Middlesbrough transfer news: Chris Wilder will target experienced players in January
Boro were dominant in the first half against Millwall, and unfortunate a Sol Bamba own goal cancelled out Matt Crooks’s opener.
But when they needed to force the game in the second period, Wilder did not have the personnel on the bench to change the 1-1 scoreline.
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Hide Ad“I thought (Lee) Peltier, (Paddy) McNair, (Jonny) Howson were great, (Marcus) Tavernier was outstanding,” said Wilder, whose predecessor Neil Warnock argued unsuccessfully for three more summer signings. “He gave the ball away a couple of times but he was bright. I played him in his (best) position – round pegs in round holes. Him and Crooksy were good.
“There was contributions from everybody. I didn’t really look at it and go ‘That needs replacing.’ We want to upgrade the group, we want to make it a competitive squad.
“I look at Millwall and we should be (like that). I’m not being critical of young Josh (Coburn, a half-time substitute for Andraz Sporar), he’s done fantastically well, but they’re bringing on established players and he’s a young kid.”
Sporar’s injury further weakened Boro, but is not serious.
“He rolled his ankle,” said Wilder, whose side host Preston North End tomorrow. “He’s going to be a really big player for us. He rolled Duncan in from the off, so that partnership as a 10 and a nine – Sporar technically very good and Duncan very fast – caused the opposition some big issues.
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Hide Ad“I don’t think it’s major. He’s just rolled his ankle and to be fair to him he wanted to stay on for the period up to half-time.”
Martin Payero was missing with an Achilles/ankle injury, and Grant Hall a hamstring problem.
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