EMANUEL POGATETZ has pinpointed mind games as the real reason why Middlesbrough have struggled to string a series of wins together that would propel them towards the top six.

The Austrian, nicknamed Mad Dog by his team-mates for his approach to life, only joined the club in the summer but feels he has worked out the explanation for a year-long problem.

Boro's inability to record two successive league victories, since overcoming Liverpool and West Brom 12 months ago, has resulted in a failure to fulfil their potential.

Despite Sunday's draw with Bryan Robson's men, a result that pushed the Teessiders up to tenth, Boro are struggling to turn emphatic European form into Premiership success.

Manager Steve McClaren's side have won only five of their 14 league matches this season.

On Sunday defensive carelessness contributed to Boro's failure to follow up their victory over Fulham seven days earlier.

But Pogatetz, who was part of the side that heroically claimed a point from the UEFA Cup trip to AZ Alkmaar three days earlier, feels playing too many matches is playing on players' minds when it shouldn't be.

"Mistakes can happen to everyone," said Pogatetz. "Sometimes it's not just an individual error, it can be poor defending from the whole team - that's what happened for the second goal against West Brom.

"We have to try to get in a run of winning games but it can be very difficult.

"It is not helped when we concede stupid goals, but our failure to move into the top six probably has more to do with having a lot more games than some of the teams we are coming up against. It was certainly the case against West Brom.

"On Thursday we were in Alkmaar in the UEFA Cup and this Wednesday we are in the Carling Cup against Crystal Palace.

"The Alkmaar game was very hard work. It's difficult for the mind to be 100 per cent after such a match and that probably had an effect on our performance on Sunday.

"But we are all professionals. It's our job to be focused on every game and that has to be the case on Wednesday. We are not too far away from the European places and if we get our minds on things better, earn better results at home, we will be up there."

The 22-year-old could be rested for tomorrow night's tie with Championship side Crystal Palace, despite a quarter-final place being at stake.

Having won the trophy two seasons ago, Boro know just how glorious lifting the much-maligned League Cup can be and Pogatetz would love nothing more than to go all the way.

But if the left-sided defender's wish is to be granted then errors from the backline have to be eradicated from Boro's play.

"We conceded another two stupid goals on Sunday and that's not good when you are playing at home. You can't rely on your forwards always scoring three or four," said Pogatetz, aware that the club's three main strikers - Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Mark Viduka and Aiyegbeni Yakubu - have scored 19 between them so far.

"Now it's very important that we win on Wednesday. We know if we win we have a great opportunity to go to the final and it would be great for this club to win it again. We want to do that.

"We have enough players to play in every competition and we want to do well in them all."

* Tickets for Boro's Carling Cup clash with Palace are available from just £7 each for those aged under 16 or over 65. Tickets for the tie start at £17 for full-paying adults.

Supporters are advised to retain their ticket stubs from this game as they may be required should Boro reach the latter stages of the competition.

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