Chris Wilder gives his honest verdict on Middlesbrough shortcomings

Middlesbrough’s form has dropped in recent games and that has seen them drop to ninth in the league, albeit still only three points away from the play-offs with a game in hand on the three teams above them. 

Middlesbrough have failed to win any of their last four games and of their recent losses, three of the four have come against teams above them, so they will be pleased that their four remaining games come against teams who sit below them in the table and have nothing to play for, as this means they still have a chance to reach the play-off spots.

Despite their poor form, Boro manager Chris Wilder feels his side haven’t drastically lacked in quality, as he told Teesside Live: “I will have to analyse it and go right through and find solutions. Whether it’s personnel for next year, whether it’s the way we play – although I don’t want to change too much because for the majority of the time it’s got us results and performances.

“I don’t feel it was a horrific performance [against Huddersfield on Monday]. I don’t look at it and think he was terrible, he was terrible etc. But we’re clearly not doing enough around both penalty areas where games get decided. In the three home games, the opposition have defended better than us when they’ve had to, and they’ve ultimately decided the game.”

Boro are also without goals at the moment, having not scored a goal in their last four games but nonetheless, Wilder is keen not to put the blame solely on his strikers as he said: “I don’t think it can all be chucked on the centre forwards. It’s the quality behind them as well. We get into some great positions, we move and work the ball into positions that I want us to, and then you look at that quality in the final run, pass, cross and