By Tim Sigsworth
Just as he deserved the criticism which came his way whilst
Boro lingered around the bottom three, Jonathan Woodgate deserves plaudits for
Boro’s recent upturn in form.
Boro’s start to the season was typified by tactical
inconsistency, missed chances, a thin squad and frustration, but never by persistently
hopeless performances.
There were certainly matches were Woodgate and his players
were thoroughly outthought, outfought, outplayed and deserving of criticism. Cardiff
City away, Sheffield Wednesday at home, Derby County away and Leeds United away
all spring to mind.
However, perhaps crucially, such performances never became a
week-in, week-out occurrence. In most games, aspects of Boro’s play were positive
and periods of dominance present. Tactical tweaking was ongoing, Woodgate and
his staff were learning everyday.
And it those foundations on which recent results have been built;
Boro’s four wins, one draw and one loss from the last six games puts them first
in the Championship form table and has lifted them from 20th to 16th.
Professional performances against Charlton Athletic and
Huddersfield Town could and probably should have been won by more than one-goal
margins, whilst the spirit shown to come back from 1-0 down against Stoke City
to win 2-1 bodes well, regardless of the Potters’ lowly league position.
However, the highlight of Boro’s recent run of form was undoubtedly
yesterday’s 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion. Not only did Boro end the
Baggies’ unbeaten home league record and fourteen-game unbeaten streak with
their first away win of the season, but they did so with a superb performance.
Woodgate’s tactics were spot on, with a switch to a 4-2-3-1
allowing his side to press high with unrelenting fervour throughout and the
threat of attacking midfielder Matheus Pereira to be nullified by holding midfielders
Adam Clayton and George Saville.
There were several noteworthy individual performances, too. Daniel
Ayala was imperious in the centre of defence and, as it turns out, not too bad
in front of goal, either.
Lewis Wing, so often underwhelming this season, was pivotal
in Boro’s press, regularly threatened Sam Johnstone from long-range and
assisted Ayala’s opener.
And Ashley Fletcher, once a forgotten man, capped off a
stellar end to 2019 with a worldy of a goal to wrap up the three points in injury
time.
Fittingly, this was Boro’s best away performance since the 3-2
away victory against West Brom in February. Can we play you every week?
But we should not get carried away. It may be tempting, now
that Boro are as close in terms of points to the play-offs as they are to the
bottom three, to look upwards. It may be tempting, given yesterday’s
performance, to do so with a decent degree of expectation. After all, we’ve pretty
much reached the January transfer window as well.
Boro’s next six league games include away trips to high-flying
Preston North End, Fulham and Brentford, not to mention the FA Cup tie against Tottenham
Hotspur. Furthermore, that Boro were able to beat West Brom in such style stands
as testament to the fact that there is no such thing as guaranteed, or even
likely, points in this league.
Now I’m not saying that this fantastic run of form is
guaranteed to fall apart, I’m saying that it is not guaranteed to continue. It
should not be taken for granted, and hopefully Jonathan Woodgate recognises that.
Until recently, plenty of frustration-driven criticism, much
of it excessive and dealing in absolutes, was levelled at Woodgate, his staff
and the boardroom. It is important that such hyperbole, as well as the expectation
which lies behind it, does not come to infect the praise and plaudits which Boro
are currently deserving of.
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