Irvine on the front foot
Posted on: Sun 18 Apr 2010
Sheffield Wednesday manager Alan Irvine, was left disappointed by a derby draw on Sunday, after Lee Williamson's freak free kick equalised Darren Potter's volleyed opener.
The 1-1 draw, was certainly less than Irvine wanted from the encounter with Sheffield United but it leaves with destiny in their own hands with just two games to go in the Championship.
"It was a game we could have won," the Scot insisted. "I thought once we got ahead I was quite confident we would go on and win the game. I knew that Sheffield United would be a threat at some point during the game - they started well, mainly because we gave away a free kick early on and that led to a couple of corners. Once we dealt with that I felt that we got more and more into the game and I felt it was a fantastic goal that we scored.
"In the second half we started similarly to the way we did in the first half; we gave away some needless free-kicks and one of them led to the goal, which I felt was the way they were going to score against us because they didn't look likely to score against us in open play."
The Owls boss was left ruing two good opportunities late in the game which could have secure three points for the home side, but is in positive frame of mind ahead of next week's trip to Cardiff City.
"We had two good opportunities at the end; one when Luke Varney got away on the right hand-side and didn't pick anybody out and then Jermaine Johnson's chance right at the very end which no doubt would have won the game at that point," Irvine said.
"It's still to a large extent in our own hands. If we can match or better Crystal Palace's result next week then it goes to the last game and unfortunately that was one of the things I predicted when I first got the job. If we can be that bit more clinical up front and stop the goals we have been conceding through bad luck then we will have a chance."
And the Wednesday chief admitted that he intended to attack the Blades from the off with four out-and-out forwards in his starting eleven; Leon Clarke, Marcus Tudgay, Luke Varney and Jermaine Johnson.
"I couldn't have been much more attacking I don't think; unless I went for the old 'W/M' formation but it was like 4-2-4 so I did go for it. I wanted to win the game, I was desperate to win the game, I went with a team that I thought could win the game and they nearly did," Irvine said.
To comment on this story log into the forums on ourwednesday.com - the official Sheffield Wednesday social network.
The 1-1 draw, was certainly less than Irvine wanted from the encounter with Sheffield United but it leaves with destiny in their own hands with just two games to go in the Championship.
"It was a game we could have won," the Scot insisted. "I thought once we got ahead I was quite confident we would go on and win the game. I knew that Sheffield United would be a threat at some point during the game - they started well, mainly because we gave away a free kick early on and that led to a couple of corners. Once we dealt with that I felt that we got more and more into the game and I felt it was a fantastic goal that we scored.
"In the second half we started similarly to the way we did in the first half; we gave away some needless free-kicks and one of them led to the goal, which I felt was the way they were going to score against us because they didn't look likely to score against us in open play."
The Owls boss was left ruing two good opportunities late in the game which could have secure three points for the home side, but is in positive frame of mind ahead of next week's trip to Cardiff City.
"We had two good opportunities at the end; one when Luke Varney got away on the right hand-side and didn't pick anybody out and then Jermaine Johnson's chance right at the very end which no doubt would have won the game at that point," Irvine said.
"It's still to a large extent in our own hands. If we can match or better Crystal Palace's result next week then it goes to the last game and unfortunately that was one of the things I predicted when I first got the job. If we can be that bit more clinical up front and stop the goals we have been conceding through bad luck then we will have a chance."
And the Wednesday chief admitted that he intended to attack the Blades from the off with four out-and-out forwards in his starting eleven; Leon Clarke, Marcus Tudgay, Luke Varney and Jermaine Johnson.
"I couldn't have been much more attacking I don't think; unless I went for the old 'W/M' formation but it was like 4-2-4 so I did go for it. I wanted to win the game, I was desperate to win the game, I went with a team that I thought could win the game and they nearly did," Irvine said.
To comment on this story log into the forums on ourwednesday.com - the official Sheffield Wednesday social network.
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