Sheff Wed journalist drops ‘worrying’ claim

Sheffield Wednesday journalist Dom Howson says that it’s a ‘worrying trend’ that Darren Moore’s side can’t seem to beat the bigger teams in League One.

The Lowdown: Midweek heartbreak

The Owls suffered late heartbreak at Home Park on Tuesday night after letting in a stoppage-time winner to be on the receiving end of an excruciating 2-1 defeat to Plymouth.

The boss was the subject of heavy criticism after taking off Barry Bannan and Josh Windass in a second period, where they could have changed the outcome of the game.

The Hillsborough outfit have now only beaten one of the top seven teams in the division this season, something that appears to be causing concern among supporters.

The Latest: Howson’s ‘worrying’ claim

Asked during a YorkshireLive Q&A on Wednesday where the Owls go from here after losing to another of the big teams, Howson responded:

“I agree that it is a worrying trend. Peterborough was a slightly different case. I don’t think Wednesday would have lost had they not gone down to ten men. But they didn’t perform against Barnsley. They only played well in bits and starts at home to Portsmouth and Ipswich.

“I thought some of their football was excellent last night. Wednesday created some really good opportunities. They were the better team for 70 minutes. The subs shifted the momentum Plymouth’s way. Moore has got to learn from those tactical changes. He got them wrong.

“The reality is Wednesday are still in a good position. They are averaging nearly two points per game. Plymouth is a setback but they have got a good run of games coming up. Things could look very different in another month’s time. People have to keep the faith and trust in the process.”

The Verdict: No need to panic

Whilst Moore’s side will be concerned by the lack of success against some of their main competitors, there’s definitely no need to panic.

The Owls are currently third, just five points off the top of the table with three-quarters of the season still left to play, which is a fantastic position to be in so early on.

There are also several players missing through injury, so when they return and are available for selection again, one would think those top of the table clashes could swing the Owls’ way.