Sheffield Wednesday have to be 'better' with Barry Bannan problem - Wigan Athletic 'experience' should help
News from Friday’s pre-match press conference...
Sheffield Wednesday have to be ‘better’ at finding a ‘solution’ when opposition teams target Barry Bannan, says manager Henrik Pedersen.
Owls favourite Bannan has controlled and dominated games for Wednesday over the last 10 years. The Scot is the focus of many opposition team-talks and after last weekend’s goalless draw against Wigan Athletic, Latics manager Gary Caldwell spoke about their plan to man-mark him out of the game, which they will feel worked.
The Latics’ approach will have been watched by other managers and it is unlikely to be the last time it happens this season, with this Saturday’s visitors to Hillsborough, Stockport County, no doubt thinking about doing something similar. So how do Wednesday overcome it?
“We have spoken before when teams are going very close to Barry, and this is something we have to be better at,” Pedersen said. “This is something we also have worked on in this week. But it will not be something we will have a big challenge with. We have had a team (Wigan) who did it so clear, and then we got some experience with this. Then I'm sure we will have a good solution for this next time we play against the same.”
With Bannan having one of his quieter matches against Wigan, Owls fans have been debating what the solution is and whether the days of the 36-year-old starting every week need to perhaps come to an end.
Pedersen added: “Barry has been a strong force and and he's a very important player for us. He will be a part of the rotation like the six under 21s and six loan players. There's five that will play, but for the rest of the squad, there'll also be a rotation. We will have a lot of games, and when we play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, then there'll be a natural rotation, and of course Barry will also be a part of this, as all other guys.”