Kim Hellberg reveals Middlesbrough change that made the difference against Stoke.

Kim Hellberg’s decision to alter Middlesbrough’s formation against Stoke City proved to be a successful tactical gamble as Boro extended their impressive run of form with a dramatic victory at the bet365 Stadium.

Middlesbrough entered Tuesday night’s Championship clash full of confidence after recording an excellent 1-0 victory over local rivals Wolves just three days earlier. Following such a positive performance, Hellberg could easily have decided to keep faith with the same starting line-up for the trip to Stoke.

Instead, the Middlesbrough head coach made a significant tactical adjustment, partly because of his desire to carefully manage the workload of important attacking players Tommy Conway and Riley McGree.

Kim Hellberg applauds the Middlesbrough fans at Stoke (Image: Nigel French)

Both forwards have had to deal with injuries since the summer, meaning Hellberg was conscious of the demands being placed on them during a busy period.

Rather than simply selecting the same XI and asking his players to reproduce Saturday’s performance, Hellberg believed Stoke presented a different tactical challenge that required Middlesbrough to approach the match in another way.

As a result, Luke Ayling was brought into the starting team and Middlesbrough switched to a back three.

Although the visitors conceded twice during an eventful game, Hellberg was pleased with the overall defensive display. He felt his team dealt effectively with Stoke’s attacking threat, with one of the home side’s goals coming via an own goal.

More importantly, Stoke managed just one shot on target throughout the match, which underlined how successfully Middlesbrough’s tactical plan restricted the hosts.

Hellberg explained after the game that the formation change was specifically designed around Stoke’s attacking structure and the way Middlesbrough wanted to press.

He believed the back-three system gave his players the right platform to deal with Stoke’s two attacking midfielders, or “two tens”, while also allowing Boro to apply pressure higher up the pitch.

According to Hellberg, Middlesbrough executed that aspect of the game extremely well, particularly during the opening half.

The manager was especially pleased with the intensity of his team’s pressing. He felt the players repeatedly caused Stoke problems by winning the ball high up the pitch and creating opportunities from their aggressive approach.

Hellberg also stressed that Middlesbrough’s system was not simply about asking individual players to remain in fixed positions.

Instead, he wants his players to understand spaces and identify where they can have the greatest influence rather than being restricted by traditional positional roles.

That flexibility was particularly evident in the roles given to Neto Borges and Callum Brittain.

Hellberg believes Borges is especially effective when operating in the inside areas of the pitch while another teammate provides width on the outside. That movement can make it considerably harder for opponents to decide how and when to press him.

Brittain, meanwhile, offers different qualities and can therefore be deployed in a variety of ways depending on the opposition and the tactical requirements of the match.

The Middlesbrough manager praised his squad for embracing those demands and showing the courage required to operate in unfamiliar or changing positions.

The tactical adjustment also produced a significant attacking reward.

Both Middlesbrough goalscorers from the wing-back positions contributed to the team’s success. Brittain produced an outstanding performance and opened the scoring with his first goal for the club.

Lukas Lankshear then added another goal, taking his impressive tally for the campaign to 10, before Neto Borges delivered the decisive moment by scoring a dramatic winner during stoppage time.

Hellberg was particularly delighted for Brittain, who he believes has been performing at an exceptionally high level.

The manager also compared Brittain’s situation with that of Borges, suggesting that both players have been contributing so much to the team that they deserved the opportunity to add goals to their impressive performances.

He described Brittain’s finish as an outstanding goal and praised the overall quality of his display.

For Hellberg, however, the result was about more than individual performances or the late winner.

He was particularly impressed by the physical and mental effort Middlesbrough produced after the demands of their previous match against Wolves.

The Saturday victory had required an enormous amount from the players, both physically and emotionally. The intensity of the rivalry, combined with the running required during the game, meant the players had expended considerable energy.

Hellberg therefore believed it was particularly impressive that Middlesbrough were able to travel to Stoke only three days later and produce another high-quality performance.

The manager said the players had demonstrated significant strength individually while also showing the collective qualities needed to perform at such a demanding level.

Middlesbrough’s ability to adapt tactically while maintaining their intensity has become an important feature of their recent performances.

Hellberg’s willingness to change the formation rather than automatically repeat the previous line-up ultimately paid off at Stoke.

The introduction of Ayling and the move to three defenders allowed Boro to manage the opposition’s attacking shape while giving their wing-backs freedom to influence the game further forward.

Despite conceding two goals, Middlesbrough limited Stoke’s genuine opportunities and maintained their attacking threat throughout the contest.

The late Borges goal completed a memorable night for Boro and ensured Hellberg’s tactical decision was rewarded with another valuable three points.

With Brittain continuing to impress, Lankshear reaching double figures for the season and Borges producing a decisive contribution, Middlesbrough demonstrated the depth and flexibility within their squad.

Hellberg’s comments also underline how important versatility has become to his approach. Rather than relying on rigid positional instructions, he wants his players to understand space, adapt to different opponents and confidently perform multiple roles.

Against Stoke, that approach produced exactly the response the manager wanted and allowed Middlesbrough to continue their excellent start while coping with the demands of a packed schedule.