Henrik Pedersen makes Sheffield Wednesday admission after Oxford United thrashing
Sheffield Wednesday were soundly beaten at Oxford United on Saturday.
Henrik Pedersen admitted his Sheffield Wednesday side’s performance in heavy defeat at Oxford United fell below the standards that are asked of them.
In a clash that finished 4-1, a lacklustre first half saw the U’s cruise into control of the match, with the home side blitzing 15 shots before the break to Wednesday’s three. A maiden senior goal from 17-year-old Will Grainger was the bright moment in an improved second half but the match left a sour taste after weeks of steady progress from the crisis-stricken team.
“There was not enough. You could see we were not physically fresh, but most of all we were not mentally fresh. The biggest strength in our team is our culture and the connection between each other. Today we were not good enough here and that’s how we lost that connection, we were not one team with one game plan. That was the biggest challenge today.
“We are one team because we need each other to make a good performance. Today, especially in the first half, it was too much. We didn't have the energy to bring the connection together. We were not the team we wanted to be. The second half was better than the first half, but from the total package it was not enough for me.”
Former Owls fan favourite Will Vaulks scored for Oxford alongside a brace from former Blade Will Lankshear to further run salt in Wednesday wounds. An improved second half did little to redress the balance of the game and asked whether a quick turnaround from Wednesday evening’s defeat at Middlesbrough - along with the relentless nature of the season - simply became too much for his team, Pedersen refused to make an excuse of the situation.
“We were not the team we want to be today and this is the standard we set every day and have done,” he said. “I know they have done it so well for a long time, the boys. Really, really well. This is the first time for a long, long time that we are not the team with the culture we want to have.
“We are going to be tested. Who do we want to be? Today there was too many phases of the game where we were not the team we want to be. We will bring them back again, so we can finalise the season strongly in the last game.”