After seeing his team lose the Steel City derby on Sunday afternoon, Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl has been speaking to the press and insisted the result was not a fair reflection of the game.
Fans across Sheffield got their first taste of a Steel City derby in six seasons, and Sheffield Wednesday implemented Danny Rohl’s gameplan perfectly in the first-half to frustrate United and keep the game open for both sides.
However, the Blades came out strong in the second-half and were ahead just five minutes after the interval. From there, the home side largely controlled the game and grinded out the result in a scrappy game.
But, the Sheffield Wednesday boss clearly saw enough to be more than happy with his team, even if he didn’t agree with the scoreline at the final whistle.
- READ MORE: Sheffield Wednesday fans fume at one player vs Sheffield United, he keeps making the same mistake
Sheffield Wednesday lost to fine margins in Steel City derby
The Sheffield derby could have gone either way, in fairness. While Wednesday had the better of the first-half, United did just enough in the second-half to claim the win.
In truth, if the Owls could have converted one of their many chances, they would have come away from the game with more.
Speaking to the press after the match, via Dom Howson on X, Rohl commented on the difference between the two teams in the game and suggested a draw would have been a more suitable result.
“No team deserved to win the game. Both teams fought and tried. They scored with one moment and that was the difference,” Rohl said. “We changed shape after they scored. We felt we could hurt them. We created more. My team tried everything.”
- READ MORE: ‘It’s all talk’… Chris Wilder plays down key Sheffield United vs Sheffield Wednesday talking point
Statistics prove Sheffield Wednesday had more chances
Rohl has a point, too. His Sheffield Wednesday team may have been outmatched when it comes to possession and passing patterns, but the Owls did create more chances than Sheffield United.
The only problem is, Wednesday did not get a single effort on target throughout the game. Ultimately, Rohl took a gamble on Ike Ugbo from the start which did not pay off, while the likes of Michael Smith, Anthony Musaba, and Jamal Lowe entered the game too late to make a significant impact.
| 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% |
It was actually Dominic Iorfa who had two of Sheffield Wednesday’s best chances in the game, both of which came from set-pieces. That’s something we know Iorfa has been working on behind the scenes, but it just couldn’t quite pay off today.
In the end, it was a good finish from Tyrese Campbell, with the only shot on target, that decided the derby. It is those kinds of moments that can often be the difference in these matches, but Rohl will likely be thinking about what could have been, if his players had been a little more composed in front of goal.