MICHAEL Carrick is weighing up his team selection for Saturday's visit of Stoke City, with the Middlesbrough boss planning to make full use of his "tremendous squad" in the crucial week ahead.

After Stoke, Boro head for current Championship leaders West Brom on Tuesday night before signing off for the international break with a trip to Watford next Saturday.

It would be something of a surprise if Carrick named an unchanged side against Stoke after the defeat to Sunderland, with Boro having not managed a single shot on target in the second half at the Stadium of Light.

And Boro's boss has options.

Ben Doak is knocking on the door after two cameos from the bench, Riley McGree is fit again and has been an unused substitute for the last two games and the likes of Delano Burgzorg and Micah Hamilton are also available to Carrick.

Boro's defence will also be boosted by the return of Rav van den Berg over the course of the next week. It's not clear whether the Dutchman will go straight back into the side against Stoke but Carrick confirmed on Thursday that the 20-year-old is in contention after stepping up his training following a frustrating spell on the sidelines.

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“That’s the beauty of the squad that we’ve got - we’ve got options," said Carrick.

"We’ve got a three-week game this week and three important games as well. The squad will certainly come into play in that period, no doubt.

“I think we’ve got a tremendous squad, obviously with a few injuries right now.

"Throughout a season, do you ever really have a strongest team? It’s more playing game to game and adjusting and rotating accordingly. Each game suits different individuals really.

"We’ve got a really good squad and whoever is fit, I certainly believe in them. I think the performances show, whoever has played, that belief is justified. We’ve just got to find that next little step. It is the big step ultimately."

Carrick talked at length in his press conference on Thursday about his belief that Boro's results will improve after a frustrating start to the campaign.

The head coach likes a lot of what he's seen from his players and insists Boro will "find a way" to overcome the challenge of sides setting up to frustrate.

Although Boro would like to have more points on the board than eight, they're in a far healthier position than this time last year when they endured a winless seven-game stretch to start the campaign.

Carrick said: “Sitting in the position I’m in as a coach trying to get the players to perform at a certain level to get results over a period of time, I think we’re looking for signs and positives notes within that, that in the end we believe will produce positive results.

"I understand some will look at the points and say it’s not enough. I do get that. Last season was even worse at this stage.

"At that stage, I kept saying then I believed we were doing a lot of good things. I hate saying the same things, but that was the case and we believed, over a period of time, we would get our rewards from that.

"In the end, it wasn’t enough for where we wanted to be. But I’m sure, over the course of the season, it’s that belief that you get from what your eye and your instinct is telling you.

"If I don’t like the look of certain things, the players will know that. We can’t just keep saying everything is great when it’s not. But certainly, when it is, you’ve got to take that belief and find a way to be rewarded for it.

"In the end, we reward ourselves through our work, our performance levels and making that difference when chances and opportunities come along."