Potential Middlesbrough transfer focus emerges as one player continues to struggle

Middlesbrough felt the impact of too many absentees as their winning run came to an end at the hands of Blackburn Rovers.

A 1-0 defeat may have come in controversial circumstances as Rovers' winning goal ought to have been disallowed as Dom Hyam was offside, it was nevertheless a performance well below par from Boro as they missed numerous key players due to illness and injury.

As Boro look to learn their lessons from the defeat and quickly rebound as they prepare to host managerless Hull City on Saturday lunchtime, we take a look at the key talking points that emerged from the Blackburn defeat.

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A potential focus for January emerges

Boro missed a number of key players on Wednesday evening, but it's fair to say the most impactful absentee was Finn Azaz. The in-form Irishman's absence was felt as Boro struggled to build attacks and find their usual flow without him. His ability to find the pockets of space and link midfield to attack was sorely missed.

Michael Carrick brought Tommy Conway - who's proven himself such a good striker in recent weeks - into the side to replace Azaz, and though he'd played the role well earlier in the season, with the benefit of hindsight after recent performances in which Azaz has really found his form, it highlighted why Conway isn't really a number ten. Boro looked imbalanced and lacking in guile to break down a stubborn Blackburn defence - a common problem for them in those early weeks of the season too.

With that in mind, a new transfer focus for January might have emerged. While Boro will hope Azaz quickly recovers from his illness to regain his place in the side, Boro do lack a natural ten to compete with Azaz. Alex Gilbert made his return to action late on in the game though struggled to make an impact.

It would be unfair to judge him too much after a prolonged period out injured, but unless the youngster steps up big time, he seems more likely to head out on loan in January. That would ultimately free up a space in the Boro squad that would allow Boro to find a more natural deputy for Azaz - with the impact of his absence plain to see.

Micah Hamilton's struggles

Boro's chances in the game weren't helped when Riley McGree was forced off with injury after just 19 minutes. Replaced by Micah Hamilton as Delano Burgzorg also missed out through illness, the summer signing from Manchester City continued to struggle to make an impact in a Boro shirt.

It's worth reminding that, even before Hamilton had kicked a ball, Boro officials were warning that they always expected the inexperienced youngster to need time to adapt to life on Teesside. The second half of the season was always earmarked as when they hoped he would start to find his feet.

Nevertheless, it's not unfair to point out how little he did on Wednesday evening, as he looks to be struggling for confidence in a Boro shirt. Particularly in the second half when Boro tried to use their left flank a lot more, Hamilton failed to do anything of note that threatened to help Boro find a goal against a stubborn Blackburn defence.

What's interesting is Hamilton continues to be used from the left by Carrick. Though he did play there at times for City, it was on the right where he enjoyed his best performances - including that goalscoring debut in Serbia in the Champions League. There was one moment of intent that has otherwise been lacking on Wednesday evening when, similar in the way that Ben Doak does on the opposite flank, Hamilton beat his man to get to the byline but then, needing to cut back with his weakerleft foot, it was tame and easily cut out.

Watching right now, it's hard not to question if he'd be better-suited to the right wing - albeit a well-stocked area right now where he'd struggle for game time - or whether, with peserverence and coaching, he can make the position more natural to him in time. One thing recent history tells us is that giving him time and not writing him off is wise at this stage.

Boro's Ben Doak problem

It was something Michael Carrick highlighted after Saturday's win at Oxford when Doak was hit hard in the challenge that won Boro their penalty. 'Targeted' was how the Boro boss described the lively Liverpool loanee, as sides do their homework and obviously identify Doak as Boro's biggest threat. It's something Boro found after Isaiah Jones' early emergence too.

This has been happening for some time now but was really highlighted against a well-organised Blackburn side, with Azaz's absence felt again in this respect. Azaz and Doak have formed a fruitful link-up in recent weeks for Boro, with success coming from Azaz drawing players towards him when receiving the ball through the line of midfield before quickly turning the ball around the corner into Doak's path. Albeit inverted, it's reminiscent of the partnership Chuba Akpom and Ryan Giles developed in Carrick's first season.

In the absence of Azaz, when Boro did try to find Doak on Wednesday night, they either did so with him facing up against two defenders, or in trying to get the ball to him early enough to stop that. They ultimately couldn't get the long ball over the top right though and Doak had one of his quieter games in a Boro shirt as he cut a frustrated figure.

It's a problem that Boro are going to increasingly face and must find a solution for. Mixing it up more would be a start and there was a clear emphasis on the second half in trying to use their left flank more, albeit one that didn't prove successful. As Hamilton struggled, Neto Borges found himself going backwards far too often, with Carrick pleading throughout for the Brazilian to be more positive.

When we mention the potential January transfer focus, it's hard not to once again crave the return of Giles, as he continues to struggle at Hull. There were very public attempts to bring him back in the summer, though in the end, Boro's decision to end negotiations and sign Borges instead were understandable.

Hull demanded too much money before deciding against a sale altogether through fear of how it would be perceived by their own supporters after other high-profile departures. A change in management ahead of January could change the landscape for Giles at the MKM Stadium and offer him a fresh opportunity to prove himself on Humberside. If that doesn't prove possible within the next month though, Boro must surely be considering testing Hull's resolve once again.

The addition of Giles to this Boro side would add more attacking balance. If they had the qualities of Doak and Giles on either flank, it would prove really difficult for any defence to double up and target Doak because Boro would have the option to go across to the other side and hurt you too. The price has got to be right, but it has 'missing piece of the jigsaw' vibes to it.