Michael Carrick's Luke Ayling decision says everything about summer signing - Boro start debrief

Luke Ayling of Middlesbrough
-Credit: (Image: Greig Cowie/REX/Shutterstock)


After completing a successful half-season loan at Middlesbrough last season, signing Luke Ayling on a free transfer this summer was a no-brainer.

Though Boro tend to prefer younger players with room for growth and potential resale value, they've proven time and again they're willing to break away from that ideal. Michael Carrick has often spoken about the value of experienced players in setting examples for younger players.

Ayling is a fine example to any young prospect on how to conduct yourself as a professional and, Carrick's decision this season to hand Ayling the captaincy in the absence of Jonny Howson thanks to injury is telling. Other candidates in the squad may have been at the club longer, but Ayling, wearing that armband with pride, says everything you need to know about the 33-year-old and how Boro views him.

READ MORE: Luke Ayling's Middlesbrough promise amid style of play concerns after Sunderland loss

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He hasn't quite hit the same heights as last season performance-wise yet. Other than an error against Sunderland, he's been fairly reliable in a defence that tends to coincide few chances, never mind goals. In another sign of his immense character, he fronted up after the Sunderland loss too.

But it was the other end of the pitch that Ayling proved such a hit at the Riverside last season, striking up an excellent understanding with Emmanuel Latte Lath. So far this season he has just one assist - a clever long ball down the channel for Tommy Conway to run onto against Preston North End.

As far as the quality deliveries from more advanced positions, however, they've been few and far between this season thus far, as Boro's attack in general struggles to click. He will feel he should have added another assist at Watford when Finn Azaz headed his early cross wide, and though he didn't manage to get them quite right on the day, it was encouraging at least to see more crosses than usual hung up at the back post for Latte Lath in that one. Hopefully that will come more as we move forward, with Boro perhaps needing to vary their attack a little.

It shouldn't be forgotten that Ayling has also played a number of games at centre-back so far this season - with Boro's injury luck not really turning yet this season, and particularly in defence. That he slots in whenever needed in the centre is but another string to the bow that highlights exactly why he was such a no-brainer of a signing.

Since Carrick arrived at Boro and began to implement his style, the right-back role has been a relatively understated position where reliability rather than flash has been the importance. Before his serious injury, Tommy Smith cemented the role, with Ayling now undoubtedly the first choice.

Smith continues to try and work his way back to fitness while Anfernee Dijksteel has produced his best form under Carrick whenever called upon this season. But, right now, Ayling is the man Carrick trusts, with his captaincy decision encapsulating that.