AFTER five league games without a win in the Championship, Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder is toiling over some ‘big decisions to make’ after admitting he was the most disappointed he’s ever been in his role at the weekend.

Boro succumbed to a 1-0 away defeat to Paul Ince’s Reading side in what’s been described as a toothless performance in Berkshire leaving them second bottom in the table.

On the whole, Boro’s performances this season have not been an accurate representation of their results with Wilder largely pleased with the way his team have played in the opening stages of the season. However, the loss to the Royals came as a surprise to the Boro boss who wasn’t expected to see the manner in which they lost the game. “I thought before Reading we weren’t a million miles away” he said.

“I thought we could have turned the QPR loss into a draw, and certainly in the other three games we’ve certainly been in winning positions and had a winning attitude.

"I felt really positive about all three performances. I looked at that as being a minimum of three points light really. Two points definitely at Stoke, and maybe a point at QPR. I can’t say that after Reading though. We are where we are.

"Do I look at the league table? 100% of course, everybody does. Every manager in this league will not want to be at the bottom end of that table. You can say all you want, and I can say all I want about the squad not being set yet, which it isn’t as we still look to bring three players in after Muniz, but I’m not built like that.”

As aforementioned, Boro are expected to be busy in the market between now and 1st September but the club were boosted in the addition of Brazilian striker Rodrigo Muniz. The 21-year-old, who was a target for the club last summer, completed a season long loan deal from Fulham and watched his new team mates in action at the Madejski Stadium.

With plenty of games still to be played this season, Boro have been earmarked as a potential promotion candidate this season with Wilder able to work with his squad on a full pre-season and recruit during a summer transfer market but his latest comments make for grim reading on the club’s start to the campaign.

"I’m as disappointed as I’ve ever been as a Middlesbrough manager today because of our approach to the game today” he continued. “I’ve got a big week ahead of me, the players certainly have a big week ahead of them, and there are some big decisions to make.

"If some comfy footballers think this is a comfy place to play, they’re most certainly not understanding my attitude towards things. A performance like that stings me, and it should sting the players.

"We’ve taken lots of plaudits and the supporters have been super positive about what we’re trying to achieve. But if I’m a Middlesbrough supporter after that, I’m looking at that and thinking that’s unacceptable, and I understand that because I feel the same.”

Whilst the addition of Muniz will add much need options in attack, Boro were struck with an blow in the build up to the Reading defeat with the news that Chuba Akpom is set for a spell on the sidelines.