Middlesbrough have experienced a slow start to the 2019/20 campaign under manager Jonathan Woodgate.

Drafted in as a replacement for Tony Pulis who left the Riverside Stadium earlier this summer following the expiry of his contract, the 39-year-old has tried to alter the Smoggies' style of play in recent weeks.

Whilst Pulis opted for a more direct approach during his time in charge of Boro, Woodgate has encouraged his players to play out from the back which has had mixed results.

After kicking off the year with a dramatic 3-3 draw against Kenilworth Road, the Smoggies then suffered three consecutive defeats in all competitions.

Although it seemed as if they had clicked into gear during their 1-0 victory over Wigan Athletic on August 20th, Boro have since had to settle for back-to-back draws in the Championship.

Currently 18th in the second-tier standings, the Smoggies will be looking to move into contention for a top-six place over the coming months.

Taking this into consideration, here are three players who we think have been very underwhelming so far this season and need to improve for Boro...

George Saville

 

Despite arriving at the Riverside Stadium last year with a glowing reputation following his spell with Millwall, George Saville has struggled considerably with his consistency during his time at Boro.

After ending the previous campaign with just four goals to his name, the midfielder has failed to make any sort of impact for the Smoggies this season.

Having recently lost his place in Woodgate's starting eleven, Saville will now have to prove to his boss in training why he deserves to be part of the club's plans for the future.

Ashley Fletcher

Signed for a reported fee of £6.5m from West Ham United two years ago (via BBC Sport), it is safe to say the Ashley Fletcher has failed to live up to expectations for Boro.

Whilst he has managed to provide two assists this season for his team-mates, the fact that the forward has only scored once will be a concern for Woodgate.

With Britt Assombalonga being the Smoggies' only proven goalscorer at Championship level, they will need Fletcher to step up to the mark over the coming months if they are to achieve success in this division.

Adam Clayton

Now into the fifth year of his spell with Boro, it is somewhat of a surprise that Adam Clayton has flattered to deceive so far this season.

Whilst he has appeared in six of the club's seven fixtures, the 30-year-old has yet to replicate the level of performance that John Obi Mikel was able to reach during his brief spell at the Riverside Stadium.

Although it would be naive to suggest that Clayton should be dropped by Woodgate, it is clear that he must improve his consistency if Boro are to push on in the second-tier.