Talking points after Middlesbrough’s draw with Leicester City as Kim Hellberg faces a difficult problem to solve
Kim Hellberg of Middlesbrough with coach Adi Viveash at the end of the game(Image: Greig Cowie/Shutterstock)
How do you solve a problem like Middlesbrough’s goalscoring inconsistency? That’s the million-dollar question that Kim Hellberg must find the answer to, if they’re to not let a glorious opportunity at promotion slip right through their grasp.
Following on from Saturday’s frustrating goalless draw with Oxford United, Boro weren’t able to rebound in the expected manner. They looked nervous and apprehensive as they drew 1-1 with Leicester City.
In many ways, the problems of the two games were similar. This was ultimately about Boro lack of quality in the final third – whether that be in their final ball or their finishing. It’s not a new issue for Boro and Hellberg either.
They were very different games and very different performances, however. In many ways, the Leicester one feels more frustrating, despite clearly being a better opposition on paper.
With Oxford, that was simply a case of an opponent having little more ambition than setting up with two deep defensive lines in an attempt to stifle Boro’s attack. It was frustrating, but sometimes you have to accept that if a team does that well, as Oxford did, most teams in world football find that tough to break down.
Leicester was different though. They tried to be more aggressive in their counter. They didn’t sit deep. They were far more advanced when they went on the attack, and it left space in behind.
From very early on, Hellberg and his assistant David Selini could be seen imploring Boro’s defence and midfield to look for the balls over the top and in behind. On a night where Boro just didn’t seem at their usual levels, they didn’t look for that ball often enough. It all felt a bit safe.
That’s not to say, exactly like the Oxford game, Boro didn’t have the opportunities to make more of the openings they did make. In both games, they got players in behind to the byline countless times. Except for one time when Riley McGree scored a vital equaliser, Boro were let down by either a final ball, a lack of bodies in the box, or a poor finish.
It’s easy to over-analyse these things. In relation to the quality in the squad, as we’ll come onto, there’s already been plenty of that. But for Hellberg, this current run must be incredibly frustrating. Finding the all-important solution isn’t easy.
It’s such a dumbfounding Boro inconsistency – and in truth it’s one that stretches beyond just this season. Already, since Hellberg arrived, they went on a four-match winning run which saw them score 11, before then going four games without a win or a goal. They then won six on the spin, with 16 scored, and are now, once again, winless in three.
From a manager’s perspective, how do you even begin to try and explain that? How do you legislate for such inconsistencies? Even in the games they’ve not won, and they’ve struggled for goals in, they’re still creating so many chances. How can they score so freely one week, then lack any kind of conviction the next?
They’ve created more chances than any other side in the Championship in the period since Hellberg’s arrival, and they’ve only been out-scored by two teams. So what is the answer for Hellberg? How do you solve inconsistency?
It’s not an easy one. And the organised defensive structure scenario is one Boro are going to have to face again and again now. It’s become the blueprint. Hellberg will take responsibility, and will look for solutions in how he sets the side up.
But ultimately, as simplistic as it might sound, once the players cross that white line, there’s little Hellberg can do to influence the quality of his players’ final pass or finish. If Boro are to make the most of this opportunity, they need to take responsibility and force the matter themselves.
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Squad and January scrutiny
As is often the case, a bad result has led to all kinds of scrutiny. The most common complaints post-Leicester appear to be the depth of Boro’s squad, and also the January transfer window.
It’s no secret they wanted a striker in January. They were not alone in that. Unfortunately, as has already been explained, the right option was not available. The club were unwilling to either sign someone not good enough or not suitable, nor were they willing to overpay on a gamble that, if it hadn’t paid off, would have left them in difficulties down the line (see Hull City post 2023-24 and Sheffield United last season into this).
On paper, Boro should have enough up top. But between them, Tommy Conway, David Strelec and Kaly Sene have delivered just 12 goals. Whichever way you polish that, whatever concessions you make for the other work they do outside of scoring goals, which is important of course, the fact of the matter is, that’s far from good enough. They all need to step up big time.
As for other squad deficiencies, it’s noted that Boro are lacking enough credible backup options. There’s probably a fair argument there, though it’s hardly unique to Boro.
There have been unfair comparisons to Leicester and Ipswich’s options from the bench in comparison to Boro’s. Both sides are in receipt of parachute payments, offering them significantly higher spending power. And yet, 34 games in, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Boro sit higher than both.
In terms of Coventry’s options, they appear strong. But it shouldn’t be forgotten that they’ve only recently come out of their own wobble, for which their lack of squad depth after suffering some injury problems was cited as a factor.
That’s the reality for almost every Championship club not in receipt of parachute payments. As much as it would be nice to have a ‘plan B’ striker option, or more attacking firepower, the fact is, Boro’s financial spending power is not unlimited.
What we shouldn’t do in light of one or two disappointing results is overreact though. Is the squad perfect? Of course not. Is the squad the same one that has Boro sitting as the second-best team in the division after 34 games played? Yes. Sometimes it’s easy to forget to appreciate what you do have and hyperfocus on what you don’t.
Should Sene and Hansen be used more?
The change in manager mid-season probably hasn’t helped the squad situation. While Boro try to recruit based on a similar kind of style, there’s no getting away from the fact that the players recruited for Rob Edwards in the summer will differ slightly to the kind of players Hellberg will like.
Even if it was a straight swap from Michael Carrick to Hellberg – who have similar footballing philosophies – the truth is, there will always be slight differences in their preferences for certain players.
What that means is some of the summer signings are looking far from capable of making an impact under Hellberg, thus shortening Boro’s squad depth further still. It’s like he hasn’t given every player a chance though.
The Swede was blunt, and rather brutal, in his assessment of Sontje Hansen ahead of this game. With Boro chasing a late goal and tiring, he remained unused on the bench again.
Kaly Sene, too, scored his two goals this season in similar fashion. Late in games, coming off the bench, getting in behind and running onto a through ball. Technically though, as he proved against Oxford, he’s raw and perhaps not suited to these types of games where there isn’t space in behind, and you’re receiving the ball to feet in front of the defence.
That said, it’s fair to question whether Hellberg could have perhaps rolled the dice more. As Boro tired, might throwing either or both on have changed something for the better?
We’ll never know, but in truth, it’s hard to argue against Hellberg in this instance beyond having blind hope.
The fact is, Hansen clearly isn’t doing what’s expected of him in training and is therefore not being considered. Based on what Sene offered from the bench against Oxford, what reason could you have to believe he’d have been the answer against Leicester? Trust is a massive thing. Neither has earned that from Hellberg. Only their own actions can change that.
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