Analysis: Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday initially set up in a 3-4-3 in possession, with Matt Penney and Ashley Baker providing the width either side of Barry Bannan and Joey Pelupessy in midfield. Fernando Forestieri and Adam Reach supported Steven Fletcher in attack.

The Owls’ main strategy in attack was to send the ball directly to Fletcher in the air before feeding off the second ball, and the introduction of forwards Atdhe Nuhiu and Lucas Joao in the second half saw the hosts continue with this direct approach. Due to the reactive nature of their shape in response to the various threats posed by Leeds, a direct game was always likely. Given this approach involves fewer players, it bolstered the ease with which they could transition to their out-of-possession structure, thereby limiting the threat of counter-attacks.

The role of Michael Hector, positioned in the centre of the back three, was interesting in the early stages. The centre-back could regularly be seen stepping in to create an extra man in midfield in both offensive and defensive phases of the game. He was tasked with screening the ball into the striker’s feet, picking up any opponent who drifted into this area, and tracking runners in between the full-back and centre-back. Despite his stepping in to midfield being an effective idea out of possession, it was discarded as a tactic towards the latter stages of the first half.

Out of possession, the Owls demonstrated exceptional tactical flexibility. Their initial shape was a 5-4-1, with Penney and Baker tucking in with the back three to form the defensive line of five – but, due to the advanced roles of Leeds’ full-backs, Wednesday were reliant on wide forwards Reach and Forestieri to track their men. As Reach was significantly better at this than Forestieri, they struggled defensively down their left-hand side – and this resulted in a switch to a 4-4-2. Forestieri joined Fletcher on the top line to avoid more defensive damage, while Reach moved to the right side of midfield, Penney to the left and Baker (later Liam Palmer) dropped in to play at right-back. Hector and Tom Lees became the two centre-backs, with Jordan Thorniley sliding across to left-back.

Bannan and Pelupessy had to stay close to each other centrally to prevent the risk of central penetration, but this opened spaces either side of them, as Reach and Penney had to track their runners very deep – and Leeds eventually capitalised on this to score the equaliser in the second half. The Owls dealt with the fluidity of their opponents’ movement well for the most part of the game, however, and fleeted between tracking their runners all over the pitch and passing them on. They tended to stay with their runners, as they would generally have a one-man overload in their own defensive third. As Leeds ultimately operated with three central defenders and the Owls set up with two forwards, they could track their opponents wherever they moved, within reason, and still maintain an extra man for cover.