Middlesbrough: Isaiah Jones facing threat from Liverpool man as Michael Carrick could make key switch: View | OneFootball

Jones' early performances may not have seen him do enough to keep Deadline Day arrival Ben Doak at bay for much longer.

Middlesbrough's Isaiah Jones hasn't flown out of the blocks in the early stages of the 2024/25 season, and that may prompt Boro boss Michael Carrick to turn towards his newly acquired Liverpool starlet Ben Doak.

A surprise arrival on Deadline Day, Middlesbrough were able to convince Doak that Teesside was the best place to continue his development, as the Scottish international agreed to a season-long loan deal with the club.

The addition of the 18-year-old winger adds further competition for places in Boro's attack, and one player who will perhaps be looking over his shoulder more than anyone is Jones.

Plucked from non-league football back in 2019, the 25-year-old has been a mainstay in Middlesbrough's starting lineup for multiple seasons, but a lack of consistency week-to-week has seen sections of the fanbase begin to question whether he is the answer on the right flank.

So, heading into the international break yet to register a single goal or assist in all competitions this season, Jones may well emerge from the interval having found himself being replaced.

Jones not doing enough to keep Doak at bay

Jones is a player who splits the Middlesbrough fanbase straight down the middle, with those on one side believing he's not got the ability and/or consistency to be a starter in a promotion side, whilst the other half believe the impact and outlet he offers is too great to take out of Boro's team.

His historic production is hard to argue with, having registered eight goals and four assists in the league last season, whilst bagging three goals and five assists in 2022/23, and one goal and eight assists in 2021/22.

But, the frustration with Jones arises from the fact that those numbers could be so much higher, should his decision-making be better, and his final ball finding its target on a more consistent basis.

In that regard, and despite being two different types of wingers, it's hard not to look at the strengths and flaws in Jones' game and not make comparisons to a former Middlesbrough winger, Adama Traore.

Like Adama, Jones often finds himself receiving the ball with space to run into, but when it comes to arriving in and around the penalty area, that final piece of end product is often missing.

That's been the same story to begin the 2024/25 season too, with Jones registering just a 73.3% pass accuracy rating (ranks in the bottom 25% of Championship right-wingers this season - per FotMob), whilst also sitting at a 50% dribble success ratio.

Jones is a player who can create chances and score goals, but with so much attacking talent on the pitch, Middlesbrough can't afford to be passing up numerous chances to hurt their opposition because of a lack of quality service.

Middlesbrough had to fend off many clubs in order to win Doak's signature on Deadline Day, with no fewer than six reported sides as being interested in taking the Liverpool youngster on loan.

Championship side Hull City, as well as Premier League duo Leicester City and Southampton were just three of the teams who were credited as taking a keen interest in the highly-rated forward.

Evidently, Carrick and his coaching staff would have had to do some serious convincing to both Arne Slot and Doak, that the Riverside Stadium would provide a secure platform for him to play regular football.

As such, the former Celtic winger will be looking to play a big role in Middlesbrough's promotion push this season, and the early season form of Jones won't be something that he sees as an insurmountable obstacle to the starting lineup.

Therefore, if Jones wants to keep his place in the team which he has consistently held over the last three seasons, he will need to start producing, otherwise Carrick will surely not sit on his hands when it comes to Doak, for much longer.