Danny Rohl told Sheffield Wednesday are missing one key factor right now – and it’s not a goalscorer

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Sheffield Wednesday have had an inconsistent start to the season, and will be wanting to push on and improve as the campaign goes on, but they could have a big motivation problem.

Results have been up and down for Sheffield Wednesday in the first third of the 2024/25 season, and the club currently sit in 15th place in the Championship table now.

A few issues have already been pointed out by fans and pundits alike, with Sheffield Wednesday said to be lacking discipline, while many would agree Danny Rohl’s side are struggling in front of goal.

All of this is true, but that’s not the only problem, with a far more worrying theory about the Owls coming to light now.

• READ MORE: Sheffield Wednesday duo now one yellow card away from one-game suspensions in the Championship

Sheffield Wednesday had something to fight for last season

Discussing Sheffield Wednesday’s current position in the league, the hosts of the Second Tier podcast, Ryan Dilks and Justin Peach, suggested the Owls are far less impressive this season for a simple reason: there’s not as much at stake compared to last term.

Dilks, commending Wednesday on their efforts in staying up last season, said: “The crazy thing is, they were consistent last season under Rohl, from December onwards. Still the odd loss, but they completed that ridiculous survival job.

“Now they’ve got a stronger squad, but not picking up results. It’s rather strange. But I’m sure Wednesday will be fine.”

Peach touched on something interesting, though, adding: “I think another factor that we need to consider is that, last season, Danny Rohl came in and was firefighting. Everyone was motivated to turn things around.

“They don’t have that this season because they’re probably going to comfortably finish in lower mid-table, and there’s nothing to fight for or against. That’s not to say the players won’t give it everything, but they don’t have a situation like that to galvanise them.”

• READ MORE: Josh Windass lists key factor holding Sheffield Wednesday back despite ‘different mentality’ under Danny Rohl

Danny Rohl cannot let complacency creep in

While the expectations at Sheffield Wednesday this season are to really establish themselves as a comfortable Championship team, at the very minimum, the club are not exactly miles away from the relegation zone at this moment in time.

The Championship is a wildly unpredictable league, and Wednesday have to make sure they start grinding out results and pull away from that battle at the bottom, or they can very easily get sucked in and that’s the last thing the fans need again this year.

The next five games heading into mid-December are absolutely crucial for the Owls, and it’s a period in which they really need to put together a strong run of results and start climbing the table.

There is no reason why Rohl’s side couldn’t realistically go and win all five, with Cardiff, Preston, and Hull all below them right now, and Derby and Blackburn only just above them.

While there may not be that fire burning under them right now and forcing everyone to go the extra mile to get results, that could very quickly change if consistency is not found in the immediate future.