#blog-pager{clear:both;margin:30px auto;text-align:center; padding: 7px;} .blog-pager {background: none;} .displaypageNum a,.showpage a,.pagecurrent{padding: 3px 7px;margin-right:5px;background:#E9E9E9;color: #888;border:1px solid #E9E9E9;} .displaypageNum a:hover,.showpage a:hover,.pagecurrent{background:#CECECE;text-decoration:none;color: #000;} .showpageOf{display:none!important} #blog-pager .showpage, #blog-pager .pagecurrent{font-weight:bold;color: #888;} #blog-pager .pages{border:none;} - See more at: http://labstrikes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/add-calendar-style-date-widget-for-blog-post.html#sthash.Js2lbh9N.dpuf

10:56:00

Five things we learned from the Sheffield Wednesday game

The spoils were shared in the South Yorkshire derby at Hillsborough as Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham both drew a blank on Saturday, protecting the Millers' good recent record at S6.

A draw was probably a fair result, though Rotherham probably did enough to feel they should have won, especially considering Paul Green's glaring miss.

Here's five things we learned from the game.

Richie Smallwood is back to his best

After his dalliance on the right wing in the midweek defeat to Reading, Smallwood was restored to his best position of central midfield and put in a man-of-the-match performance. 

Sitting in front of the back four, he did what he does best - put endless amount of tackles in and broke up Wednesday attacks. His reassuring presence allowed Green and Lee Frecklington to advance further up the field while providing an extra line of defence to the back four.

How Steve Evans will keep him in the team after the international break will be interesting to see, as a 4-5-1 formation is unlikely to be used in crucial home games against Birmingham and Blackpool, meaning that one of that midfield trio will probably miss out. And on this evidence, it won't be Smallwood.

Richie Smallwood provided plenty of champagne moments at Hillsborough

Paul Taylor needs to learn how to pass

Taylor has been the subject of plenty of acclaim following his match-turning substitute's appearance against Leeds, but the more we see of him in a Millers shirt, the more infuriating it gets. 

His skills and talent are not in question and he remains the only person in the squad who can run with the ball and beat defenders. But his end product is severely lacking and that was showcased with his performance at Hillsborough. 

So often when he received the ball he got his head down and tried to beat several players, ignoring an obvious pass, and right-back Frazer Richardson must be wondering what he has done wrong as he never receives the ball when making an overlap.

Taylor constantly found himself in good positions in the Wednesday half with time and space, but it never yielded any real threat. He is becoming the master of running into blind alleys and always wants one extra touch instead of releasing the pass early. 

There's no doubting his ability and he has the potential to be a fine asset for the Millers, but perhaps there is a reason why he has yet to nail down his place in the side.



Steve Evans did not want to lose this

One thing that is clear about Evans is his pride at his record in the big matches. And with his tactics and lack of substitutions at Hillsborough, it smacked of him not wanting to lose the game, rather than going to win it. 

His 4-5-1 formation has never really worked this season and Alex Revell was left isolated in attack, with no one near him when the inevitable long ball from Joe Skarz came.

Then in the second half, with the Millers on top, it was crying out for a change, with the pace and power of Jonson Clarke-Harris or Jordan Bowery a tantalising prospect against a Wednesday team who were frightened of failure.

Evans admitted himself that he did not make a sub to guard against the Millers being punished while that player settled into the game, but that is most unlike the Scot.


Most people would have taken a point before the game, but with Wednesday there for the taking the lack of a gamble by Evans cost his side the chance of all three.

Evans' incredible big-match record is still in tact, but did that come at the expense of a potential win?

Kirk Broadfoot is no Kari Arnason

From the moment Broadfoot got turned by Gary Taylor-Fletcher inside the opening 10 minutes, leading to the Scot earning a yellow card, it was a hairy afternoon for him and for Millers fans watching on. 

Used to the serene calmness of Kari Arnason alongside Craig Morgan, Broadfoot put in a 90-minute performance that was fraught with danger.

Nit long after that challenge on Taylor-Fletcher he got turned inside out by Stevie May, which led to a decent chance for the Owls, on an afternoon where the lack of pace in Rotherham's back four was highlighted for all to see.

The real moment of calamity came early in the second half when Kieren Westwood's long ball was allowed to bounce and despite a good 10-yard headstart on the not-so-pacy Atdhe Nuhiu, Broadfoot found himself under pressure and sent back a backpass that Adam Collin could only make minimal contact on, but it was enough to divert it just past the post.

It could have been a real afternoon to forget for the former Blackpool man when Kieran Lee went to ground late on after turning his marker, but fortunately referee Nigel Miller chose not to award a penalty.

Steve Evans would loved to have been taking a bow in front of the Leppings Lane end

Stevie May isn't that bad

Rotherham fans have been quick to deride Stevie May and his performances since choosing the Owls over their club, suggesting it was a bullet dodged. Although May has not exactly set Hillsborough alight, on Saturday's showing he has had less than no service to feed off.

There is definitely potential there and there were several occasions where he looked very sharp. The way he turned Broadfoot in the second half was particularly promising and he was involved in all of Wednesday's main moments.

He worked particularly hard throughout and harried the Millers back four for the full 90 minutes in a shift that would have been expected of him had he chosen New York.

You don't have the record he does if you don't know where the net is, instead of griping at May's performances Wednesday fans may be better serve to question why he is getting no service.


Latest News

Matchday

Topical

Features


Copyright 2016