Aitor Karanka has a reputation as the Championship’s great rotator and, sure enough, the latter-day Tinkerman was at it again on Tuesday night, courting controversy by refreshing his team.
Not for the first time, though, the Spaniard enjoyed the last laugh. Having made four changes Karanka settled into his dugout and watched his players move to the top of the table after seeing off a fifth-placed Burnley side he regards as serious promotion rivals.
Emilio Nsue’s second-half goal was sufficient to ensure an unspectacular but thoroughly efficient Boro edged in front of Brighton at the top – who they visit on Saturday – on goal difference. “The game wasn’t the nicest thing to watch,” Karanka admitted. “But I’m very pleased with the performance; the players who came in showed they were ready.”
After a fairly even first half Sean Dyche’s side – who created only a couple of serious scoring chances all night – faded badly. “It was a very tough game,” he said. “Middlesbrough are a very good side. We just couldn’t find a cutting edge.”
Despite much attractive passing, a combination of smart defending and slightly unimaginative final balls from both sides dictated that, for prolonged first-half periods, the goalkeepers were spectators and the shooting long-range.
The impasse gave home fans scope to mutter about Karanka’s latest indulgence in rotation. If nothing could be done about the suspended David Nugent’s absence, eyebrows were raised when Grant Leadbitter, Christian Stuani and Albert Adomah all began as substitutes.
Boro’s manager would argue that this simply represented sensible use of his squad before the hectic, fatigue-inducing festive programme but there was little doubt the evening could have done with a bit of the edge customarily provided by that benched trio.
There was a brief flurry of excitement when a lovely Boro passing manoeuvre concluded with Stewart Downing crossing for Kike. Happily for Dyche the Spanish striker could not quite connect and the chance vanished into the damp, surprisingly mild Teesside air.
Karanka’s 4-4-1-1 formation, featuring Nsue and Downing on the flanks, had started to stretch Burnley but at that point things were far from one-sided. Only a superb, instinctive, last-ditch block from the excellent Dani Ayala prevented David Jones from shooting the visitors into a first-half lead.
When another Ayala intervention subsequently prevented Andre Gray, Dyche’s increasingly isolated lone striker, from advancing with menace, the loose ball fell to George Boyd who unleashed a fine shot Dimi Konstantopoulos did well to palm to safety.
At least it was on target – something that, for all their possession Boro had hitherto failed to manage. Part of the problem was a rather slow tempo, with this absence of zip and intensity prompting some laboured, pretty obvious passing.
Patience is all well and good but both sides looked badly in need of someone to change the pace and make things happen. Answering this call to arms George Friend began driving Boro at pace from left-back.
Catching the mood Adam Forshaw concluded a promising right-sided move by slinging a cross into the box and Nsue responded by beating Tom Heaton from close range with a deft right-foot shot. A single swipe of his boot had vindicated Karanka’s decision to start the scorer ahead of Adomah. Dean Marney might have created an equaliser but Konstantopoulos reacted well to save Scott Arfield’s shot and a crowd of close on 20,000 continued to sing about Boro “going up”.
A little more cautious, Karanka withdrew Diego Fabbrini, deployed just behind Kike, and, in an attempt to tighten things up, replaced him with the more defensive-minded Leadbitter. Desperate not to lose ground to a key promotion rival Dyche introduced Sam Vokes, a striker. Shortly afterwards Boyd, subdued by Friend, made way for Michael Kightly but by then Boro were in control and can now look forward to Saturday’s trip to Brighton.
