The inside story of Chuba Akpom's incredible Middlesbrough season and secret to his goalscoring
An in-depth look at how Chuba Akpom has scored 25 goals and completely transformed his Middlesbrough career
06:00, 27 MAR 2023
Chuba Akpom of Middlesbrough celebrates scoring (Image: Nigel Roddis/News Images)
From zero to hero - Chuba Akpom's incredible story of redemption and success at Middlesbrough this season would not be lost on the pages of a script for the latest instalment of Rocky Hollywood movie. The Arsenal academy graduate is 27 now but had struggled for many years to find a club that he could call home. PAOK in Greece was the closest he came, and it was there where Boro first signed Akpom from in the summer of 2020. Reflecting just recently as Akpom joined Neil Warnock's ranks, he admitted he wasn't himself in that first year on Teesside, the style of play not suited to the talents he's now proving he has. Shipped out on loan back to PAOK after a disappointing first year at the Riverside, he returned last summer for what would prove the start of his incredible Middlesbrough renaissance. He admitted himself though that he didn't expect to even stay at the club, as he was initially sent by Chris Wilder to train with the under-21s. Thankfully he did stay because he now has 25 goals in all competitions and recently ended a 33-year wait at Boro for a player to score 20 league goals in a season. Timing
Timing and luck can sometimes play such a big role in success in football and the start of Akpom’s Boro turnaround certainly had that. Training with the under-21s after his return from PAOK, he expected to be leaving, but thankfully had the attitude to work hard and make sure he was as in as good a shape as possible for whenever that move came. The beneficiary of Boro’s struggles to bolster Wilder’s attack early in the summer, Akpom was a shock inclusion for the final pre-season friendly of the summer against Marseille. A positive performance there led to him playing all three of Boro’s first league games of the season, with two goals against Sheffield United the start of what would become a record-breaking goalscoring campaign. Having sealed his right of stay with his brace against Sheffield United, Akpom received the worst possible news. His decision to bravely play through an injury in that game was costly. He would miss the next seven games and return only for Wilder’s final game in charge. Such had his importance became by that point, his absence was certainly felt. Akpom himself, while gutted to have been out, used the time wisely. He spent time analysing his game and working harder in the gym to improve his strength - factors that would both help his future renaissance. It ended up working out well for him. He built his fitness over the next five games - netting another two goals in the process - as Leo Percovich took interim charge after Wilder was sacked. And then came the arrival of Carrick - a moment that would set in motion an incredible transformation for both Boro and Akpom. (Image: (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images))
The switch in role
Carrick’s first game in charge came at Preston North End. As always with a new boss, there was plenty of excitement for that first team sheet from the new head coach. Very few prior to kick-off that day at Deepdale would have been predicting a slightly deeper role as a number ten for the career centre forward. That’s exactly what Carrick did though, and Akpom has thrived. Carrick explained: “I think you go on your eye, your instincts, how well he takes the ball, how fluid he is moving with the ball in a bit of space. Technically coming through the ranks at Arsenal he's had that foundation. I just wanted to free him up a little bit and play to his strengths. Thankfully he's been able to do that. I think it suits him. “It's difficult for me to speak about the turnaround because I don't know how he was playing before that before I came through the door. Certainly from my first training session and the games leading up to me taking over, I saw encouraging signs from him. I said it from the start, we have tried to play to the strengths of our players and put them in positions that benefit them and the team. Chuba is definitely one of them. He's found his role and he's suited it, he's doing great.”
The switch in roles, while only a slight tweak, has really benefitted the forward. Carrick explained how the deeper role allowed for Akpom to ‘get a bit more space’ as he times runs to perfection to get on the end of, more often than not, Ryan Giles’ crosses. There’s certainly plenty of appreciation for his team-mates, and the Wolves loanee in particular. He agrees with Carrick on the role too. He said: “I wish I’d been playing in a deeper role throughout the whole of my career! I’m enjoying it. Playing in a nine previously helps me with my movement up top and with my back to goal, but I feel like coming to feet is when you can see the real me - getting on the half turn, playing one-twos, connecting the play and dribbling - this is what my game is all about.”
Carrick’s belief in him
