Many players start being linked with multiple clubs while we are moving closer to the season end and the 2022 summer transfer window’s opening. Some of the best performers in the leagues are already fought over and it is difficult to predict what their future looks like.
The 22-year-old Isaiah Jones is one of the players that sparked the interest of a few Premier League clubs with his successful displays for Middlesbrough in the Championship. While the team are rather inconsistent in their performance, the youngster impressed with his contribution from the flank which has resulted in providing nine assists so far, being the second-best player in the league in that indicator.
Jones also impressed in his team’s FA Cup game against Tottenham, where Middlesbrough surprised the Londoners with a 1-0 win in extra time.
The right wing-back is already linked with Leeds United, Manchester United, Spurs and Arsenal where he could contribute to all phases of the game and increase their attacking efficiency.
In this scout report, we use tactical analysis to explain what his contribution to Middlesbrough’s current set-up is and what are the qualities that make him a target of the abovementioned teams.
Role in the current set-up
Chris Wilder took charge of Boro at the start of the season and opted for using a back-three formation, most frequently switching between 3-5-2 and 3-4-1-2. Jones is employed as a right wing-back and the current tactics make him split his responsibilities between the team’s attacking efforts and their defensive ventures.
Boro tend to attack through the flanks by using their wing-backs to progress the ball and they highly rely on Jones’ movement on the right, as he is the more active player in possession and is able to take on the opposing players through his dribbling and support the team in the final third with crossing attempts.
