‘It was a game-changer’ - Sheffield Wednesday boss looks back and previews Millwall clash

The Owls take on the Lions at Hillsborough this afternoon as they look to make it back-to-back wins at home, and they’ll be hoping for a much better time than they experienced earlier in the campaign when they suffered a 3-0 defeat the Den.

It was a game that came right before the September international break and was the third defeat on the bounce without scoring - and Röhl spoke about how important that period was for his team.

Speaking “We lost three games in a row in the league, we conceded two, four, three goals and we didn't score. This is important as a group, as a manager to change small things. We used the international break and it was a game-changer in this moment to not continue what we did.

The Star has a dedicated Sheffield Wednesday WhatsApp Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click here to join

“We didn't change everything, but we changed some key things from this moment and in the last 10 games we had two defeats, five wins. In this league it is not so bad. But we have now 21 games more - it is a really long journey.”

Röhl also went on to play up the importance of Wednesday’s home games in the second half of the season, especially considering the teams that they still have to play on the road.

“It is a big, big part,” he told the media when asked about improving their home results. “I will be honest with you - if you look to the away games in the second leg, 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.

Watch every episode of All Wednesday with Joe Crann - interviews, opinion and insight on the Owls every week, on demand on Shots TV here

“You look at the results today, Portsmouth won 4-0 at home, we won there. Three or four weeks ago we played there and it was that we had to win - you cannot say this, you have to do it first and for this we have to work hard, do the basics right and get clean sheets. Clean sheets will be crucial in the second leg.”

And 2025 got off to an almost perfect start with a 4-2 win over Derby, ‘almost perfect’ because of a lack of that clean sheet that Röhl mentioned, and the Owls will be hoping to go one better later today as they head into battle at S6 once again.