Sontje Hansen on Middlesbrough FC's Achilles heel laid bare by statistics
Sontje Hansen says Middlesbrough can move on a stronger team for their play-off disappointment if they can just learn to beat opponents who drop deep against them.
Half of Boro 10 defeats in the regular Championship season came in matches where they had more than 70 per cent of the ball. They won just one of those nine games. It shows how much the Teessiders struggled against packed defences challenging them to break them down.
Although the Championship play-off final did not quite fit into that category, it came very close, with Hull City having just 32 per cent possession.
They stopped Boro having a shot on target at Wembley, scoring the only goal of the game through Oli McBurnie.
"It is a hard one because I think we were the favourites (on Saturday) and in the whole season," commented Curacao forward Hansen. "It's not ended up for ourselves and I think in 2026, the results were not going our way, but we did our best.
"I believe we can come back stronger.
"The only thing what I have seen in this half-season is they (opponents) learn a little bit with how we play. Some teams drop back and we have to create some (more) things and it's difficult for us to win those games.
"I think if we win those games next season, then yes (can come back stronger)."
In all, Middlesbrough averaged 66.7 per cent possession in the regular-season league matches they lost in 2025-26, as opposed to 59.5 in the ones they did not.
If the Teessiders have room for improvement, so does World Cup-bound Hansen after a debut season which yielded just four league starts and one goal. But in Kim Hellberg he believes he has a coach whose style of play suits him.
"The only thing is I need some minutes," argued the 24-year-old. "With pre-season, I am going to do my best and show myself for the coach, with what I do.
"I think he is a really good coach and I like how he plays.
"I am from Ajax (his first club) so I like the football and that's what he wants. I hope next season that I can play under him and I think he is really good.
"I didn't play a lot and it was hard for me, but this group is still amazing with really nice guys. The start of the season for me was amazing and I really felt in a family."