This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Sheffield Wednesday are facing major turmoil off the pitch this season after they were charged by the EFL, although you won’t have realised it based on their latest performance.
The Owls were in a rampant mood on Saturday afternoon as they slammed four past Nottingham Forest, who too are in the playoff hunt.
Jordan Rhodes bagged himself a hattrick while Steven Fletcher notched his 12th of the season in a frantic first-half.
Wednesday boss Garry Monk’s 4-4-2 system is proving to be the best option for the south Yorkshire side this season, even more so after potentially finding his midfield pairing.
On the Chalkboard
Massimo Luongo was handed a rare start in the absence of Sam Hutchinson who was serving a suspension after accumulating ten yellow cards.
His role next to Barry Bannan highlighted just how good the duo could be for the Owls going forward as the Australian offers far more dynamic attributes than the defensive midfielder, thus allowing his teammate to thrive.
Luongo, rated at 7.5 by WhoScored, recorded seven aerial duels and one successful dribble next to the 7.6-rated Scotsman but it is his positioning which enables the latter to contribute more in the final third.
When Hutchinson plays, he tends to drop deeper, so much so that he’s almost like a third central defensive option which leaves Bannan all alone with far too much to do, as shown in the player position map below.
By contrast, Luongo offers more balance as a box-to-box type that can contribute at either end of the pitch. He’s bagged two times this season, both of which crucial goals as they were the winners in 1-0 victories.
As you can see below, the 27-year-old’s average position is much further forward than Hutchinson’s from above.
Luongo also concedes fewer fouls than the 30-year-old, just 1.1 per game compared to 2.3 per game, which means he picks up fewer bookings and thus doesn’t suspension.
He also records a better percentage of accurate passes in the opposition half, managing 78% compared to Hutchinson’s 70%.
Therefore, if Wednesday want Bannan to continue to add to his squad-high five assists, it makes sense to play Luongo beside him.
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In other news, Alan Nixon has provided a key update on Jordan Rhodes ahead of the January transfer window…