JOS MAKES OWLS HARD TO BEAT... Lack of goals the issue for Luhukay
JOS Luhukay’s Sheffield Wednesday revival continued as the Owls shut down promotion-chasing Cardiff in a Hillsborough stalemate, and the new boss admitted his only gripe was their lack of goals.
Wednesday’s striking duo Jordan Rhodes and Lucas Joao both missed two good chances apiece while Joe Wildsmith made a handful of saves for the hosts.
It means the Owls are yet to concede in three matches under their new manager, however, and Luhukay hailed Wednesday’s defensive solidity.
“Defending over 90 minutes, I think, was stable,” he said. “We worked well as a team defending and I’m only unhappy we didn’t score.
“It was a very tough game. I think we had problems controlling our game in the first-half but we did not give up many chances.
“At the end of the first-half, we had two very good chances to score and in the second-half, we came into the game very well and had two or three very good chances.
“This is my third game and I can live with that performance – they tried everything and followed our instructions, so we must now work intensively on getting victories.”
Cardiff put the hosts on the back foot early in the first-half, and Wildsmith parried Yanic Wildschut’s low effort clear in the 21st minute before gathering Kenneth Zohore’s weak shot three minutes later.
Junior Hoilett was then given time and space outside the Wednesday area on 25 minutes but got his right-footed drive all wrong and it sailed harmlessly high and wide. Liverpool loanee Marko Grujic was next to get in on the act but his dipping effort from long range was saved well by Wildsmith, low to his left, on 38 minutes.
Wednesday finished on the front foot though and Rhodes missed the target on 41 minutes when he met David Jones’ superb whipped free-kick unmarked on the penalty spot.
Two minutes later, Joao unpicked the defence with a perfectly-weighted through ball but Rhodes’ shot was parried clear and Adam Reach shot over from the rebound.
Wednesday’s high intensity carried into the second-half and Joao dragged a great chance wide across on 57 minutes when Joe Ralls’ loose defensive header allowed Rhodes to play the through ball.
Rhodes fed Joao again four minutes later, crossing from the byline after Sol Bamba’s missed interception, but the Portuguese striker headed into the ground and straight at Neil Etheridge.
At the other end, Wildschut was just inches away from a spectacular goal on his first start – letting the ball drop, turning, and firing a 20-yard half-volley just wide on 65 minutes.
Neither side was able to find a breakthrough, however, and Warnock admitted it was a missed opportunity for Cardiff.
“I think any draw away from home is a good point but I’m a bit disappointed because I thought it was a good opportunity to get three points,” he said.
“It was there for the taking, really, and we just couldn’t find that edge in the final third – a little bit of quality lacking with the finish.
“We’ve had 12 clean sheets now this season. We set a target of 15 for the season, and to have 12 – I’m really pleased with that.
“We have to get better with the finishing but that will come now when Yanic and Marko get a few games.”