Jos Luhukay said he was pleased to see Wednesday creating chances in the goalless draw against Cardiff on Saturday evening … but he must also have been left frustrated by our failure to convert at least one of a handful of clear openings.
The visitors totally dominated the opening 35 minutes and we were fortunate not to be trailing by at least one goal.
However, Wednesday rallied towards the end of the first half and missed three excellent opportunities with Jordan Rhodes heading over and then seeing his shot saved by Neil Etheridge, Adam Reach lifting the rebound over the bar.
We continued in the same vein early in the second period and this time it was Lucas Joao’s turn to fluff his lines, clipping the ball past the far post when one-on-one with Etheridge and then sending his header almost straight at the keeper when well placed.
Cardiff had one or two chances of their own in the second half but showed nowhere near the threat they posed in the opening period.
Luhukay said: “I think before half time we had two very good chances and then also directly after the start of the second half we also had two or three chances to score a goal.
“But over 90 minutes Cardiff was a strong opponent and they also had one or two good chances in the first half and also in the second.”
We have now had two clean sheets in his first two league games in charge, and Luhukay said: “We have tried to achieve more stability in defending, to close areas and to help each other, so I think that is very good.
“The next step today was to create more chances and hopefully scoring goals. We had chances but did not score the goals.”
Referring to the fact that Wednesday have failed to score in the Championship since Boxing Day, the manager said it is a matter of confidence for the strikers: “They must believe in themselves and hopefully they can score in the next games that we have.”
New signing Joey Pelupessy was on the substitutes’ bench with Luhukay saying it was too early for him to play as he is still finding his feet at the club after completing his move on Thursday afternoon.
He added: “Hopefully he will soon be ready … at 24 it is positive that he was captain of his previous club … on the field he is a winner and he can give Wednesday a lot of quality in the future.”
The point leaves us in 17th place on 32 points, seven above the relegation placings.
Wildsmith, Palmer, Thorniley, Venancio, Pudil, Fox, Wallace (Boyd 80), Jones, Reach, Joao (Nuhiu 80), Rhodes (Matias 72). Unused subs: Dawson, Hunt, Clare, Pelupessy,
Att: 23,277