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Michael Carrick spells out his Tommy Conway & Emmanuel Latte Lath Middlesbrough plan

dominic shaw
·2-min read
Middlesbrough duo Tommy Conway and Emmanuel Latte Lath <i>(Image: PA)</i>
Middlesbrough duo Tommy Conway and Emmanuel Latte Lath (Image: PA)

THERE aren't many managers in the Championship who have the luxury of being able to drop a striker who had scored three goals in three games.

Or who can choose to leave out a frontman who finished last season as the division's most feared marksman.

But such are the attacking riches available to Michael Carrick.

Most of his fellow second tier bosses would love to have either Tommy Conway or Emmanuel Latte Lath in their ranks, never mind both.

And Carrick has used his centre-forward resources to devastating effect in recent weeks.

After a slow start to the season, Latte Lath responded to being left out of the side with two goals from the bench against Sheffield United and QPR, and then took his opportunity when he was restored to the XI with a stunning turn and finish in the rout of Luton Town at the weekend.

And Conway justified his selection ahead of Latte Lath for four straight games with a brace at Norwich and a goal at QPR last week.

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Carrick doesn't have a pecking order as such up-front, with the head coach instead planning to use both of his strikers to suit depending on the challenge facing his Boro side.

"We've got really good options at that end of the pitch, and variety too," said Carrick.

"At times in the season that might be games where we need to adapt and change roles, maybe, and we have the good options with different strengths, different attributes, combinations etc to help us out.

"That's something we'll need going through the whole season. As I always say, it's not just about the players who are starting in that moment. In general, the boys are playing so well, which gives us choices to make.

"Game to game, that might change depending on the type of game we expect. It's great to have the option to do that."

Conway has enjoyed a hugely impressive start to life at Boro since his move from Bristol City. Despite an injury disrupting his momentum, the Scotland international had still scored five goals in 11 appearances, with Carrick thrilled with how quickly the 22-year-old has settled on Teesside.

He said: "He's done really well since the came back, Tommy. He had the setback with the injury but has comeback really strongly from it.

"Like many other players, he's finding that rhythm and that sharpness and you can see that in that little bit of edge for taking chances and looking dangerous. We're really happy with Tommy at the moment."