Michael Carrick's next Middlesbrough mission after continuing important knack to mark anniversary

Michael Carrick was celebrating two years in charge of Middlesbrough on Thursday - and thanks to an important victory over Sheffield United the night before, the mood was very much celebratory for the anniversary.

It perhaps highlights the extremes of football that the Boro boss often refers to and has to avoid, but Wednesday's result - which was also his 100th game in charge of Boro and his 50th win - felt important. Coming after two consecutive defeats to compound what is not unfair to call an underwhelming start to the season, there was growing discontent in the aftermath of the Bristol City defeat.

The problems that cost Boro in that one, and so many other games this season, have by no means evaporated after Wednesday's result. But it did carry on a useful trend that Carrick has had throughout his two years in charge of Boro - and particularly so during a more challenging second 12 months in charge.

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He steamrolled into town in October 2022 and quickly established an exciting brand of football with an exciting group of players. Sadly unable to get over the line at the final hurdle though, last season proved a lot more challenging thanks to initial teething issues for numerous new players as well as rotten injury luck.

This season, with a solid end to last term, stability in the squad due to an insistence that key players would not be sold, plus some really solid-looking acquisitions, Boro were well-fancied to make a strong push for promotion. While that is still absolutely a possibility, in the time we've all been waiting for it to 'click', Boro have been dropping far too many points, with the same old problems haunting them again and again.

That led to the growing discontent that was there under the surface at the Riverside on Wednesday evening. A pressure cooker, it did have the feel of being able to boil over at any point. That Boro produced one of their best performances of the season felt very timely and kept that undercurrent firmly under the surface as supporters reacted to the positive things they saw.

It was a continuation of an important knack Carrick has had throughout his time as Boro boss. Whenever there's felt like being a build-up of pressure, externally at least, he's managed to find a result. The first win of last season against Southampton and the home win over Norwich last season spring to mind, particularly. When Carrick has needed a result, he tends find one.

It should be stated that the pressure referred to is very much an external one. Internally, the mood and pressure are never quite as extreme. But that Carrick is the first Boro boss since Aitor Karanka to reach two years in charge at Boro just highlights that there is still work to be done on resetting that culture at a club where giving managers time was always a recognised trait.

That's not to say Carrick is beyond questioning and beyond mistakes. He knows that himself too. “We reflect every single day," Carrick said of his own development as a a manager over the last two years. "Every time I speak to the players, we look back at training sessions and games… what did we do well, what can we do better? It’s constant. I’m obviously a lot better manager now than I was when I first stepped through the door because I’ve had two years of experience. Experience is a great thing."

With that experience under his belt, his next mission is clear - to find consistency - a key ingredient needed to transfer Boro into the kind of positions they want to be in this season. Sheffield United was an important victory to help mark Carrick's anniversary but it can only be a start.

Too often this season positive results have quickly been outdone by frustrating setbacks - see losing at Derby after the opening-day Swansea win, drawing at home to Preston after beating Cardiff and losing to Watford despite dominating for 70 minutes and beating Stoke and West Brom before it.

Boro have to find a way to end that trend and start picking up consecutive victories over a number of matches to get them back into contention. There were a number of positive signs in the Sheffield United win and a number of 'finally' moments.

For the first time this season, Boro finally won a game in which they enjoyed the majority of possession. After over 40 attempts at goal from the start of the Bristol City match through the Sheffield United match, Boro finally found a goal. That goal was finally scored in open play by Emmanuel Latte Lath and finally provided by Finn Azaz.

There were so many confidence-boosting positives to take. An all-round excellent team performance, Neto Borges stood up to what, on paper, was one of his toughest challenges yet with one of his best performances. George Edmundson quickly put his Bristol City error behind him with a performance of the highest order.

But that can only be the start for Boro. Another tough test at Norwich City awaits, where Carrick has enjoyed a really positive record as a manager so far, with two wins from two visits. He needs his side to start making far better use of their quality to find some consistency if they're to really get their season on track.

What started in the best possible fashion has been far from plain sailing in the 18 or so months since. There have been highs and lows, challenging moments and learning curves. But in Carrick, Boro have a coach who is still as convinced as ever he can take this club back to the Premier League, and a hierarchy who believe in him too.