Middlesbrough have a terrible habit this season of finding ways not to win games.

It came to the fore again in the extreme against Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day. Three goals to the good at coasting to victory by half-time, they completely collapsed after the interval and in the end, with 10 men, just about held on to a point that should have been three.

The result leaves promotion-chasing Boro one point outside the play-off places and 12 outside the top two - compounding the frustration of Boro’s bad habit in what was a season of opportunity in a weaker Championship race for some years. We take a look at just how costly Boro’s bad habit has already been this season at the halfway mark.

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Derby County 1-0 Middlesbrough - one point dropped

You could make a fair argument that Boro dropped all three points here because in a game where they pretty much dominated from start to finish, they failed to make use of their 71% possession or convert any of their 20 shots. They should have at least left Pride Park with a point, but left with nothing after Isaiah Jones’ error gifted the hosts their winning goal.

Middlesbrough 2-2 Portsmouth - two points dropped

Heavy favourites on home turf against the Championship newbies, Boro twice had to come from behind to draw at home to Portsmouth. Again, it was a game they should have won, having enjoyed 70% of possession and had 30 shots at goal. They gifted the visitors a second lead in comical fashion when Seny Dieng and Matt Clarke challenged each other for a loose ball in the air, ultimately offering Christian Saydee an open goal.

Sunderland 1-0 Middlesbrough - one point dropped

Boro didn’t do enough at the Stadium of Light to claim they deserved to win, but they did more than enough to leave with a point. There was slight fortune in the way the ball eventually fell to Chris Rigg for the only goal of the game, but Boro’s big issue in this one was not finishing their chances. They enjoyed 63% of possession and created some big chances from their 12 shots at goal in the game. They just couldn’t convert to gift their rivals all three points.

Watford 2-1 Middlesbrough - three points dropped

Similar to Sheffield Wednesday, this was Boro losing control of a game with poor game-management and surrendering a victory as a result. Boro led 1-0 thanks to George Edmundson’s goal until the 75th minute. To that point, it had been a superb away performance. Boro suddenly imploded in the final 15 minutes and two late Watford goal turned three points into none within the blink of an eye.

Middlesbrough 0-2 Bristol City - one point dropped

By this point, Boro not making their dominance count in games because they couldn’t take their chances was really costing them. Having enjoyed many gilt-edged chances early on, Boro gifted their bogey side two goals with errors playing out from the back to lose the game.

Norwich City 3-3 Middlesbrough - two points dropped

After falling behind, Boro were in emphatic form at Carrow Road as they countered with real pace and precision to lead 3-1 at half-time. This was another case of losing control and failing to manage a situation better though, Norwich scored in the 71st and 80th minute to cancel out Boro’s hard work to that point. Boro had to defend their lead so much better.

Middlesbrough 0-3 Coventry City - one point dropped

This one’s the hardest to quantify in terms of how many points they dropped because the costly aspect of this one was Hayden Hackney’s red card for two bookable offences in just the 24th minute. Boro battled hard on the day to suggest they might, without the man disadvantage, have been good enough for all three points. Coventry’s extra man made a big difference in a 3-0 defeat.

Burnley 1-1 Middlesbrough - two points dropped

In many respects, a draw was a fair result in this one, as both sides dominated a half each. Having said that, Boro took the lead in the first half before withstanding heavy pressure and defending well. They were pegged back by a goal that was wind-assisted but should never have beaten Seny Dieng, who was caught too far off his line. Boro then must at least three glorious second-half chances to claim what would have been, and should have been, a huge win.

Middlesbrough 3-3 Sheffield Wednesday - two points dropped

If you want to be a promotion-winning side, you can’t only draw games in which you lead 3-0 at half time. The 16 minutes after the restart are among the most baffling you’re ever likely to see, as Boro completely imploded to lose their lead and grip of the game. It was another example of Boro’s soft underbelly and inability to manage their way through tough situations in matches.

In conclusion

This isn’t every game that Boro have dropped points in, but is the games in which they would have had reasonable expectations based on performance to have gained more, only to leave disappointed thanks to their own doing. In that regard, it is subjective.

There might be some of the points we’ve counted you feel shouldn’t be included at all, and there might be some where you feel we’ve counted as one drop point when it should be counted as all three. Regardless of subjective differentials, what we can reasonably deduce is that Boro’s ability to find ways to not win games has probably cost them around 12 to 18 points already this season.

Our calculations have it at 15 points, and that would see Boro top of the Championship by three points. You might consider our totals, in only counting the Derby loss as one point dropped and not three, as conservative too. There might be other games you’d consider adding to the equation too - such as Plymouth, where calamitous defending cost them two points, or Blackburn, where it was more a refereeing gift that cost Boro at least a point. Either way, the point on Boro’s costly bad habit this season is obvious.

Encapsulated against Sheffield Wednesday, Boro showed in the first half how good they can be and why they should be doing a lot better than they ultimately are this season. The second-half collapse highlighted all the reasons why they are not though, and where they simply have to improve to be in with a better chance of making the play-offs. Boro can’t afford to carry on this costly trend in the second half of the season.