Middlesbrough’s Premier League ambitions could finally be realised as they enter the 2024/25 season in a position of strength. There are three reasons why Michael Carrick’s men could lift the Championship trophy this season.
Throughout his tenure in charge of Middlesbrough, Michael Carrick has made his aspirations clear – he wants to lead the club to the Premier League. While many of his key players from last season have mirrored Carrick’s aims for the season. Some players rejecting transfer speculation that would see them move to the Premier League to have another crack at the whip with Middlesbrough. It has been great to hear for Middlesbrough fans that want to see the once Premier League stalwart return to the big leagues.
It’s not all talk either. Michael Carrick’s side has looked good in pre-season. The side looks as though it could be ready for a serious promotion charge this season. And here’s three reasons why they may be successful.
Consistency is Key
Historically Middlesbrough has suffered from turbulence. The Teessiders has been the home for several different managers with very different tactical philosophies. The Riverside Stadium has seen Pulis-ball, Warnock’s wing play, and Gary Monk’s possession-based ultra-attacking style. Each coach has brought in his own coaches, backroom and playing staff only for them to be uprooted and replaced by the next manager with a different philosophy. These reactionary decisions made at the boardroom level had stripped the club of a playing identity, and tore down the foundations that were built by each manager to make way for the next. It was a costly process too. Investing millions of pounds to give each manager the support that Gibson proudly offers each head coach/managerial recruit.
Realising that they were in a rut destined to repeat the same costly mistakes if they didn’t change tack; Middlesbrough recruited Kieran Scott. Scott was given the useful and self-explanatory title Head of Football. The newcomer was to oversee the footballing side of the club. While Gibson and Co. handled the other areas of running a club. The intention was clear. Build a consistent vision for the club under the guiding hand of Kieran Scott.
His first move was to replace Neil Warnock with Chris Wilder. Wilder’s time at Middlesbrough is widely regarded as a failure marred with his less-than-obtuse constant desire to move to pastures new. But the recruitment was a flag in the sand. It said ‘this is the direction we are going to move in.’ Wilder’s replacement, Carrick, re-emphasised the vision. A young aspirational manager whose playing philosophy shares similar throughlines to Chris Wilder. The squad wouldn’t need a complete overhaul and even Woodgate’s return in a supporting role following a difficult tenure in charge while playing progressive football supported this vision for the club going forward.
There was still work to be done. Working with the recruitment department, Kieran Scott and Steve Gibson, Carrick reworked and remoulded the squad into the side that will be on the back of the matchday programmes for the first game of the season. However, it wasn’t an overhaul of the squad. Carrick worked well with several long-standing players including Paddy McNair, Matty Crooks, Marc Bola, Duncan Watmore and famously Chuba Akpom. While several long established players remain part of the club including Jonny Howson, Dael Fry and Anfernee Dijksteel.
Kieran Scott and the recruitment department have been reshaping the squad with the support of head coaches Chris Wilder and Michael Carrick. Now Carrick and the backroom staff are largely content with how the squad looks. Instead of looking for a dozen incomings, Middlesbrough can cherry-pick their recruits putting them in a strong position in the market and on the pitch. That has been reflected in their transfer business this summer. Boro have made just three signings. One of those signings was the return of Luke Ayling who joined the side on loan last season. The other two, Delano Burgzorg and Aiden Morris, have come in to plug gaps in the squad. The pair have cost the side an estimated £6m. However, this investment has been pushed towards key quality recruits rather than spread sparsely across the whole squad. This puts Middlesbrough in a strong position and history is on their side.
Three of the past five league winners recorded less than 10 arrivals in their league-winning season (Leicester City [4], Fulham [8], Leeds United [8]). The other two? Norwich City that contended with their own floodgates opening – losing plenty of players. They leaned on their Premier League squad to return to the top division at the first time of asking. They signed 12 players all season. Then Burnley, who acted as though there was a transfer window fire sale bringing in 21 new faces. Vincent Kompany’s side made use of the money coming in from the high profile transfers of Nathan Collins, Maxwel Cornell, Dwight McNeill and Nick Pope (£76m) to fund their spending spree. Burnley used these funds wisely creating a squad that suited their drastic change in footballing philosophy. They essentially used their wealthy standing to fast-track the process which has taken Middlesbrough a number of seasons. It could have gone either way. A lack of cohesion early on caused some to question Burnley’s transfer policy. However, it would come good as Burnley won the league under Vincent Kompany.
