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STEWART DOWNING tore into his fellow Middlesbrough flops after the 10-man Teessiders plummeted closer to the Championship.
Boro need a miracle to stay up after their latest demoralising defeat at the Vitality Stadium.
But former England ace Downing says the players and not struggling caretaker boss Steve Agnew should shoulder the blame for their woes.
Local lad Downing (below) said: “It’s embarrassing. There is a way of getting beat and we just weren’t good enough all over the park.
“We were second best to all the balls and by going down to 10 men we only made it harder for ourselves because they shift the ball around very well.
Drummed
“And as players we have to take the blame. You can point your finger at everyone but it’s down to us who were playing.
“The manager has drummed into us all week to be careful on the edge of the box because they will nick it off you and that’s how they get their goals. It’s very disappointing.”
Boro fell behind after just two minutes when top scorer Joshua King slotted home from close range.
Bournemouth doubled their lead through Benik Afobe after he latched on to a loose ball before firing past the helpless Brad Guzan.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men in the 20th minute when Gaston Ramirez was given a second yellow card for a late challenge on Marc Pugh, having already been booked for diving.
Boro were finished off in the space of five second-half minutes. First, Pugh curled his effort past Guzan before Charlie Daniels rifled in the fourth from distance 20 minutes from time. Despite their woeful form, Downing reckons Agnew is the right man for the job, adding: “He has been first class since taking over and given the lads loads of confidence. “It’s disappointing for him because he set us up really well and it was us who didn’t carry it out. “I think it’s been difficult for him. He was given an unbelievable task with only 11 games to go. I’d give him the job but that’s my opinion and it’s up to the powers that be.” King’s goal was his 14th strike of the season, with 11 of those coming since the turn of the year. The Norwegian hitman says his blistering form has been down to his 14-month-old son Noah. King said: “The only thing I’m doing differently is staying in a hotel the day before home games because my baby keeps me up at night. “I feel like I can score every game and when me and Benik are on it, we can score against anyone. “It makes me happy to see Benik scoring. Loads of strikers are selfish and as a striker you need to be selfish but we want each other to score goals. “I have no focus on the interest from other clubs. I’m at this club and we have four games left, which is all I’m focused on.”