WITH Middlesbrough heading into the international break sitting in the relegation zone, manager Chris Wilder insists no one in his squad will shirk away from the responsibility of steering the club away from the bottom three.

Boro, who were predicted to be one of the heavyweights in the race for promotion, have recorded just two wins from their opening ten games of the Championship season and currently sit 22nd in the table. Last night’s uneventful goalless draw against Rotherham United compounded their difficult start to the campaign.

Boro have endured a difficult week on home soil losing in midweek to Cardiff City where they suffered a first half capitulation going in three goals behind before a fightback in the second half made the end result more respectable at 3-2. Following the final whistle against the Millers, groans of frustration combined with a chorus of boos could be heard around the ground.

Wilder is well aware about how far his side have been off expectation in terms of their position in the table but feels they could, and should, be higher up. He said: “We’re ten games in and we’ve not got the points total we want. That’s how it is. We just have to keep going and keep trying to come through the little sticky period that we’re in. We’ve made too many mistakes, we’ve not taken enough chances and it isn’t as free-flowing as it has been. That impacts us.

“We’ve largely played okay to well this season but there are parts of the game where we’ve been disappointing. But generally, I am scratching my head wondering how we’re only on the points tally that we are. But ultimately we are and we have to take responsibility for that.”

The frustration could be heard around the Riverside with fans tensely watching on in hope that his team could make the breakthrough but to no avail. That pressure may well have been felt following a midweek torment against the Bluebirds.

He continued: “Tuesday night (against Cardiff City) wasn’t a nice evening. We’ve created this because of the results and at the moment it’s quite a tough place to play. I thought the supporters got right behind us tonight and gave us an opportunity, but it’s obvious we’re not playing as well as we have done.”

Boro unexpectedly languishing in the bottom three of the division with some members of their young squad having to overcome adversity for the first time in their playing career.

However, Wilder, who has managed sides who are on the brink of extinction with Northampton or embroiled in a relegation battle with Sheffield United, has had to ride out choppy waters in the dugout and sees those youngsters as players who won’t shy away from the challenge.

Wilder added: “When you look in the changing room, we haven’t got any deserters or anyone just doing their own thing. There’s nobody not pulling in the right direction. That always gives you an opportunity. When you have any of those things, you’re in trouble. We haven’t.

“We do have some young players in there as well and some of their first experiences of things not going well. Izzy (Jones) is a young boy who it’s only gone well for so far, Ryan Giles is a young lad coming out of a Premier League club, Rodrigo (Muniz) is a 21-year-old boy and Marcus Forss is a 23-year-old kid. Couple of new faces that have come in as well. But there is enough character and enough b******* in that dressing room to come through it.”