Neil Warnock on Middlesbrough’s Tavistock win, three at the back and pre-season progression

Neil Warnock admits he likes Middlesbrough playing with three at the back after a change in formation inspired a big victory over Tavistock AFC.

Boro won 7-0 in their third pre-season friendly of the summer, showing huge improvements from Monday night’s narrow win over Saltash.

It followed Warnock’s decision to move to a back three with Paddy McNair moving back into defence, but the real benefits were seen at the other end of the pitch with Duncan Watmore getting closer to Uche Ikpeazu and thriving off the big centre-forward’s play.

On the formation change, the Boro boss said: ““I wanted to have a look at us in the three.

“They couldn’t really sort out one or two things themselves the other night so ahead of tonight we did a little bit of shape work.

“Every team looks better when they know what they’re doing! Monday night they obviously didn’t know what they were doing [laughs].

“But it’s all mainly about getting the fitness in really and I can’t fault the lads.”

Neil Warnock, Kevin Blackwell and Ronnie Jepson at Tavistock

Asked whether that could be Boro’s main formation next season, Warnock is still keen to ensure his squad is capable of adapting to different opponents and are therefore fluid in their tactical approach to games.

He added: “I do like that formation. Whether it’s two up top or three up top, we have one or two like Tav who can play anywhere up there.

“So we have good options and that formation is a good one we have.

“I think Watmore enjoyed it tonight.

“He didn’t do as well in the three on Monday night, but he enjoyed it playing closer to Uche.”

Watmore was joined by Hayden Coulson in bagging a brace on the night, while Ikpeazu, Lewis Wing and Chuba Akpom each netted too.

On the game overall he reflected: “It was once again very hot but we didn’t do as much this morning.

“I thought the other night we sometimes looked a bit leggy.

“But it’s all about getting them fit in pre-season, while we’ve also managed to get a couple of lads [Dijksteel and Hall] a bit of a rest and some other lads minutes. So there were quite a lot of pluses.”

The game was Boro’s third of pre-season – their second of their week-long training camp in the south west.

Three more games await before the season opener at Fulham, with Plymouth next up on Friday in the final game of the Devon and Cornwall stay.

On how pre-season is progressing, Warnock said: “They’re coming on well.

“They’re putting the metres in during the day and it is so hot.

“You really can’t fault them.”

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