Cup competitions can often be described as an unneccessary distraction, particularly from the Championship clubs whose modest sized squads are fully focused on their ultimate aim of reaching the Premier League.
Not so in the case of Michael Carrick and his Middlesbrough troops who have relished every cup game they have encountered this season. Their reward for treating the cup competitions with respect? A two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final affair with Chelsea, that offers the opportunity of a major final at Wembley and the chance for silverware for the victor.
Unlucky in defeat
Unfortunately for Boro, their F.A Cup campaign is over after defeat to top tier outfit Aston Villa, but the game was way closer than the midland side would have liked, and Boro can count themselves a little unlucky not to be in the hat for the next round.
The cup clash with Villa was on terrestrial television, and was a great showpiece for some of Middlesbrough’s aspiring young players to show the casual football audience how good they are under Michael Carrick. They didn’t disappoint. Here are three things that we learned about that impressive performance.
1. Carrick’s tactical nous
It was a little bit of a surprise as the Middlesbrough team sheet was circulated. Tacticians and pundits tried to make sense of Carrick naming two left-back’s and no recognised right-back. Even the BBC graphics appeared to be clutching as they put up their interpretation before kick-off.
There was no intimation that the Boro Head Coach was going to set up differently, largely due to the fact that he has always gone with a 4-2-3-1 strategy. Instead, they went with a three at the back wing-back system that saw Jones and Bangura’s pace utilised to hit Villa on the counter, with captain Hackney, Barlaser, Greenwood and Rogers all working in a diamond/two banks of two type formation to deny them too much time in central areas.
That meant that Lukas Engel was entrusted with a central berth in defence alongside Matt Clarke and Rav van den Berg. It worked very well and every individual played their part in stifling an Unai Emery team that is very much in form.
Carrick mixed it up
Carrick has showed his excellent coaching prowess during his time on Teesside. We have seen him play players in alternate positions that better benefit the team and player. We have also seen the fluid system he has integrated, that allows the transitional phases of attacking play, like the high-pressing left-back that brings the left winger inside to offer themselves as another play-maker in the pockets behind the striker.
Rarely though, have we seen Carrick change his formation and mix it up when coming up against better teams. It is possible that he took experience from the Brighton humbling from last season’s F.A Cup tie. It may be that he was managing his squad in readiness for the huge Chelsea test on Tuesday evening. Either way it was mightily impressive to see how well his players adapted and clearly took on board the instructions given to them.
Michael Carrick is always talking about players relishing and enjoying the tests presented with playing against big clubs. I think he relished the tactical battle against Unai Emery, who by the way has won 9 major trophies as a manager. It should be mentioned that Carrick’s coaching staff should receive some of the plaudits. Aaron Danks no doubt had plenty of inside knowledge having been with Villa for a couple of years recently and of course Jonathan Woodgate; you would assume, had a big influence on the defensive approach to Saturday’s game.
It stands Boro in good stead knowing that even with depleted numbers, their players are able to adapt and implement the change in strategy and approach with such competence.
2. The improvement shown by players covering absentees
Middlesbrough lined up against a team sat in second place in the Premier League, with a reserve goalkeeper, a left-back at centre-back, and a right-winger at right wing-back. Six of the first eleven were new players acquired in the summer, and there were others who were also returning from injury.
Carrick has said numerous times that he trusts the whole of his squad to contribute during this season. That is easy to say and difficult to do when it comes to proving it. But he showed his whole hearted belief in that statement by pitching them in against a top, top side.
Barlaser’s benefit
One player that has benefited from having a run of consecutive games is Dan Barlaser. He played with real composure and assurance against Villa and he is improving with each game. This assessment is best illustrated with a look at some of the game’s statistics. According to FotMob website, Dan Barlaser had more touches than any other Boro player with 69. He made 8 passes into the final third and aside from a busy Tom Glover, was rated Boro’s best player with a rating of 7.5.
Tom Glover is another who is enjoying more game time as a result of others being unavailable, as is Matt Clarke, who surely could not have envisaged playing regularly as he sat injured and behind the likes of Lenihan, McNair, and Fry in the pecking order.
To see Glover, Barlaser and Clarke perform as they did on Saturday was extremely positive and gives Carrick options and decisions moving forward. Their improvement this season has been immeasurable, and has only really happened as a consequence of the absenteeism of the long list of players. Who thought our struggles would generate such a positiveresult?
3. Recruitment plan showing its worth
Scepticism was rife during the early part of the season regarding Boro’s recruitment model and the new signings made. Results were hard to come by, but Carrick resisted temptation to blame the quality of player. He was steadfast in his assessment, absolutely refusing to rebuke the efforts of his newly acquired players.
They are now repaying that faith by showing that they are capable of cutting it at this club, and at this level. Tom Glover, Lukas Engel, Rav van den Berg, Alex Bangura, Morgan Rogers, Sam Greenwood, Matt Clarke and Dan Barlaser have all joined the club since the arrival of Head of Football, Kieran Scott.
New recruits did Boro proud
That is eight of Saturday’s starting eleven. They all showed that they are good, hungry and ambitious players that wan to do well for the club. The squad is coming into its own now and as players continue to settle and improve further, Middlesbrough football club will surely be in even better fettle. Fans are gradually accepting the fact that this campaign is likely to be seen as a year of transition. Key players and top level loan players left in the summer, leaving some big holes in the group. It was always going to be a long process trying to plug those gaps. But Kieran Scott and the team at Boro have worked very well to bring in relatively unknown professional players from central Europe and Australia, with some unproven academy prospects from other clubs added into the mix.
It feels like something exciting is happening at Boro, it won’t happen overnight, but the signs are good and even in defeat, we learned plenty about the club and it’s players moving forward.