Middlesbrough’s inconsistent form of late has been-in part-attributed to their horrendous luck in terms of injuries sustained to key players.
As many as ten senior players were unavailable for recent games for one reason or another, but Michael Carrick‘s side have maintained touch with the play-off hopefuls in front of them and sit just six points from sixth spot.
Aside from the two players (Darragh Lenihan and Tommy Smith) who are long term absentees, players will gradually start to return to fitness over the coming weeks. Hayden Hackney should be available again after a thigh strain, with Riley McGree and Marcus Forss due to start back training soon. Lewis O’Brien is another who should be back in training in the coming weeks after a long lay-off, but Boro do still have concerns over the availability of Paddy McNair, Josh Coburn and most recently Seny Dieng.
Injury disruption not ideal
The injury disruption is less than ideal, there is no doubt that it has effected the performances of the side in the last couple of months. However, the situation has enabled some of the summer arrivals to adapt and play more minutes on the pitch. They have had no choice, they have had to get acquainted with their teammates and the expectations of playing for this club very quickly.
Players like Rav van den Berg and Lukas Engel have stepped up and enjoyed some excellent displays in a Boro shirt. Also, the impact of Morgan Rogers and Sami Silvera has been pleasing. They have had a positive impact from the bench and changed games on numerous occasions. If you take Silvera, he has started only 8 games, yet he has scored 4 goals and contributed 2 assists, which shows that he is more than capable of coming on and effecting games. Similarly Rogers has 4 goals and made 5 assists.
Hopefully, with the injury problems easing ever so slightly, and the return of some of Boro’s influential players over this hectic festive period, it could see Boro really strengthen their options and put together a really strong run in the second half of the season.
Carrick could have a fresh squad
It could also mean that they are fresher than some of their counterparts going into a vital stage of the campaign. The likes of McGree, Forss and O’Brien could be hugely influential in ensuring the team are not too jaded as the matches come thick and fast in the run-in.
Last season, some of Carrick’s trusted first team players ran out of steam a little bit and suffered a loss of fitness and form just as the challenges intensified. Howson, Hackney, McGree and Akpom all played a lot of football, and some of them picked up knocks when it mattered most, maybe even as a consequence of playing so many consecutive games.
The fact that this time around, he could have a fit and healthy squad for the back end of the Championship season, who won’t be over-utilised, could be a real blessing. Anyone can beat anyone in this division, and having managed to keep within striking distance of the teams who currently occupy a play-off place, Boro’s ever-evolving crop will hope to mount a serious assault on the top half.
If Carrick and his coaching staff can shore up the defence a little and call upon a fit forward line for a prolonged amount of time, it will be an interesting few months for Boro fans. If he has Forss and Jones on the right, Greenwood and McGree on the left, and the versatility of Crooks, Rogers and Silvera all available to him, with reinforcements in the striker role added, there is surely reason for optimism.