Southgate backing Alves

Alves: One goal this year

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Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate has backed record signing Afonso Alves to soon be back on the goal trail.

After grabbing seven goals in the final six games of last season, Boro had hoped their Brazilian ace would hit the ground running this term.

But so far all Alves has to show for his efforts is a solitary free-kick against Stoke.

He came close on a numer of occasions against West Brom at the weekend but at the final whistle was left frustrated as Boro lost 1-0.

Nonetheless, Southgate is fully behind the man he paid more than £12million for in January.

Support

"We believe that Afonso will score goals for us. His record says that he will," insisted Southgate.

"We know what Afonso is capable of doing and that's why we will continue to support him.

"He's scored a brilliant goal for us already this season and he's gone close on several occasions.

"He's been on target. It's only goalkeepers' saves and goal-line clearances which have prevented him from adding to that.

"His shot against West Brom which hit the bar was the sign of a goalscorer. He was very unlucky not to score from that effort.

"It looked likely that Alves was capable of scoring a goal for us against West Brom but it wouldn't come for him.

"He's got a striker's instinct because he gets into positions to get in his efforts at goal.

"But then I don't want to give the impression that we have to rely on Afonso to score all of our goals.

"We are a team, and we play as a team, and we have players throughout our team who are capable of scoring goals.

"We had so many chances against West Brom right throughout the team, but it wouldn't go in.

"We know have to start taking these chances but we are capable of doing that and it's something that we will continue to work on."