The next two weeks for Millwall are vital, with games coming up against fellow strugglers Brighton and Bolton, who are just positioned above the bottom three, which the Lions cannot afford to lose. 

Middlesbrough at home was a day that needs to be forgotten quickly. As captain Alan Dunne said: “We get a game like this every year.”

Can this be the truth? Last season saw the Derby defeat and the year before saw the capitulation at home to Peterborough.

The Lions were four goals down to ‘Boro at home, at half-time, to Boro and it was one of the worst first-half displays I had witnessed this season.

The horror of that statement is that I have said it too many times but you can’t get worse than Saturday, can you?

We can’t moan about the referee, injuries or any madness this week as the result was purely down to the lacklustre performance. 

Ian Holloway lined the Lions up in an unfamiliar 3-5-2.

I actually believe that it was the right way to go as this was the system that started at half-time against the Cherries and pegged the high-flyers back to 2-2.  

However, it did not work on Saturday. From the outset, the three at the back were just overrun and Middlesbrough’s attacks were like a storm that didn’t seem to stop. There was wave after wave and four goals was being kind to the Lions: it could have been seven or eight.

My question this week is: do you feel the recent comebacks have papered over the cracks of how bad our form is or is this not the case? 

Indeed, the 5-1 defeat on Saturday by Middlesbrough is the worst this season but imagine what we would be saying if we hadn't clawed back the three goals against Wolves, if the Bournemouth match hadn't ended the way it did or if David Forde had not pulled off the saves he has in so many games.

The next two are going to be real eye-openers and may answer these questions. If we can’t take points from Brighton or Bolton I think the Lions will be in trouble and, with the busy Christmas period and no new signings, it may not be a happy Christmas. 

On Thursday night on Lions Live, we will be looking back to Middlesbrough and forward to the televised game against Brighton. We will be asking if you feel a cup run would be good for the Lions or if we be focusing on the league.

Come and join me from 7pm. You can call live on 0207237927, email Lionslive@hotmail.co.uk or text 07895022325. We also will be giving away some incredible prizes.