BAMFORD: POSITIVES FOR BORO IN DEFEAT
TOTTENHAM 1 MIDDLESBROUGH 0: STRIKER HAILS TEESSIDERS’ HARD-WORKING EFFORTS
Patrick Bamford insists that Middlesbrough can take positives out of their 1-0 defeat at Tottenham – despite seeing their gap to the drop zone cut to just one point.
Boro’s winless Premier League win reached seven as Harry Kane’s penalty steered Spurs to all three points at White Hart Lane.
The Teessiders scrapped to stay in the game, and Marten de Roon passed up a good chance to equalise late on.
“We had a couple of chances at the end. We had done so well to hang in there, we could have got a draw,” said striker Bamford.
“If you looked at the boys in the second half they were all absolutely knackered.
“That was testament to how much running we were doing, but also how well Spurs kept the ball.
“The lads can take a lot from playing a top team like Spurs and almost coming away with something and we probably even should have.”
The lack of goals remains a problem for Boro, who have netted just twice in the last five league games.
Boss Aitor Karanka was happy with his side’s resolve, despite the disappointment of going down to a spot-kick conceded when Bernardo Espinosa brought down HeungMin Son just before the hour mark.
“I think it was a penalty but we showed we can compete against the best teams,” said Boro’s head coach.
“Tottenham are second so it’s just about keeping going because with these players, this attitude and this commitment we’re going to win games, for sure. “We have to think about ourselves. “We need to know that we are good enough to stay in the division, we have to forget the opponents and we have to be confident because the attitude and commitment the playersputonthepitchevery single day is amazing.
“At the end, we had a few chances to score. We scored against Man City [in injury time] but it was impossible (on Saturday).
“First half, we went to the pitch knowing the other results put us under pressure and I told them at half-time that we had to play in the way we know how to play, without pressure.
“That’s because when you are here [White Hart Lane] trying to something against Tottenham under pressure it’s impossible.
“At the end of the game, we had chances to score through Marten de Roon and Alvaro Negredo. Again, the players have done their best and I can only say good things because they put everything on the pitch in every game.”
Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld said: “You are always hungry before a game at the Lane, but other results gave us the feeling we could get more points than our opponents so it was important to get the three points, especially with Liverpool away being our next game.
“We defended well. We could have made it easier by scoring a second or third goal but it’s important just to win these games, especially with teams around us dropping points.”