Neil Warnock was hugely critical of his attacking players as Middlesbrough fell to a 1-0 defeat at Millwall yesterday.

Successive victories had given Boro fresh hope of making the top six, and whilst the loss in the capital doesn't end their promotion hopes, it was certainly a major setback.

And, Warnock pulled no punches when assessing the first-half display at The Den, where Boro were outplayed and lucky to be just one down. Speaking to Teesside Live, the experienced boss made it clear those in the final third didn't do enough, which is why he had made four subs by the start of the second half.

"I don't think they know how to go through the motions, I just think some of them might not want to compete against a tough, physical Millwall side. It was like playing with eight men at times. Next season we should have 11.

"I've never been as disappointed in the strikers as I was today. I thought they were absolutely non-existent first half. You can't play without strikers."

Despite the defeat, Boro are just six points away from the play-off places with eight games to play.

The verdict

These comments from Warnock were brutally honest and it shows just how angry he was, which was backed up by the fact he took three players off, along with replacing the injured Marcus Tavernier.

In truth, you can't argue with his thoughts. Boro were clearly second best for 45 minutes and a lot of it looked down to effort and application, which isn't acceptable.

Now, it's about moving on, and those who struggled today will have a chance to respond in the remaining eight games, with the play-off dream still just about possible.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.