Sheffield Wednesday’s long wait for a home league win goes on, but this was another step towards a side that at least looks more organised, more competitive and more in tune with what Henrik Pedersen is asking of it.
Gabriel Otegbayo’s second-half equaliser secured a 1-1 draw against Charlton Athletic at Hillsborough, cancelling out Matty Godden’s opener and stretching Wednesday’s unbeaten run to three matches. In the broader picture, the Owls were good value for their point and could make a fair case that they deserved more.
Pedersen called it his side’s “most controlled performance”, and that felt like a fair summary.
Set up with Pierce Charles behind Liam Palmer, Otegbayo and Max Lowe, Wednesday had a decent defensive platform from the start. Sean Fusire and Tayo Adaramola gave them width, while Nathaniel Chalobah provided the calmest presence in midfield alongside Jaden Heskey. Further forward, Jamal Lowe, Jerry Yates and Olaf Kobacki all had moments, but the wider story of the game was that Wednesday could get into useful areas without doing enough once they got there.
That was the manager’s view afterwards too.
“I think in general we played a strong game,” Pedersen said. “We knew that it would be a battle of many of the basic things in the Championship - long balls, second balls, set pieces, all those big things.
“I think the boys played a strong game, and that the first half was equal from a chance perspective... We were in good control on the ball. What we missed is to speed up the game, but generally we were strong on the ball. We just have to be better breaking the final line.”
That was the frustration. Wednesday had control for long spells, but not enough incision.
Charlton threatened at times in the first half. Greg Docherty drew a save from Charles after Wednesday were caught deep in their own half, while Godden struck the bar with an acrobatic effort just before the break. At the other end, Wednesday had flashes without truly pinning the visitors back. Max Lowe, one of the better performers again, dragged an effort wide after linking well with Kobacki, and there was a sense of injustice when Tayo Adaramola was fouled just outside the box after appeals for a penalty.
The game turned four minutes into the second half. Charlton pieced together the kind of move Pedersen had warned about: long, direct, and built on winning the second phase. Godden reacted quickest and found the bottom corner to put the visitors in front.
What followed was one of the more encouraging parts of Wednesday’s afternoon. Heads did not go. The response was calm rather than frantic, and the structure of the side remained intact.
Pedersen was pleased with that.
“Second half we were in control again, and then a long ball, a second ball and a cross and they scored,” he said. “They had only one more chance, and I do think we controlled the game. I think we had 63% possession.
“It was strong to come back from 1-0 to 1-1, and then I was happy to see that we kept pushing pressure at the end. Of course we just missed the goal to win the game... It’s the third game in a row with a draw, and big respect to the boys for this. They were very different games - I think today was the most controlled performance.”
The equaliser came in the 76th minute and owed plenty to persistence. Fusire’s cross created the initial problem, Will Mannion could not hold on, Jamal Lowe reacted, and Otegbayo was there to force the loose ball home.
It was no more than Wednesday deserved.
There was even a chance to take all three points late on, with Otegbayo stretching at the back post but unable to guide his effort on target. Had it gone in, Hillsborough would have erupted. Even without it, there was at least some recognition at full-time that this was a performance with more shape and purpose than too many others seen here this season.
Individually, Chalobah stood out most. He brought control to midfield, used the ball sensibly and gave Wednesday an authority in the middle of the pitch that has often been missing. Supporters’ ratings reflected that, and rightly so. Max Lowe also impressed again with his composure and willingness to drive the side forward, while Charles was solid when called upon. Otegbayo capped an encouraging display with the goal.
The problem was that, for all Wednesday’s control, the front end of the side still looked short of real punch. Kobacki had his moments, Jamal Lowe played his part in the equaliser and Yates worked, but none of the attacking players consistently looked like they were going to take the game away from Charlton. When the bench was turned to, Charlie McNeill, Marvelous Nakamba and Devlan Moses offered fresh legs, but not the decisive shift the game needed.
That is where Wednesday still fall short. They look harder to play against. They look more disciplined. They look more like a team with an idea. But the difference between a respectable point and a deserved win remains the same as it has been for much of the season: not enough quality in the moments that decide games.
A draw was a fair outcome in the end, but there was enough in the performance to see why Pedersen took encouragement from it. Wednesday were not loose, passive or chaotic. They were in the game throughout, responded well to going behind and kept pushing until the end.
The next challenge is obvious. Keep this level of control, but add more conviction where it counts.
Against Middlesbrough, Wednesday need the same structure and the same fight. They just need a sharper edge when the openings come.
Player ratings verdict:Nathaniel Chalobah comes out as the clear man of the match from the fan scores, and that feels about right. He gave Wednesday control, presence and maturity in midfield, and was the standout figure in what was a decent collective display.
WAWAW News MOTM: Nathaniel Chalobah