Ben Doak has caught the eye with his performances on loan at Middlesbrough so far, with the Liverpool winger described as a “game-changer” for his new club.
Doak headed to the Championship at the end of the summer transfer window, joining Michael Carrick’s upwardly mobile Middlesbrough after a pre-season under Arne Slot.
It served as an ideal scenario for the teenager, after fears that he could instead be sold, with a move to the English second tier allowing him to prove he deserves a role in Liverpool’s first-team squad.
So far, Doak has played 10 times for a side sitting seventh in the Championship, with a goal and three assists – setting up three goals in his last two outings.
But how is the 19-year-old really performing? Is he showing enough to impress those back at Anfield?
To hear about Doak’s time at Middlesbrough so far and what comes next, This Is Anfield spoke with TeesideLive’s Craig Johns (@craig_johns).
It was a late deal in the summer, so what was the reaction to Boro signing Doak?
I’d say there was a keen sense of intrigue and immediate feeling that Doak must be special.
There were a number of reasons behind that feeling.
Boro didn’t really need another forward player per se, having already signed a couple in the summer window, while they’ve tried as much as possible to avoid too many loans like Doak’s where there is little to no prospect of anything beyond the one season.
??? Potential game changer… #UTB https://t.co/shNPLN9Gok
— Chris Jones (@ChrisJonesy84) August 30, 2024
That Boro went against that and signed Doak was an indicator they felt he was special, and indeed their head of recruitment said as much after getting the deal over the line, describing Doak as a “potential game-changer.”
All that married with the fact there was so much interest in him made for a feeling of excitement.
He’s put together a decent highlight reel so far, but how has he performed overall?
He’s been exactly as described – a game-changer.
With the exception of one game against Watford, he’s had left-backs in the Championship absolutely terrified.
His direct dribbling style is a real throwback and it’s perfect for a Boro side who, until Doak’s introduction into the starting lineup, were finding sides sitting back behind the ball against them and they’d struggle to break that down.
With Doak now a regular, they’re breaking sides down far easier, with the youngster undoubtedly key to that.
There’s still room for improvement as well. At times he can get himself into dangerous positions and then fail with his final ball or shot, but it’s a minor point to be expected of an only-just 19-year-old.
What has stood out most?
His pace, ability to beat a man on the dribble and his mentality to keep going.
Even when he doesn’t get the end product right at the end, he’s shown absolutely no signs of being deterred. He’s straight back on the ball looking to make an impact.
And are there any areas he could improve?
At times, it’s that end product.
In his defence, it won’t always be his fault. He gets to the byline and applies the cutback and there might not always be the options in the box for him to hit.
Another bit of praise I’d give him is he does mix it up well rather than just be a one-trick pony down the wing.
He’ll sometimes cut in from the wing and try a shot, but it’s fair to say his left-foot shooting accuracy could be improved.
The way Boro play doesn’t really suit an inverted winger off the left, but that appears to be a role he could play in a team that would make use of that.
Is there anything else you can tell us from covering Doak’s time at Boro so far?
One thing that’s probably worth emphasising is his character. His mentality to keep trying encapsulates everything that we hear about him in terms of his confidence and self-belief.
Michael Carrick and many of his team-mates have mentioned how good a character he is in the group.
Can you see him coming back to Liverpool as part of the first-team squad?
He seems to go from strength to strength and nothing seems to faze him.
Everyone at Boro will be hoping such a consideration isn’t made until the end of the season, as opposed to January when there is a recall clause.
I’m biased in that I’d also love to watch Doak for another six months, but even still, I’d say he could still do with regular game time for the rest of this season with a view to making a decision in the summer.
Right now, he’d probably be an ideal deputy/backup to Mo Salah, but how beneficial that will be to his development – where he wouldn’t be playing as often – is something Liverpool officials would have to weigh up.
If Boro were to win promotion, I could see it being beneficial to all parties for him to have another season at Boro.
Maybe that’s wishful thinking! But there certainly wouldn’t feel a need for Doak to play a second season at Championship level.
• Thanks again to Craig Johns for his insight into Doak’s loan at Middlesbrough so far. You can follow Craig on Twitter @craig_johns and the Gazette @GazetteBoro.
