Middlesbrough fans have turned the spotlight firmly on manager Kim Hellberg after Saturday's 2-2 draw with Cardiff City at the Riverside Stadium left the club just short of the Championship summit. Having led 2-0 at the break, Cardiff came from behind to level the match and, from Boro's perspective, turn what looked like a straightforward home win into a costly dropped two points.

The selection calls that sparked debate

The dominant theme in supporters' responses collected by the BBC was bewilderment at Hellberg's decision to rest leading scorer Will Lankshear, along with Seb Berhalter, from the starting XI. Both were introduced at half-time with the hosts already two goals down, and both contributed to the fightback, but Boro could not complete it.

"Why rest the league's best striker 10 games in?" asked one supporter, who also took issue with deploying centre-back Malanda in midfield. "Malanda is one of the best centre backs in the division," echoed another fan. "He needs to play there and not in midfield." Several supporters agreed that the positional reshuffle unsettled the team's defensive shape and left the midfield vulnerable to losing possession cheaply.

Luke Ayling's place in the starting line-up also drew scrutiny, with more than one fan questioning whether the experienced defender warrants inclusion at this stage of the campaign.

A fair point, or a costly two points?

The result means Boro missed the opportunity to go top of the Championship table, a significant moment in a season that, by the supporters' own admission, has been encouraging under Hellberg's management. One fan was quick to acknowledge that context: "Manager Kim has worked wonders to get Boro competing this season," he wrote, before adding that "too much fiddling with selection cost us two points today."

There was also a nod from one supporter to a broader concern: Boro's tendency to concede leads and then scramble for results. "They have saved or gained points in four games in the dying minutes," he noted, framing the fightback as a positive trait, but warning that "Boro will not be top two if they don't start learning lessons." The pattern of relying on late contributions rather than managing games out is something that will need addressing if Hellberg's side are to mount a sustained promotion challenge.

One supporter raised an additional selection question, suggesting that summer signing Brynn should be preferred in goal to the current number one, described simply as "not an improvement on Sol."

Cardiff's standing acknowledged

At least one Boro supporter was generous enough to credit Cardiff for their performance, noting that the Welsh club "are far better than their league position would suggest." That assessment carries some weight: Cardiff arrived at the Riverside and went 2-0 up, suggesting their form on the road may be better than their overall position implies. It will be a point of considerable interest for Cardiff's own supporters and staff as they assess where they stand in the second tier.

For Boro, the drop of two points at home to a side they would have expected to beat carries an edge of frustration that will likely sharpen the debate around team selection in the coming week. Hellberg, who has earned credit for Middlesbrough's positive start to the campaign, now faces pointed questions about how he rotates his squad and whether he gauges the threat of opposition correctly. Those are questions that managers at every level encounter eventually; what matters is how quickly he is seen to answer them.

A point is still a point, and in a division as compressed as this one, it may yet prove useful. But the mood among the Teesside fanbase, for now, is one of opportunity missed rather than resolve maintained.

Frequently asked

What was the score in Middlesbrough vs Cardiff City?
The match ended 2-2. Cardiff led 2-0 at half-time before Middlesbrough fought back to draw level at the Riverside Stadium.
Why did Middlesbrough fans criticise Kim Hellberg after the Cardiff draw?
Supporters were unhappy that Hellberg rested leading scorer Will Lankshear and deployed centre-back Malanda in midfield, with many arguing those decisions cost Boro a win and the chance to go top of the Championship table.
Did the draw affect Middlesbrough's position in the Championship table?
Yes. The dropped two points at home meant Middlesbrough missed the opportunity to go top of the Championship table.