Boro take on Portsmouth at home tomorrow, aiming for a fourth win in five npower Championship matches in Teesside but it is their away form which has occupied most of Strachan's time this week. Tuesday's 3-1 defeat at Derby meant they had taken just one point from five away matches to sit 19th in the table, with only Pompey - who have played a game less on their travels - having a worse away record.

Strachan, whose side were tipped as one of the real promotion contenders, told his club's official website: "Concentration is a problem and something fundamental that I'd like to sort out.

"But I've got an idea what might help. 'Something fundamental' could mean the shape of the team, the way you take or defend set-pieces or something that in training we've allowed to slip.

"They are the fundamentals I'm talking about. What's not wrong is the players' willingness to work hard and their honesty and I think as a fan, that's what you like to see.

"I like playing at the Riverside, we've done not too badly there. But I would like to sort this away form out. I go to away games thinking, 'Yes, we'll win today' and that's not bravado, I see the players and they're working hard.

"But if you don't win away games, a lot more pressure goes on your home games.

"At the moment we seem to get spooked when we concede a goal away from home. I have my theories as to why that is but it's about individual characters. There's not one bad character among the squad, I wouldn't swap them."

Boro come up against a Portsmouth side boosted by back-to-back wins at Fratton Park which have lifted them off the foot of the table.

"Since we've been back from the international break, it's been pleasing," Pompey boss Steve Cotterill said.

"I know all the results haven't gone our way, but against Ipswich, Palace, Sheffield United, Leicester and Bristol City, the performances have been excellent.

"But we won't be taking anything for granted because we've won two games. We've got our feet on the floor and we're looking forward to the match at Middlesbrough."

Cotterill has Richard Hughes back from a two-match suspension but he may struggle to get his place back in a winning side.

Elsewhere, Championship leaders QPR make the short trip to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace with manager Neil Warnock expected to name an unchanged side.

Palace will be without Claude Davis (back) and Neil Danns (knee) after both suffered early injuries at Cardiff in midweek.

Second-placed Cardiff are set to be without star striker Craig Bellamy at Barnsley due to a knee problem which has already ruled him out of Wales' forthcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers.

Norwich aim to keep the pressure on the top two as they travel to second-bottom Bristol City, while Watford in fourth take on Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Preston will look to build on their incredible 6-4 success at Leeds in midweek when they host sixth-placed Reading, while Leeds take on Ipswich at Portman Road.

In the day's other games, Doncaster host Nottingham Forest, Coventry face Hull at the KC Stadium, bottom side Leicester face Scunthorpe at home without a manager following the departure of Paulo Sousa and fifth-place Burnley travel to London to face Millwall. Swansea, 3-2 victors at Watford in midweek, host Derby at the Liberty Stadium.