Middlesbrough: Aitor Karanka must change Riverside tactics to survive

If Middlesbrough are to maintain their Premier League status beyond this season, Aitor Karanka needs to loosen the shackles on his team at home.

Middlesbrough showed some promise in the summer. The signings the club made provided hope to sections of the club’s supporters. But just nine games into the season, and that hope has already dissipated.

Boro had the best defense in the Championship last season, as they secured promotion to the Premier League. That, at the very least, provided a solid base for Aitor Karanka as his team returned to England’s top flight after seven years in the Championship.

That defense has translated to a higher level, too. Middlesbrough are tied 7th in terms of goals conceded this season. Whilst two clean sheets on the record is good, if not spectacular. Defensively, Karanka’s men seem strong enough to survive.

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However, offensively it is a completely different story. Boro have scored the second-least number of goals in the division. At home, they are tied for scoring the fewest. Away from home they once again rank low on goals scored.

Away goals are less important in Boro’s case, though. The team’s solid defense will always give them a chance and keep them in an away game, as shown against Arsenal. They’ll sneak enough draws and the odd win to be satisfied with the away results.

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At home is where you need to win games to survive. Draws are not enough. So far in this campaign, Boro have won none, drawn one and lost three at home. That’s relegation home form. And you want to know why Karanka’s men haven’t notched a home win yet? Three goals scored, that’s why.

Karanka is a defense-minded coach. That much is obvious. But at this rate the Spaniard could potentially get Middlesbrough relegated without them so much as even laying a glove on anybody. You can pick out individual players here and there for criticism, but Karanka’s entire approach is overly cautious.

According to WhoScored, Middlesbrough average 9.1 shots per game – third lowest in the league. Whilst an average of just 2.1 of those shots are on target – second lowest in the division. Which tells you there aren’t enough shots being taken, and what they do take are not necessarily clear-cut sights on goal.

That’s despite having good possession in games. Already, clearly, something has to change. Don’t wait until Christmas when everybody is panicking and the alarm bells are deafening. Be progressive at home. Attack. Wins are what will ultimately keep the club up.

Right now, it feels like Karanka is playing for a draw, and if we’re lucky, hopefully, we might possibly win a game. It’s too negative at the Riverside Stadium. Sure, Boro do not have fantastic, electric attackers that will light up the league.

But nobody would set the league alight in this Boro team the way they are currently playing. Alvaro Negrado needs chances to score goals, he wont create his own. The same goes for Jordan Rhodes when he plays. They need chances served up for them on a plate.

Gaston Ramirez needs runners off the ball, and freedom to move around the field if he is to work any magic. He might produce, he might not – he’s that type of player. But he definitely will not flourish at this level playing this way.

Middlesbrough next play Bournemouth at home on Saturday. Perfect opportunity. The Cherries are in good form, but don’t have the kind of attack that would scare you. Whilst their defense is okay, but not exactly watertight.

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It’s time. Loosen the shackles. See what happens. Maybe the goals just aren’t in the team. That could be the reality. But if you don’t attack and see what you can really do, then you’ll never know.

And the result looks like it could be relegation the way things are already going.