Middlesbrough 0-1 Nottingham Forest: Aitor Karanka and Dougie Freedman reaction
Saturday 23 January 2016 19:38, UK
Aitor Karanka bemoaned Middlesbrough's second successive defeat after the Teessiders were beaten 1-0 by Nottingham Forest.
Forest claimed their first victory at Boro since Brian Clough side's 2-1 win at Ayresome Park in 1993 as Jamie Ward's 70th-minute goal ended the 23-year hoodoo and enabled Hull City to leapfrog Boro at the top of the Sky Bet Championship table.
But Karanka insists he can fix the "problem" after his men lost their first back-to-back games since April 2014.
"Losing at home is disappointing but it's not just the game today it's the last three games now," said the Spaniard. "They have been really poor.
"We have two weeks to work in the office and two weeks to work on the training pitch. We've lost two games but we're still in the top two and I'm really optimistic.
"I know the reason for the problem but I prefer to fix it on the training ground. I know the reason and I can fix it. The problem is when you're in a bad run and don't know why but I know the reason.
"With these players we're at the top of the table. We've been together the last six months. We've got two weeks to work and I want to transmit a positive message.
"It's not by chance we're near the top of the table."
Boro dominated for large periods of the game but struggled to break down their stubborn opponents.
It is the first time they have conceded at home in 10 games in what is only their second defeat at the Riverside this season.
But Forest manager Dougie Freedman says the win was no fluke. "It's a big result for us," he said.
"Boro don't lose goals. The last time Forest won here Mr Clough was in charge so it's been a long time. We came here with a good plan we've got a good spirit, we lost Henri Lansbury a few weeks back but we've got a resilience about us.
"That was our toughest match of the season because they grind you down and never stop going. In the end I thought we attacked as well as Middlesbrough and attacked even better.
"We stopped Middlesbrough in the right areas. Downing didn't get a kick as we nullified the space in front of him. "They were not getting shots from the edge of the box or playing one-twos in front of the area.
"Give us credit for not letting them get time and space. We believed from the first 10 or 15 minutes that we could win this."
Despite Forest's 12-game unbeaten run, Freedman reckons the play-offs will be out of reach.
"I don't think we've got enough fire power," he said.
