Aitor Karanka: Middlesbrough character pleases head coach
- Published
Karanka was disappointed with the dismissal of Albert Adomah
Head coach Aitor Karanka says Middlesbrough have found the character to grind out results after picking up a point at Charlton with 10 men.
To add to Albert Adomah's dismissal, Boro were fatigued following Tuesday's penalty shoot-out loss at Liverpool.
"When I first came here we would have lost these kind of games through silly mistakes," Karanka told BBC Sport.
"Now even down to 10 men, after 120 minutes at Anfield where we are very tired, we kept our concentration."
Karanka's referee frustration |
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Charlton could also have been reduced to 10 men when Patrick Bamford looked to be caught, but it was Albert Adomah, sent off for a second bookable offence, who left Boro a man down. The decision was controversial, given referee Gavin Ward initially awarded Boro a free-kick before overturning his decision to dismiss the Ghana winger. "With the first one [a foul on Bamford], I can't say anything because the linesman was closer than me, but the second one is difficult for me to understand. The referee was three metres from the incident, the linesman was 30 and they changed the decision? I found it difficult to understand." |
He added: "For me, that's the most important thing. If we are consistent, we are going to win games for sure."
Boro's draw at The Valley saw them drop out of the top six on goal difference, after Derby's victory at Bolton took them into the play-off places.
However, it also extended their unbeaten league run to four games on the back of three straight wins.
"It was an important result," Karanka said. "I knew how difficult it was going to be to change the mentality of players after playing at Anfield for 120 minutes and they were tired.
"I'm very proud of the players because I'm sure the match today was much more difficult than the one on Tuesday."
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