Burnley is an outlier in a trend which implies that building a steady foundation and creating consistency in the squad and the coaching is the path to great success.
Injury Woes
Middlesbrough struggles with injuries ultimately prevented them from finding a space in the top six last season. At points last season, Michael Carrick was forced to name a bench littered with unproven academy players as he had that few first-team options available. Some injuries are unavoidable and having injury-prone players is par for the course as a football club. However, the type and frequency of Middlesbrough’s injury concerns last season imply that there may have been systemic issues at the club.
Looking after players in the modern game is a difficult affair. Those that are fortunate enough to feature in every game a club participates in could easily break the 50 game barrier every season. This puts a heavy load on the body increasing fatigue and chances of injury. So its important to get training, physio and injury prevention just right.
Middlesbrough are making the right noises that they are moving in the right direction.
When talking about Sonny Finch, Carrick emphasised the importance of looking after him following his own injury battles. While, when Dael Fry’s pre-season niggles, Carrick has been precautious – encouraging the local to return to full fitness before he is properly involved. It is not all good. Bangoura has had his own personal battle with injuries and he hasn’t been able to leave them behind in 2023/24. Bangoura is due a surgery which means he is going to miss out on a large portion of the season. Carrick acknowledged that it was unfortunate, but fully supported the long journey to recovery for the fullback.
There has also been movement in the backroom staff. Head Physio Chris Moseley left the club this summer after over two decades of great work. Moseley has been a great physio for Middlesbrough so it is little surprise that Rotherham United poached him from the Teessiders. However, his departure creates room for others such as Dr English, and physio’s Minihane and Hunter to bring new ideas to the table.
It remains yet to be seen if Middlesbrough have made any headway with their injury issues. However, if the early indications are anything to go by, then Middlesbrough could be in a better place to keep their players fit and available. In turn, strengthening Middlesbrough’s bid for the Championship.
Firepower
Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough was at its strongest when it had a plethora of attacking talent. Chuba Akpom, Cameron Archer and Aaron Ramsey rose above the rest creating phenomenal interchanges and producing plenty of goals. Middlesbrough have struggled to replace this firepower with each of these players proving in the following season that they were a level above the Championship.
Now Middlesbrough are as close as they have gotten to replicating that goal threat this season. Emmanuel Latte Lath found his golden shooting boots at the end of the season – scoring 11 goals in 12 appearances – and he seems confident that he is going to continue to find the back of the net this season. Marcus Forss showed how prolific he can be when he is fit and available as has Riley McGree who has suffered from injuries last season. Delano Burgzorg has shown promise in pre-season and Coburn seems motivated to prove that he belongs among the Middlesbrough squad after fits and starts of promise. Sonny Finch has played a larger role in preseason than many were expecting and he has looked exciting. A great prospect that could be eased into Championship football. Behind these forwards, Finn Azaz and Alex Gilbert showed real signs of promise at the end of last season and they will be hoping to kick on when the season kicks off on Saturday. That is not all.
Middlesbrough are looking to strengthen further. The Teessiders have lodged a competitive bid of £5m for Tommy Conway. The 21 year old Scottish International has been Bristol City’s primary goal-getter in the last two seasons. Championship proven and likely to settle into Carrick’s playing philosophy with no issues.
If Middlesbrough can get their attacking players fit and firing they could be an exciting prospect for fans. If the five goals against Doncaster are anything to go by, Middlesbrough could be firing plenty of goals this season. Goals win games. Winning games wins tournaments.
Verdict
Middlesbrough still have a lot left to prove. Saturday will give us more insight than the whole pre-season put together but the early signs are positive. Can Middlesbrough win the league? That is yet to be seen. However, they are one of the bookies favourites for a reason. Let’s see what they can do.
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