Wilder hopes Muniz ‘and maybe others’ can shake things up
CHRIS Wilder is hoping Rodrigo Muniz will help shake things up at Middlesbrough after a disappointing start to the season.
And with a week before their next outing against Swansea City, he’s got his fingers crossed that the Brazilian might not be alone in that task as a new arrival.
Boro are still looking to sign another three players this summer after Muniz’s arrival, which is expected to be official in the coming days.
The striker, who will join on loan from Fulham for the season, sat in the stands at Reading as Boro laboured to a 1-0 defeat.
It was a hugely disappointing display from Boro, and one which visibly really hurt their boss.
Despite positive performances in their other four games, it left them still searching for their first win of the new season – which hasn’t had the start anybody had anticipated or hoped for.
With Muniz set to arrive though, and Wilder hoping for more before Swansea, he’s clear with what he wants and expects.
He said: “We were too nice against Reading, with a soft underbelly and a soft touch. Even at the end, we have an opportunity to throw it into the box and we don’t.
“We now have a big week ahead of us.
“Muniz is coming in and he’ll no doubt want to get on the front foot and that will shake it up, and maybe one or two others will shake it up for us as well.
“No excuses for us today, but maybe getting two players in for next week will really shake it up.
“I don’t care if you’ve been here five years, six years, an international or whatever.
“We’re here for the present and a lot of players after that should be looking over their shoulders and thinking, ‘dear me, I need a big week’.
“Because at the moment I’m looking at that group and feel there are all sorts gone wrong.
“I feel sorry for the goalkeeper who has hardly had anything to do and is yet again on the losing side, and I feel sorry for Darragh Lenihan because I know how much he’s putting into it.
“But so many players were nowhere near the level we know they can be at.”