Sheffield Wednesday: What Tom Lees believes has held the Owls back this season

For Tom Lees, it is clear where things have gone wrong at Hillsborough this season.

He told The Star: “Any team can have a dip in form whether you are the best or worst team in the league but it is about how you handle that.

“I don’t think we have handled it very well.

“I think things almost spiralled out of control when we had that dip in form and we never managed to grasp hold of it and turn it around. We allowed it to multiply and snowball into the position we are in now.”

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It is fair to say a mounting injury list and having three different managers has given them little stability on or off the pitch.

Yet no one expected Wednesday, who have reached the play-offs in each of the last two campaigns, to be lying in 16th position after 33 matches and to have recorded a paltry eight victories.

“We have to look forward and the only thing we can affect is the next few months,” stressed Lees. “That’s all I’m focused on right now.”

At one stage this week, it looked on the cards Lees would be included in the matchday squad for today’s meeting with Aston Villa. The defender appeared to be closing in on an Owls comeback after taking part in two Under-23s matches.

But Lees may have to wait to make his long-awaited return after suffering a minor setback in Monday’s development match with Hull City.

“He played last week 45 minutes, then 90 minutes on Monday, but Tom has had problems from the game,” admitted manager Jos Luhukay.

“You must have patience when injured players come back to team training, they are not match fit. They need more training, a couple of games, then maybe they come back to the first team.

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“Tom has played twice with the Under-23s and is going in a good direction. (Wednesday) he couldn’t train with our team, and he is the medical room now.”

There was better news on the injury front for Luhukay regarding Jos van Aken, Sam Hutchinson and Barry Bannan.

Luhukay, who has a raft of players sidelined by injury, said: “We are slowly starting Sam Hutchinson and Joost van Aken with the team training.

“But we must wait and look how they come back. We had this situation with Barry Bannan. Two weeks ago he came back for two training sessions, had a setback, and has had two weeks training alone.

“I am hoping, maybe next week, Barry can come back into the team training.

“I must wait for the medical team and doctor to give the green light.”

Daniel Pudil is in contention to replace Jordan Thorniley, who suffered concussion and bruising to his face in the midweek loss at Millwall, at centre-half. Adam Reach and Sean Clare could be restored to midfield and Jordan Rhodes is pushing to start up front after recovering from illness.

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