Middlesbrough have pulled a blinder with Bristol City transfer agreement | OneFootball

The purchase of Tommy Conway is beginning to look like an exceptional deal.

Middlesbrough's recent good form has fired the North East side into the play-offs, with others around them struggling.

Having started the season indifferently, since they faced Queens Park Rangers they have been on a superb run of form, picking up 12 points from a possible 15. In this period, they have managed a resounding 18 goals with the only blip on the radar being a 1-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers, where they were without the creative genius of Finn Azaz.

With many of the players on song, it is hard to pick any particular standout, but one individual who has impressed is Tommy Conway.

The 22-year-old made the move from Bristol City, where he left under a cloud having rejected a new contract at his boyhood club. This led to criticism arriving from BS3 Technical Director, Brian Tinnion, who said Conway was getting "bad advice" from those around him.

If this was the case, then the so-called "advice" he was getting has seen him explode since his move to Boro, as he is currently third in the Championship goalscoring charts.

Boro will be delighted with Tommy Conway addition

For a player with just one year left on his contract, the £5 million fee initially seemed substantial for the youngster, whose previous best season had yielded just ten goals in the second tier.

However, Michael Carrick has to be delighted with the impact the striker has made since arriving in mid-August.

To date, Conway has netted eight goals in just 14 appearances, including a vital brace in the weekend's fixture against Hull City. What makes his form even more remarkable is his efficiency in front of goal - scoring at an average of one goal every 105 minutes. This is the best minutes-per-goal ratio in the Championship among players who have played over 500 minutes.

Undoubtedly, he is the beneficiary of moving into a new club, with Carrick's system prioritising the attacking third and dominance on the ball. Meanwhile, at the Robins, they struggled to create as many chances for Conway, with a solid backline being of higher precedence.

His expected goals (xG) figures are particularly telling, with Conway comfortably outperforming his current tally of 5.10. In addition, his conversion rate is top tier, with the former City striker scoring on average every 2.88 shots he has.

A continuation of this form has to be his aim, and it is possible he could fire Carrick's side to promotion.

Conway has eased pressure on Emmanuel Latte Lath

At present, it is hard to argue against the fact that Middlesbrough have the best strike force in the Championship. Alongside Conway, you have Emmanuel Latte Lath, who has added seven goals to this Boro side since the beginning of the season.

Last year, he netted 16 in 30 appearances but struggled to hit the same form earlier this season. However, the arrival of Conway has relieved much of the pressure on him, allowing Latte Lath the freedom to focus on regaining his best form without the weight of being the sole attacking threat.

Coming back on the 5th of November against QPR, he has since managed five goals and two assists, suggesting he has turned the corner this campaign.

Inadvertently, Conway has helped Carrick in more than one way. With both strikers on song, the £5 million they spent on the Scotsman is looking like a real bargain, and the duo could end up on remarkable figures come May.