Middlesbrough boss Jonathan Woodgate has thrown his backing behind Britt Assombalonga, claiming that the forward will come good despite going five games without a goal.  

The Championship table doesn’t make good reading for Woodgate or his Middlesbrough side, with the Teessiders heading into this weekend’s fixtures in the relegation zone.

Woodgate’s biggest concern will be that his Boro side aren’t scoring enough goals, having found the net only 11 times in the opening 15 games of the season, making them the Championship's lowest scorers.

Assombalonga is the man expected to be firing in the goals, but his last strike came in the draw with Preston North End in early October, his fourth of the season.

Despite that, Woodgate is still backing his No.9 to come good.

“I always speak to my players, offer advice in different situations,” Woodgate said, as quoted by TeessideLive.

“Britt will come good. I believe in him. His record over the years shows he will score you goals in the Championship. He will. 

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“Right now he is going through one of those patches that strikers go through but he will bounce back

“People say he’s got the world on his shoulders but he hasn’t. He is positive. Britt is a good lad. His attitude is good.

“We will work with Britt and he will come good, I’m sure of that.”

In 101 Championship appearances for Boro, Assombalonga has scored 33 goals, which is a slightly poorer ratio to the one he managed at Nottingham Forest prior to his Riverside switch.

There, the 26-year-old scored 30 goals in 65 appearances, which earned him a £15m move to the North East.

Assombalonga will be looking to get back amongst the goals this afternoon, Boro travel to West London to face Queens Park Rangers.

The Verdict  

Now isn’t the time to be pointing the finger at Middlesbrough, with Woodgate needing to rally the troops and get his side picking up results.

The way to do that is obviously scoring more goals, but it is unfair for that burden to fall at the feet of Assombalonga all the time. Yes, he has a good record at this level and should be doing better, but he’s in a struggling side and needs help from elsewhere.

Woodgate acknowledges that he will come good and has done the right thing here.

Thoughts? Let us know!