Sheffield Wednesday spoilt for choice as they struggle for Hillsborough goals

Louie Barry is out injured.

Saturday against Wigan Athletic was the third home game of five this season the Owls failed to score in. The Latics arguably had more reason to rue a game between League One’s top and bottom teams finishing 0-0 than their hosts.

Maybe sometimes you can have too much of a good thing.

Perhaps in this phase of the season where manager Henrik Pedersen is still gelling combinations, he has too many options.

Lowe, Burstow and Al-Hamadi all had a go at centre-forward, Keillor-Dunn played in the hole, Slattery in a hybrid role drifting there off the left, Morrison, Gray and when he moved there Lowe, tried to give width.

The hosts started in a lopsided 4-4-2, then switched to a 4-2-3-1.

But although they had most of the ball and did most of the attacking, they were not really unlucky.

Mason Burstow hit the woodwork in the fifth minute – as Wigan’s Jensen Weir would in the second half – but from a very tight angle. He had raced so far ahead of his team-mates chasing Yan Valery's pass there was no one to cross to.

Despite a poor start to the season, Wigan did not park the bus but relied on the sort of focused counter-attacking serving loanee Burstow's parent club Hull City so well.

Wigan debutant Scott Hogan would have had the sort of chance he relishes to win the game with almost its final kick but for Gabriel Otegbayo’s brilliant last-ditch tackle.

Pedersen rightly called the result "quite fair".

His side have scored a eight goals in five home games. But seven came versus Bromley, the other in a League Cup first-round tie against Bolton Wanderers bridging pre-season and competitive football.

We are miles away from panic stations – they kept a first clean sheet since Bolton and have made life easier by winning all three away games 2-1 – but there is a problem to fix.

"There's a big expectation when we're playing at Hillsborough that we have to be dominant with the ball," acknowledged Pedersen. "That's why we will work a lot with this part of the game.

"We're going to be better and improve it. The relationships are going to be stronger and stronger so our good offensive players can come into good situations. But of course, things take a little bit of time."

No arguments there.

The way Wednesday played in the first half, it looked like a goal would come, even if the zero at the other end was uncertain with Liam Cooper having to make two vital interceptions, and Joe Lumley a good near-post save from Reggie Walsh.

Morrison was a constant threat down the right but his crosses did not always get a touch and his best shot also came from a tight angle.

The Owls have plenty of players – Keillor-Dunn, Slattery, Gray, arguably even Lowe – most comfortable between the lines, but League One also demands a strong presence at centre-forward.

"We have a clear way for how we want to do it," said Pedersen.

"Now when we have a full squad (Barry apart) we try to find our way, how do we fit the players? We have to make adjustments.

"We have most players in the best position where they can express themselves in the best way.

"The thinking (behind Slattery's role) was that he could be the third part of the midfield. Defensively, we played 4-4-2. When we were on the ball, he could go in as the second ten (inside-left). He was always central when we were on the ball."

When Wigan got on top early in the second half – Morgan Fox's shot deflected over and Weir curled a shot onto a post – Pedersen turned to his bench. It ought to be his real trump card this season.

But neither Keillor-Dunn, Al-Hamadi nor Gray when he came on later could fashion a decent chance until stoppage time.

"I tried to get more energy in the pitch, to get Ali to run more deep, to have a double (presence, in Keillor-Dunn and Slattery) between the lines but also come in the box," explained Pedersen.

In the desperate final minutes Keillor-Dunn put a ball in from the byline but Al-Hamadi's flick went nowhere, Gray had a cross-shot punched away and a volley over.

But in the last of them, Hogan sprinted away, only for fellow substitute Otegbayo to deny him.

Days like this happen, especially to a squad with so many changes. The trick now is to learn from it.

Sheffield Wednesday: Lumley; Valery (Palmer 61), Santos (Otegbayo 74), Cooper, James; Morrison, Mitchell, Bannan, Slattery (Keillor-Dunn 61); J Lowe (Gray 78), Burstow (Al-Hamadi 61).

Unused substitutes: Maynard-Brewer, Weaver.

Wigan Athletic: Whitworth; Carragher, Burns, Fox, Mellish; Power, Gray (Harris 87); Murray (Barrett 84), Weir, R Walsh (Costelloe 70); Perkins (Hogan 70).

Unused substitutes: J Walsh, Sze, Burrowes.

Referee: S Stocksbridge (Tyne and Wear).