IN the last few weeks, there has been a lot of talk about what Middlesbrough are lacking. Not enough pace, not enough creativity in the final third, not enough options for Tony Pulis to change things if he is chasing a game. The January transfer window has become the be all and end all in terms of transforming the Teessiders’ season.

Sometimes, though, focusing on the negatives makes the positives disappear. Yes, this is a Boro side that could do with reinforcements in the final third. But even without any January transfer activity, there are plenty of reasons to be positive as 2018 draws to an end. The current situation is not the disaster it has been portrayed as during Boro’s recent stutter.

For a start, Pulis’ side continue to boast the best defensive record in the Championship by a distance. Saturday’s clean sheet was their 13th of the season, and they have conceded seven fewer goals than any other team in the division.

Defensive resilience might not set the pulse racing, but it is generally a good yardstick against which promotion hopefuls can be judged. Darren Randolph is one of the best goalkeepers in the Football League – as evidenced once again by his superb one-handed save to deny Ipswich midfielder Trevoh Chalobah when the scores were still level at the weekend – and both Daniel Ayala and Aden Flint would walk into pretty much any team in the second tier.

Throw in the emerging Dael Fry, the reliable George Friend, and the soon-to-return Ryan Shotton, and you have the makings of a defensive unit that should continue to form the bedrock of a viable promotion push in the second half of the season. It might not make for scintillating viewing, but if Boro keep 13 more clean sheets between now and May, they will not be far away.

Other reasons to be positive? How about the emergence of Lewis Wing and Marcus Tavernier, two players who have forced their way into the first-team picture this season and are capable of providing the kind of attacking spark that has been lacking on a number of occasions when they have not been in the side?

Admittedly, Pulis still seems reluctant to play the duo too frequently, and it will be interesting to see what happens to them in the remainder of the campaign if attacking reinforcements arrive. Increasingly, though, the Middlesbrough manager is having to forget about what he thinks Wing and Tavernier cannot do in order to focus on what they offer to the side. Don’t allow the negatives to make the positives disappear.

Wing was Boro’s key midfield catalyst against Ipswich, driving his side forward and threading a series of deft through balls through the opposition defence. His story is well-known by now, but its inspirational qualities remain as powerful as ever. From the Northern League to the brink of the Premier League in a couple of years. Middlesbrough fans should be proud their club still offers that route.

Tavernier first joined Boro’s academy at the age of 13, and the winger’s breakthrough season continues to hit new heights. His goal at the weekend, which came 11 minutes after he came off the bench to replace Stewart Downing, was his third in his last six league appearances, and for all that Pulis might occasionally be critical of some of the decisions taken at academy level prior to his arrival, Boro’s Rockliffe Park production line remains as effective as ever. Fry’s development is another shining example of that.

“Marcus has done very well when he’s come on, but he’s not the only one making his way,” said Jonny Howson, in the wake of Saturday’s win. “He’s got a really bright future ahead of him, and that’s great to see.

“There’s Dael, Wingy – it’s great to see these lads coming through. This club has always had a good tradition for producing players, and it’s good to see that continuing.”

Howson’s weekend display is emblematic of another of Boro’s strengths. Adaptability isn’t always regarded as an especially important asset, but in a league as relentless and competitive as the Championship, the ability to shuffle things around can be crucial.

Pulis knows he can switch formations and personnel as required, and while that sometimes means putting square pegs in round holes, that isn’t necessarily a problem if the pegs function effectively in their new home.

Prior to Saturday, Howson’s only previous experience of playing at right-back had ended in disaster. Yet with Shotton unavailable and Pulis clearly reluctant to hand too much responsibility to Paddy McNair, the midfielder slotted in to a right wing-back role seamlessly. Defensively secure and comfortable in possession when he pushed down the flank, Howson was one of Boro’s best performers despite being played out of position.

“I don’t think I’d ever played wing-back before, but the last time I had to go to right-back was in a game for Leeds where we’d had a sending off 30 minutes in the game,” said Howson. “We lost 5-0.

“Thankfully, this went a bit better than that! You’ll have to ask the gaffer whether he wants to keep me there, but I think I speak for everyone in the squad when I say I’m happy to play where I’m needed. We all know what we’re trying to get to – and getting there is the most important thing.”

That sense of self-sacrifice and camaraderie will be important in the next few months, with Boro set to face a series of markedly more difficult tests than the one they encountered at the weekend.

Ipswich, seven points adrift of safety at the foot of the table, were dreadful, and while Boro’s afternoon might have been much more difficult had Randolph not made his excellent one-handed save from Chalobah moments after Luke Chambers looped a header onto the top of the crossbar, the hosts’ dominance was never really in doubt.

The deadlock was broken eight minutes before the break, with Jordan Hugill rolling home his fifth goal of the season from the penalty spot after he had been hauled down by Jordan Spence to prevent him reaching Stewart Downing’s cross.

Dean Gerken made a fine one-handed save to prevent Hugill doubling Boro’s lead midway through the second half, but the Ipswich goalkeeper was at fault as Tavernier scored with 18 minutes left.

The youngster’s shot looked to be straight at Gerken, but the ball somehow squirmed past the keeper and found the net.

That was effectively that, although Boro would have added another two or three late goals to their tally had it not been for Gerken’s excellence.

The one-time Darlington loanee made a fine double-save to deny Adam Clayton and Friend, and produced equally impressive stoppage-time stops to frustrate Wing and Hugill.

“Football can change very quickly in a matter of days,” said Howson, who will now turn his attention to tomorrow’s game against a Derby County side that came from behind to claim a remarkable 4-3 win at Norwich City at the weekend. “The last game here (against Sheffiield Wednesday) was very disappointing after the win at Reading. To come here and lose at home to Sheffield Wednesday was disappointing, but we’ve responded.

“Hopefully, now we can put a run together. The majority of the teams go through different spells during the season, it’s how you can ride them out.”