What Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk had to say about the Owls' struggles up front

Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk has said he is not concerned by his side’s lack of cutting edge in front of goal this season, believing they will become more clinical as the season goes on.
Sheffield Wednesday marksman Steven Fletcher has struck the woodwork a number of times in recent weeksSheffield Wednesday marksman Steven Fletcher has struck the woodwork a number of times in recent weeks
Sheffield Wednesday marksman Steven Fletcher has struck the woodwork a number of times in recent weeks

Eighth-placed Wednesday have the third-worst chance conversion rate in the division (13%), ahead of only bottom pair Stoke and Barnsley, and on Saturday missed a host of chances in their 2-2 draw disappointment against Swansea.

But it is his players’ battling attitude and the creation of those chances that Monk is more focused on, he says, that will allow goals to follow after a run of what he describes as bad luck.

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The Owls had 20 shots in that Swansea draw – the second-most in the division on the day – and struck the woodwork on three occasions. It is one of a handful of examples of matches that have escaped Wednesday’s grasp despite periods of domination.

Speaking after the draw at Hillsborough, Monk said: “These are going to fight in every game until the very end. It’s so important.

“And they’re doing it in a way that they’re creating chances. That first half, how the ball hasn’t gone in the net in that first half is quite incredible. When that luck starts to change we’ll be able to put ourselves in more comfortable positions.

“We can only put ourselves in those positions and keep trying to do it. We know that it will turn if we keep putting ourselves in those positions, it can’t continue like that.”

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Questions have been asked of the side’s perceived reliance on target man Steven Fletcher, who was riding high among the division’s top goalscorers until a run of six games without a goal.

Owls boss Garry Monk (right) is not concerned by Wednesday's chance conversion recordOwls boss Garry Monk (right) is not concerned by Wednesday's chance conversion record
Owls boss Garry Monk (right) is not concerned by Wednesday's chance conversion record

The Scot has struck the woodwork in four of those matches, however, leaving Monk pondering his luck.

“Of course you work to try and refine the composure and finishing but we’ve had so many moments with the ball hitting the keeper and he’s known nothing about it or hitting the post or whatever,” he said.

“That’s the luck we haven’t had in the last four or five games. The good thing is that we are creating chances, this is the eighth game out of ten that I’ve had that has seen us create more chances than the opposition. That’s a good sign.

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“We need a bit more ruthlessness, but you can see how hard they’re trying to do that.

“I don’t worry about it. My concerns as a manager are to get a team into a position to create chances. A lot of teams are in a more difficult position where they just can’t create chances. We’re creating enough to win games and that’s the pleasing bit.”