Archer overlooked: The dream Middlesbrough XI from Michael Carrick's tenure so far | OneFootball

The Boro boss has overseen the recruitment and development of some brilliant players since taking the job back in October 2022.

Middlesbrough have been on a largely upward trajectory since Michael Carrick took the reins in October 2022.

Boro only just missed out on the Championship play-off places last season, after losing in the play-off semi-finals the year prior at the hands of Coventry City.

Michael Carrick's dream Middlesbrough XI

During Carrick's tenure in the Riverside Stadium dugout, the Boro boss has seen some fantastic players come and go, with records broken and eye-watering profits turned.

One of those was Aston Villa striker Cameron Archer, whose 11 Championship goals in the second half of the 2022/23 season contributed massively to Boro's fourth-placed finish that year, but he narrowly misses out on a place in this squad.

GK - Seny Dieng

The goalkeeping spot is a close one to call between the 2022/23 number one Zack Steffen, and last season's starting goalkeeper Seny Dieng.

We'll opt to side with the current Middlesbrough shot-stopper here, as the Senegal international was largely very impressive in a Boro shirt last season.

Both keepers have been asked to play out from the back under Carrick, and whilst both are comfortable doing so, it was Steffen who inspired just that slightly less amount of confidence.

The American was so relaxed at times that he looked like he was having nothing more than a kick about with his mates, and was on multiple occasions a detriment to what was otherwise a strong showing from him.

RB - Luke Ayling

Luke Ayling's eight assists in 19 Championship games for Middlesbrough last season took everyone connected with the club by surprise, and set Boro's head of football Kieran Scott up for one of the biggest no-brainers of the summer window.

Signing a two-year contract this summer, Ayling looks set to reprise his role as Carrick's adventurous starting right-back next season, as he looks to continue supplying the goods for Boro's attackers to feast from.

20-year-old Rav van den Berg is no doubt one of the finest pieces of business Middlesbrough FC have pulled off in recent memory.

The Dutch youth international consistently took Boro fans' breath away at both his performance and maturity levels last season, and now the club are in a position to demand whatever asking price they deem fit for the hugely promising defender.

He appears committed to the cause, however, and will surely only continue to grow his reputation as one of the best young defenders in England outside the Premier League, which saw clubs such as Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan lose out on his signature to Boro.

CB - Darragh Lenihan

One of the forgotten men of last season, but to those who remember the impact Darragh Lenihan made on Middlesbrough's squad in 2022/23, it's been hard not to think of when he will return.

Limited to just eight league appearances in 2023/24, the Irish international cemented himself as one of the best central defenders in the Championship prior to his season-ending injury.

But back fit and raring to go once again, the 30-year-old looks destined to reclaim his rightful spot at the heart of Boro's defence next season, forming what could be one of the league's best centre-back partnerships with the aforementioned Van Den Berg.

A player who Carrick may no longer need to dream of the impact he once had in a Middlesbrough shirt anymore, as Boro are reportedly closing in on a return for Ryan Giles this summer.

His 11 Championship assists in the 2022/23 season saw him lead the division in that category, as he developed into one of the second tier's most feared widemen that year.

Should he sign on the dotted line this summer, he will undoubtedly become the favourite to takeover as Carrick's starting left-back, in what would be a hugely popular move on Teesside.

CM - Hayden Hackney

One of Middlesbrough's finest products in a very long time, England youth international Hayden Hackney is one of the finest central midfielders in the Championship.

Under Carrick, the Redcar-born 22-year-old has been at the beating heart of Middlesbrough's midfield since the Manchester United legend arrived, and has been one of the most obvious signs of the top level coach that Carrick is.

Now back fully fit and ready for pre-season, there's every chance Hackney could have his finest season yet in a Middlesbrough shirt in 2024/25.

CM - Jonny Howson

Middlesbrough's evergreen midfielder and one of the club's finest captains in recent times, Jonny Howson has been one of the finest pieces of business by the club in a long time.

Now 36, Howson is preparing to enter his eighth season in the heart of Boro's midfield, and seemingly only the ageing process has any chance of dislodging him from his role of being an integral component in Carrick's system.

RW - Marcus Forss

A controversial one? Perhaps, but maybe it won't be as controversial when the facts are laid out.

Forss' main rival for this spot would be Isaiah Jones, so how do they stack up? Well, Forss played 14 less Championship games than Jones last season, but was still able to score seven goals to Jones' eight, whilst also providing two assists to Jones' four.

Forss had better goals per 90 (0.56) than Jones (0.28) in the league last season, and a better assist per 90 (0.16) than Jones too (0.14).

Forss repeated that feat in the 2022/23 season, with his 0.46 goals per 90 and 0.23 assists per 90, scoring higher than Jones' 0.11 and 0.19 returns respectively - per FotMob.

Therefore, it appears that Boro's Finnish international has been more productive than Jones when on the pitch, and so just about gets the starting berth over him.

LW - Riley McGree

Australian international Riley McGree is a player whose quality has never truly been questioned, but Boro fans would have loved to have seen more of it last season.

But in no great thanks to injury and international responsibilities, the 25-year-old was limited to just 22 Championship appearances in 2023/24, still managing to register four goals and one assist.

When fit and available to Carrick, however, the former Birmingham City man has provided that creative spark that few of the Boro boss' players have been able to produce during his tenure, and as such, he must take a place in this squad.

CAM - Chuba Akpom

Was anyone else ever going to hold even a smither of a chance to take this spot in Carrick's dream XI? No.

Chuba Akpom's season was 33 years in the making, as 1990 marked the last time a Middlesbrough striker had scored over 20 league goals in a single season - Bernie Slaven.

But when it finally arrived, the flood of goals made all those years enduring such a frustrating drought worth it, as Akpom captured the imagination of the Riverside Stadium terraces in a way that very few have done, past or since.

ST - Emmanuel Latte Lath

This one was a really tough call. On the one hand, you have the undeniable deadliness in front of goal at Championship level that Archer brings, but on the other, you have Boro's Ivorian goalscoring sensation.

We decided to side with Middlesbrough's current number nine, as his all-round game means he just gets the nod ahead of the Aston Villa striker.

That all-round game consists of Latte Lath being able to drop deep and bring others into play, his deceptively excellent ability in the air - both heading towards goal and beating centre-backs to the ball from goal-kicks -, whilst being creative and ruthless in and around the box.

His 11 goals in the final 12 Championship games of the 2023/24 season saw the 25-year-old end the campaign as one of the most in-form strikers in English football, bringing his total tally to 16 in 30 league games.