to rethink Ayling’s starting spot on Wednesday, with Anfernee Dijksteel an option to replace Ayling in the XI.
Luke Thomas
On the other flank, fellow January arrival Luke Thomas has also struggled since joining Middlesbrough.
He’s featured five times in the Championship so far this season but has failed to really make an impression under Carrick.
Despite that, Thomas has started the last two Boro outings ahead of Lukas Engel; much to the surprise of many Middlesbrough fans.
Like Ayling, Thomas just seems to lax at the back, often exposing the defence and allowing the opposition to create chances, so one positive change Carrick could make against Norwich could be reinstating Engel into the XI.
Dan Barlaser
Lastly, Dan Barlaser could also be axed from the XI for Norwich City after a poor showing vs Stoke City.
The 27-year-old has now featured 24 times in the Championship this season but has only notched two assists, with zero goals to his name.
Against Stoke, Barlaser was criticised for giving the ball away too cheaply; something that he’s become synonymous for in a Boro shirt.
Expect Finn Azaz to return to the XI tomorrow in some role, with Barlaser perhaps the midfielder set to lose his starting spot in place of Azaz.