Wilder: We got what we deserved
CHRIS Wilder felt Middlesbrough thoroughly deserved their first win of the season against Swansea City yesterday, with the Boro boss’ tactical switch ultimately paying dividends.
Wilder revealed after the match that the instruction had been to allow Swansea the ball before then turning over possession and breaking quickly.
It worked and a delighted Wilder said afterwards: “I think we deserved that win today and tactically we were at it, we sat in and kept our shape well.
“We countered well, were good in both boxes and the bit in the middle, it was a different sort of game today but I think we all understand that it’s the bit at both ends which ultimately matters most and we were the better side at both ends.
“It was a right difficult game. Swansea is probably the hardest game in a lot of ways. The way they play is obviously how Russell Martin wants his team to play. That’s really difficult to play against.
“We had to show a really disciplined side to us because when we get beat at Reading, everyone in the ground wants to go ‘come on, let’s press and get after them’. That is part of the game.
“I think we are quite good at pressing but Swansea is possibly the hardest game to play.
“When you’re looking at who you want to play after you have not had a result after five games it isn’t Swansea.
“However, we kept our shape when we had a chance to break it up and counter-attack, play how we did and score two goals. A bit disappointed we’ve not extended our lead as well from their first half.”
He added: “When eight minutes goes up, you have to get over the line by hook or by crook and we certainly did. I thought we were comfortable. They are always going to have more passes in them because that is the way they play.
“As I said, that’s what happens. They give up chances and they dominate possession. It’s a really difficult system and players to handle but they handled it well.”
It was a relief for the Boro boss too as his side finally got their first win of the season at the sixth time of asking.
Asked if it alleviated the pressure he puts on himself even slightly, he continued: “Of course, yeah. You live with it, you breathe it, and I think that will be the same for Russell as well. He’s doing a great job there – a different type of job – but he’s doing a good job.
“We’re the same in terms of we see our team play well and when you don’t get the results it hurts. Listen, there can’t be a wrecking ball to it. Last Saturday was poor but we know we’re not a million miles away and it just felt important to get that win.
“We created our own pressure but the group is getting stronger. We brought another two in this week, I think that has made a huge difference.
“We’ve been light and short and there has been no depth to the squad.
“Once you start adding good players to the group then it gives the other good players a boost.
“You become stronger and you have options off the bench. You look like a team that wants to compete where we want to compete in the division. That’s where we should be.”
Wilder went on: “I said to the players afterwards we knew from experience how this game would have been and myself and Alan Knill would say that went exactly to plan.
“They had a lot of the ball, we break it up, create chances and it was just a case of, can we be clinical enough? We could have scored more maybe but we were and we got a positive result.
“Of course it would go to the 98th minute because the fella who decides how games go just wanted to put us through that little bit more! We had to go through it to get over the line.”
The visitors were awarded a penalty in the 78th minute. There was confusion at the time over what it was given for but the Boro boss revealed it was for handball against Darragh Lenihan, giving him another refereeing decision to complain about after.
He said: “Whoever it was we were playing against it was always going to be a comfortable afternoon or something happens with a penalty, which I still don’t understand.
“Darragh is setting himself to clear and he gets smashed across and it hits him on the hand. When he’s defending he puts himself in a position to clear the ball and it hits his hand.
“If that’s the case then that is the case. I’ve lost it really in terms of what the handball law is.”