It’s not just Akpom who has been rejuvenated under Carrick. Most of the Boro team as individuals have, which in turn means the club overall have, and that has seen the club climb from 21st to 3rd in the Championship table. Getting Akpom firing has been so crucial to that rapid rise and Carrick deserves so much of the credit. While Akpom was playing well before the new head coach’s arrival, he’s ultimately netted 21 of his 25 goals in Carrick’s 23 games in charge. Boro legend Stewart Downing recently had chance to chat with Carrick and had to ask about Akpom’s turnaround. Downing told BBC ’s Football Daily +72 Podcast: "He's got a lot of talent, he's a talented player, and he just needed a system and someone to put an arm around him. He looks that type of player. "I asked Michael, I just said to him - 'what've you said to him?' and he said - 'not a lot, just put an arm around him, told him I thought he could play different positions which he has done as a number ten, and just told him he's got a run of games'. Sometimes as players, that's all you need, you need that manager's arm around you." Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick celebrates with Chuba Akpom (Image: Craig Thomas/News Images)
An ‘obsession’
While there are many factors behind Akpom having the season of his career this term, it’s certainly no accident or fluke. His own hunger, desire and work ethic to make a success of this season has been crucial. He told Sky Sports back in January: "It helps being settled, but there's a lot of other things as well. My mindset and how I'm approaching training and games has improved, and off the pitch, I'm studying the game and so many other players as well. "I watch the elite players and how they do things now, like Kylian Mbappe, Robert Lewandowski, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane. But also the strikers from back in the day. There's a show called ' Premier League 100 Club' on Sky. Having that obsession off the pitch and trying to get better has helped massively. "I also work with a personal coach. We have Zoom calls every week and he sends me clips of myself and how to improve this and that. We look at things like how I can improve my xG and my positioning, and the teams we play and their weaknesses. It's hours of work on so many different things." Chart Akpom’s goals this season and you’ll likely find credit next to almost all of them for the assist from Giles. And even that, from Akpom’s point of view, is no accident. “What a beautiful man Gilo is!” he joked earlier in the season. “I love that man! He just whips it in there with so much quality. You'd be silly to not be in there looking to pounce on the cross. All the crosses are coming in with so much quality and all you need to do is have some smart movement. "To be honest, he doesn't know this but I actually analysed his games from where he was before on loan and stuff to try and perfect my movement for his crosses. So I've done my own homework and research on him, and hopefully we can keep it going.”
That Akpom was doing work such work off his own back was no surprise to Carrick. He said: “I think he’s just saying that to please me! No, joking aside, it doesn’t surprise me at all. Knowing Chuba and how he is with his personality and his willingness and attitude in training to working hard and improving. "There are all sorts of different ways you can do that. It’s not only on the pitch, there are clips you can watch and analysis of opponents, good players in your position, players who you play with and working on a wavelength. "It’s unspoken about at times, but actually having an understanding like that with another player is something you might not always see with the eye. But when players can develop a good relationship and understand each other, that can go a long way. The more they can work on that and feed off that, the better.”
Chuba Akpom and Riley McGree of Middlesbrough celebrate their team's win (Image: Gareth Evans/News Images)
More than just the goals
While goals have obviously been the most pleasing and eye-catching aspect of the 27-year-old’s phenomenal campaign, it shouldn’t be forgotten that he’s provided so much more for the team than just goals. Many of the things he lists doing above as part of his role change are absolutely crucial to ensuring Boro have been as successful as they have under Carrick’s supervision. The Boro head coach has been keen to point out at every opportunity that very point. “I've been hugely impressed with Chuba,” Carrick said. “He gets the plaudits for the goals and rightly so but he offers so much more than just the goals. It's the positions he takes up, the link-up play, his presence within the team.”
Confidence grows
While his redemption in the eyes of Boro supporters has definitely been about his performances overall, the goals have without doubt written the headlines. The more the goals have gone in, the more confident he’s become and he noted himself recently that Boro felt like home now, while his confidence was allowing him to ‘express myself, move around the pitch and get on the ball’. Carrick, meanwhile, said: “I love his attitude, his personality around the place. He's chirpy, he's happy, he feels comfortable here. He's enjoying his football. I think you can see that in any player. Shoulders back, chest out, confident - it's great to see.”
