Alarming stat shows key improvement Middlesbrough must make, with help in the transfer window

Middlesbrough will be looking at all ways in which they can improve next season.

If Middlesbrough want to have a more successful season next season, consistency is a big issue they must address.

Michael Carrick’s team only won three consecutive games once this season, and they only did so three other times. Boro’s inconsistent performances throughout the campaign summed up a dismal year.

In terms of inconsistent performance, a lack of regularity in team selection is unlikely to help. Carrick frequently mentioned the number of changes required throughout the season, as well as Boro’s use of four goalkeepers.
While changes in how the squad is used over the course of a long and hard campaign are unavoidable, a more consistent team helps establish confidence, connection, and conviction, all of which Boro lacked for much of this season.

You simply need to look at Carrick’s first season in charge of Boro, and that emphatic time from January to the end of March when they marched towards the play-offs and seemed like they may even catch Sheffield United and leapfrog them to second place. The XI was rarely changed throughout the time span.

However, during the March international break that season, injuries began to set in, and they have never fully recovered two years later. It is true that injuries are on the rise throughout the game. Even with that swing, Boro’s injury effect over the last two seasons has been significantly higher than normal.

A worrying defensive statistic will undoubtedly have an impact on their ability to be consistent. Carrick had to utilize 23 different back four combinations throughout 46 Championship games last season. 23!

That averages each back four lasting only two games before needing to be replaced, which is consistent with the season’s story and the significant impact that injuries had on it. Everyone at Boro understands that something needs to change. But how?

That will be reviewed further during the current review meetings, but there are various ways it might be improved. It’s likely to be part of the reasoning, but it was stated that there were no issues about player workload or training intensity under Carrick.

Instead, there have been discussions about how to improve Rockliffe’s facilities, as well as how to assist the medical staff. On top of that, there is concern for the players themselves and their strength. Boro just needs guys who can play as close to 46 games as feasible.

While some injuries are unavoidable and regrettable, Boro will likely look more closely at a player’s injury history when recruiting in the future. Finding players who can help them overcome this season’s ludicrous record could be critical, especially in defence, where they are aiming to add a right-back and a centre-back this summer.

While defense was not Boro’s only weakness last season, it was certainly a concern. They conceded way too many soft goals, which were frequently absurd, but they also conceded much too many in general. It’s no surprise that the two greatest defences in the division advanced automatically, while only two teams in the top half conceded more than Carrick’s side.

While Boro’s dismal defensive record was influenced by far more than just consistency, it should be evident how much better it could, and almost probably would have been, if Carrick had been able to identify a more settled back four. With that in mind, it must be a top priority to fix this summer.