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Owls get dressing-room dressing-down: MATCH REPORT AND SLIDESHOW
DERBY COUNTY 3 v SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 0: PAUL Jewell wasted little time before breezing into the Pride Park media room a happy man.
But it was nearly an hour after the game had finished - the longest post-match delay of his Wednesday reign - when Brian Laws took centre stage.
The reason was a dressing-room inquest into the latest away-day failure. The length of the talk-in underlines the gravity of the Owls away record and the determination of management and players to find a solution.
It had appeared that the draw at Selhurst Park a fortnight earlier may have been turning point, for that saw a battling performance by the Owls in a game that ultimately could have gone either way.
The difference this time was they were up against one of the best teams they have faced this season.
It would have been hard enough against Jewell's rejuvenated side, without Wednesday letting in two bad goals that upped their away defensive record to 25 conceded in nine games.
There was not a lot of difference between the teams in the early stages but a two-goal lead inspired the Rams and, on the whole, they had more strength and craft than Wednesday, and showed signs of why they have lost only twice in their last 15 games.
What must madden the Owls, however, is the fact that they are capable of better standards that those they showed on Saturday, both in defending as a team and attacking as a team.
Steve Watson probably will never make another mistake like the one that opened the door for the Rams.
He tried to beat an opponent just outside his own box instead of parting with the ball, then was hustled into trying to kick the ball towards the touchline but hit it straight to Kris Commons who took full advantage.
The second goal was avoidable as well. Tommy Spurr played a pass into the centre circle where James O'Connor was outnumbered three to one, then the midfielder was dispossessed by Miles Addison who scored from the resulting conter attack.
From the Derby point of view, both of the first two goals were clinically taken. The Owls did not looked capable of clawing back a two-goal defecit, and once left-back Jordan Stewart had smashed home a terric shot into the top corner in the 67th minute the remainder of the game was academic.
Going forward, Wednesday never had enough penetration. Laws, who was deprived of Wade Small (hamstring) and Etienne Esajas (Achilles) because of late injury blows, still kept Jermaine Johnson on the bench and did without any wingers in the team.
The Owls manager probably felt that Johnson has been too erratic lately.
Sean McAllister was played out of position on the left side of midfield and Marcus Tudgay got the right-side role.
Laws felt that Akpo Sodje was ready and, despite the lack of wingers, it was still an attacking 4-4-2 formation, with Sodje and the previously on-form Leon Clarke the spearhead, instead of one striker being used in the usual away system of 4-5-1.
Maybe the idea was to compensate for the absence of wingers' pace by utilising the strong running of Sodje, and there was some of that to be seen.
But the balance and thrust of the team did not look perfect, and there was no discernable improvement when Tudgay and McAllister were switched for the start of the second half, or when Johnson replaced McAllister.
Wednesday's shooting from medium to long range was off target - notably second-half efforts from Clarke, Johnson, Tudgay and Tony McMahon - and Sodje missed his one real chance, in the fourth minute, driving the ball low and wide after flicking on a clearance from Lee Grant and taking a return ball from Clarke.
Who knows what would have happened if that had gone in, or if the Owls had been given a penalty in the 11th minute.
Sodje muscled his way past one defender and seemed to be getting clear of a second, Claude Davis, when he was halted by a debatable tackle. I would have liked to see that again on TV.
But Derby could point to chances of their own in those early stages. Former Doncaster midfielder Paul Green brought a graceful catch from Lee Grant and blazed an inviting opening wide.
There were also half-chances for McAllister, who volleyed wide with his left foot, and Tudgay, who headed at the keeper.
Even after Wednesday had gone behind they were in the game until half-time.
The second goal was a killer, coming only seven minutes into the second half.
Saves in the closing stages by Grant - from a near-post header by sub striker Nathan Ellington and a shot by right winger Nacer Barazite - stopped the scoreline creeping upwards.
Jewell felt it was "a comprehensive 3-0".
He said: "we started a bit edgy but once we got the first goal I thought we could go on and win it. The second-half performance was full of endeavour. It was a terrific third goal.
"They picked a very attacking team and tried to get at us but we were by far the better team."
What was said inside the Wednesday camp remained in the privacy of the dressing room. The words will have to be turned into action against Coventry next Saturday.
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Blades Watch 08-09 - The Season So Far
Owls Watch 08-09 - The Season So Far
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Friday 10 February 2012
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