Former Plymouth Argyle loan signing and fans' favourite Finn Azaz has become integral to Middlesbrough's chances of promotion to the Premier League, according to Craig Johns, the Boro writer for Teesside Live.

With six goals and eight assists this season, Azaz has established himself as one of top talents in the Championship, and has been in particularly fine form recently, which saw him earn the division's player-of-the-month award for November. Now the Republic of Ireland international is set to return to Home Park for the first time since his time at Argyle was abruptly ended at the start of January when Michael Carrick's sixth-placed Boro squad take on the Pilgrims tomorrow.

Azaz scored a spectacular goal for Argyle when they began 2024 with a thrilling 3-3 draw with Watford on New Year's Day but was then recalled from his loan by Aston Villa and sold to Middlesbrough for a £2 million transfer, which nearly a year later looks an absolute bargain.

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Ahead of tomorrow's Championship clash, Plymouth Live's Argyle reporter Chris Errington has asked Craig Johns about the impact that Azaz has made for Boro and what has been behind his success.

Looking from afar it looks like Azaz is in great form at the moment. He has been scoring goals and has plenty of assists too. Just how good has he been playing?

"Azaz has been in superb form of late. He’s actually been playing really well since the start of the season and was up there among the most creative players in the division even when his goals and assists stats didn’t always show that. But with six goals and six assists in his last ten games, Azaz has added that end product now and it’s coincided with far better form for Boro overall.

"Obviously adding that end product has done wonders for his confidence, and that’s clear to see in how he’s playing right now. He’s stepped forward as a central figure for Boro’s attack and it was telling that one of the two defeats Boro have had in their last eight games came when he missed out through illness. He was massively missed in that loss to Blackburn Rovers."

What role is Michael Carrick using him in and why do you think that is getting the best out of him?

"Arguably the key to Azaz’s form of late is the decision to consistently pick him in the number ten role behind the main striker. During his time at Boro, he’s switched between here and the left-sided forward role and the constant swapping meant he didn’t ever really establish himself in one position.

"Now cemented in that ten role in the side, Boro are getting the best out of him by making him the focal link point of their attack. Boro tend to try and win possession and hit teams quickly on the transition, going through the lines and Azaz has been key in the way he drops a bit deeper to pick up pockets of space and link midfield to attack.

"The ball not only sticks with him so well when they find his feet, he then has incredible vision to advance the attack. In particular, he’s created an excellent link with exciting Liverpool loanee Ben Doak on the right, and Doak benefits greatly from Azaz drawing players to him, thus creating more space for Doak to exploit.

"Azaz is also really effective at quickly threading the ball in behind defences, making use of the speed and movement of whichever striker Boro have on the pitch - be that Emmanuel Latte Lath or Tommy Conway."

When Argyle played at the Riverside in February it seemed as though quite a few Middlesbrough fans were unsure about Azaz as a player. Did he take time to settle at Boro? Azaz was hugely popular at Argyle, presumably he is now a fans' favourite on Teesside too?

"He definitely took time to settle at Boro, and he certainly hasn’t been the first. Whether it’s the intricate tactical details of the tempo Carrick likes Boro to play at, it’s been quite common to see new signings under Carrick take a month or two to really get up to speed in a Boro shirt.

"As discussed above, not finding a consistent role for Azaz probably didn’t help either, even if he naturally said he was happy and comfortable playing whatever role he was given. Of course, there was also the factor of Boro’s players getting used to how to get the best of him, and he learning how to best help his team-mates.

"Because he’s such a link-up player, those connections with team-mates are key. Now they’re there, it’s clear to see how important he is and Boro effectively play through him more often than not. He’s definitely a fans’ favourite now."

How important is it to Boro's push for promotion that Azaz continues to perform to the same level he has done this season?

"Right now, it looks integral because, as that Blackburn defeat in his absence proved, they don’t really have someone who can deputise in that role when he can’t play for whatever reason.

"Obviously the January transfer window is around the corner and that defeat might have refocused some minds to that fact because as well as potential for injury, there’s also always a potential for loss of form.

"Boro do have plenty of attacking talents and many means of winning games of football, but Azaz has stepped up as the focal point of that, with almost every other attack ultimately benefiting from his work for the team when he plays. If he can keep his levels up in the months ahead, Boro’s chances of winning promotion are going to be far greater."

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