As I left Hillsborough on Thursday night following the 1-0 defeat to Bradford City, my mate turned to me and said: ‘I’m not worried.’
I’d echo that sentiment.
And after watching Wednesday lose 2-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup, I’m still not worried.
Nobody wants to lose football matches and two defeats on the bounce is never going to look particularly pretty on paper. But there has to be some perspective around where Sheffield Wednesday are right now and, most importantly, what we're actually seeing from this rapidly rebuilt squad.
If anything, Tuesday night showed me that there is a little more strength in depth than perhaps we thought.
Not loads. We shouldn't pretend there is.
But there are options.
More to take from the performance than the result
This was a much-changed Wednesday side against Championship opposition, with Henrik Pedersen resting a number of players as League One rightly remains the priority.
Wolves were the better side and deserved to go through. They probably had another gear had they needed it, too.
But Wednesday had chances, and I came away encouraged by the intent.
Things could hardly have started worse. Wednesday were behind inside three minutes when Sil Swinkels was unfortunate to find himself in the path of Joe Lumley’s intervention, with the ball bouncing off the defender and into his own net.
There was very little Swinkels could do about it.
Wednesday recovered from that difficult opening and increasingly competed with their Championship opponents, only to give themselves an even bigger task just before half-time.
The second goal was the frustrating one.
It came from the second phase of a set-piece in first-half stoppage time, with Wednesday failing to deal with the ball into the box and Saheed Olagunju taking advantage.
Pedersen was particularly unhappy with the defending, describing the goal as ‘awful’ and pointing out afterwards that Wednesday had opportunities to simply head the danger clear.
Wolves were the better side and deserved to go through. They probably had another gear had they needed it, particularly once they had established a two-goal lead.
But there was plenty about Wednesday's approach that encouraged me.
Even with Pedersen resting players, the Owls finished with 49% possession and had 11 attempts to Wolves' 13, with both sides registering three shots on target.
Wolves carried the greater threat close to goal – 11 of their attempts came from inside the penalty area compared with Wednesday's four – but Wednesday had chances of their own and kept trying to take the game to them.
Pedersen highlighted the aggressive high press afterwards and felt Wednesday became braver as the game progressed, eventually describing it as ‘a good performance against a very strong team.’
For me, it was the intent that stood out.
There was one injury concern from the evening, with Swinkels' withdrawal on 70 minutes enforced rather than planned. Pedersen said afterwards that the defender had complained of feeling very tight, with the severity not yet known.
Some important players stood out
Harry Gray, Reece James, Ricardo Santos and Billy Mitchell all stood out for me.
Mitchell getting more minutes into his legs was particularly welcome. We know how important he can be in the middle of the park, and having him available gives Pedersen another important option as the League One campaign develops.
James getting a full 90 minutes was important too, while Santos managed around 65 after playing relatively little football in recent months. Pedersen was pleased afterwards to see both come through those minutes, particularly Santos without any injury problems.
Gray impressed again too. His evening unfortunately ended early after taking a knock to the face, with Pedersen saying afterwards that there was a possibility of a broken nose, although he wasn't aware of any immediate concussion concern.
There were useful minutes elsewhere as well. Jarvis Thornton and Will Grainger gained more experience against strong opposition, while Pedersen also singled out Morrison for having played a good game.
That's encouraging.
These aren't necessarily the names that will all be on the teamsheet every week. But that's precisely the point.
Pedersen made changes, rested players and still put out a side capable of competing with Championship opposition.
The squad isn't suddenly enormous, but Tuesday night gave us another indication that there is more there than just the first XI.
Morrison will come good
Then there's Kieran Morrison.
We've barely seen him in a Wednesday shirt, so I'm not going to judge him on a couple of appearances.
But I think he'll come good.
More than that, I think he has the potential to be a class player for Wednesday.
He's young and there will inevitably be inconsistencies while he develops, but you can already see glimpses of what he might offer this side.
He's direct, willing to have a go and gives Wednesday another attacking option.
Pedersen was pleased with his contribution too, describing it afterwards as a good game despite Morrison tiring towards the end.
There is a long way to go with him.
But I'm excited to see it.
