'Growing' new boy can lift Sheffield Wednesday after expectation-raising arrival
Davis Keillor-Dunn’s recent showings have lifted Sheffield Wednesday.
A midweek back niggle prevented Sheffield Wednesday from throwing Davis Keillor-Dunn into the starting line-up at Huddersfield Town over the weekend - but an influential display offered further suggestion he is settling into life at S6.
The Wrexham loanee arrived in a flurry back on deadline day and served to raise the expectations of the Wednesday fanbase a touch in sealing-off a manic summer transfer window that delivered 18 new faces. A player of goalscoring ability and immense record at League One level, much is expected of the former Barnsley man as the Owls creep further into the campaign.
Seven appearances into his Wednesday career, his progress has been a little stop-start as he gets to grips with match sharpness and surroundings following his late window switch. But a man of the match display in the EFL Trophy at Salford City and his substitute turn in the comeback draw in West Yorkshire have prompted optimism that he is beginning to get going.
Despite entering the field at half-time, the 28-year-old produced more key passes than anyone on the field and together with a switch-up that saw Barry Bannan pulled further back into a midfield two with Billy Mitchell, Wednesday overcame a dire first half to take more control in the second effort.
Speaking ahead of the trip to Huddersfield, Owls boss Henrik Pedersen said: “I think it has helped him a lot and then he was really in the flow and then he had a few back pain and a few back problems. He was out some days and now he started to train again.
“But I think he was really strong also, the second half in the first in Salford. And you could see through the training week that he is growing, growing, growing and again also for him he will be a really, really strong Sheffield Wednesday player over the next weeks where there will come a lot of games. This is what he needs and he misses it so much. But it is step by step also for him.”
As with a number of Wednesday’s midfield and attacking players, debate has bubbled on Keillor-Dunn’s best role and position in recent weeks, with different selections having been made in search of the right formula. With time having been taken to better understand the player, Pedersen seems in little doubt as to his options for Keillor-Dunn both in and out of possession.
“I think he can press from more or less all positions at the top,” the Dane continued. “But I think when we are on the ball it's important he is in the central position because when he gets the ball central for his final pass, for his finishing, for his turn, for his setup of his teammates, I think he is for sure better central than in the side area.”