So, Aitor Karanka took the blame for the shambolic Sheffield no-show - he was right to.
But no-one who witnessed it can in any way exonerate Saturday's supine starting eleven either as Wednesday - barely less awful on the day themselves - were allowed to become the second Yorkshire city side in quick succession to complete a double over Boro.
The player's only slim excuse afterwards would have been to say to their head coach: "Well, you started it".
The changes to the team sheet that can only have gladdened hearts in the home dressing room were ill conceived to say the least of it and only compounded by the adoption of an under-rehearsed 3-5-2.
However evidently unconvinced Karanka's charges were with what they'd been asked to do it didn't stop them from making things worse by being equally hopeless in its execution.
I could pick out more than a few for special, dishonourable mention but this was a collective failure.
The rutted Hillsborough beach underfoot didn't help, of course, but I struggle to recall seeing a worse 45 of first half football at this level.
You could have labelled it Sunday Pub League stuff except that would have been an insult to the ale houses.
Boro started the second half in the same vein but the home side improved marginally, mastered the pitch better and threatened.
Balls into Boro's box caused a panic and cost a penalty conceded by Omeruo and converted by serial Boro botherer, Nuhiu.
That was closely followed by complete wheels off defensive disintegration from a free kick after a daft foul by the same defender that Keane netted for Sheffield's second.
It wasn't until a couple of those who should have started, Leadbelter and Tomlin, came on in another too little, too late set of substitutions that the reds started to show some of the spirit so sadly lacking from the start.
The quality was barely any better but at least Boro did show some intent and intermittently posed a threat, even if the cutting edge couldn't be recovered.
It was all a bit like rubbing the noses of the magnificent travelling parmo army in just think if we'd played like this from the off.
Fortunately for the reds - and not for the first time - they weren't the only ones in the bunching up top eight to have a bad day at the office.
Though Karanka thinks we shouldn't worry about it, relying on that sort of luck continuing might get its comeuppance as soon as the midweek fixtures so Boro simply have to get back to form and firing against Holloway's hapless Millwall.
The head coach might reflect that the best way to get that result is to revert to what was working well before he started his recent rotation revolution.
Consistency gets consistency, so it should be 4-2-3-1 set out re-instated and first picks selected - and then stick with that.
In the continued absence of Dani Ayala that means either Kalas or Woody - if experience is needed to calm things down - to partner Big Ben ahead of Dimi with Fredericks and Friend on the flanks.
Though Clayts is barely ahead of Forshaw and Whitehead in the poor form stakes he has been Leadbelter's best partner so should get the shout.
Uncle Albert and Lee Tomlin should start on the left and in the middle of the attacking midfield three.
Normally, I'd like a winger on both sides of the number ten but given the havoc wreaked by Bam-Bam and Vossen in the five goal Lion-slaying Den destruction earlier in the season I'd go with the Belgian up top if he's recovered with the Chelsea loaner tucked in on the right side.
It was often said a few short weeks ago that Boro were overdue giving some side a real tonking.
Tomorrow evening presents the right time and opponent opportunity and Karanka's men have to deliver.
C'mon Boro!!!
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