Middlesbrough’s ongoing injury problems pose a threat to their momentum when they travel to Southampton on Friday.
Michael Carrick’s team has been playing well lately, winning 10 of a possible 12 points, which should give them confidence as they attempt to record an incredible double over one of the top teams in the league.
However, Middlesbrough will make changes once more due to a combination of ongoing ailments and new worries from players away on international duty.
Middlesbrough injuries
Josh Coburn, Dael Fry, Alex Bangura, and Hayden Hackney are back in training but are not yet eligible for selection. Riley McGree and Marcus Forss have joined the growing list of players ruled out of the match against Southampton.
Carrick will therefore need to find a another strike partner to go with the Ivorian since Coburn and Forss are unable to team Emmanuel Latte Lath up front. Naturally, this assumes Middlesbrough aligns themselves in their recently acquired 3-4-1-2 configuration.
Given their recent relative success with the system, Carrick has a good chance of playing with three at the back. In their two matches against Leicester, where it was flawless, they have also had a tendency to fall back on this against stronger teams.
This indicates that Sam Greenwood will probably be Latte Lath’s partner. The loanee from Leeds United has so far had an eventful time living on Teesside. Earlier in the season, he experienced a scoring run of six goals in eight games. Daniel Farke, the manager of Leeds, even praised his play after seeing him score a magnificent free kick against Leicester to win the match.
Farke said:
“He’s a young player full of potential and has many really, really good skills.
“For example, in set pieces and free-kicks, he is one of the best free-kick takers I have ever worked with and I’ve worked with some good players for example like James Maddison and whatever.”
Greenwood has endured a dip in form since then, and the second half of this campaign has not yielded the same success. Nevertheless, his energy and commitment has never waned, and Boro will need all of his spirit and tenacity for the match on Good Friday.
Carrick’s side are likely to have to deal with not having the ball for large spells against Russel Martin’s outfit. Something they don’t normally have to contend with. They will have to stay switched on and every player will have to work hard off the ball.
Greenwood’s pressure and closing down tactics will be essential to Middlesbrough’s victory. He tends to pick up yellow cards a little too regularly by letting his enthusiasm and energy overflow. This season, he has already accumulated seven, so he must exercise caution to avoid getting ahead of himself.
Strike partnership can give Saints problems
The strategy of playing with wing-backs can really benefit Middlesbrough. As they did against Leicester, they will look to stay focused at the back, with an extra central defender when out of possession. When they do mange to win the ball, they will look to strike on the counter with wing-backs pushing high, the extra centre-back stepping out, and the forwards utilising their pace up front.
Sami Silvera is another contender for the spot alongside Latte Lath, and in fairness, he played the striker role well in the 2-1 Leicester win in February, but the tricky Aussie played for the Socceroos against Lebanon on Tuesday, and after a long journey back, surely the Middlesbrough Head Coach will go with the fresher legs of Greenwood.
The 22-year-old attacker, on loan from Leeds always gives the impression he hates not playing or being involved, so Carrick will want to tap into that eagerness and thirst for action. He has played there on several occasions this season, and not to particularly great effect. But the games he played there were as a lone striker. He will be a whole different proposition with a player like Latte Lath alongside him. They are both quick, technical players who can certainly give Southampton plenty to think about.
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