Middlesbrough’s form in the last seven games has been exemplary, but there is still one area where Michael Carrick’s side are severely lacking.
Scoring goals has never been a problem during Carrick’s tenure on Teesside. They averaged around three a game for long periods of last season, but conceding, and more pertinently, conceding first in games has been an issue so far this season.
According to the data recorded on the website soccerstats.com Middlesbrough sit rock bottom of the league table in terms of points earned in the first half of Championship matches. The fact that even Sheffield Wednesday-who currently sit at the foot of the Championship with one win from 15-have faired better than Boro in the first 45 minutes of games, is a pretty damning indictment on the way we have started matches.
Taking the lead just once in the first half of our 15 games, Boro have been losing 7 times and drawing 7 times in the opening 45. They have scored 5 and conceded 12.
Boro need to tighten up as a defensive unit
Most Middlesbrough supporters will have been aware of the poor starts, but the stats are still alarming. They went behind in every single one of their first eight games and 9 out of 15 overall. The tide has turned somewhat in recent weeks and Boro have arrested their poor form in terms of results, but the next challenge is to address the leaky defence. After wrestling back control of the game against Plymouth after being 2-1 down, they led 3-2 only to relinquish their grip by conceding a third late in the game. They need to find a way of tightening up at the back as a defensive unit. The whole team has to identify ways of defending together, from front to back.
You could look at the other side of this and applaud the fact that Middlesbrough are well versed at being able to stay in games and pile on the pressure in the second half, but against better teams, they will struggle to keep using the get out of jail card by attacking the second half with such gusto, especially with the better sides who will counter with devastating effect.
Carrick’s strategy
Trying to stop the sequence may be more difficult than it looks though, purely because of the way that Middlesbrough approach the game. The strategy that Carrick and his coaching team employ tends to be a slow and steady start, in an attempt to draw out their opposing counterparts. A slow build up from the back is usually a technique they use in the hope that a press is triggered, and Boro’s superior passing ability can penetrate the opposition’s defensive capabilities.
It could just be a case of maintaining that approach, but not taking too many chances early in the game.They sit fourth in the table for second half performances, so if they can tighten up the ship at the back, and plug the first half leaks, then they can continue to sail the good ship Boro up the league and who knows, they could be even riding on the crest of a wave come May.