Sheffield Wednesday’s struggles continued as they fell to a 3-0 defeat against Millwall.
Manager Danny Röhl pulled no punches in his post match interview, using words such as ‘terrible’ and claiming his side needed to ‘wake up’
Despite dominating possession in the first half with nearly 60%, Wednesday lacked cutting edge and managed just one attempt on goal (0.02 xG) compared to Millwall’s eight (1.02 xG). The deadlock was broken 13 minutes into the second half when Josh Coburn, making his debut for the Lions, tapped in at the far post after being set up by Duncan Watmore.
Watmore, who has been in fine form, doubled Millwall’s lead in the 71st minute with a close-range finish after the Owls failed to clear Joe Bryan’s low corner. It was Watmore’s fourth goal in as many league matches this season, highlighting Wednesday’s defensive vulnerabilities.
Millwall sealed the win with a late third goal as Jake Cooper headed home Casper De Norre’s cross, leaving the Owls with three consecutive league defeats since their 4-0 thrashing of Plymouth on the opening day. In these losses, Wednesday have conceded nine goals without scoring any.
The Owls’ inability to turn possession into goals was evident, with their only real chance coming in the first half, while Millwall were far more clinical.
Wednesday’s head coach, Danny Röhl, said it was time for his team to ‘wake up’ after their slow start.
“Three defeats in a row. It’s terrible. It’s time to wake up,” said the popular manager.
“There was high expectation after one win but we are back in reality and that means fighting for every point – that is what I want to see in the next few weeks.
“It’s a big, big sickener for me that it goes in the wrong direction and not the right direction. I need to find a solution in the next few weeks.
“Cheap goals (conceded) and also we created nothing up front. We have to improve as soon as possible.”
Writer’s View
That opening-day victory must feel like a long while ago for Owls’ fans. They were toothless here, against a side who had secured just one point from a possible nine in their opening fixtures.
There seemed to be little purpose to Wednesday’s play, and they rarely managed to trouble Lukas Jensen in the Millwall net. Instead, it was the home side who looked lively, but whether that was because their visitors were so bad or because they were good is a point of debate.
The Owls are a big club, and they will want to be fighting further up the table, having looked good during periods of last season despite their lowly position. They’ll want to put this behind them and move on quickly, but the international break gives them time to dwell on their current predicament.
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