The post-Tony Pulis era has not started well for Middlesbrough.

Jonathan Woodgate took over in the summer and things have not gone to plan for the 39-year-old so far.

Boro are currently 20th in the Championship with just 10 points from 11 games.

The North East club are just two points above the relegation zone and have a tough run of games coming up, with league leaders West Bromwich Albion, on-the-up Huddersfield Town and Fulham their next three opponents.

Boro are in real danger of finding themselves deep in the relegation zone. With that in mind, here are three issues they need to address as soon as possible.

Their lack of goalscoring fluency under Woodgate.

When Woodgate took over at the Riverside he said he wanted to bring attacking football back to the club.

This was likely music to the ears of Boro fans after enduring a season under Pulis that saw them finish seventh in the Championship but score the sixth-fewest goals in the league.

However, so far Woodgate’s side have struggled to find any goalscoring fluency–scoring just 11 goals in 11 games, which is a worse goal per game ratio (1) than Pulis’ side last season (1.065).

The problem looks even worse when you consider that after scoring three times on the opening day, Boro have found the net just eight times in 10 games.

Their issue with crosses.

Woodgate’s side have really struggled with crosses this season, with 11 of the 16 goals that they have conceded coming from either a cross or a corner, according to Wyscout.

This could be due to the lack of defensive support their full-backs have in the 4-3-3- formation that Boro have lined up in regularly this season.

This appears to be an issue that their opponents are keen to take advantage of because they have conceded the third highest-number of crosses per game in the Championship in the 2019/20 campaign, according to WhoScored.

Failing to win close games.

What will likely be particularly frustrating for Woodgate about Boro’s start to the season is the number of close games that they've been part of.

In addition to drawing four times, four of the Teessiders' five losses have been by a one-goal margin, indicating just how tight things can be in the Championship.

If they want to climb back up the table, Boro need to start getting better results in close games.

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