- Fitness is key for defender Joe Mattock
- Left back reaping rewards of tough pre-season
- Owls hard to beat, says the 24-year-old
Joe Mattock has said he feels fitter and stronger and owes much of that to the Owls’ pre-season programme, which is serving him well 11 games into the campaign.
The full back has featured in every game this season and is reaping the benefits of his hard work over the summer.
With more demands placed on full backs in the modern game, fitness is vital and Mattock feels he is in the right place.
He told swfc.co.uk: “The full back role is changing. There have always been attacking full backs but every team now seems to have two of them.
“You have got to be fit. I think our pre-season has improved our fitness and mine especially and I’m able to get up and down the pitch a lot more.
“We can defend but we can also get up and join in with the attacks which is enjoyable.”
Having lost just two of the opening 11 fixtures, Mattock has taken heart from Wednesday’s current form and the belief the squad have in each other.
He continued: “I think we have become hard to beat and that is important in this league because every year it is getting stronger and stronger.
“We have been working on a lot in training, talking, communicating and we feel comfortable together which is the main thing.
“If you have that faith in your team mate next to you, you feel more confident going to close the ball down.
“If you get beaten, you know your team mate is right behind you.”