Sheffield Wednesday boss explains shock Liam Palmer role in sensational turnaround

Liam Palmer would be starting at right wingback, as he has done so often this season, and Callum Paterson would take on the unorthodox central midfield role that he’s been utilised in on occasion.

That wasn’t the case, though, with Darren Moore opting for a bold strategy that saw Palmer shifted into central midfield – a position he hasn’t played for the best part of a decade – and Paterson pushed wide to work the channel.

Eyebrows were raised, but with both players getting a goal and an assist on a famous evening at Hillsborough it’s safe to say that it worked out. The Owls boss was asked about the tweak after the game, and gave his thinking behind it.

“We felt that they wouldn’t have sussed the line-up we were going to do,” Moore told The Star. “So we worked on Liam playing in midfield. When you look at it, it’s a back four really with him in there - with Icky (Michael Ihiekwe), Dom (Iorfa), Reece James - and he could nullify their threat whilst being calm and composed on the ball.

“Tactically that was a good change, and with Callum Paterson playing in the position he was in he gave us a wonderful out. With Greggers (Lee Gregory) and Smudge (Michael Smith) they’re a handful for anyone. We thought we got the balance right, the tactics right.

“I thought before that Darren wouldn’t have to change too much, he’d been to Barnsley and won 2-0, beaten us by four, so I thought he’d keep the same team.

“So we were planning in detail how I could shuffle my pack and try expose bits we needed to expose. It was great to see it come off.”

Wednesday now turn their attentions to their trip to Wembley at the end of the month, and based on his performance at S6 there will be more than a slight temptation to leave ‘Palms’ where he is when the Owls make their way to the capital.

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