Danny Rohl may have some tough conversations coming up at Sheffield Wednesday.
Sheffield Wednesday lost 2-0 vs Leeds United on Friday night, falling to a second-straight defeat in this new 2024/25 Championship season.
It follows the Owls’ 4-0 defeat vs Sunderland last weekend, and whilst the scoreline improved, the performance didn’t.
Leeds United could’ve had several more goals whereas Sheffield Wednesday barely had a sniff at goal themselves.
Several players have come under the spotlight following the defeat at Hillsborough, with fans critical of Anthony Musaba’s performance on the night.
He frustrated in attack; Musaba got forward well but couldn’t find an end product on the night.
The defensive display was once again the main talking point.
Sheffield Wednesday have been picked apart in their last two games, with Danny Rohl reverting to a back-five for the game vs Leeds, with Yan Valery coming into the middle and Pol Valentin starting out wide.
Dominic Iorfa kept his spot in the side, but the Owls man has been poor in the last two games.
Dominic Iorfa fails to impress in Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Leeds United
Iorfa appeared to be the middle man in a defensive five vs Leeds United, with Valery one side and Di’Shon Bernard the other.
And Iorfa looked unsettled throughout. Whenever in possession or going into a 50/50, Iorfa always looked like second best.
He did make nine defensive actions on the night however, with four clearances and three tackles to his name.
His pace helped get him out of trouble on a couple of occasions. But for Rohl, the player in Iorfa’s position should be much more of a ball-playing centre-back.
After a fairly calamitous display from Iorfa and from Sheffield Wednesday as a whole vs Leeds, Rohl may ring the changes for the next league game vs Millwall at the end of August.
before that, Sheffield Wednesday travel to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.
One Sheffield Wednesday player needs reinstating
Rohl may well use the Grimsby game as a chance to experiment once more and try and figure out just what’s going wrong in defence.
But the answer may be less complicated; Wednesday seem as though they lack an organising defender at the back, and someone with a more steady head.
Last season, that player was Michael Ihiekwe. He shone at times and played a quite understated role in the Owls’ eventual 20th place finish.
He’s yet to feature in the Championship this season with Iorfa preferred.
But after a tough couple of games for Iorfa, who certainly seems like a weak link in the side right now, Rohl may fancy giving Ihiekwe his starting spot back.
He and Bernard formed a good partnership last season. Bernard is certainly the more athletic whilst Ihiekwe is the more commanding one, clearing attacks and generally just being a rock in front of goal.
Sheffield Wednesday face Grimsby Town on Tuesday night.