Boss delighted as triple threat of last transfer window twinkle for Teessiders
MICHAEL Carrick recently revealed his delight with Middlesbrough’s three January signings and how they’ve settled at the club.
Cameron Archer and Aaron Ramsey arrived on loan from Aston Villa at either end of the transfer window, with Dan Barlaser joining in between on a permanent transfer from Rotherham United.
All three have settled well and are playing their part as Boro continue to push hard to put pressure on Sheffield United in their bid to earn automatic promotion back to the Premier League. We assess each of
the trio individually.
CAMERON ARCHER
13 appearances, 6 goals,
assists
Showing the benefits of getting in early, Archer was able to use his first few weeks and games at the club from the bench to settle at the club and quickly build his match sharpness before becoming a regular starter since his excellent first start against Watford, which followed the defeat to Sunderland.
In his third substitute appearance, it was noted after the defeat to Sunderland how his impact from the bench was potentially one of the few positives that day and so it proved, with the Aston Villa starlet not looking back since.
He’s really transformed
Boro’s attack, with Boro averaging 2.7 goals per game in his ten starts to date.
While it hasn’t always dropped for him in front of goal he’s certainly showed an eye for it when the chances have presented themselves.
More important though has been his unselfish work for the team, with his energy and movement helping to break lines and stretch defences, while a particularly pleasing aspect has been his keenness for the battle - leaving many far bigger defenders on the floor after going shoulder to shoulder with them. He’s been comfortably the best of three good signings so far.
7 appearances, 3 goals
Ramsey was a deadline-day addition for Boro on loan from Aston Villa and joining his academy team-mate Archer at the club.
The pair were both signed thanks to coach Aaron Danks’ contacts after he joined Boro from the Midlands club just a month earlier.
Ramsey joined after returning to training on the morning of deadline day, having undergone surgery on a knee injury suffered while in a World Cup break training camp with Norwich City.
It was later reported that the Canaries chose to end his loan early because of the injury because the young forward was a Dean Smith signing, and the ex-Villa manager had been sacked.
Boro have certainly benefited from that decision. While he naturally needed some time to build his fitness, he has in the last month or so really started to show his quality, craft and drive.
Helping boost Carrick’s forward options, the 20-year-old has started four games and produced three excellent finishes for his goals against Reading and Swansea City. He can play a big part in Boro’s promotion push.
DAN BARLASER 5 appearances, 1 assist
Boro’s one permanent signing of the January window, Barlaser has found it a little tougher to get game time - but that’s more a reflection of the quality of Boro’s midfield than anything Barlaser has or hasn’t done so far.
Joining from Rotherham, the 26-year-old signed a long-term contract at the Riverside, echoing the fact that club had the long-term in mind when signing the Newcastle United graduate.
While Carrick is keen to get
Barlaser on the pitch as much as possible, his one start so far is largely down to the fact that Jonny Howson and Hayden Hackney have been so undroppable.
Barlaser’s one start came in the victory over QPR as Carrick made changes to his side, fearing the euphoric highs of the midweek win over Sheffield United could have a detrimental effect on performance levels a few days later.
The Boro head coach was probably proven right as Boro struggled for the usual standards, but offering insight into what he can offer, Barlaser
helped Boro find the breakthrough when he provided an excellent cross into the box to register his eighth assist of the season - but his first for Boro.
Given that Boro play at such a high intensity, Barlaser has struggled a little with that step up so far in the limited time he has on the pitch.
But that’s precisely the reason Boro pushed to recruit him in January as opposed to waiting until the summer when he would have been available for free.
This settling-in period with less pressure could prove particularly crucial if, for whatever reason, Howson is no longer at the club next season.
All three of them have been really good and we’re delighted with
how it’s gone.
Michael Carrick