Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan makes Leeds United ‘anxious’ admission
Sheffield Wednesday players tried to keep the Leeds United supporters “quiet” in the hope that they would become “anxious” during their Championship clash, according to midfielder Barry Bannan.
On Saturday (2 September), the Whites were left frustrated as they were held to a goalless draw by Wednesday, who started the day rooted to the bottom of the Championship.
Both Leeds and the Owls had chances to win it, but in the end, it finished as a stalemate, with Bannan describing his side’s game plan after the match was over.
“We knew these fans from being here and playing here in the past, they can be a 12th man like our fans can be, especially at their own stadium,” the 33-year-old said, in quotes reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post (3 September).
“But you can also work it in your favour as well, so we tried to keep them quiet for a large part of the game and hope that the fans would start to get anxious and turn, and it was all about staying in the game and trying to take our chances when we could but I think we played well at certain spells today.”
Frustration
Things just haven’t been going Daniel Farke’s way since he arrived in West Yorkshire, as his team’s indifferent start to the Championship season continues. They now have just six points from their opening five games and have only won once, drawing three times while losing their other match. It leaves them seven points off Preston North End, who are setting the pace at the top of the division.
Many supporters at Elland Road would have arrived at the match confident of getting all three points, however, as Bannan described, it is that exact confidence that the Sheffield Wednesday players used against the fans on Saturday.
His comments will be a reminder to the club that they cannot afford to underestimate anyone this season, not even teams who have just been promoted, during a Championship campaign that is promising to be very competitive.
Last season Leeds and the Owls were two leagues apart, although it did not look that way when they met.
In other Leeds United news, Farke was left fuming after the result.