'I applaud that' - Kim Hellberg makes Sheffield Wednesday admission ahead of Middlesbrough clash
Middlesbrough will be under immense pressure to rekindle their promotion bid when they face Sheffield Wednesday at the Riverside.
Middlesbrough head coach Kim Hellberg has warned his players not to underestimate Sheffield Wednesday ahead of their clash at the Riverside on Wednesday evening.
The Owls will travel to the automatic promotion hopefuls with the ambition of recording their first win since September and extending their unbeaten run to four matches. They fought back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Charlton Athletic on Saturday to equal their longest unbeaten run in the Championship this season.
Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen remains determined to oversee at least one more win before the end of what has been a nightmare campaign, and his side’s recent performances have offered encouragement that a three-point haul might be possible.
Sandwiched between 1-1 stalemates with Leicester City, who were relegated on Tuesday evening, and Charlton respectively, the Owls recorded an impressive point from their recent trip to Coventry City, drawing 0-0, meaning that ought to give them belief they can go to the Riverside and take something from the contest.
Hellberg’s side, who are six points off the second automatic promotion place, are winless in their last seven matches and have failed to win any of their last six at home, meaning they will go into the clash with Wednesday under immense pressure to get back to winning ways.
Reminded this is a game his side must take maximum points from, Hellberg, as quoted by Teesside Live, said: “On paper, maybe. But they’ve drawn three in a row now. Nothing in this league is won on paper.
“They’re in their best form of their season with three without a loss, and went to Coventry and drew 0-0. So they fight. You have to give them a lot of credit - for the coach and to the players - to keep fighting, to keep staying in games.
“It's been very few games there's been like a big score. It's been Even-Stevens all the way. So, a lot of credit to them for how they fought through this very difficult season for them.
“We know we need to win home games. That's what we need to do, and we will try to do it on Wednesday and on Saturday. That is important, that's the only thing I'm thinking about. We need to go out and win games.”
Middlesbrough, in recent weeks, have come unstuck against teams who have visited the Riverside and sat deep in a low block in a bid to frustrate them. It is not unrealistic to suggest Wednesday will take a similar approach.
“They've been trying to get out after games as good as they can,” Hellberg added. “They've been quite aggressive in their mindsets and trying to press and trying to work forward. I think that's how they've tried to go about games.
“When the other teams have been good, they of course end up lower, trying to defend, as every team does. But I think they are quite aggressive and offensive minded - that’s what they try to do. I applaud that.
“They're in a situation where they can go out and play freely. It's a group that's had a lot of energy through a very difficult time and a difficult period and been strong in that and showed a lot of character from both coach and players.”