Chris Wilder has offered a balanced assessment to Middlesbrough's underwhelming start to the season and summer transfer failings. 

Wilder feels there are plenty of positives to take following Boro's stuttering start to the Championship season which has seen them pick up just one point and go out of the League Cup to Barnsley in the first round.

Squandering a 1-0 lead on the opening day to West Brom, while falling 3-0 behind in the first half away at QPR, you'd expect Wilder to be more frustrated with his side, but the former Sheffield United manager is only seeing positives.

Assessing their start to the season, Wilder told TeesideLive: "I've got to say, looking back at the first two games, there have been plenty of positives to take out of them.

"The general performance against West Brom, who we saw on Monday night take Watford apart with 71% possession and the number of chances they created. So you look at that game, look at what we did to West Brom, look at the second half performance against QPR.

"It’s not doom and gloom that we have not won one out of the two games and I think everybody would understand that we have had great opportunities to do that."

Wilder then moved onto the summer transfer dealings with the club failing to land a number of key targets. Something again Wilder choosing to spin positively: "We have to try and put a balance on it and not be too negative about it all.

"Because I'm sure, as we talked about, bringing new players into the club will raise the bar and raise the standard, and that will only be beneficial to us all."

Middlesbrough will be hoping to kickstart their season when they host Sheffield United on Sunday.

The Verdict

Wilder will have told the players exactly what he thinks as that is how he gets the best out of his sides. His players will also know that they must improve if they are to be up there come the end of the season as a good start is essential to being in the promotion hunt.

You also have to consider the size of the task Wilder has needed to do in a very short space of time. Plenty of players moved on with those needing to be replaced, as well as adding more depth in key areas which is never easy to do.

That was done fairly slowly, which means any new signings then need to be integrated into an established squad and get used to Wilder's style of player which will take time.

So, taking the positives in a very slow start to the season is undoubtedly the right thing to do for Wilder at this point in the season.