SHEFF WED v CARDIFF CITY Bannan: Owls can shoot for the stars
BARRY BANNAN says there is no reason why the Owls cannot “reach for the stars“during the secondhalf of their season.
The Scotland international swallowed the disappointment of a Boxing Day collapse at Stoke to issue a rallying cry that automatic promotion to the Premier League is still a realistic aim.
With the clock ticking down at the bet365 Stadium, Garry Monk (right) and his men looked to have chopped the advantage held over them by second-placed Leeds to a manageable six points.
But the wheels fell off in spectacular style in injury-time as the Potters staged a late rally to claim a dramatic 3-2 lastgasp win.
Bannan, who has been part of the fixtures and fittings at Hillsborough for the past five seasons, said he sees an improvement on the horizon.
He said: “If you look at the first half of the campaign we have thrown away points – that’s the disappointing thing for me. We should have more on the board. It’s about finding consistency. I think we have the quality.
“We’ve got a manager now who knows this division, who has played extensively in this division and we are pulling in the same direction. That’s a real bonus. I think there are good things coming.
“Automatic is not out of the question – if we can find that consistency. You want to go up automatically.
Anything can happen in one week in the Championship.
“And if we are there or thereabouts around the end of February, we will look at it and have a clearer idea of where we might finish.
“But from where we are now, automatic is not out of the question. There’s a gap but it’s not a huge one. Eleven points is nothing in this league. That can be wiped out inside one week.
“If we are being honest, that’s where we’re looking. Why not reach for the stars? We got to Wembley a few years ago for the play-off final and it’s the same bunch, bar a couple of players. We’ve added pace in the wide areas which is something we have needed. We had wingers who played a lot on the inside. But now we have more out-andout wingers.
“From that, the strikers are scoring goals. They’re getting crosses in. We had footballers, playing wide and coming inside. I think our forwards thrive on crosses.
“When you have our strikers, it’s a shame not to use them as they should be. So, we have pinpointed it and worked upon it. I think you will see us improve on that.” However, Wednesday were exposed in the final moments as Michael O’neill’s side rattled them.
Bannan added: “It was a sucker punch. Five minutes less and we’d have been taken all three points. We’ve just got to take it on the chin.
“We know what to expect from Cardiff. We were unlucky down there. They scored a last-minute free-kick. But we have a good record at home.”