Middlesbrough fell 2-1 to Bristol City after a late collapse in which Michael Carrick’s first substitution came in the 83rd minute.
Michael Carrick claims alterations were discussed ahead of Bristol City’s comeback, but the Middlesbrough manager felt his team was doing well before the home side’s opening goal.
Boro led 1-0 at Ashton Gate thanks to Tommy Conway’s goal and appeared to be on track for a significant victory until the 72nd minute. Boro played with their backs against the wall, but they mostly kept the Robins at bay thanks to Mark Travers’ saves and huge blocks from defenders.
That was until Liam Manning made three substitutions, including the arrival of two-goal hero George Earthy and the crucial Yu Hirakawa, who boosted Bristol City’s late comeback. Without making any changes, Carrick watched as the home team equalised, and then, ten minutes later, as he prepared his first subs with only eight minutes left, they scored the winner.
When asked about his substitution decisions as the heat mounted on the Boro manager following a fifth consecutive defeat, he said: “We’re always thinking about how we can influence the game.” I didn’t think they were really hurting us in the second half, and we were defending well as a team, closing down spaces. Listen, these are the decisions that I make or do not make.
“If everything goes as planned and we win the game, it’s a good decision; if it doesn’t, people question it, which I understand. There are numerous reasons why [didn’t make the submission]. We’re continuously thinking about, discussing, and assessing our options. There are numerous causes for each decision we make.
“Making those decisions is all part of the job; it’s a responsibility. I wouldn’t call it difficult; it’s my responsibility to try to make the correct judgements. I recognise I’ll probably be questioned tonight for not doing it, and we lost the game.”
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