Speaking with BBC Tees, Finn Azaz discussed the atmosphere, camaraderie, and transition at the Middlesbrough dressing room.
Finn Azaz acknowledges that the recent run of results has been “frustrating,” but he says the Middlesbrough dressing room is still defiantly full of belief.
The only victory in the following six games, since Azaz’s debut at Millwall, where Boro prevailed 3-1, came against league leaders Leicester City. That victory was rendered meaningless by the frustrating loss to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, as Boro dropped to 11 points behind sixth-placed Hull City but now sit above their next opponents Stoke City, with just nine points separating them from the team in third place ahead of their trip to the Bet365 Stadium this Saturday.
The team led by Michael Carrick has been playing poorly lately, which comes after a very inconsistent four months overall. A series of injuries has caused the team to fall further and further out of the play-off spots. Staff members have called for changes and have reconsidered strategies as a result.
However, revealing the resilient atmosphere that exists behind the scenes at Boro, Azaz stated that they are convinced they can make things better because they have a strong belief in their abilities. Results are discouraging, but we must try to tune out the noise and have faith in our abilities and direction, he told BBC Tees.
“I’ve played in the league long enough to recognise what kind of performances are dominant and that we have a distinct style of play that few other teams possess. To continue believing in what we’re doing and refusing to listen to negativity, I do believe that we simply need to have that belief and unity.
“We are remaining optimistic and there is still plenty of time left in the season.” There are still a lot of games left, and I’m obviously aware of what transpired here at the beginning of the season—winning six straight after going seven games without a victory. So, we are aware that it is feasible.
Azaz has made seven appearances for Boro so far, and in his last three games, he has scored two goals and provided an assist. But this past weekend’s reunion with his former loan team, Plymouth, did not turn out to be a happy one. The 23-year-old, though, says he’s settling in nicely at the team aside from the results, and he hopes to keep contributing goals to help the team get better.
After coming from Aston Villa last month, he said, “It’s been great so far from a settling-in point of view, with all the staff and all the players being great.” “Although I feel at ease, I haven’t had much time to breathe because the past month or so has been so hectic.
“It goes without saying that the outcomes haven’t met our expectations. Everything has gone really well, save from the outcomes. I’ve been playing, and I think I’m getting better every time, but the outcomes will add to the specialness.
“I had mixed feelings because we didn’t win the game, but I was relieved to get the first goal [at Preston] because it felt like it had been coming for a while. That is, without a doubt, the most crucial factor. I want to help, but I want to help people win. Good performances are followed by goals and assists.”
When Boro travels to Stoke City in the Championship on Saturday, Azaz will be hoping he can help the team improve. Even though a play-off push now seems extremely unlikely, Boro needs to make sure they avoid getting sucked into a relegation struggle and focus on finishing the season as soon as possible.
