Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate believes that he should have put a greater emphasis on work rate and focused on the “dirty side” of the game following a difficult start to life in management.

Boro have won just two of their opening 11 league games this season, with the Teessiders lying in 20th, just two points off the relegation zone. Reflecting on what he has learned so far, Woodgate says one of the key lessons was that he must ask players to take more responsibility for their actions on the field:

“First and foremost it comes on the pitch when they cross that white line, they have take responsibility themselves. When they cross that line they have to look at themselves and do it themselves.”

“I’ve learned they need to do the first things better, the second balls, stopping crosses, winning headers. The dirty side you’ve got to do and then you can play your stuff. We haven’t been doing that.”

“In this league, you’ve got to battle as hard as you can. If you don’t turn up, like we didn’t at Birmingham in the first half, you get beat. It’s simple.”

Their performance against Birmingham was very disappointing and despite the late equaliser from Daniel Ayala giving the away side hope, they can’t really argue that the winner from Blues youngster Odin Bailey was not deserved.

After the international break, Middlesbrough face promotion-chasing West Brom at the Riverside Stadium. Supporters will be waiting to see whether Woodgate’s work on the training pitch during the two-week gap between games has managed to improve things.