Henrik Pedersen anger in aftermath of Bromley rout shows raised Sheffield Wednesday standards - analysis
Analysis of Sheffield Wednesday’s remarkable 7-2 victory over Bromley in League One
Henrik Pedersen was reluctant - and understandably so - to be too critical of his Sheffield Wednesday players last season.
They were fighting in the Championship with both arms tied behind their backs, forced to compete in a division they were woefully ill-equipped to survive in.
Pedersen was as much of a healer of bruised egos as he was a coach and in public at least, stood firmly in front of his squad as a shield.
Times have now changed. Pedersen watched his side romp to a 7-2 victory over Bromley, last season’s League Two champions and awkward customers for many, and spoke of anger post-match.
Henrik Pedersen’s anger
“I was very angry in the dressing room,” he said. “When you play such a strong game for 75 minutes, then you cannot drop down in your level as we did in the last 15 minutes in your defensive work.
“Defensive work is the basic, why we were good in the first half, you cannot drop in this, we have to show the hunger to the end, and of course nobody is happy that we conceded two goals in the last 15 minutes.”
Pedersen’s candour pointed to a mentality shift in South Yorkshire. With the club now in League One and under new ownership, there is a demand for points rather than a reluctant acceptance of the near-inevitability of defeat.
Over the course of the 2026/27 season, Pedersen’s players may have to grow accustomed to some stinging remarks when the seas get choppy. Fortunately for the Owls, defensive lapses late on were all Pedersen had to take aim at.
Sheffield Wednesday’s remarkable goal frenzy
They served up a remarkable display of attacking vibrancy, tearing through a Bromley side rendered utterly helpless.
Andy Woodman’s men wanted the game played at close physical quarters but Wednesday ensured distance by moving the ball at pace. At no point did the game become a tussle, which would have played into the hands of the imposing Ravens.
Callum Slattery delivered the first blow before Mason Burstow doubled the advantage. Jamal Lowe and Louie Barry bagged braces and substitute defender Gabriel Otegbayo headed home goal number seven.
Bromley’s late goals came via Victor Adeboyejo and an Otegbayo own goal.
For a fanbase so deprived of fun in recent years, it was a party of goals they were sad to see end.
It was also the type of result Pedersen could bask in having spent the bulk of his Hillsborough reign trying to extinguish flames of chaos.
“I think it means something for all of us,” said Pedersen. “We had the first two league games, we created a lot of chances.
“We won one and lost one, and then we knew Bromley are a strong team, we know they’re a physically strong team, a power team, and how can we match this power when we play against a team with this type of football?
“And big, big respect for what they are doing, big respect for what the manager is doing with this team. That we can compete here and we can be dominant here, and then to score seven goals of course is a good feeling.”
Sheffield Wednesday: Lumley, Valery, Santos (Otegbayo 45), Cooper (Palmer 45), James; Mitchell (Thornton 69), Bannan (Morrison 61); Lowe, Slattery, Barry (Al-Hamadi 79); Burstow.
Unused substitutes: Trueman, Moses.
Bromley: George, Headman, Sowunmi, Grant, Ifill; McKiernan; Brenan 45), Whiteley (Adeboyejo 45), Hondermarck (Mendy 60), Conteh, Pinnock (Archer 45); Cheek (Kabamba 69).
Unused substitutes: Mason, Thompson
Referee: Will Finnie (Bedfordshire)