Middlesbrough are still firmly in with a shout of making the play-offs as they trail sixth-placed Derby County by just one point heading into the final day.

Tony Pulis' side face a trip to already-relegated Rotherham United, where they simply must win in order to keep their top-six hopes in tact.

Despite the fact Boro could still be competing for Premier League promotion come mid-May, the fans are not happy in the North-East as their side's games have sometimes been a difficult watch this season.

They boast an impressive defensive record and are generally solid throughout, as is usually the case with Pulis' sides, but their goal-scoring record should be of huge concern.

Boro have managed to find the net just 47 times this season, which is almost half as much as league leaders Norwich City and less than the likes of Rotherham, Millwall and Reading.

Britt Assombalonga is their top scorer with 14 goals in all competitions this season, but there is certainly a feeling that Boro have not seen the best of him this season.

Ashley Fletcher and Jordan Hugill represent Boro's other options in attack, with nine and seven goals scored respectively. However, it remains to be seen whether these players can cut it in the Premier League, or even in a promotion-challenging side.

[ad_pod ]

Pulis' side have ultimately lacked creativity and incision in the final third, and this is the main reason why they are on the fringes of the play-offs rather than competing even higher up the table.

Admittedly, this is not a fresh problem for Pulis' sides with his squads at the likes of Stoke, West Brom and Crystal Palace all basing their efforts around a solid defensive base rather than an electric attack.

Regardless of whether they so seal an unlikely promotion or not, this issue must be solved over the summer. It may mean fresh personnel, while Boro could also clearly benefit from a different attacking system as their current framework has not excelled this term.

Entertainment has been low at the Riverside Stadium this season, despite a play-off challenge, and Boro's summer rebuild needs to address this problem as a matter of urgency. Pulis may well find himself under fire in the close-season, particularly if he fails to deliver a play-off spot.