Kim Hellberg has spoken out following Middlesbrough's goalless draw with Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Kim Hellberg says the responsibility for Middlesbrough’s recent goalscoring woes lies at his feet.

Boro are in the thick of the promotion battle and still occupy second place with just seven games to go. However, they’ve only won two of their last eight Championship games and none of the last three - scoring just once in the latter games.

Their latest blank was a 0-0 draw away at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday in a game where they dominated 72% possession and had 12 shots to the tune of 1.56 xG compared to 0.31 from their hosts (FotMob).

Kim Hellberg addresses Middlesbrough’s misfiring attack

Boro got away with it in their stalemate at Ewood Park, with their closest promotion rivals Ipswich Town and Millwall playing out a 1-1 draw at Portman Road at the same time. However, both sides are still just two points behind Middlesbrough in the table, while Ipswich have a game in hand.

Middlesbrough still have to play both sides before the end of the season, and the Teesiders simply must improve their form in front of goal if they’re to get over the line in the race for the Premier League.

Hellberg is fully aware of that fact, but feels he is the man to blame and find solutions, rather than his players.

"We're doing our best, we kept a clean sheet away from home, we're trying to score, we created a lot of opportunities, but it didn't fall for us,” Hellberg told BBC Radio Tees after full-time.

"Of course we need to score goals. If we don't, we won't win games.

"It's my responsibility to find ways of scoring goals for the players. Sometimes it feels weird because, over my time here, we've scored the most goals in that time.

"Still, we had that spell where we went four games without scoring a goal and we've scored less in home games, where we've scored many goals before. There are ups and downs.

"It's about the creativity and we must keep creating chances. That gives us a lot of belief because, otherwise, if we were struggling in that part...sometimes you need things to fall for you.

"In the first half, we had chances. Then that would have opened up the game. It is what it is. We work with them every day to keep getting better - that is of course my responsibility."

Boro will get an immediate and crucial chance for atonement when they host Millwall on Friday, 3rd April, directly after the international break.

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