The Owls have made a slow start to life in the Championship this season.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvalhal
Carlos Carvalhal has insisted to the Sheffield Star that the size of Sheffield Wednesday’s midfield is not a cause for concern after their slow start to the new season.
Wednesday are currently languishing near the bottom three in the Championship, having not won any of their last three league games.
Sheffield Wednesday’s Barry Bannan
And while some would suggest that their lack of physical presence in the middle of the park has been the reason that the Owls lost to the likes of Burton Albion and Leeds, and failed to get past Cambridge United in the League Cup, Carvalhal suggested that that was not the case, and pointed out how Barcelona have not been held back in recent years despite the lack of height within their ranks.
He told the Sheffield Star: “Barcelona win everything and they play with Xavi, [Andrés] Iniesta and [Lionel] Messi. Do you say ‘let’s put a physical guy in and put these small, talented guys out as we need rugby players on the pitch?’
Andres Iniesta
“It depends on the mentality. If you want to play direct football and win second balls like the past, it is an option. If you want to pay a ticket to see football, you must select the players to play football.”
Although the fact that the likes of Barry Bannan, Kieran Lee and Ross Wallace perhaps offer less when it comes to physicality has appeared to cost them this term, there is no question that those players were vital to their success last season.
The trio, along with Fernando Forestieri, were hugely influential in inspiring the Owls to the play-off final. And while things have not quite clicked this time around, Carvalhal – whose tenure began with one win from his first seven league games – can surely be confident that they have more than enough quality to turn things around.
Sheffield Wednesday’s Kieran Lee (L) and Fernando Forestieri
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
