We Are Middlesbrough

Former Middlesbrough defender Tommy Smith says a lack of consistency was to blame for Middlesbrough's disappointing season.

Boro sat fifth with six games to go but a run of four points from their final half-dozen games saw them slide to finish 10th, four points short of the play-off places.

Smith, who retired in February due to an ankle injury, told the BBC's 72+ EFL podcast: "I think Middlesbrough have been one of the teams who have really struggled for that consistency.

"I've seen runs where we've gone unbeaten for a few games and runs where we haven't won for a few games.

"To finish 10th is obviously disappointing, it's a tough league but there are some big clubs who have languished in mid-table, you look at Norwich, Sheffield Wednesday, West Brom - it's a really difficult league to get out of and I think Middlesbrough are finding it tough.

"They've spent one season in the Premier League in the last 15 which just shows how tough the league is."

Smith feels the departure of his former teammate Emmanuel Latte Lath to MLS side Atlanta United in January was the key to Boro's season unravelling.

The Ivorian netted 11 in 29 league appearances, 20 of them starts, but Kelechi Iheanacho, brought in on loan from Sevilla, scored once in 15 appearances and Morgan Whittaker failed to scored in 16 games after his arrival from Plymouth, with the pair combining for only three assists.

Boro scored 38 goals in their first 23 games but only 23 in the second half of the campaign.

"I always find that January is a really tough window to bring people in and bed them in," Smith said.

"You need players to come in and hit the ground running. I don't blame them, I understand it's difficult for them to come in and hit the ground running.

"With Latte Lath the club received an offer that was too good to turn down. The timing of it was unfortunate, quite late in the window which didn't give the club a lot of time.

"The club have missed his goals – second half of the season they have scored nowhere near as many goals as they did in the first half."

"I'm gutted at what I've seen, but I'm also so glad this season is finished because it's been one of the most unenjoyable campaigns that I've experienced in a long, long time and one of the most unlikable teams I have had the displeasure of watching."

The Red Alert team discuss Middlesbrough's final game of the season after missing out on the play-offs with a loss to Coventry City and look back at what went wrong - not just in the match but over the entire season.

From the coaches to the players to the tactics, what has to change?

Includes an interview with boss Michael Carrick.

Listen to the full episode and more on the Red Alert podcast.

Image source, Getty Images

Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick says he is "gutted" after seeing his team fail to make the play-offs.

Needing a win to have any chance of reaching the top six, Boro lost 2-0 at Coventry City, as the Sky Blues finished fifth.

"It's a sickening feeling. I'm gutted for the boys," he told BBC Radio Tees.

"They gave everything, put in a really good performance for the most part and didn't get what we wanted from the game.

"We didn't manage to take our opportunities so in the end, we're feeling like we are.

"The fact we haven't got in the play-offs is hurtful enough. We've created our own expectations which is the positive. The boys have shown what they can do and we feel the disappointment we haven't got that."

The result caps a poor end to the season in which Carrick's side won only one of their last six games and ended 10th.

He added: "Seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th, there is not really much difference to be honest."

"It's possible but it's no longer in our own hands. We're massively disappointed.

"You're seeing the lack of width from us and it's too easy to defend against."

Rob Law, Neil Maddison and Dana Malt take your reaction to Middlesbrough's goalless draw with Norwich City, featuring interviews with head coach Michael Carrick and Jonny Howson.

Listen to the full episode and more on the Red Alert podcast.

Image source, Rex Features

Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick said his side have to go into their game with Coventry next week with "belief and hope", after dropping points in a goalless draw with Norwich.

Boro are now ninth, two points outside the top six, and face the Sky Blues in a crunch match on the final day of the season next Saturday.

"We needed to the win the game and we just didn't have that moment that we needed to find. We just weren't able to do that. There was a couple of moments when we had few opportunities but it just didn't drop for us," he told BBC Radio Tees.

"It's still possible next week but obviously at this moment we're all disappointed, we know what last day of the season brings with the ups, downs and the swings that it can bring so we've got a chance, whatever that chance is but after today we're bitterly disappointed.

"There's nothing else we can do, we have to accept that. We didn't get what we wanted from today and that's the situation. We've got to go into next week with the belief and hope and try and do the right things for ourselves.

"I can't fault the players, they care a lot, they're desperate to win and they were out on their feet at the end but we couldn't find what we needed today.

"It's a massive week and come the game next week it's a massive game. Historically we've seen it and it's there for all of us to know that anything can happen on the last day. We've got to go there believing that we can get what we want from the day never mind the game."