How Garry Monk responded to accusations he has changed the team too much as Sheffield Wednesday woes continue

Wednesday have lined up in a number of systems and line-ups as the Owls have searched for a way out of their post-Christmas malaise.

But injuries to the likes of Massimo Luongo, Adam Reach, Morgan Fox and Steven Fletcher along the way have limited Monk’s options along with suspensions and a loss of form in certain areas.

Asked why he has changed so much so often in the past few weeks, he said: “I have been forced to. If you look all the way up to Christmas, we were very consistent.

“When we started this period, we stayed with it and tried to remind them of the levels of that but they didn't produce and then you have to start thinking about personnel.

“There has been a lot of factors in it as well; personnel, form, fitness and suspension. It has forced my hand. I don't like to change the team around.

“If you look at my record with the teams that I have had, I have been consistent with selection but I feel like I have been forced into some situations to try and find a formula to try and find some sort of way of getting a result.

“I have tried to get some confidence and consistency back in the team. It has not worked.”

Monk made four changes ahead of Saturday’s 5-0 defeat at Brentford and set up in a 4-4-2 formation, a change from the 5-4-1 set-up that earned plaudits in the 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City.

“It was a system that we used in the first game [against Brentford] that we won with,” Monk said. “It was also playing against a different side in terms of how they set up.

“The system wouldn't have mattered at all today whatever we used.

“If you play with that type of attitude, heart and hide on the football pitch like we did, then you are going to get the same results.

“Formations and that don't mean a thing today.”