ON the eve of the trip to Blackburn Rovers, Michael Carrick sat his Middlesbrough players down and talked about the importance of continuing to tap into the spirit and togetherness that has so impressed him since his appointment.

A little over 24 hours later, that discussion was followed by another, this time between the players. At half-time at Ewood Park and trailing 1-0, the Boro players rallied each other by pointing to recent comebacks against Luton Town and Norwich City.

They then went and put in another stirring second half showing to once again come from behind, the win at Blackburn lifting Boro into the top six.

READ MORE: Michael Carrick on Middlesbrough's Blackburn win, team selection and half-time tweaks

The manner in which Carrick has put his own tactical touch on Boro in such a short space is of immense credit to the head coach. But always keen to point the praise in other directions, Carrick says the spirit in the camp is just as crucial as tactical and technical principles.

He said: "I can't praise the players enough. I spoke to them before the game and yesterday about the spirit and the togetherness, it's incredible what they have. Coupled with the staff, there's a real great energy.

"That doesn't always happen, you're lucky to have that in a changing room. The application to training, the discipline around the place, the manners. I know it sounds simple but to have that environment coupled with a style of play and working to improve and willingness to learn, it's where you get rewards from.

"I'm not getting carried away. We're not the finished article by any stretch. We're still pushing. Of course, we'll take the wins when they come. We're happy because of the situation were in."

Carrick made a couple of tactical tweaks at the break at Blackburn but what struck the boss at the break was the belief of the players.

He said: “There is always something to say and we changed a couple of things. To be honest, the changes didn’t really impact with the goal itself because what we changed was more about of out of possession.

"The players drew on experience and the boys were talking at half time about the fact we’ve come behind before at Norwich and that experience always helps. We said that at the time, they would help us and they certainly did tonight because we could draw on them and have that belief that we could turn things around, which we did."

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On the importance of belief, Carrick continued: “It’s huge to have that. Tactical changes are tactical changes, but they’re only good if the players are in the right frame of mind to go out there and carry them out.

"But the goal didn’t really come from that, it was more just them going out in second half believing they could get back into the game, and that’s powerful when you’ve got that. It’s not always going to work.

"We don’t want to go behind in games and having to find a way back because you’re not always going to be able to make that happen. But when it does happen, it does give you a big boost."