3 things Sheffield Wednesday will have clearly learnt following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against Luton Town
Sheffield Wednesday’s struggles in the Championship continued with a 2-1 loss to Luton Town at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.
After a dramatic survival last season under Danny Rohl, there was optimism that Wednesday could push up the table, especially following a promising summer of transfers. However, things haven’t gone as planned so far.
The Owls opened the season with a commanding 4-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle but have since found wins hard to come by. Their latest defeat means they are winless in five league matches.
Wednesday took the lead early in the second half when Barry Bannan volleyed in from a Yan Valery cross after dominating much of the game. However, things took a turn in the 74th minute when Di’Shon Bernard was controversially penalized for handball and shown a red card. Carlton Morris scored the resulting penalty and netted a second goal late on to secure Luton’s win.
Rohl expressed his frustration after the match, telling BBC Radio Sheffield, “The better team lost. We’re making progress, and this was a step forward in what I want to see.”
Despite Wednesday’s improved performance, they now find themselves in the relegation zone with a tough fixture against league leaders West Bromwich Albion at Hillsborough next.
| Championship table (as it stands 22nd September) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 17 | Stoke City | 6 | -5 | 6 |
| 18 | Millwall | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| 19 | Coventry City | 6 | -2 | 5 |
| 20 | Plymouth Argyle | 6 | -5 | 5 |
| 21 | Preston North End | 6 | -6 | 5 |
| 22 | Sheffield Wednesday | 6 | -6 | 4 |
| 23 | Portsmouth | 6 | -6 | 3 |
| 24 | Cardiff City | 6 | -12 | 1 |
As Wednesday turn their attention to the meeting with the Baggies, we looked at three of the main takeaways from the defeat to Luton.
Barry Bannan remains crucial
Every year, some Wednesday fans question whether the 34-year-old can maintain his level of performance, but Bannan has silenced his critics with standout displays in recent weeks. After scoring the opener in the 1-1 draw against Queens Park Rangers last weekend, he produced another moment of brilliance with a superb volley in the loss to Luton Town on Saturday.
It’s no surprise to see Bannan making such key contributions, and his goal highlighted the quality that sets him apart from many of his teammates, reaffirming his vital role for the Owls.
Though Rohl may need to carefully manage Bannan’s minutes as he nears the latter stages of his career, the Scot remains one of the first names on the team sheet.
Meanwhile, Michael Smith still has a significant role to play for the team.
Smith was given his first start of the season in the recent clash against Luton Town, replacing Ike Ugbo, who has only netted once in seven games since rejoining the Owls from Troyes for a reported £3 million. Rohl’s decision to start Smith paid off, as his physical presence and aerial ability were effective against Luton’s tough defence, making a strong case for him to keep his place in the lineup for next weekend’s match against West Brom.
Although Smith has only scored once this season, his overall contributions have been notable, with three assists to his name. With Ugbo and Jamal Lowe struggling to find form, the 32-year-old may play a more crucial role than initially expected.
Additionally, Football League World’s Wednesday fan pundit expressed concerns over the timing of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s interest in Valentin, praising Rohl for standing firm on transfer decisions. The pundit also emphasized the need for a stronger mentality within the squad going forward.
It is difficult to disagree with Rohl’s assessment that his side deserved more against Luton and he is correct that more performances like that will see Wednesday pick up points.
There is no doubt that the questionable decision to award the Hatters a penalty and send off Bernard was a turning point in the game, and had the Owls kept 11 men on the pitch, it seems likely they would have come away with the victory.
However, while Wednesday were always going to come under significant pressure from Luton in the latter stages of the game given their numerical disadvantage, Rohl would have been disappointed that his side were unable to hold out for a point.
After QPR scored a 96th-minute equaliser last weekend, this was the second consecutive game in which the Owls conceded a late goal and their defensive vulnerabilities were on display once again as Morris was allowed to slot home from close range.
Wednesday have tightened up at the back since the international break after conceding an alarming 10 goals in three games in August but it is still an area in need of improvement and Rohl’s men will need to show a stronger mentality, particularly away from home.
There is no need for the Owls to panic despite dropping into the relegation zone but they will need to rediscover the fighting spirit that was crucial to their incredible turnaround last season to get themselves out of their current predicament.
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