Former Arsenal man ‘loves watching’ Sheffield Wednesday striker but questions Owls’ style

Adrian Clarke, a former Arsenal midfielder and current pundit, says that he’s a big fan of Sheffield Wednesday striker, Lee Gregory.
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Wednesday were back to winning ways on Monday as they retook top spot in League One with a 3-0 win over Accrington Stanley, and Clarke believes that they’ll be feeling much better about themselves after a return to winning ways.

He did, however, say that the Owls’ current style isn’t the way that he’d be expecting them to play, suggesting that they should be utilising longball tactics less and instead using the width of the pitch to hurt the opposition.

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Gregory, Clarke says, is ‘here, there and everywhere’ as he leads the line for Wednesday.

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Speaking on the latest episode of the What The EFL?! Podcast, the former Rotherham United man said, "It's been a while since they've had a comfy victory like this… Smith was back on the bench which is a positive, Mallik Wilks got injured but he was very lively I think alongside Gregory at the top end of the pitch.

"I still think they were playing much better football earlier on this season, they've gone really direct lately and it wasn't just in this game.

"They are booming a lot of long balls and I don't think that is what they are best at doing if I'm honest, I think they are better at using the full-backs and the width of the pitch, making it massive and getting down the sides.

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Sheffield Wednesday’s Lee Gregory in action during the Sky Bet League One match against Oxford United. (Adam Davy/PA Wire)Sheffield Wednesday’s Lee Gregory in action during the Sky Bet League One match against Oxford United. (Adam Davy/PA Wire)
Sheffield Wednesday’s Lee Gregory in action during the Sky Bet League One match against Oxford United. (Adam Davy/PA Wire)

"Going into the front players from the sides and linking from there… Someone like Gregory is such a good link man, he's here, there and everywhere and I love watching him play.

"Sheffield Wednesday will be feeling much, much better about themselves after this but I don't think it necessarily means that their run of indifferent form is done."

The Owls’ next game sees them face Burton Albion on the back of their 3-2 defeat to Charlton Athletic, however will be very wary of the fact that Dino Maamria’s Brewers beat promotion-chasing Barnsley this month in their last home game at the Pirelli Stadium.