Middlesbrough were completely embarrassed by Stoke City on Tuesday evening.
Boro were back in League Cup action in midweek, looking to book their spot in the third round of the competition.
Middlesbrough beat Leeds United 3-0 in the first round and a similar result was expected against Stoke City on Tuesday.
Michael Carrick did make a number of changes to the eleven at the Riverside Stadium, with several youngsters in from the off.
But even with all the changes, very few fans likely predicted just what an embarrassing evening it would turn into for Boro.
Josh Coburn wasted Middlesbrough’s best chance vs Stoke inside the fourth minute, dragging an effort wide after getting clean through on goal.
After that miss, there were very, very few positives for Middlesbrough. Alex Gilbert did look sharp but on the whole, it was an embarrassing 90 minutes
Lukas Engel cost Middlesbrough vs Stoke City
Middlesbrough went 1-0 down inside the 18th minute on Tuesday after an Emre Tezgel goal.
Boro ended the first 45 playing pretty well and hope of a comeback still remained at the break.
However, that quickly changed when George McCormick, who picked up a knock inside the first minute, was taken off at half-time in place of Lukas Engel.
Engel cost Boro a goal during their 2-2 draw with Portsmouth over the weekend, dragging Matt Clarke out of position due to his persistent ball-watching.
The left-back’s display on Tuesday reached a whole new level of terrible, however.
Stoke scored four times in the second half with every single goal coming down Engel’s side of the defence.
Journalist Craig Johns expressed his displeasure at Engel and Boro’s defending down the left on X/Twitter.
He wrote: “Shambolic at the back this second half. All three goals come from this left side too after Engel’s introduction at the break.
“This time, one ball through the midfield then quickly spread wide to Manhoef who cuts inside of Engel and fires beyond Brynn. So easy.”
Neto Borges must start for Middlesbrough vs Cardiff City
With Alex Bangura sidelined, Carrick had to start Engel in Boro’s opening four games of the season.
McCormick was given his first start against Stoke but he too appears to have joined the club’s mounting injury list.
However, Middlesbrough have finally signed some much-needed competition at left-back.
Neto Borges completed a £1.3m switch to Teesside on August 27th and was at the Riverside to watch his new team get thumped.
The Brazilian is unlikely to be ready to play 90 minutes against Cardiff City but Engel has made it clear Carrick simply has to drop him from the eleven.
The defender has cost Middlesbrough two games in a row and his performances only seem to be getting worse.