This season may not have had the fairytale ending we had hoped for at the outset, but by finishing on such a high note, Middlesbrough are giving us plenty of optimism for the future.
Moving their previous record to just one defeat in 11, Boro’s latest triumph against Cardiff City to cap up their away campaign in style had a lot going for them. Matt Clarke, Finn Azaz, Emmanuel Latte Lath, and Alex Gilbert scored goals, demonstrating encouraging individual performances, quality, and merciless attacking, as well as proof of a critical ingredient that Michael Carrick stated before the game growing within this team once more.
Boro’s penultimate game of the season was the first in which they were mathematically certain their play-off chances were over. While always fantastical, Boro’s previous nine games before the Leeds defeat had all carried an aura of ‘nothing to lose’ in their approach, with the optimism that a top-six finish was still possible if they kept winning.
In the end, it was just too much for them, and after a long and arduous campaign in which injuries had really taken hold, as well as a rollercoaster of emotions that made it a physical and mentally draining experience, it would have been easy for them to take to the beaches early with nothing left to play for.
Carrick did, however, express his feelings ahead of a lengthy flight to Cardiff. “We want to win,” he replied, making a compelling point. “We want to create a winning culture,” he insisted. It is such an important component for any great team, as Carrick, a serial champion under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, understands all too well.
While the game in South Wales was not always played at a high tempo, and it was not as easy as the scoreline shows, Carrick found his team in a winning mentality – relentless in attack and ready to win no matter what was at stake.
“It’s encouraging,” the Boro manager stated afterwards. “It’s fine for me to talk about it, inform the players, and encourage them, but it needs to come from them. Self-motivation and peer motivation are primarily derived from the playing group. I’m thrilled. Some aspects of the game may have been improved, but overall, we approached it correctly. I’m quite happy with the players.
That winning culture could be vital in the future. It’s something Boro discovered during an impressive run last season, but with so many changes to the squad last summer and so many new faces entering, a slow start to the season harmed belief and confidence.
Finding consistency has been difficult during a tricky season, but by demonstrating their quality at times and their sheer will and desire to grind out results at others, this Boro team is now beginning to feel like they are winning. It comes regrettably too late in the season, but with genuine hope and optimism that the majority of this squad will remain together next season, there is much to be optimistic about.
Latte Lath maintained his good form. Another strong finish propelled him to ten goals in 11 games and 16 total for the season. Rav van den Berg continues to exude quality and maturity and has already expressed his desire to stay, while his centre-back partner Clarke – who opened the Boro scoring on the day – has undoubtedly dispelled earlier concerns that he wasn’t quite suited to Carrick’s ideal style of play by proving his worth recently.
Azaz continues to be a source of genuine encouragement. After joining Boro in January, he hasn’t had the easiest start.
Poor team form, formation changes, and a lack of choices forcing him to be shoved in were not ideal conditions for him to make an immediate impact.
Nonetheless, in recent weeks, as traces of that connection and confidence have grown, he has begun to reveal glimpses of what he is capable of. This one in Cardiff was undoubtedly his best performance in a Boro shirt. With two assists and a well-taken goal, he also contributed significantly to Gilbert’s goal. He’s in the Boro squad to make an impact, which he surely did in South Wales.
You can see him growing and feeling more comfortable in his surroundings,” he said. “He’s gaining confidence and belief and is having a successful season finale. There are certainly high hopes for Finn’s performance next season.
There should be big expectations for the upcoming season, not just for Azaz but for Boro in general. This is a terrific finale to the season, demonstrating Boro’s determination to achieve. Boro will undoubtedly need to add some extra talent in the upcoming vital summer, but quality can only go so far. Mentality and a winning spirit are also required, and Boro have plenty of both.
