Alan Dunne admits Boro's free-flowing attacks were too much for struggling Millwall

Millwall skipper Alan Dunne admitted the Championship strugglers couldn't cope with Boro's free-flowing attacks as Karanka's men turned on the style in the capital.

Dunne believes Millwall's decision to change formation and adopt a 3-5-2 set-up backfired terribly but denied the Lions are in a crisis after Boro put them to the sword at The Den.

"Boro were very good," admitted Dunne.

"Their movement up front was very good and their movement hurt us, but I think tactically we might have just got it wrong at the back.

"The early goal was always going to make it hard. But Middlesbrough were a very good side, well organised by a foreign coach and you can see that they had talent in their team."

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Despite a promising start to the campaign, Millwall have won just once in their last 14 games but Dunne insists the hammering at the hands of Boro was a one-off.

"We have one of these a year," added Dunne.

"This is our one for the year. I can guarantee it won't happen again and we won't concede five again.

"In the last 10 years I've been here I think we've had one result like this a year. I don't know what happens but it's just one of those things that seems to fall into place.

"Yes, it's unacceptable and yes it's not right but we have to move on from it."

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Millwall manager Ian Holloway

Ian Holloway described the beating as his "worst day in football" and Dunne admitted the Millwall boss "lost his rag" after the game.

The home fans were clearly unimpressed as well, not surprisingly booing the side off the pitch.

"The fans just want to see you try," Dunne added. "It didn't feel like there was that chemistry between the fans and the team.

"It was flat before the game and we didn't start well. I think there was only one tackle in the first 20 minutes and that was a foul by me.

"This is Millwall – you need to get the crowd behind very early on with tackles, headers, shots and crosses and players are only learning that and experiencing it now.

"You need to set a tempo from the off, you can't wait until you're 2-0 down to start trying to set a tempo."