Don Goodman is an EFL expert for Sky Sports and also sits on the panel that decides the EFL’s manager and player of the month awards. They gave it to the Boro striker in December and he’s been nominated every month since. He racked up almost 600 appearances in the Football League in his own playing career, and agrees that confidence is such a huge factor. He told Sky Sports: “Well I think he’s finally found a home and a manager in Michael Carrick that absolutely believes in him. He’s given him that slightly more withdrawn role than he’s had previously and that’s helping him to find spaces and link-up play. But it’s mostly to do with confidence. He’s only had two previous seasons where he’s scored double figures let alone 24 league goals. It’s a remarkable turnaround and we saw something very similar last season with Ben Brereton Diaz at Blackburn Rovers. From out of nowhere he became a goalscorer. Middlesbrough are lucky to have him and they’ve unearthed his raw potential - he always had that ability.”
Record-breaker
March 4 was the big day. A brace in an emphatic 5-0 victory at the Riverside moved Akpom to 21 league goals for the season. It meant he ended that 33-year wait for a 20-goal-a-season striker, with legend Bernie Slaven the last to do it in league goals alone. "It was a special day, a day I'll remember for the rest of my life," Akpom said at the time. "Twenty league goals is a big achievement for myself and the club, I'm happy. It does mean so much. There are top strikers who've been here, some who I look up to like Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. So to be the one who gets 20, it's fantastic.”
Carrick was clear in his praise too. He said: "It's a terrific achievement. It's not easy to score that many goals. He's scored all different type of goals for us since I've been here. I thought his performance was fantastic.”
Ultimate guide to the 2023 county cricket season
It's set to be a sizzling summer of cricket, and your ultimate guide to the domestic season ahead is about to hit the shops. The men's and women's Ashes campaigns will grab the headlines, but the county campaign is set to be as intriguing as ever. We also look forward to what will be another exciting Vitality Blast and an historic season ahead in women's cricket
Our special publication - written by experts who cover the county game week in, week out - is crammed full of interviews with coaches, captains and players, covering all 18 first-class counties, along with every side's fixture lists for the LV= Insurance County Championship, Vitality Blast and One-day Cup. And we also have an exclusive interview with the ECB's Director of Men's Cricket Rob Key. CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY NOW . Available to purchase in most supermarkets, high street retailers, and independent newsagents in England and Wales from March 22, 2023. ‘It’s never enough’
Despite hitting 20 goals and setting that Boro record, Akpom has shown no signs of stopping. He’s scored three in three since the highs of that Reading brace that took him to 21 for the season. Fittingly, Boro invited Slaven to Rockliffe after that Reading game. In a sitdown with the Boro legend, striker to striker, Akpom explained: “As you will know, it’s never enough. Even in training, I celebrate goals and all the lads get a bit annoyed about it. But I just love scoring and I love the feeling of the ball hitting the back of the net.”
Carrick certainly liked that. He played with some top strikers in his time and he described recently, that desire to keep improving is something that ‘separates the best from the rest’. With eight games to go, Akpom could comfortably push for 30 goals this season. That would surely secure him the Championship golden boot - something he was 100-1 with bookies to achieve at the start of the season. But with Boro competing for promotion to the Premier League, his own priorities are clear. "I haven’t processed it,” he said of his form. “Everyone is talking to me about it but I haven’t had chance to sit down and process it because I’m so motivated and I feel like there’s no limit right now. Maybe at the end of the season I can look back and say ‘wow, Chubes, you had an amazing season’, but right now it’s just ‘when is the next game?’
“Honestly, I’m not really thinking about that [the golden boot]. It’s all about the team and what I can do to help the team win the game and achieve our goals for the season.”
It’s a great attitude and his actions spoke louder than words in that aforementioned Reading game when he passed up the opportunity of a second penalty and chance for a hat-trick, instead letting Marcus Forss convert. Hopefully he gets his wish and that golden boot, at which point the redemption arc and the Rocky movie script would well and truly have its glorious finale. READ NEXT

