Xisco wants more from Sheffield Wednesday after ‘black and white’ performance

Wednesday were on top in the opening 45 against Boro on Tuesday night, taking the lead through Anthony Musaba ahead of the break, however saw the tables turn after half time as Michael Carrick’s side got back into it via Darragh Lenihan and then pushed for a winner.

After being encouraged off at the interval the Owls’ were jeered off when full time was called, the side remaining in search of their first win under their Spanish boss and still in the Championship’s bottom two.

Their manager wants to see more of the former and less of the latter…

"We need to find a balance,” he told the media afterwards. “The first half performance was at a good level, but we went from a top level to a low one. In the Championship you can’t control the game for 90 minutes, I understand that, but our drop-off is too great. That’s one of the things we need to improve. The second half was a totally different game.

"In other games it was the first half that was poor, and the second half that was good. Our most difficult job in the future is to try and find this (first half) level because we’ve shown we can do it. In the first half we controlled the game.

"We have to find more balance because when the two halves are so far apart it’s very difficult to analyse the game. The first half and the second half were black and white.

"We need to do it with mentality, with personality, with tactics and physical conditioning. We have to improve these things… Last season we won a lot of games and this season it’s more difficult. We need to improve in the last third. I’m looking at the positive side but I’m very frustrated about the other side."

Wednesday now turn their attentions to Swansea City on Saturday, another winless side in the second tier, as they look to ease some of the pressure that continues to mount.