Middlesbrough manager Tony Mowbray admitted it was a tactical decision to employ midfielder Nicky Bailey at right-back in the weekend defeat to Watford.
The former Charlton Athletic enforcer was preferred in the role ahead of specialist full-back Stuart Parnaby, who was left on the bench despite starting the last couple of games.
“It was tactical really around trying to make sure we didn’t get hit on the counter-attack,” Mowbray told the Northern Echo “I wanted to try to get a more defensive, robust type of footballer playing in that area of the pitch, someone who wasn’t going to force themselves up the line, try to get crosses in and play too high.
“It was a more naturally defensive-minded player that I wanted,” he added. “It sounds strange because Stuart is a right-back, but as you see when I play Nicky in midfield, he naturally migrates deep and wants to play in front of the back four.”
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