Henrik Pedersen says Sheffield Wednesday did not show their true selves in derby defeat
HENRIK PEDERSEN felt Sheffield Wednesday did not show what they were about in their 3-0 defeat at home to Sheffield United.
Their squad decimated by financial problems and added to by injuries, there was no shame in the Owls losing at home to their Steel City rivals, but it was the way they played which disappointed their manager.
The Owls were behind from the 11th minute, and Tyrese Campbell scored his second goal minutes into the second half, effectively killing the game as a contest. Tom Cannon added a third in stoppage-time.
"We are all disappointed," reflected Pedersen, who lost Dominic Iorfa to injury in the first half. "It was not the performance we hoped for.
"We got a good beginning of the game, and then we conceded a transition (counter-attack) goal after 11 minutes.
"And then afterwards, we struggled a bit with the belief, with the trust to have the ball, to move the ball quickly enough.
"They played a lot of long balls, channel balls, second balls. They were really strong in this, and we had a little bit of a challenge to match this phase of the game.
"They didn't create anything, but we were not dominant in this phase. And then, second half, after five minutes, I think we conceded for 2-0.
"We had the ball in 64 per cent in second half but we had it from our own goal to the last 20m of the opponent's half.
"We struggled to find the last pass, to have the last cross, the last movement.
"We lost to a better team."
Pedersen did not feel a lack of confidence from his bottom-of-the-Championship team or the pressure of the derby were to blame.
"I think we are all very conscious it was not the performance we had hoped to give all the fantastic fans in Hillsborough," he said. "But I know my boys and I know how we have trained this week. I know how we have played (previously) and I'm sure we can find this again.
"They are strong characters, strong boys, and that’s a strong group.
"I'm not sure but I don't think (feeling the pressure of a derby) was the reason. I felt before the game that the players were really looking forward to this day and they really looked forward to giving something back to all the fans. They were so proud of the full house.
"I could feel this disappointment that they also have a feeling that we didn't play all out. We didn't come all out with who Sheffield Wednesday is and we have to learn to play big games and also think big in big games and not only be a part of the big games.
"The disappointment is that we feel we didn't play all out and show 100 per cent who we are."