Sheffield Wednesday boss explains how they can take 'next step' after draw against Wigan Athletic
The Owls were held by Wigan Athletic on Saturday...
Henrik Pedersen highlighted one part of their game they want to improve to take the ‘next step’ in their season.
Wigan Athletic, who came into Saturday’s clash at Hillsborough bottom of League One, left with a point. The Owls put in a positive performance in the first-half but could not make the breakthrough, before the visitors fought back and were the stronger side after the break.
After such a promising first-half, Wednesday’s performance levels dipped as they gave away possession, let the game become stretched, failed to create, and gave up chances down the other end.
“We got one point and there are a lot of things we want to do better,” Pedersen told The Star. “First half, I think in general we were good on the ball. They (Wigan) are very compact. I think we were good. But the next level is to have a higher ball speed so we can move them around a little bit quicker. But it's not so easy because they are physically strong and they are very compact. But of course we want to have more. In the beginning of the game we were really strong. Then we have some situations where we lose the ball, but we don't get this powerful re-press, and then we get some transitions against us, and that took the momentum out.
“Defensively, I think we were we were solid. We were not dominant, but they (Wigan) didn't really create something from open play. They came from some set-pieces and some transitions. Second half, they were even more compact, and it was clear we struggle a little bit to have high enough ball speed and to have enough runs against the deep line.”
With a week to prepare for their next game at home to Stockport County, Pedersen is clear in his mind where they need to improve, adding that a draw was a fair result in the end.
He continued: “The boys are really working to be stronger and stronger on the ball. For sure, the next couple of weeks is a big, big theme for us. How can we be stronger in our build-up? How can we be stronger in our relation, in our connection, so we can get a higher ball speed, but also can we get more situations where we have the same thought in the same moment, to speed up the game and to get some good connections, as we also had earlier in the season, where we have many players in the box and we really have a good offensiveness.”
On what went wrong in the second-half, he added: “I think five or six times where we play into the feet, just a vertical pass into the middle where they intercept, and then we got some transitions against us, and then we have to build-up momentum again. And then you could see also in second half when we have a little bit more ball speed when we come around, come behind, when we had a little bit more direct moment. But generally we want to develop this to the next level, and that's why we're looking forward to training next week.”