Middlesbrough FC face serious transfer regret after Sunderland shambles | OneFootball

Self-inflicted wounds once again cost Boro the chance to collect some vital points in Monday night's Tees-Wear derby.

Self-inflicted wounds; the story of Middlesbrough's season wrote it's latest chapter in Monday night's Tees-Wear derby defeat to Sunderland.

On an evening that dictated bragging rights in the North East between the two local rivals, Boro once again found themselves surrendering points in avoidable fashion.

Having taken an early lead through Delano Burgzorg's fourth goal of the season, Sunderland were handed two soft routes back into the match before a wonderful Hayden Hackney strike would bring the scores level at 2-2 with half an hour to play.

A point would've taken Michael Carrick's side back up to fifth in the Championship table, but they saw that possibility evaporate with three minutes to go, as Ryan Giles turned the ball into his own net.

It was yet another game that saw Middlesbrough take nothing from when they really should have, and as the transfer deadline day clock expired, Boro's hierarchy must have been left stewing over their decision to largely focus on adding attacking signings in the January window over defensive ones.

Regis Le Bris' Black Cats aren't a team that have needed much help when it comes to scoring goals this season, but they'll gladly take the assistance Middlesbrough provided them on Monday night.

Especially so when the Wearsiders entered into the latest renewal of this rivalry having not tasted victory on the banks of the River Tees in 20 years, but that wait shall go on no longer.

Sunderland's first goal of the evening came via Dan Neil on 33 minutes. Middlesbrough failed to clear the ball from danger, before the 23-year-old fired an effort goalwards from just outside the box that looked to be heading straight to Boro goalkeeper Mark Travers, before George Edmundson's attempted block took the ball into the net.

Just six minutes into the second half and the Black Cats were ahead. Aidan Morris couldn't control Luke Ayling's awkward first-time pass that hit off the Boro defender's stomach, before Enzo Le Fee sent Wilson Isidor through on goal, and the Frenchman would cooly sit Travers down and roll the ball into the empty Middlesbrough net.

But with just minutes to go, Boro had a point in the bag, but that was about to be snatched away from them in a manner that Middlesbrough fans have come to expect, which in of itself is a damming indictment of their team's defensive woes this season.

An uncharacteristically loose pass from Morris was picked off on the halfway line and was quickly hoisted out to Le Fee on the left flank. A superb first touch from the Sunderland winger took the ball past Ayling and into the box, before the on-loan Frenchman fired a cross into the box where it would cannon off the shins of Giles and into the Boro net.

A trio of goals with a differing degree of calamity about them from a Middlesbrough perspective, as for all the attacking threat Carrick's side carry, they continue to inflict the most pain on themselves.

It's been the soundtrack to Boro's campaign so far, with the Teessiders leaving a potentially season-altering number of points on the pitch from positions of power within games.

As outlined in the table above, Boro just cannot help but get in their own way when in a position to take points from a game, and it's now starting to catch up with them as defeat to Sunderland has moved them back outside the play-off places.

Questions will be asked of Michael Carrick and Middlesbrough's recruitment team if defensive issues cost Boro a play-off place

Middlesbrough have now conceded 39 times in the Championship so far this season, having kept just nine clean sheets so far this term.

On the flip side of that, only high-flying Leeds United have scored more goals than Boro's 49 after 30 games. Therein lies irrefutable evidence as to why the Teessiders are struggling to cement themselves as a top-six side.

As such, many Boro supporters were clamouring for Carrick and head of football Kieran Scott to really strengthen their defensive unit in the winter transfer window.

However, the loan signings of Giles and Travers marked the only new arrivals to Middlesbrough's defence, with Edmundson having turned his loan move into a permanent switch. With Morgan Whittaker, Samuel Iling-Junior and Kelechi Iheanacho adding to an already potent attacking force, Boro's squad now has the feeling of being top-heavy.

With the departure of Matt Clarke to Derby County followed by no incoming replacement, Carrick now has one fewer centre-back in his ranks, whilst Ayling and an out of contract and injured Anfernee Dijksteel are his only senior and recognised right-back options.

Tommy Smith, Darragh Lenihan and Alex Bangura could all be sidelined for the remainder of the season too. Therefore, if Middlesbrough miss out on a play-off spot for a second season running, many supporters will point to the lack of defensive signings in the winter window as a real turning point that set Boro up for failure in the final months of the season.