Sheffield Wednesday v Millwall: How New Den defeat changed Owls’ season
The 3-0 loss at Millwall in August was a turning moment for Sheffield Wednesday, according to Danny Rohl, and the club is hoping that their recent two wins at home will have the same impact.
Hillsbrough has been a struggle for the Owls this season, but victories against Derby County and Stoke City have given them confidence to face the Lions again on Saturday.
After losing at New Den, the team saw they had some deeper issues that were causing them to fall to the championship playoff periphery.
Following a false start—a 4-0 triumph over a Plymouth Argyle team that was utterly helpless away from Home Park—and a League Cup triumph over a feeble Hull City that was still in the midst of its rebuilding—and had now found its footing under new coach Tim Walter—the Owls went on to lose their next three league games.
Some much-needed introspection and reevaluation occurred during the international break that followed Millwall’s loss.
According to Rohl, his team would have been in fifth place in the Championship if the season had begun in September. They lost three consecutive league games, let in four goals (at Sunderland), two (against Leeds United), and three (at Millwall) without scoring.
As a manager, it’s crucial that you and your team focus on making little adjustments. We took advantage of the international break, which was a turning point in this situation, to stop what we were doing.
While we didn’t make sweeping changes, we did make some important adjustments, and as a result, we’ve gone 5-2 in our past 10 games. It is not terrible in this league. But we have 21 games remaining — it is a tremendously long path.
“I want to say a big credit to my group. We have all the particular tools – mentality, attitude, willingness. We are building up and this is good.
“You look at the history of which teams make the play-offs. Except for Luton, in the previous five years the average of these teams their valuation is £75m. But I stated this before, we have specific tools and this is an excellent unit. This is helpful.”
So is going back to winning ways at home.
“It is a big, big part,” agreed Rohl. “If you look to the away games in the second leg (of the season), they will be tough ones.
“It is not easy in this league, but with all the games in this division whether away or home, they are tough ones.
“We have to work hard, do the basics right and get clean sheets. Clean bedding will be crucial.”
Even when they overcame Derby 4-2 on New Year’s Day, the Owls looked susceptible at set-pieces. Rohl rated the Rams the best team in the Championship at them, but it is a significant part of Millwall’s identity that they are strong from them too, and the present club is no exception.
“We knew this before,” remarked Rohl. “Preston, Millwall, Derby, these are special teams with special weapons. We have to accomplish it as a group.
“On Thursday we conceded two goals from second balls and crossed balls, I don’t like this, but in this league you have opponents that know what they can do very well and this is what we must understand.
“After 20 minutes we felt we had control of the game, but 20 minutes is not enough. We need 90 minutes and more.”
Rohl is hopeful Yan Valery recovers from the sickness which kept him out on Wednesday, while Marvin Johnson remains a question after suffering a hit that day.
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