‘Realistic’ Middlesbrough boss ‘frustrated’ at not beating Sheffield Wednesday

The two sides remain locked without a win in the league along with Swansea City - Wedneday’s next opponents - after a draw that saw the Owls take the better of the first half and Boro the second.

Carrick’s summation of Middlesbrough’s performance rang familiar to those of a Wednesday persuasion, with comments suggesting a lack of confidence and a need to gel.

Darragh Lenihan’s effort in the second half earned the visitors a point, cancelling out Anthony Musaba’s first half strike. They remain bottom of the table and behind Wednesday only on goal difference.

“It was just that little bit of second-guessing, not having confidence or belief where it's clicking and you trust yourself,” Carrick said on the first 45 minutes.

“In the second half we did that, stopped thinking about it and just went and played because we knew we had to chase the game down.

“At half-time I had real confidence in the players to go out there and have a good second half. They responded really well, there was a good feeling in there. They were disappointed with how it went, we all were, but I understood how they were feeling.

“I was 100 per cent (frustrated not to win), but I have to be realistic. The position we were in first half and building on that, you have to be realistic but I know what we're capable of.”

Like Wednesday, Boro - who qualified for the play-offs last season and will have designs on challenging again this time out - are still searching for that first win.

“It's a case of how patient can you be really,” he said. “I'm not stupid. We understand we need results.

“We are not playing just to develop and get better. I don't think we are far away by any stretch.

“Knowing the club, knowing the work that's going on and knowing the players, it's the only way – to believe in what we are doing.”