Aitor Karanka: 'I didn't recognise the players tonight, we played one of our worst games but the important thing is we won'

Aitor Karanka pulled no punches in his assessment of his team following Boro's 1-0 victory over Bolton at the Riverside.

The win keeps the club in the automatic promotion places but the Spaniard believed the performance was far from satisfactory.

“We have played one of our worst games since I have been here but we won,” said Karanka.

“The important thing is we have three more points, that is the only good thing.

“I didn't recognise some players. To win is very important but I have to analyse why we played the way we played.”

Leaders Derby overcame Charlton to retain top spot and remain two points clear of Boro.

Bournemouth, who play Nottingham Forest at the City Ground tomorrow, drop to fourth with Ipswich moving up to third after beating Birmingham 4-2.

Boro, who are three points clear of the Tractor Boys, didn't find it easy to overcome Bolton but Albert Adomah grabbed the only goal of a scrappy game in the 34th minute.

Middlesbrough's Albert Adomah scores Boro's opening goal, pictured celebrating with Patrick Bamford

Assessing the game, Karanka said: “It's curious because four days ago we played very well against Leeds but lost the game.

“Today we were very bad but won.

“I prefer to go home having won the game and having three points but I need to analyse the game.

“I can't understand why we played like we did.

“In the first half we played with a lack of ambition.

“The second half was strange for me because I didn't recognise some players on the pitch because we have players with a lot of personality and confidence but I didn't recognise them.”

After the game Karanka was asked about 18-year-old Brazilian Joao Morelli Neto, who has been training with Boro's development squad.

“He is a player who is training with us,” he said. “He is young, he has to improve, he has been with us for some time and he is good for the Academy.

“He is a Brazilian player, he likes to play and he has sometimes trained with the first team squad.”

Neto came through the ranks at Ituano, the Brazilian club Juninho owns.

Meanwhile, Karanka confirmed James Husband picked up an injury playing for Boro Under-21s against Blackburn Rovers on Monday night. The full-back took a kick on the ankle but the problem doesn't look serious.