Henrik Pedersen must consider Sheffield Wednesday formation tweak vs Millwall as Owls eye response
Sheffield Wednesday will be hoping to bounce back from Sunday’s Steel City derby defeat to Sheffield United when they face Millwall on Wednesday night.
Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to halt their ten-match winless run when they travel to the capital to face Millwall at The Den this evening.
The Owls, who have won just once in the Championship this season, were brushed aside by Steel City rivals Sheffield United on Sunday, losing 3-0 at Hillsborough, meaning they have lost six of their last eight matches.
Wednesday produced a limp performance against the Blades, failing to show the competitive edge they have often shown this season in difficult circumstances, meaning manager Henrik Pedersen will be determined to see a positive response against the Londoners.
Ahead of the trip to The Den, here are five pre-match talking points:
Show a reaction
Most Wednesday supporters arrived at Hillsborough on Sunday optimistic their players would give United a game. However, once Tyrese Campbell opened the scoring with just 11 minutes on the clock, the contest was as good as over, with Wednesday powerless to stop the Blades from coasting their way to a third successive Steel City derby win.
Amid the depth of Wednesday’s problems, they did go into the contest as underdogs, with the squad having been decimated during the summer. However, the Owls failed to show the same level of fighting spirit they have offered so many times this season, meaning the fans walked away from Hillsborough understandably furious.
With Pedersen and his players unable to change the past, the only thing they can do is attempt to issue a response at The Den and move on. Again, Wednesday will go into the clash with Alex Neil’s side as underdogs, but the least they can offer is an improved performance.
The supporters deserve that at the very least, after being understandably disappointed with the manner of the defeat to the Blades.
Tweak the system
Wednesday’s performance on Sunday was so flat and uninspiring, it was difficult to work out exactly what their approach was. On paper, after the teams were announced 75 minutes before kick-off, it looked as though the Owls would set up in a 3-5-2.
However, it was more of a 5-4-1 with Jamal Lowe spending most of his time on the left flank. It left Iké Ugbo isolated up front and he struggled up against United captain Japhet Tanganga and centre-back partner Ben Mee.
Although it is going to require a miracle for Wednesday to beat the drop, the fans are still entitled to demand a more adventurous approach. Going into any game with a lone striker is not going to help Wednesday’s cause amid the lack of creative players in midfield and out wide, meaning they would be better off with two men up front to give them something to aim for.
Pedersen should consider tweaking the formation to try and get something else out of a group of players who are far better than what they showed on Sunday.
Recall Cadamarteri
It goes without saying that Ugbo had a difficult time of it against United. As already documented, he was isolated up front and got no change out of United’s dominant centre-backs.
The Canadian international has flopped since returning to Hillsborough on a permanent basis in August 2024, scoring just two goals - both of which were plundered in the Carabao Cup. After struggling up against Tanganga and Mee, he was jeered when he was substituted with Wednesday 2-0 down after 73 minutes.
Many Owls supporters, who fell in love with Ugbo during his loan spell in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, have now reached the end of their tethers with the former Troyes man, demanding that Bailey Cadamarteri should be recalled for the visit to The Den.
Although the Wednesday academy graduate has only scored one goal himself this season, most supporters are in favour of him being recalled because of his work rate up front. In the midst of a three-game week, and in a bid to take Ugbo out of the firing line, Pedersen may have no choice but to recall the Jamaican international.
Millwall hoodoo
It goes without saying that Wednesday don’t have the best of records when it comes to facing Millwall, winning just one of the last nine meetings between the two clubs, losing four. That sole victory came in February 2024 when the Owls prevailed at The Den, winning 2-0 via goals from Anthony Musaba and Ugbo under Danny Röhl.
However, Wednesday were brushed aside on their last visit to this particular corner of the capital, losing 3-0 in their fourth game of last season. That marked Wednesday’s fourth defeat in their last six visits to The Den.
With recent history stacked against them, the Owls will be attempting to turn a new page in the history of this particular fixture. The Lions, who were beaten 3-1 by Portsmouth at the weekend, are on a four-game winless run and will be hoping to avoid going five games without a victory for the first time since January (a run of six).
Avoid conceding early
There are three guarantees in life: death, taxes and Wednesday conceding early. Campbell’s opener at Hillsborough on Sunday marked the ninth goal the Owls have conceded inside the opening 15 minutes this season.
Those nine goals account for 28.1 per cent of the 32 goals Pedersen’s side have conceded in the Championship so far this term, highlighting how big a problem their slow starts are. With a skeleton squad and limited options on the bench that can come on and turn things around, Wednesday, nine times out of ten, are relying on Plan A coming to fruition.
Wednesday have conceded inside the opening 15 minutes in four of their last six matches, meaning they are consistently facing an uphill struggle. Millwall have scored three goals in the opening 15 minutes so far this term.