Stand-out trio make it hard for players to choose who will be their season favourite
PLEADING CASE FOR BORO’S UNSUNG HEROES
WHEN the endof-season awards are handed out, Darren Randolph may well be named Player of the Year. If that’s the case, few would have cause for complaint, such has been his exceptional consistency and ability to make game-defining saves.
Another candidate, if he maintains his impressive strike rate, is Britt Assombalonga.
But what about Middlesbrough’s unsung heroes?
The club’s top-six form isn’t just down to the keeper and the striker.
There are a handful of players who’ve gone through the current campaign who’ve made a sizeable contribution without getting much in the way of positive publicity.
Three, in particular, have been tireless contributors to the relative success enjoyed by the first team.
There’s Ryan Shotton, who’s provided a powerful presence down the Boro right. And George Friend has offered a similar service down the left.
Another stand-out pro has been Jonny Howson.
All three have had to show versatility in adapting to changing formations and, whether playing in their chosen position or filling in elsewhere, have rarely looked out of place. All three are also a manager’s dream. They are all prepared to put a foot in and they certainly can’t be accused of shying away from a physical challenge, yet none of the trio has been suspended this season. That’s the sign of a player who knows how to tackle and how to conduct himself. Yes, they’ve picked up the odd yellow card, but that’s to be expected when playing in such a highly charged environment. Both Friend and Shotton have had to change roles regularly this season as the manager switches between a back four and a back five. They also played as centrebacks due to injuries and suspensions and yet they’ve gone about their jobs quietly and effectively. As captain, Friend has tended to lead by example, making gut-busting runs forward to support the attack and then charging back to cover when Boro are out of position. He drives his team both verbally and through sheer effort and his often excellent crossing regularly goes unnoticed. Shotton’s another who plays with his heart on his sleeve. He loves to get forward and his long throws from deep in the opposition half cause chaos in the penalty area.
Both Friend and Shotton found themselves out of favour under Garry Monk but one of Tony Pulis’s first acts as manager was to make them first-team regulars in his newlook backline.
He clearly liked and valued their physicality and there’s no doubt trying to play against such imposing and mobile defenders must be intimidating.
Howson, meanwhile, is ultra-reliable. He might not have been able to score the weight of goals for Boro he managed at Norwich and Leeds but the Yorkshireman does help an improving midfield dominate games through his industry.
And he can certainly play a quality pass when the opportunity arises.
It was good to see him score against Queens Park Rangers last weekend and a sign that he’s benefiting from the presence of John Obi Mikel, who’s looked hugely impressive since joining in January.
Howson’s not the sort of player who will necessarily get the fans out of their seats but his reliability is a critical part of the team that’s desperately trying to win a place in the Premier League. His team-mates will certainly appreciate his qualities and it will be interesting to see who wins the Players’ Player of the Year award. But Friend, Shotton and Howson are proof that football’s very much a team game that rewards both craft and graft.
All three have had to show versatility in adapting to changing formations and have rarely looked out of place