ADAM CLAYTON admits it could take time for Middlesbrough’s players to find top gear in Garry Monk’s new style of play after three years of a completely different mindset under Aitor Karanka.

After a summer of big spending Boro got off to a frustrating start at Molineux on Saturday when Wolverhampton Wanderers claimed an opening weekend victory after their own summer of change.

Middlesbrough started slowly and were unable to pose a real threat on the Wolves goal until after Leo Bonatini had opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, albeit courtesy of a gifted pass form Daniel Ayala.

Monk has invested heavily in strengthening the squad’s forward line over the summer, with more than £30m spent on forwards alone.

Despite positive signs at times, though, Middlesbrough were unable to find the net and it is clear more work needs to be done on the training ground for the forwards to gel.

Ashley Fletcher, Britt Assombalonga and Martin Braithwaite all lined up together in attack, but despite plenty of movement there were only a couple of real gilt-edged chances.

There are also huge changes to the style further back, most noticeably how defensive midfielder Clayton is asked to drop in between the two centre-backs when Middlesbrough move forward with the ball. Clayton said: “It is completely different. It will take one or two games to get that right, playing with a completely different formation and I think it suits the lads.

“Once we do get it right, like I thought we did in the last half an hour at Wolves, when we controlled the game, we made really good chances, we will win games.

“We have had three years of a certain regime here and you get set in those ways, that’s understandable. You have to break out of those.

“It’s going to take time. Once you are set in the new gaffer’s ways and it becomes second nature, and I think we have the players here to do that, then we will do some damage in the league.”

Middlesbrough are not in Carabao Cup action this week so Monk can have the full time to prepare for the visit of Sheffield United to the Riverside Stadium.

Despite starting the season in defeat, there remains confidence Middlesbrough can be a real force under the new manager – and Clayton explained why.

He said: “I think the changes have been really good so far, the whole staff have been a breath of fresh air. All five of them have brought their own personalities and something to the table.

“We have a lot to learn, we have new ideologies to tune into, and feels like it’s freshened everything up. I feel, personally, like I am starting my first season at Boro again. It’s good.”

Cynics could suggest Middlesbrough are under far greater pressure to deliver promotion at the first attempt because of their summer spending.

Monk was given the go-ahead to spend around £45m so far and that is likely to increase, even though he has also brought in money by selling players such as Gaston Ramirez.

Clayton said: “There’s no extra pressure on us at all. We don’t feel that. We were favourites the last year when we went up, so we have had that before.

“There’s no extra pressure in that dressing room that I can sense. We are all genuine lads, the banter is good, the tightness is too and I don’t think what has been spent will affect us at all.”

One thing Middlesbrough are expected to deliver is goals having brought in some impressive attacking names, and it would have been nice for Monk’s team to have scored a first goal at Molineux.

Instead he had to look on as £9m striker Braithwaite wasted a fantastic header in the first half that would have levelled things up, while Assombalonga saw a second half effort well saved by John Ruddy as he was put through on goal.

Clayton said: “We have firepower, pace and we need to learn how to use that now. We have to harness that and try to get the best out of it. We know we can play miles better and when we do click into place hopefully it will see us win games.

“It was a tough game, we didn’t deserve to lose the game and we had a lot of chances. We will take the positives and try to get three points in the next game.

“The Championship is a tough league and in and around Christmas time will be when we see if teams have the bottle and the guile to get through it.

“You need to get through the sparring now, get the wins on the board and then when you get to Christmas and beyond is when you get to the big stuff.

“We have got over the line before and we know what to do. Hopefully we will start to get the wins on the board next week.”

Monk is still on the look-out for more new players before the transfer window closes and the sale of Ramirez to Sampdoria, believed to be for £10m, should help his cause.

He has been linked with another Liverpool youngster in Ryan Kent, having already spent a large chunk of the summer tracking Sheyi Ojo.

Sporting Lisbon are keen on landing Middlesbrough full-back Fabio da Silva. The Brazilian, who was an unused substitute at Wolves, is said to be keen on the move to Portugal, where there has been a £2m offer.