Middlesbrough's real optimism for next season with Michael Carrick growing one key ingredient

This season may not have the fairytale ending we'd all hoped for at the start, but in ending it in such fine form, Middlesbrough are providing plenty of hope for the future.

Moving their recent record to just one defeat in 11, this latest victory at Cardiff City to wrap-up Boro's away campaign in style had so much to like. With goals from Matt Clarke, Finn Azaz, Emmanuel Latte Lath and Alex Gilbert, there were encouraging individual performances, quality and ruthless attacking on show and also prove of a key ingredient that Michael Carrick discussed before the game growing among this squad again.

This - Boro's penultimate game of the season - was the first in which Boro mathematically knew their play-off hopes were gone. While always fanciful, the previous nine games before the Leeds defeat had all carried an air of 'nothing to lose' in Boro's approach, with hope that a top-six finish was still achievable if they kept winning.

READ MORE: Middlesbrough player ratings vs Cardiff City as Finn Azaz produces the goods in emphatic win

In the end, it just proved a little too much for them and, after a long and arduous campaign in which injuries have really taken hold and and with a rollercoaster of emotions throughout, to make it a physical and mentally draining experience, it would have been easy for them to take to the beaches early with nothing left to play for.

Ahead of a long trip to Cardiff, however, Carrick made his feelings clear. "We want to win," he said, while making a point which really stuck. "We want to create a winning culture," he insisted. It;s such a key ingredient for any successful side as Carrick - a serial winner under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United - knows all too well.

While the game in South Wales might not have always been played at the highest of tempos, and while it might not have been as plain-sailing as the scoreline suggests, Carrick found his side in a winning mood - ruthless in attack and determined to get a victory, regardless of what was at stake.

“It's encouraging," the Boro boss said after. "It's alright me talking about it, me telling the players and encouraging the players, but it has to come from them. Self-drive and them motivating each other; it comes from the playing group really. I’m delighted. Some of the game could have been better but largely we went about it the right way. I'm really happy with the players."

That winning culture could be crucial going forward. It's something Boro found during an excellent run last season but, with so many changes to the squad last summer and so many younger faces arriving, a poor start to the campaign hit belief and confidence.

Throughout a complicated season, finding consistency has proven difficult, but at times showing their quality, and at other times showing their sheer will and determination to grind out results, this Boro team are now starting to get that winning feeling. It comes sadly too late in this season, but with real hope and expectation that the majority of this squad will still be together next term, there is so much to be encouraged by.

Latte Lath continued his fine form. Another fine finish moved him to ten goals in 11 games and 16 overall for the campaign. Rav van den Berg continues to ooze quality and maturity and has already expressed his desire to stay, while his centre-back partner Clarke - who started the Boro scoring on the day - has surely eradicated earlier fears he wasn't quite suited to Carrick's ideal style of play to prove his worth of late.

Azaz continues to be a source of real encouragement too. It's not been the simplest of starts for him at Boro after arriving in January. Poor form for the team overall, formation changes and a lack of options forcing him to be thrust in were hardly the best conditions for him making an immediate impression.

Nevertheless, in recent weeks, showing signs of that connection and confidence growing, he has started to show flashes of what he's capable of. This one at Cardiff was most certainly his best performance yet in a Boro shirt. With two assists and a well-taken goal, he also played a key role in the build-up to Gilbert's goal too. He's in the Boro side to make an impact, and make an impact he most certainly did in South Wales.

“You can see him growing and feeling more comfortable in his surroundings," Carrick said. "He’s growing in confidence and belief and is enjoying a good finish to the season. There are high hopes for next season with Finn, for sure."

There should be high hopes for next season, not just for Azaz, but for Boro in general. This is an excellent end to the season in which Boro are proving their desire to succeed. Boro will need to add some extra quality in another crucial summer ahead for sure, but quality will only take you so far. Mentality and a winning feeling has to be present too, and Boro are ending this season with that in abundance.