Sheffield Wednesday boss Henrik Pedersen was left facing some difficult questions after Wolves produced an intense and commanding performance at Hillsborough, with two players in particular causing his side enormous problems throughout the contest.
Wolves arrived at Hillsborough after their impressive 3–1 victory over Preston North End and quickly showed why they were considered the stronger side heading into the Carabao Cup second-round clash. The visitors controlled large periods of the game, moved the ball with confidence and repeatedly found spaces that Sheffield Wednesday struggled to close down.
The intensity of the match was obvious from the opening stages.
Sheffield Wednesday attempted to make the game uncomfortable for Wolves, but the visitors’ passing, movement and ability to transition quickly kept putting the Owls under pressure. Wolves also showed their quality in the final third, while Wednesday were forced into long spells of defensive work.
Speaking to journalists about his team’s performance, Pedersen was understandably disappointed with what he saw.
The Sheffield Wednesday boss pointed towards several areas where his players failed to reach the required level. Their pressing lacked consistency, their defensive organisation was repeatedly tested and they struggled to deal with Wolves’ movement between the lines.
Pedersen also admitted that his players simply did not make enough of the opportunities they had to disrupt Wolves’ rhythm.
For a manager who had previously praised his team’s aggressive pressing and forward mindset after their Carabao Cup victory over Bolton, this was a much tougher examination. Against Bolton, Pedersen had highlighted the importance of winning the ball and attacking quickly; against Wolves, his side found it far harder to impose that identity.
And then came the question Wolves supporters will love.
A journalist asked Pedersen what he made of the Wolves performance and which players had caused Sheffield Wednesday the biggest problems.
His response focused heavily on Tommy Doyle and Saheed Olagunju.
Pedersen was particularly impressed by Doyle’s composure, movement and quality on the ball. The Wolves midfielder operated in an advanced role and repeatedly looked capable of unlocking the Wednesday defence.
Doyle’s contribution was especially important in the build-up to Olagunju’s goal. Wolves supporters were already praising the delivery from Doyle, while Olagunju’s finish generated huge excitement among the visiting fans.
Olagunju, meanwhile, produced the kind of performance that immediately attracted attention.
The defender not only helped Wolves maintain control at the back but also made his presence felt at the other end, scoring to put Wolves firmly in command. His performance quickly became one of the major talking points among Wolves supporters, with fans praising his composure and impact on what was a memorable night for the youngster.
For Pedersen, the combination of Doyle’s creativity and Olagunju’s authority proved extremely difficult for his team to handle.
The Sheffield Wednesday boss praised the pair’s quality, movement and determination, while acknowledging that his players struggled to contain them.
It was ultimately a frustrating night for Wednesday, but an impressive display from Wolves.
The Old Gold demonstrated greater control, stronger passing and a sharper attacking threat, while Doyle and Olagunju emerged as two of the biggest individual talking points.
For Wolves fans, that is perhaps the most encouraging part of the performance.
If players such as Doyle can continue influencing games from midfield while Olagunju continues developing with the confidence shown at Hillsborough, Wolves could have another exciting option emerging within their squad.
And after a night in which Sheffield Wednesday struggled to contain them, Pedersen’s assessment of the two Wolves stars could become one of the biggest talking points to come out of the match.
