Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder has stated that his strikers haven’t ‘done well enough’ and has challenged them ahead of their game against Cardiff City on Wednesday night.
Middlesbrough come into the game with Cardiff City without a win in five games, losing three and drawing two.
During those five games they have scored just once, with Riley McGree’s deflected effort against Swansea City last weekend their only goal in recent weeks.
Their poor run of form and lack of goals has seen them slip down the table and further away from the play-off places.
They now sit in ninth, but if they win their game in hand this evening against the Bluebirds they will go back up to seventh and will be just two points behind sixth-placed Sheffield United.
Addressing their goalscoring woes ahead of the game against Cardiff City, manager Chris Wilder suggested he has been disappointed with his forward players.
“We’ve not done well enough at the top end of the pitch,” said the Boro boss in an interview with The Northern Echo.
“There’s no getting away from that because we’ve had enough chances.
“Ultimately, the pressure and the onus is on the centre-forwards to score, and all of them have had enough chances.
“They’ve all had enough game time and enough chances to come up with the goods, and it seems at times they’re just reluctant to really grab that opportunity and say, ‘It’s me’.
“That’s the reason why we keep flip-flopping from player to player. If they did grab that opportunity, then maybe they’d find themselves having more game time.”
He went on to challenge his strikers to ‘be a hero’, as they will likely be the difference between finishing outside or inside the top six come the end of the season.
“Somebody can be a hero,” he said.
“We need big performances from everybody now, but there’s that chance there for somebody to really put themselves forward to be the hero.”
Josh Coburn and Duncan Watmore started against Swansea City in their last game, but there may be rotation again up front tonight with the likes of Folarin Balogun, Andraz Sporar, and Aaron Connolly in contention to replace them.
After they host Cardiff City, then play again at home, this time against Stoke City. Their last game of the campaign is a trip to Preston North End.
