Struggling striker hands Carrick a big selection dilemma

MICHAEL Carrick faces a big decision regarding Kelechi Iheanacho after a bruising evening for the loan striker in the defeat to Leeds United.

- By CRAIG JOHNS [e-mail] @craig_johns

Having largely struggled since arriving at Boro on transfer deadline day in February, his own fans ironically cheered his substitution at the Riverside on Tuesday, before booing him as he left the pitch.

It followed a poor performance where he struggled to retain possession and missed a hatful of chances in a 1-0 defeat to Leeds.

After, Carrick came to the defence of the striker. He pleaded with supporters to show him support, and insisted he cares. His struggles in the game, Carrick said, were not for the want of trying to do the right things. There was a lot of merit in what the Boro boss said.

While things haven't gone as well as anyone would have hoped for the former Leicester striker so far, there were some encouraging signs before this one.

Clearly out of shape when he first arrived at the club after a frustrating half-season in Spain, he was rebuilding match-sharpness early on, while trying to form connections with his new team-mates.

In evidence backing up Carrick's "care" claim, Iheanacho used his time off during the international break to head to Manchester to do private fitness training.

There were signs it paid off when he grabbed his first goal for the club against Oxford, and he then followed that up by playing important roles in both Boro goals at Blackburn. His overall performances were by no means complete, but they were better.