Middlesbrough FC boss Kim Hellberg makes Will Lankshear revelation following win over QPR
Kim Hellberg has offered his view on Middlesbrough’s win at QPR - and made a Will Lankshear revelation
Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg revealed Will Lankshear struggled with illness before notching the winner away at Queens Park Rangers.
The forward continued his strong start to life in North Yorkshire, netting to give Boro a 1-0 win in the capital.
However, Hellberg was not sure if he would be able to start the former Tottenham Hotspur prospect.
Will Lankshear admission
He said: “Will was a little bit sick in the night. He felt a bit better in the morning.
“It was questionable if I could start him. I think you could see that his energy was a little bit lower.
“I always knew that the energy was going to run out. But in the six-yard box his movement is very good.”
Kim Hellberg on Middlesbrough performance
Regarding his side’s performance, Hellberg said: “Over 90 minutes we showed absolutely everything that football is about, including all aspects of the game. It was important to see the game out.
“You come here to a team that have maybe started the season the best of all teams. If you look at the statistics, they have been very strong, and in the first half we gave them problems.
“Then in the last 20 minutes we had to defend in a very good way, so you could see everything that you want to see in a football team; good with the ball, good with transitions, and we can do different things.”
QPR boss reflects
QPR boss Julien Stephan remained upbeat, insisting their second-half performance showed great progress from last season.
He said: “I think it was a top second half. We just have to remind that in March when we played against them – it was not two years ago, it was just a few months ago – we lost 4-0 and we didn’t exist in that game. We were so far.
“It was a big change between the first half and the second. We won most of the duels, but the big difference was the quality with the ball and the quality of the passes.
“I think we are very close to competing with this kind of team. We have reduced a lot the gap between them and us in a short time.
“I think we have the quality to compete against this kind of team and I’m not sure a lot of teams are able to push them like this. We created enough chances in the second half to score a minimum of one.”