Players lacking energy after tough week – boss
LEO Percovich saw positives in Middlesbrough’s 2-0 defeat to Millwall but ultimately felt their performance was a consequence of being mentally drained from an emotional week.
Percovich took caretaker charge of his second Boro game at the Den yesterday but could not repeat the midweek victory over Birmingham City, Lions’ midfielder Zian Flemming netting both of his side’s goals within five minutes of the start of both halves.
It came at the end of a week which had seen Boro sack Chris Wilder and then have to battle hard to grind out the aforementioned win over Birmingham – those three points ultimately enough to keep Boro out of the Championship relegation zone ahead of a new manager’s expected arrival this week.
Reflecting on his side’s loss – a fifth in six away games this season – the interim boss said: “You feel quite sad for the situation but at the same time positive for what I saw today.
“Thirty-six hours ago we were playing for the result against Birmingham, trying to survive and keep a clean sheet.
“Today, we tried to keep possession of the ball and penetrate between the defensive lines.
“We find early set-pieces cost the first goal with the deflection and then we tried to stay in the game, stay positive with possession and build confidence.
“We came back better in the second half until they scored another setpiece.” He added: “We tried to build something but I also felt the team ran out of energy.
“We were flat after the emotion during the week. It was a hard game on Wednesday and the early goal took a little energy out of us.
“We tried to find the spaces but they defended very very well. They are ahead and then tried to defend.
“We tried to penetrate but we could not find the right spaces to be more positive with the ball.”
The two goals were ultimately a disappointment for Percovich, both coming from set-pieces.
Millwall is never an easy away day but to stand any chance of getting a result you have to defend better than Boro did, certainly for the second.
The first was somewhat fortuitous with the deflection, while the Boro boss felt it went out of play before Paddy Mcnair conceded a foul too.
Nevertheless, to then concede the free kick and give Millwall the opportunity was ultimately a gift and gave Boro a mountain to climb away from again – this being the fifth time in six away games they have conceded the first goal this season. Unsurprisingly, their search for an away win went on.
On the goals, Percovich said: “When you are coming to Millwall you know they are direct and very strong from set pieces. You have to organise the lines. This time it cost us the game.
“The first goal was disappointing. First I think the ball goes out of play.
“Then we concede a sloppy freekick and it gets the deflection and goes in the opposite direction to whatt the goalkeeper expects.
“The deflection was difficult and it hurts so early in the game but we had to be ready to recover and come back and we tried to keep the ball and build opportunities.”