Kim Hellberg is not about to let Middlesbrough get carried away. Boro sit second in the Championship table, two points off the top and with just one defeat in their opening ten league games, yet the head coach is already talking about the dangers of complacency in what he calls a "marathon" season.

Speaking to BBC Radio Tees, Hellberg was measured rather than triumphant. "It's 46 games, with 36 left," he said. "It's a marathon. It's all about picking up points in the beginning of the season to take yourself to a position where you can look at the table in January and see where you are at."

Context matters

There is genuine substance behind that early-season record. Seven of Middlesbrough's ten fixtures have come against sides currently placed in the top 11, giving the run a quality that some fast starters cannot claim. Boro also drew at Burnley, who have lost just once at home in five attempts, and beat Lincoln, a side that has taken nine points from their other four away games this season. In other words, the schedule has not been kind, which makes the points tally more meaningful.

Hellberg acknowledged the circumstances that surrounded the club's pre-season, including the emotional weight of losing a play-off final at the end of last term, a high turnover of players arriving late in the summer window, and an injury list that gave him readymade excuses before a ball had been kicked. He chose not to use them.

"With everything that was around, how the last season ended, so many players coming in late, injuries, there was a lot of possible excuses for not starting the season as well as we have done," he said. "But the players have been absolutely excellent."

Momentum but no complacency

Back-to-back home victories followed by a win at Stoke have given the Riverside a mood that has been absent for some time, but Hellberg's message to supporters is as direct as it is to his squad. "It's easy to drop some percentage," he said. "It's important for everyone to not do that. Enjoy it, but bring your A-game."

That framing, extending the warning beyond the dressing room to include fans and staff, is notable. It is the kind of language that suggests Hellberg is managing the atmosphere around the club as carefully as he is managing the team itself. After the deflation of losing a play-off final, keeping expectations calibrated while form is good is a difficult balancing act.

Next up: Cardiff

The immediate test arrives on Saturday when Cardiff visit the Riverside for a 12:30 kick-off. The visitors present an interesting tactical puzzle: unbeaten in five home matches yet having collected just a single point from five away days. Hellberg was complimentary about the opposition in terms that stopped well short of press-release courtesy.

"They have been very good, a tough opponent," he said. "They deserve more points than they have got. They are very brave in their attacking mindset. It's a massive challenge and I think it will be a very good football game."

Whether Saturday brings three points or not, the broader picture at the Riverside looks healthier than it has for some time. A top-two position at this stage of a Championship campaign, achieved against credible opposition and despite a disrupted pre-season, is not nothing. Hellberg's job now is to ensure the players agree with him that it is not nearly enough either.

Frequently asked

Where are Middlesbrough in the Championship table?
Middlesbrough are second in the Championship after ten games, two points off the top, with just one defeat so far this season.
Who is Middlesbrough's head coach?
Kim Hellberg is Middlesbrough's head coach. He took charge ahead of this Championship season.
When is Middlesbrough's next Championship game?
Middlesbrough host Cardiff at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday at 12:30.