Sheffield Wednesday put in a valiant effort against Sheffield United in the Steel City derby today, but the Owls struggled in one key area that proved decisive on the day.
In the first meeting between Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United for six seasons, it was the Blades who came out on top after a very scrappy game of two halves at Bramall Lane.
Despite the Owls executing Danny Rohl’s gameplan perfectly in the first-half and frustrating United, the home side roared into action in the second-half and bagged the winning goal on the 50-minute mark thanks to a neat finish from Tyrese Campbell.
Rohl had been hoping to celebrate a special win with the Wednesday supporters after his first taste of the Steel City derby, but it wasn’t to be.
A game of fine margins was ultimately decided by the only shot on target across the full 90 minutes from either team, and therein lies the problem for Rohl’s side.
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Sheffield Wednesday lacked killer instinct
While United dominated possession overall and were the more effective team when it comes to passing, it was Wednesday who created more chances at Bramall Lane. The Owls had ten shots in the game to Sheffield United’s eight, but it was the Blades who had the only shot on target.
That tells the story of Sheffield Wednesday’s main weakness on the day, and despite Rohl throwing on a number of attackers in the second-half, they were unable to find a meaningful breakthrough, and it cost them dearly in a game they very well could have won with a little more composure in front of goal.
Rohl took a gamble on Ike Ugbo in attack from the start, but the Canadian forward failed to make any kind of impact on the game. Josh Windass had a couple of half-chances, but was never really in a suitable position to find a clear path to goal.
| Statistic | Sheffield United | Sheffield Wednesday |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 8 | 10 |
| Shots on target | 1 | 0 |
| Total passes | 444 | 313 |
| Pass success | 76% | 67% |
| Average pass streak | 5 | 3 |
| Fouls | 15 | 22 |
| Possession | 59% | 41% |
The introduction of Michael Smith, Anthony Musaba, and Djeidi Gassama imbued Sheffield Wednesday with more energy and all three looked dangerous when they came on, with Musaba in particular threatening to level the game before his shot was blocked.
However, it may be the case that Musaba and Gassama could and should have been brought on a lot sooner, while Smith will now, in retrospect, be identified as someone who should have started the game in place of the struggling Ugbo.
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Sheffield United were always going to be difficult to break down
Credit where credit’s due, Sheffield United are one of the hardest teams to beat in the Championship, particularly at Bramall Lane.
The Blades have not conceded at home since August, and that run continues after a very professional and resolute display from their backline in the derby.
Sheffield Wednesday had their chances, but in many ways, the half-time whistle came too soon for the Owls and their window of opportunity passed with it.
Now, Danny Rohl will need to pick his team up through the international break and get to work in training with some shooting practice that a few of his players desperately need.