"I'm fuming" - Mark Robins left raging after alarming Stoke City exploits v Boro | OneFootball

Stoke boss Mark Robins aired his disappointment after his side slipped to another defeat in the Championship.

Stoke City boss Mark Robins vented his frustration to his own players, insisting Middlesbrough “were there for the taking” after they slipped to a 3-1 home defeat to Michael Carrick’s side on Tuesday.

Marcus Forss opened the scoring for the visitors before Bae Jun-ho levelled up on the stroke of half time for the Potters.

But Middlesbrough would go on to claim all three points in a clinical second half display, with goals from Finn Azaz and Tommy Conway wrapping up a vital three points to ease the pressure on the former Manchester United midfielder.

Heading into the clash at the Bet365 stadium, Boro had lost their last five straight Championship matches, while Robins’ outfit had shown inconsistent streaks themselves by losing two out of their last three games.

It was an alarming defeat for Stoke, who are now just five points above the drop zone with 12 games remaining of the season.

The 55-year-old clearly wasn’t impressed with what he’d seen, and didn’t hold back on the criticism of his players.

Mark Robins slams Stoke City performance against Middlesbrough

As reported by the Stoke Sentinal, Mark Robins was left raging by his side’s display, citing his team lost too many duels and should have performed better against such out-of-form opposition.

Robins said: “There is an absence of that I'm afraid. There's a lot that needs sorting out, but the time will come later for talking about that. We've got 12 games left, and we have to pick up enough points to stay in the division and we've got to win some tackles. We've got to win some tackles.

"We can talk about tactics, and we can talk about running, but it's about the physical thing and the desire to go and win some duels. If you do that...

"They won 27 and they had more possession! We won 15 or something. Brilliant. But we've lost the really important ones in the middle of the pitch, conceded chances, and they end up sticking the ball in the net.

"They were there for the taking. They are lacking confidence, and they're absolutely delighted they were playing Stoke City tonight and I'm fuming with it. I'll never give excuses and I have to take results on the chin, it's my responsibility. We need better.

"We need better performances and better players at some point because it's patently obvious we're lacking in both of those, and we need to have more of them showing that bottle. That's what I'm looking for."

Stoke City must react to retain Championship status

With just 12 games remaining of the season, Stoke need to bounce back quickly and respond to Mark Robins’ damning comments.

While the Potters have to play some promotion-chasing teams, fixtures against the likes of Cardiff City, Luton Town and Derby County will be imperative to staying in the division, and Stoke will have to ensure they are a lot tougher to beat than what they showcased against Middlesbrough.