Muhammad Awwal AbubakarMiddlesbrough manager Michael Carrick has urged the club to remain patient with Ben Doak, despite the Liverpool loanee’s impressive start to live at the North Yorkshire club.
Doak has quickly become a vital member of Carrick’s squad, starting the last six Championship matches for the team, yet he has completed a full 90 minutes only once
In the five other games, Carrick has opted to substitute the winger in the second half, a decision that has caused backlash among the fans, especially during matches against Watford and Norwich in the league.
In both instances, Boro conceded two goals shortly after the Liverpool loanee was removed, leading to the team lost of points that could prove costly in their promotion bid.
Doak’s substitution at Norwich on Sunday came right after Tommy Conway missed a penalty and just moments before Borja Sainz scored to reduce the deficit.
His absence was felt in the final stages of the game as Norwich fought to secure an unexpected point, proving the young winger’s impacts on the game.
The English manager , while showing satisfaction with Doak’s contributions, is keen to temper expectations. “Ben is dangerous, we know that, we know what he’s capable of,” said the Boro head coach, who is preparing for Saturday’s encounter with Coventry City. “He’s still young, and we still have to be patient with him and help him develop.”
Doak has emerged as Middlesbrough’s most dangerous and threatening attacker in recent weeks, but Carrick is satisfied with the overall balance of the team’s offensive play.
“We like to think we have the options of going right, left, or through the middle. It’s up to the players, and we give them the freedom to find where the space is to attack.”
Speaking on the performance against Norwich, Carrick noted, “I thought we played some fantastic football at times and got the reward with goals, and we could have scored more. The balance of the group is good; they’re doing a lot of things.” he concluded
Muhammad Awwal Abubakar