The inside story of Chuba Akpom's incredible Middlesbrough season and secret to his goalscoring

Tommy Doyle has emerged as a genuine contender to be Sheffield United's first-choice holding midfielder but he says the man whose place he is chasing could not be more helpful.

Tommy Doyle on how Sheffield United 'rival' is assisting him in favourite role

A look at how Sheffield United’s departed players are doing as they prepare for their next game

How the 10 players who have left Sheffield United this season have fared at Derby County, Luton Town and Burton Albion - gallery

Middlesbrough run-in ranked as toughest and easiest Championship fixture lists revealed
Third-placed Middlesbrough are aiming to catch Sheffield United in the race for automatic promotion
Group 28
Invalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later. Sign Up
We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Group 28
Middlesbrough have a relatively tough run-in as the Championship reaches its final stages. With the majority of teams having eight games of the season left, Boro's final stretch of fixtures is set to be tougher than almost every other team. Michael Carrick's side are currently third in the table, with 67 points from 38 matches. They trail second-placed Sheffield United by three points but have played a game more than the Blades. With Burnley 13 points ahead ahead of United, the title race is almost but over but the scrap for the second automatic promotion spot looks set to go down to the wire. Looking at Boro's final eight games, the average league position of their opponents is 11th, the joint third-highest average of any team. With Carrick's side still play Burnley, Norwich, Luton Town and Coventry City this season, it makes their remaining league fixtures statistically among the most difficult in the league. Hull City have the hardest time of it in their final run-in, with their opponents averaging a ninth-placed league position as it stands. The Tigers meet Middlesbrough , Luton, Blackburn and Millwall, meaning they face four of the top six while only playing two sides in the bottom half in Swansea City and Rotherham. Blackburn also have a tough run-in, as their remaining opposition average a 10th-placed league position. Rovers face Burnley and Luton, though they do also play 22nd-placed Huddersfield. Like Blackburn, Rotherham also average a 10th placed run-in, facing Burnley, Boro and Luton, meaning their final day trip to bottom club Wigan could well decide their survival fate. At the other end of the scale, Stoke City have the easiest run-in in the league on paper, facing bottom club Wigan Athletic and Cardiff City while playing nobody in the top seven, with an average opponent position of 15th. Sixteenth-placed Swansea City and Wigan also have theoretically easy run-ins, with their opponents also averaging 15th in the table as it stands. As for United, they also have an easier run-in than most, with their opponents averaging 14th in the league as it stands. However, the Blades do still have to face leaders Burnley in a game that will likely all but confirm the title should the Clarets triumph. Play-off-chasing Millwall also average a 14th-placed opponent, as do Watford. Championship run-in difficulty ranked
Hull City 9

Middlesbrough run-in ranked as toughest and easiest Championship fixture lists revealed

Sheffield United WomenSame scoreline as last Sunday lunchtime, different outcome

Defeat to Lewes demonstrates why Jonathan Morgan’s Sheffield United Women remain a team in transition

City Taxis is taxi service that offers software services that allow customers to book ride services from their phones.

City Taxis

Blades head of commercial Paul Reeves added `` This is an interesting new partnership that will encompass the overall business model of City Taxis and will emphasise the recent new divisions such as City Grab , City Connect , City Business and City Electric .

City Taxis Partner with Sheffield United - City Taxis

Bartercard is a simple, flexible barter system that converts slow-moving stock, downtime, spare capacity, or vacant seats into extra sales. It provides a business tool that increases profits through new customers and improves cash flow. It is based in Northallerton, England.

Bartercard

Chris Kirby , Bartercard Managing Director , said : `` it 's an absolute pleasure to announce a partnership with Sheffield United .

Bartercard UK grows marketing presence with Sheffield United partnership

AxGen is a sports by using actionable genomic information to improve individualized training, prevent injury, and enable players to reach their full potential.

AxGen

STANFORD , Calif. , July 22 , 2021 / PRNewswire / -- AxGen , Inc. a leading provider of genetic testing solutions for elite athletics , today announced its partnership with the English soccer club Sheffield United .

10:00 ET
Genetic testing company AxGen partners with English club Sheffield United

Pulseroll provides vibration training and muscle recovery equipment.

Pulseroll

Sheffield Hallam University offers higher education services. The university provides courses of study in business, engineering and architecture, medicine, computer sciences, education, language, history, law, journalism, math, and other areas. Sheffield Hallam University also provides master's and doctorate levels of education as well. It was founded in 2005 and is based in Sheffield, England.

Sheffield Hallam University

Sheffield United

Parseq

Purple WiFi

Applied Language Solutions

Sanofi

Deloitte

Corporate Minority

Sheffield United is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

Name	Jacquelyn Gill
Work History	Parseq, Purple WiFi, Applied Language Solutions, Sanofi, and Deloitte
Title	Chief Financial Officer
Status	Current

Name	Abdullah Alghamdi
Firm
Work History
Other Seats	Sheffield United

Wells Fargo Success Story

Professional Services

Platform Overview

Sheffield United

Executives

Board of Directors

Sheffield United Management Team

1 Team Member

This profile has not been claimed.

Sheffield United Board of Director

Discover the right solution for your team