Sheffield Wednesday boss makes Huddersfield Town transfer admission ahead of 'physical' battle
Sheffield Wednesday are gearing a firm test at Huddersfield Town this weekend.
A stern and physical opposition is expected to lay in wait for Sheffield Wednesday this weekend - with Owls boss Henrik Pedersen having admitted a summer interest in one of their opposition’s key players.
Huddersfield Town entered this season with big promotion hopes and have been among the pace-setters in the division alongside Wednesday, with the Terriers currently sat in third place, a point and a place ahead of the Owls having played a game more. A three-week break from league football for Henrik Pedersen’s men will come to an end this weekend as the two sides meet at the Accu Stadium on Saturday.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Pedersen made clear the focus was on forcing Wednesday’s style of play on the match but clearly held a respect for the Terriers, who are expected to be among the promotion challengers come May.
“Huddersfield is a physically strong team who is also very strong on the ball,” Pedersen said. “So there's a strong pressing team, in the high press, but also when they stay deep on the pitch and they play some quick transitions. And on the ball, there's a big flexibility in the team. It's a strong team, for sure.
“We want to go there to give a top performance, with a top intensity, with the identity of Wednesday, to play our football. And then we know it will be a tough, tough fight where all the basic things in football, all the second ball, the running in pressing, the running in transition, the duels, all the basic things will be a big thing tomorrow on a big pitch in Huddersfield.”
Pedersen has made no secret of his desire to see better performances from his side after back-to-back goalless draws at home took them into the international break. They head to West Yorkshire with a perfect record on the road, with three wins having been taken 2-1 to make them the only 100 per cent travellers in the division. The Dane has spoken of these performances as ‘culture wins’ rather than ones of high performance and expects to see more from his side as the weeks go on.
“Our culture has been very, very strong and we have been strong that we have no evaluation,” he said. “We have only next action to keep our basic level high. Our top level has not been, in the last four games, been high enough.
“But our bottom level, how we are solid in the basic thing, has been really strong. And the boys know that we can find a way to win and it does not always need to be the same way. There are many ways to win a football game.”
The Owls were linked with a host of transfer possibilities throughout a manic summer rebuild that saw 18 new faces join the club. Among the players The Star understands to have been of interest is Town forward Joe Taylor, who with five goals in his seven appearances so far has earned rave reviews and a Wales call-up for his efforts.
Asked whether the 23-year-old forward had been among the Wednesday targets, Pedersen couldn’t help but smile and said: “One of many possibilities, yeah.”