This may only be Sheffield Wednesday’s second season back in the Championship, but the club has aspirations of becoming one of the best in the league. To do that, Danny Rohl knows exactly what is missing.
Since Sheffield Wednesday hired Danny Rohl last October, the club has pulled off an astonishing fight for survival last season, and the Owls are now looking at what they can do to climb the Championship table.
This season has brought a mixed bag of results so far, but Wednesday currently sit in 15th place as we head into the international break.
The defeat to Sheffield United in the Steel City derby last weekend showed what Rohl’s side are capable of, with a spirited and well-organised display, but it also saw Sheffield Wednesday taught a ‘lesson’ by their rivals as the Blades had enough quality to grind out the win.
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Sheffield Wednesday need to make better decisions on the pitch
That derby defeat also saw Sheffield Wednesday’s biggest issue rear its head once more, as the Owls struggled to make the most of the many chances they got in front of goal.
Rohl is under no illusions as to his team’s shortcomings, though, especially when compared to the top teams in the league. Speaking to The Star, the Sheffield Wednesday boss highlighted what the Owls need to do if they are to truly compete at the summit of the second tier.
“I think this is the difference in this league. Bring the small details or the small moments on your side, then you will win games,” Rohl said. “Everything must be 100%, we don’t have one game where we can win with 80% or 85% or 90%. Some opponents have this and I understand it’s the reason they are on top. But we have to do everything right.”
Rohl touched on the importance of having composure in front of goal, and the decisions his players make, too, but insists the personnel at his disposal are good enough.
“To be top of the table you need maybe a little bit more quality in the finishing, to be calm, but we could do this as a team. We’re not looking for excuses… We have a good group, we are together, we have mentality, we have character but especially in the key areas in the final third it’s about being clinical.
“On the pitch it’s decision-making by the players. I can help them in some situations. We have the chance to get to a higher position in the table but we have to do everything right. Sometimes it’s the key players why top teams wins games.”
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Sheffield Wednesday struggling against top Championship teams
So far this season, Sheffield Wednesday have largely performed well and got the necessary results against the teams below them in the league. It is against the top teams that the Owls are really struggling.
In many ways, beating the teams around you is the key to ensuring you stay in the division. While Wednesday no doubt harbour ambitions of challenging for the play-offs in the near future, establishing themselves in the Championship and avoiding a relegation battle has to be the priority this season.
| Top six Championship team | Sheffield Wednesday result |
|---|---|
| Sunderland | Lost 4-0 (A) |
| Sheffield United | Lost 1-0 (A) |
| Leeds United | Lost 2-0 (H) |
| Burnley | Lost 2-0 (H) |
| West Brom | Won 3-2 (H) |
| Watford | Lost 6-2 (H) |
To push on to the next level, Rohl and his team will need to find a way to compete with the top teams in the league. Against this season’s top six, the Owls have only beaten West Brom, and have failed to score against Sunderland, Sheffield United, Leeds, and Burnley.
A large part of the process of changing that will be in taking opportunities in front of goal, as Rohl said, and another element will be down to having the discipline to grind out results, similar to how Sheffield United got over the line in the derby.
Sheffield Wednesday are showing a worrying trend this season when it comes to creating chances, especially away from home. The Owls have to be more creative, more clinical, and more resilient if they are to take things to the next level.