Ipswich Town example for Middlesbrough hope as attentions largely turn to next season

Middlesbrough's play-off hopes are surely now over but there were still plenty of positives they could take from their 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town on Saturday.

Emmanuel Latte Lath gave Boro the lead at Portman Road with a header from a Luke Ayling cross, which is quickly becoming a trademark combination for Boro. However, they couldn't hold on to get all three points and had to settle for a draw when Massimo Luongo levelled before the interval.

Still, in what was a hard-fought away point at the side at the top of the Championship, there was a lot to be happy about in reflections of the match. Here are the talking points and conclusions.

READ MORE: Ipswich draw offers reasons for Middlesbrough future optimism despite obvious blow this season

Ipswich Town example that offers Middlesbrough hope

Ahead of the game, Michael Carrick called Ipswich's season almost unprecedented as they look on course to secure a double promotion from League One to the Premier League in consecutive seasons. That Boro matched the side now sitting top of the league with three games remaining offers plenty of encouragement.

There was a lot to be learned from Ipswich's season and the game itself too. For Ipswich, while largely using a smaller squad than most this season, they've largely stayed clear of the injuries that have plagued so many this term - none more so than Boro. That in itself should offer Carrick some justification, as he's often noted the value of consistency in team selection that Boro just ultimately haven't had this season.

It's not just about consistency in selection either though, it's the standards that drives up as a result from the competition it creates - which is something we saw in the second half of last season at Boro also. Kieran McKenna had made a couple of changes to freshen things up of late and while Carrick was turning to out-of-form Sam Greenwood and Dan Barlaser to try and turn the game late on for Boro, his opposite number was throwing on Kieffer Moore and Nathan Broadhead.

Boro's depth would of course be stronger if they hadn't suffered so many injuries this season. But, nevertheless, the game did evidence that a bit of work will be needed in the summer transfer window to add a little more quality - particularly in the final third - to their squad.

Attentions surely now turn to next season

Such were the results on the day, Boro are not yet mathematically out of the play-off race, but very well could be before they next kick a ball competitively. With their next clash with Leeds United being moved to next Monday for television coverage, Boro will have to watch on as Bristol City head to Carrow Road on Saturday in a game that could end their hopes of achieving success this season.

There are now eight points dividing Boro from sixth-placed Norwich City and only nine points left to play for. While Carrick had deserved pride in his players and their performance in Suffolk, it was hard to ignore his overriding feeling of disappointment having failed to grab the much-needed win.

Sammy Silvera's opportunity

With Greenwood so out-of-form of late and looking really bereft of confidence in midweek at Hull, Carrick changed things up at Ipswich and gave Sammy Silvera only his 11th league start of the campaign. His performance was one that pretty much summed up his first season at Boro.

There were moments and flashes of quality and plenty of positivity from the Aussie forward as he showed bravery in wanting possession and wanting to try and do something to influence matters. He almost created a second Latte Lath goal on the stroke of half-time with a good run and pass infield, and then he had a half-chance at the start of the second half too when he received a great cross-field ball from Ayling before running at his man but slicing his effort high and wide.

It very much was a performance of energy and determination but ultimately lacking in end product and definitive quality - which encapsulates where the 23-year-old raw talent is right now in his career after one season at Boro.

Carrick has spoken of his excitement for what the future holds for Silvera and there is absolutely a player to be moulded there. But in signing him last summer, Boro's recruitment team deemed him a low-risk gamble and the reality was that he was never intended to have played as many games as he as.

If Boro are serious about promotion next season then, unless Silvera proves a real surprise package and grows exponentially over the course of the summer, then in reality Boro's recruitment in the upcoming summer transfer window needs to be such that Silvera is more of an impact player from the bench who rarely threatens for a place in the starting line-up.

More Luke Ayling contract justification

With the season drawing to a close, the future of many players is up for discussion and debate and Ayling is no different. Another assist for the right-back - on loan from Leeds - made for another positive mark next to his name on the assessment sheet of whether or not to try and sign him permanently this summer when his Leeds contract expires.

For Carrick, whatever happens between now and then, he insists he knows more than enough, and has seen more than enough, to not be in a position where he's at this stage still judging the veteran right-back. Ultimately, whether Boro do sign the right-back or not will be as a consequence of many factors, but his quality - or any potential doubt in such - will not be one of those.

Ayling didn't have the easiest of afternoons at Portman Road and struggled in the first half in particular to deal with Jeremy Sarmiento. Nevertheless, he was particularly good going forward, while his experience was undoubtedly key in keeping Boro level enough to manage the more difficult periods in the game.

In a mark of his current position in the squad and perhaps another tick in the 'pros of signing' column, Ayling will have to miss Boro's next game against his parent club. Already that feels like it will be a big miss, even with an obvious replacement in Anfernee Dijskteel there.

Boro should welcome Tommy Smith back from injury for the start of next season and though it'll be unknown at this stage how well he'll return from such a long-term injury at this stage of his career, he will certainly hope to reestablish himself quickly on the right side of Boro's defence. Nevertheless, with Ayling proving himself a more attack-minded full-back with an almost telepathic ability to find Latte Lath's head with a cross, there is value in having the variation of Smith and Ayling to box off one position for next season's push.