Kim Hellberg criticised by Middlesbrough fans over one decision against Wrexham

Middlesbrough suffered their second Championship defeat of the campaign on Wednesday evening, with Wrexham ending their two-match losing run by securing an important victory at the Racecourse Ground.

Chances were limited throughout the contest, but Phil Parkinson’s men eventually found a breakthrough in the 70th minute when George Thomason found the net. Ollie Rathbone then doubled their advantage six minutes from full-time to ensure Wrexham claimed all three points.

For the first time this season, Middlesbrough failed to get on the scoresheet. Kim Hellberg’s team have generally been impressive in attack, with Will Lankshear playing a significant role in their attacking threat. However, the striker’s absence through a muscle problem was noticeable, with Boro lacking their usual sharpness in the final third.

Nevertheless, Lankshear’s absence was not the only talking point among Middlesbrough supporters. Hellberg also came under scrutiny for some of his tactical decisions, with fans expressing frustration at an approach they felt was unnecessarily cautious.

Kim Hellberg’s tactical approach against Wrexham frustrates Middlesbrough supporters

Hellberg has developed a reputation as a flexible coach who is comfortable adjusting his system depending on the opposition. The Middlesbrough manager can operate with either a back four or a back three and recently made it clear that he was also happy to use two strikers.

However, his decision to adopt a back three during possession and transition into a back five when defending against Wrexham did not go down particularly well with sections of the Boro fanbase.

Middlesbrough travelled to North Wales with an opportunity to increase their advantage at the top of the Championship table to four points. Given Wrexham’s inconsistent performances and back-to-back defeats heading into the contest, many supporters expected Hellberg’s side to take a more attacking approach.

Instead, the tactical setup left some fans disappointed, with the perceived negativity of the team’s approach becoming a major talking point after the final whistle.

One frustrated supporter responded to Hellberg’s post-match interview on X, writing: “Far too negative against a bang average side Kim. I hope you’ve learned from this? You know the score mate, sort it out. UTB!”

The reaction reflected the growing frustration among sections of the Middlesbrough support, who believe Hellberg should have been more adventurous against an opponent they expected Boro to beat.