Middlesbrough’s recent good form has fired the North East side into the play-offs, with others around them struggling.
After a lacklustre start to the season, they have been playing exceptionally well since taking on Queens Park Rangers, accumulating 12 of a possible 15. They have scored 18 goals in this time frame, with their sole slip-up being a 1-0 loss to Blackburn Rovers, in which they were missing Finn Azaz’s inventiveness.
Tommy Conway is one guy who has impressed, but it is difficult to choose a single standout when so many of the players are singing.
The 22-year-old departed Bristol City amid a cloud after turning down a new deal at the team where he grew up. Brian Tinnion, the Technical Director for BS3, began to criticise this, claiming that Conway was receiving “bad advice” from those around him.
If this was the case, then the so-called “advice” he was getting has seen him explode since his move to Boro, as he is currently third in the Championship goalscoring charts.
Boro will be delighted with Tommy Conway addition
For a player with just one year left on his contract, the £5 million fee initially seemed substantial for the youngster, whose previous best season had yielded just ten goals in the second tier.
However, Michael Carrick has to be delighted with the impact the striker has made since arriving in mid-August.
To date, Conway has netted eight goals in just 14 appearances, including a vital brace in the weekend’s fixture against Hull City. What makes his form even more remarkable is his efficiency in front of goal – scoring at an average of one goal every 105 minutes. This is the best minutes-per-goal ratio in the Championship among players who have played over 500 minutes.
| Goals per 90 statistics Championship (Minimum 500 minutes) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Player | Goal per90 |
| 1 | Tommy Conway | 0.86 |
| 2 | Borja Sainz | 0.85 |
| 3 | Tyrese Campbell | 0.83 |
| 4 | Joel Piroe | 0.71 |
| 5 | Dane Scarlett | 0.64 |
With Carrick’s approach emphasising the attacking third and ball dominance, he is unquestionably the beneficiary of joining a new team. A strong defence was given more importance at the Robins, where they found it difficult to generate as many opportunities for Conway.
Conway’s expected goals (xG) numbers are very instructive, as he easily surpasses his current total of 5.10. The Manchester City striker also has an excellent conversion rate, averaging a goal every 2.88 shots.
His goal must be to maintain this form, and he might even fire Carrick’s team to promotion.\
Conway has eased pressure on Emmanuel Latte Lath
At present, it is hard to argue against the fact that Middlesbrough have the best strike force in the Championship. Alongside Conway, you have Emmanuel Latte Lath, who has added seven goals to this Boro side since the beginning of the season.
Last year, he netted 16 in 30 appearances but struggled to hit the same form earlier this season. However, the arrival of Conway has relieved much of the pressure on him, allowing Latte Lath the freedom to focus on regaining his best form without the weight of being the sole attacking threat.
Coming back on the 5th of November against QPR, he has since managed five goals and two assists, suggesting he has turned the corner this campaign.
Inadvertently, Conway has helped Carrick in more than one way. With both strikers on song, the £5 million they spent on the Scotsman is looking like a real bargain, and the duo could end up on remarkable figures come May.
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