Sheffield Wednesday manager, Xisco, says that he’s choosing to focus on the things that the Owls are improving on – but also suggested he wasn’t
against a possible system change.
Wednesday were beaten 4-2 by Hull City on Saturday as their rough start to the 2023/24 season continued, and more worrying than the result was
the lack of possession and lack of chances that were forged out by the Owls at the MKM Stadium.
Juan Delgado and Michael Smith scored their only two shots on target, like Lee Gregory scored their only shot on target v Southampton, and their
manager insists that he’s happy with the output of their players in terms of work ethic – though he knows that results need to improve.
“I’m very happy with the team,” he told The Star. “Because always they give 100% in the situations, but am I disappointed about the result? Of course.
Are we disappointed about the second half? Of course. This is not our team, this is not what I want. But we’re in this moment – we had it for 45
minutes. If I go back two weeks we wouldn’t have had it for five minutes in the intensity and duels and these kinds of things.
“You can focus on one of two things – you can focus on what we need, or what we are improving. Everybody can decide which is better, and I choose
to look at what we are improving and every day our team is getting better and better.”
The Owls went into the half time break at 1-1 having limited Hull to any real chances of note, however things took a turn in the second stanza, and
after pointing out their lack of success in in-game duels Xisco said that they might need to look at working with a back five in order to stop goals like
those of Ozan Tufan’s after the break being scored.
“Maybe we need to change the system,” the Wednesday boss went on to say. “Because maybe we don’t have a solid situation with a back four and we
need to starting working for a back five… Always we need to be thinking about the situation and how we can improve it – but the first thing is to close
the situation in front of our goal, because if they attack your central channels in the Championship it’s very dangerous.”
Wednesday are one of four clubs in the second tier yet to pick up a point after two games alongside Middlesbrough, Huddersfield Town and
Sunderland, and the manager will be desperate for that to change when Preston North End come to Hillsborough on Saturday afternoon.
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Sheffield Wednesday must ‘find a solution’ as Xisco Munoz vows to address Championship situation
The Owls are yet to win in the Championship this season following the 4-2 defeat to Hull City
Sheffield Wednesday boss Xisco Munoz admits he needs to ‘find a solution’ after the Owls lost their first two Championship games. Munoz saw his
side crash to a 4-2 defeat to Hull City on Saturday, leaving them as one of four teams yet to pick up a point in the division.
Wednesday were poor, but they somehow took the lead after 36 minutes when Juan Delgado capitalised upon Dominic Iorfa’s low cross via a
deflection.
Hull equalised in first-half injury time when Lee Gregory elbowed Jacob Greaves inside the box and – from the resulting spot-kick – Ozan Tufan
scored an unstoppable penalty. The Turkey international then stole the show after the interval by firstly scoring a wonderful second from the edge of
the penalty area after 58 minutes.
With Wednesday out of ideas and fatigued, Tufan put the game out of sight with a similarly-precise finish with the inside of his right foot. Substitute
Aaron Connolly made it 4-1 after he passed the ball into an open net following Michael Ihiekwe’s poor back-pass.
And though Wednesday substitute Michael Smith added a touch of respectability to the scoreline in stoppage time, Owls fans may have few qualms
with the result. Wednesday have now lost their first two games since gaining promotion from League One.
Manager Xisco Munoz said: “The second half we were very far away from what I want. I didn’t see the balance for a consistent performance, but the
situation right now is to control emotions.
“We need to control the moments and we need to improve with duels – both in offence and defence. We needed to improve on many things, but every
day we get better and better and get closer, but we need to find a solution.
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