Michael Carrick responds to “transfer question” after West Brom defeat
Martin Payero was not included in Middlesbrough’s matchday squad in the defeat at West Brom and Michael Carrick was asked about the midfielder’s future
Michael Carrick insists nothing has been decided regarding Martin Payero’s future after the midfielder was not included in the matchday squad at West Brom. Middlesbrough are still searching for a first league win this season after falling to a 4-2 defeat at the Hawthorns on Saturday.
Carrick named goalkeepers Tom Glover and Jamie Jones on the bench against the Baggies after Rav van den Berg was ruled out hours before kick-off. Payero’s sole appearance this term came in the Carabao Cup victory at Huddersfield Town, and the 24-year-old did not travel to the Midlands.
The former Argentina youth international spent last season on loan in his homeland with Boca Juniors, but the Primera Division side have so far declined to make the move permanent. Payero has entered the final year of his contract at the Riverside, and Carrick admits there could still be twists and turns in the final five days of the transfer window.
The Boro boss told reporters: “Individually, honestly I don’t know to be honest. Sometimes you have to expect the unexpected at this stage. That’s not Martin in particular, that’s just we don’t know what’s going to be thrown at us. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Carrick named two changes to his starting eleven against the Baggies, with Riley McGree taking the place of Marcus Forss. Tommy Smith was handed his first start of the season in place of van den Berg, and was sent off minutes after the restart for a second bookable offence.
Asked about van den Berg’s absence, Carrick explained: “Rav dislocated his thumb in training yesterday [Friday] and travelled down thinking he was going to be okay. It was just too painful this morning.”
Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick retains belief in players despite winless start
Carrick’s winless side, who reached the Championship play-offs last season, suffered their third defeat in four matches after going down to Carlos Corberan’s Baggies.
The Baggies stormed ahead in a frantic first half thanks to Cedric Kipre’s 22nd-minute strike and John Swift’s 27th-minute thunderbolt, but Boro replied a minute later through Emmanuel Latte Lath.
Albion struck quickly in the second period through Brandon Thomas-Asante to make it 3-1 before Tommy Smith was shown his marching orders for the visitors soon after. Marcus Forss did convert a late penalty, but the Baggies made sure of the points when Jeremy Sarmiento struck in stoppage time.
But Carrick was criticial of referee Jeremy Simpson’s decision not to award a free-kick to Jonny Howson prior to Cedric Kipre opening the scoring.
“It’s a big moment,” Carrick said. “It’s hard not to get too frustrated, but I thought it was a clear two-handed push. You’re going to suffer things which go against you over a season.
“I’m not going to sit here and say everything is fantastic because we haven’t won yet, but equally there’s more to it than that.”
Although Middlesbrough, who had Tommy Smith sent off just after half-time following a second booking, have begun the season slowly, Carrick remains encouraged with many aspects of what he has seen from his team, which is still finding its feet after the loss of top scorers Chuba Akpom and Cameron Archer over the course of the summer.
Carrick added: “I feel for the boys. There are two sides of it – there’s the result which you can’t hide from, but it’s what happens within that which leads to the result.
“We’ve conceded four shots on target, and four goals. One is a foul, one was a mistake and for a large part I thought there were a lot of good things. We have finished the game strong with 10 men. I was encouraged by things I’m seeing – it’s a strange feeling in many ways.
“You can’t hide from it, but it doesn’t knock my belief in the boys in the squad. We keep doing a lot of things we’re doing and the results will come.”
West Bromwich Albion: Palmer, Ajayi, Kipre, Pieters, Furlong, Molumby, Yokuslu (Mowatt 65), Phillips (Townsend 64), Wallace (Sarmiento 69), Swift (Chalobah 81), Thomas-Asante (Maja 65). Unused substitutes: Bartley, Fellows, Griffiths, Ingram.
Middlesbrough: Dieng, Smith, Fry, Lenihan, Engel, Howson, Hackney, Silvera (Forss 72), Rogers (McNair 59), McGree (I Jones 59), L Lath (Crooks 72). Unused substitutes: Barlaser, Gilbert, Coburn, Glover, J Jones.
Referee: Jeremy Simpson (Lancashire).
