Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick insists his on-loan goalkeeper Zack Steffen has his full support, despite some wobbly form of late.
Steffen is on loan from Manchester City, as he sought regular football this season to earn a World Cup place for the USA. He would miss out on a place in Qatar, but has got the playing time he desired with 24 appearances to his name at the Riverside.
The 27-year-old has only missed four league games, all through injury, and has helped Boro into the Championship play-off places under new manager Carrick. However, Steffen has come in for criticism from some sections of the Boro support for giving the ball away under pressure and conceding big chances on goal in recent games - although none have resulted in any goals going against him.
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Former Manchester United player and coach Carrick leapt to his goalkeeper's defence this week, though, insisting that Steffen's ability to play the ball out with his feet makes him integral to how he wants his side to play
"I don't know why [Steffen is getting scrutiny]," Carrick said. "Certainly not from me!
"It's not about individuals, it's about the team and how we want to play. We want to play through the pitch, we want to have possession of the ball, of course we do.
"And yeah, Zack is a big part of that. He starts our attacks and tries to create space for others. I have no problem with Zack certainly over recent weeks. It's about making it easier and creating space for each other and understanding where the space is for us to build through the pitch.
"Whether we're under pressure or certain people feel we're under pressure, we don't see it that way. That's just spaces we want to attack and want to use."
Carrick went on to explain that he won't change his style of play, and vowed to persist with a possession-based approach - something that will support Steffen's place in the team.
He explained: "It's just how we see football and how we want the team to try and play. There are times when there's a bit of tension, nerves, but there should be, it's the emotion of football.
"For us, heavily involved and the players on the pitch, you have to be colder than that and believe in what we're doing. That's the challenge. When it does get a bit tetchy and nervy, you don't get involved. We believe in what we're doing.
"Just because there might be a period where it doesn't work for five minutes, you can't then go and change the whole thing and play a different way because then you're not the team you want to be. We'll play in the way we believe in and we'll keep playing that way."
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