And then Baz came on...
Whoever didn't want Barry Bannan back needs to give their head a wobble.
Seriously.
Bannan's introduction in the second half was another reminder of what Wednesday have brought back into this squad.
He doesn't have to play every minute of every game for his return to be hugely important.
He gives Pedersen another option. He gives this young squad experience. And, most importantly, he's still capable of doing things with a football that very few players at this level can do.
There were also some early signs of what could become an exciting understanding between Bannan and Louie Barry.
They seemed to find each other naturally, with Bannan looking for Barry and Barry providing the movement ahead of him.
It's obviously early days, but that's a combination I'm looking forward to seeing more of.
That's going to be particularly important in League One.
There will be games where Wednesday need somebody to unlock a defence. There will be games where the younger players need an experienced head around them. And there will be moments where you simply want Barry Bannan on the football.
Having him available to this Sheffield Wednesday squad is a massive positive.
We will score goals
That's probably the other thing I'm not worried about.
Wednesday have now gone two games without scoring.
They will score goals.
We've already seen enough individual attacking ability in this squad to know that.
Morrison gives us something different. Louie Barry has quality. Mason Burstow provides another option through the middle. Harry Gray is developing in front of our eyes. Jamal Lowe brings experience and we know what Bannan can create.
And another attacking option appears to be on the way.
Joe Crann of The Wednesday Word has reported that Wednesday are set to sign Ipswich Town forward Ali Al-Hamadi on loan.
The 24-year-old Iraqi international has considerable Football League experience, with almost 100 appearances across the Championship, League One and League Two and 40 goals. He has also made 11 Premier League appearances.
Al-Hamadi spent last season on loan with Luton Town in a deal that included an obligation to buy if certain criteria were met. Having spent the first half of the campaign sidelined, those conditions weren't triggered and he returned to Ipswich at the end of the season.
With Ipswich now promoted to the Premier League, another move away is being considered and Wednesday appear to be closing in on another attacking addition.
If they get that one over the line, Pedersen has another forward with plenty of EFL experience to add to a young and increasingly interesting group.
So no, I don't look at this Wednesday squad and wonder where the goals are going to come from.
They'll come.
League One is where we should judge this team
This is ultimately the bit that matters.
Wolves are a Championship side who were playing Premier League football only a few months ago.
Wednesday are a League One club that has undergone an enormous rebuild.
It wasn't Wednesday's strongest available XI either.
Wolves deserved to progress and probably had more to give had the game demanded it. But Wednesday had their moments too, and for a much-changed side there was enough there to be encouraged by.
Tuesday night wasn't the examination that will define Wednesday's season.
League One is.
I said before the game that while a cup run would be nice, I'd happily take a respectable exit to Championship opposition at any stage of this competition.
That's essentially what we got.
The further you go, the more fixtures you add to a squad that still isn't blessed with enormous depth.
An away day at one of the Premier League giants would have been great fun, but success in League One has to be the priority.
Wednesday can now turn their attention to Bromley at Hillsborough this weekend and the competition where this team really needs to deliver.
I'm still not worried
Thursday night didn't worry me.
Tuesday night hasn't worried me either.
And that's not because I think everything is perfect.
It isn't.
There are areas that need improving and there will undoubtedly be difficult afternoons along the way.
But look at what is beginning to emerge.
There are experienced players coming back into the picture. There are youngsters getting first-team minutes and looking comfortable doing it. There is pace and attacking talent. There are different options available to Pedersen, even when he decides to rest players.
And another forward looks set to arrive.
There is still plenty to improve, but I like the intent and I like the options beginning to emerge.
We're still at the very beginning of this rebuild and this group has barely had time to learn how to play together.
But I've seen enough to believe there is something here.
In fact, I have a feeling something is going to click.
Maybe it's the attacking options beginning to come together. Maybe it's seeing Bannan and Barry already showing signs of an understanding. Maybe it's Morrison and Gray adding that youthful unpredictability alongside the more experienced players.
Whatever it is, there's the beginning of something in this team that I really like.
I think this Sheffield Wednesday side has enough to be competitive at the top end of League One.
Two defeats haven't changed that.
I'm still not worried.