Middlesbrough expert provides Oxford United lowdown

The Boro, led by former Manchester United and England midfielder Michael Carrick, sit seventh in Sky Bet Championship, shy of the play-offs by a single point.

We caught up with Teesside Live’s Boro reporter Craig Johns to get the lowdown on Carrick’s team.

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How would you assess the opening few months of the season for Boro?

Inconsistency has been the story of Boro’s season. Despite playing well and being next to the top in many of the key metrics, they’ve not often enough turned positive performances into results.

Until just recently, their biggest downfall was scoring goals. They started the season as a side that really struggled to open up defences and then, having solved that issue, were failing to convert the chances they started to create.

There were real signs they turned a corner in that regard before the break. They scored seven goals in their last two away games and 12 goals in their last four overall.

The key now will be if they can ensure the break doesn’t disrupt their momentum and they start to put a run of results together.

The pre-break victories over QPR and Luton was just the second time they’ve won consecutive games in the league this season, and they’re yet to win three in a row.

What’s the playing style and likeliest formation under Michael Carrick?

Michael Carrick hates his side being classified by formation and are very fluid in their approach. However, the easiest way to describe their system is a 4-2-3-1.

In Ben Doak, they have a right winger who is very much an old-fashioned wide man who will hug the touchline and look to beat his man time and time again.

By contrast, on the other side, the left-sided forward, usually Riley McGree, will float inside as Boro overload the right and central areas of the pitch when they attack.

In terms of style, they like to control a game through their possession and look to play the ball low through the lines.

It’s an attractive style of football when it’s working, but at times this season they have been a little too easy to defend against.

Who are the key players to watch?

Ben Doak is on loan from Liverpool and was a pretty big factor behind ending their early struggles in creating chances.

He has incredible pace and has caused huge problems for almost every left back he’s come up against in a Boro shirt so far.

He constantly wants the ball and is so good at beating his man down the wing. He showed just how good he is for Scotland in the last week as he helped them to a win over Croatia, in which he even had Man City’s Josko Gvardiol struggling.

On top of Doak, so much of what Boro do usually comes through Ireland international Finn Azaz, who plays in the role behind the striker. He has three goals and three assists in his last five games, so is very much a man in form.

What are the expectations at Boro this season?

Boro want a top six finish, while there remains some hope that if they can put early season inconsistency behind them, they absolutely have the quality to potentially challenge for the top two. Certainly though, this season would be a huge disappointment if it didn’t at least end with a play-off place.