Sheffield Wednesday v Reading: Owls in buoyant mood as expectations rise for next season

Dutchman Joey Pelupessy has emerged from a tough baptism to life in English football with flying colours.
Happy days: Joey Pelupessy. Picture: Steve EllisHappy days: Joey Pelupessy. Picture: Steve Ellis
Happy days: Joey Pelupessy. Picture: Steve Ellis

The Sheffield Wednesday midfielder joined countryman Jos Luhukay at Hillsborough in January, with the Owls facing a Championship relegation battle.

With a midfield missing key men like Sam Hutchinson, Kieran Lee and Barry Bannan, the 24-year-old had big boots to fill.

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But, after making his debut in the FA Cup against Reading – who return to Hillsborough today in the league – Pelupessy has quickly adapted to life at Wednesday.

“I’m understanding the league a little more,” said Pelupessy. “If I compare myself with the first weeks and this last period, you see a difference.

“I feel every week I’m growing a little bit. I’ve played better in the last period than the beginning so I’m getting used to it.”

When the managerless Owls slumped to a 3-0 home defeat to strugglers Burton Albion on New Year’s Day, a tough second half of the campaign loomed.

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Championship safety was only confirmed in last week’s 1-0 win at Hull City, and Pelupessy admitted he joined a club battling for their future.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay. Picture: Steve EllisSheffield Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay. Picture: Steve Ellis
Sheffield Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay. Picture: Steve Ellis

He said: “It is a different situation. At the beginning, we didn’t have a lot of points and we had to fight a little bit in a relegation battle. It has changed and I’m very happy with that.

“I feel more comfortable now. It is not that I didn’t feel more comfortable in the beginning but if you are new then you are always more quiet and it is not easy.

“Now I think I’m accepted with the guys and I feel very well and I’m very happy when we score a goal.

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“Sometimes when I celebrate a goal I see the highlights after the game and I’m thinking ‘I was so crazy in my head!’ But it’s not a bad thing.”

Sheffield Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay. Picture: Steve EllisSheffield Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay. Picture: Steve Ellis
Sheffield Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay. Picture: Steve Ellis

The Owls, with three games remaining, have 50 points and Pelupessy is hoping they can finish the season on a high.

“When the manager first arrived, we had to gather a lot of points as we were a little bit in trouble,” he said.

“It is not always about the way you play and you just have to win and take points.

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“Now in the last games we have to finish with good results and he has to try a little bit to see how we are going to play next season.

“We have to go into the holidays with a good feeling. We don’t want to lose three games now. Of course, we have enough points but for for the group and for the fans you want to create a good feeling for the next season.”

The Owls have won four of their last six games – against Leeds United, Preston, Sunderland and Hull – and have lost to Fulham and Queens Park Rangers.

That has helped lift the mood at S6, and Pelupessy, who is starting to form a promising midfield partnership with the returning Bannan, is optimistic for the future.

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“The result (at Hull) was very good,” he said. “I’ve got a really good, positive feeling about things as we have won a lot of games in this period.

“We lost against Fulham but they were a good opponent and we lost the QPR game ourselves because we made a lot of mistakes in the first 15 minutes.

“There were some difficult things but I think we have done well over the whole period. We have had a lot of wins and the team is growing. The last few weeks have been positive.”

Last season, Wednesday and Reading were bridesmaids in the Championship play-offs, both losing to Huddersfield Town.

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Twelve months on and both have struggled in the bottom half of the table, with the Royals sat five points above third-from-bottom Barnsley.

“Every season is not the same,” said Owls chief Luhukay. “Reading last year were in the play-off final against Huddersfield, but this season their performances have maybe not been what they wanted.

“A new manager has come, but the team is very good. They have a lot of quality – more than their position in the league (suggests) I think.”

Luhukay has no fears his Owls team will be complacent today.

“The mentality and character in the group is fantastic, so I am not afraid my team will suddenly not be motivated for the game,” he said.