Kim Hellberg makes admission over Middlesbrough form as injury concerns mount ahead of Ipswich Town clash
Middlesbrough face a crunch clash with Championship promotion rivals Ipswich Town on Sunday afternoon.
Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg has stressed he will take responsibility for the downturn in form that has left his side’s automatic promotion hopes hanging by a thread.
Boro have spent the vast majority of the Championship season sitting in and around the top two - but a run of three draws and three defeats in their last six games has allowed Ipswich Town to take the driving seat for the runners-up spot behind runaway leaders Coventry City.
Hellberg and his players are currently preparing for what already feels like a crunch clash at Ipswich’s Portman Road on Sunday lunchtime as they look to regain some form in the final push for promotion into the Premier League. However, the Tractor Boys could move six points clear of Boro by claiming an away win at struggling Portsmouth on Tuesday night and that mean Boro’s hopes of returning to the top flight via automatic promotion could be all but over should they fall to a defeat against Kieran McKenna’s men.
He told BBC Tees Sport: “It's six in a row without a win from a team playing good football and that has played good football, but we're not getting it right. That's not the feeling you want to have in your chest or in your heart or in your head. We're trying to make it right, but we're not succeeding at the moment and that's my responsibility. It's all about the next game and trying to get some points. We need to win a game to be fair and sort this feeling out. We need to win games."
Very clear
Hellberg’s attempts to arrest Boro’s downturn in form have been hampered by the ongoing absence of two of his key players as Hayden Hackney and Morgan Whittaker have both missed games in recent weeks as they make their way back towards fitness after suffering calf and ‘muscular’ injuries respectively. The Boro boss has bemoaned the duo’s absence and refused to downplay the significance they play within his side.
He said: "It's very easy to answer. One is the best player in the league. They are the two with most points on our team, so a lot. Everyone can see it, and it's nothing to hide from. You don't want it to be like that, but it's very, very clear."
There was some positive news for Hellberg after Sam Silvera returned to the bench for Saturday’s agonising late defeat against Portsmouth - although that news was tempered by concerns over the fitness of on-loan Newcastle United defender Matt Targett and winger Jeremy Sarmiento. The duo were replaced by Sontje Hansen and Luke Ayling during the loss against Pompey. Ongoing checks will be made over their fitness ahead of Sunday’s visit to Ipswich and news is awaited over the availability of defender Alfie Jones and attacking midfielder Leo Castledine - although Hellberg was unable to confirm if any of his injured players would be in the squad for the trip to Portman Road.
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