After firing the Middlesbrough defender at halftime, Michael Carrick addressed Lukas Engel.

After firing the Middlesbrough defender at halftime, Michael Carrick addressed Lukas Engel.

 

Lukas Engel was benched at halftime against Sheffield Wednesday, but Michael Carrick claims that he still has complete faith in the left-back. The Danish summer signing from Middlesbrough, who is having trouble adjusting to the Championship, will benefit from his time at Hillsborough, according to the manager of the club.

The 24-year-old struggled to adjust to life in Teesside after moving there from Silkeborg in the summer, but on Tuesday night, with Alex Bangura out injured, he was thrown back into the Boro lineup for the trip to Sheffield Wednesday. But the Dane’s miserable evening continued when, just before halftime, Carrick hooked him.
Struggling to contain Owls wing-back Pol Valentin, Engel was beaten again and again and again as the Spaniard’s pace caused Engel all sorts of problems. With almost all of Wednesday’s attacks, including their goal, coming from Boro’s left in a dominant first half for the home side, it was little surprise to see Boro emerge after the interval with Isaiah Jones on at his expense.
Asked about the evening for his left-back after, Carrick said: “Lukas is fine. I don’t doubt Lukas one bit, it’s just sometimes you have nights that don’t quite go for you. Their wide player was very dangerous first half, but as a team we didn’t really help each other. We were a little bit half-hearted and so the spaces were a little bit bigger.

“Lukas will be fine though. It’s all part of the experience. Sometimes it’s a nice experience, other times it’s an uncomfortable one. But that’s all part of adapting really and growing. In the end, he will be better for the experience.
On the other hand, it was amazing to see Rav adjust so effectively and play left-back, a position he had never played before. I adore observing that. Of course, he wasn’t really good at attacking, but it’s not easy for a 19-year-old kid to get put on the other flank in a match like that.

But he didn’t bat an eyelid, he took on the challenge and I thought he was fantastic. So that speaks volumes about him.”

Carrick’s change helped as Jones went across the right wing and inspired a much-improved second half. While it wasn’t enough to see Boro finally end their now-seven-game wait for a first league win of the season, they did at least rescue a point from the game to save themselves from being cut adrift at the bottom of the Championship.
He accepted the task without batting an eye, and I thought he was wonderful. That therefore says a lot about him.

Jones crossed from the right wing and ignited a significantly improved second half as a result of Carrick’s substitution. Boro did at least salvage a point from the encounter to prevent themselves from being cut adrift at the bottom of the Championship, even though it wasn’t enough to see them end their now seven-game wait for their first league win of the season.