Carlos Carvalhal pointed to two games in three days being a factor in Wednesday’s lacklustre and disjointed display after a goalless draw with Wolves at Hillsborough.
We rode our luck to take a fortunate point as the visitors had a strong penalty appeal turned down and missed a sitter in the first half, while they also hit the woodwork and saw another effort cleared off the line after the break.
Wednesday came closest early on when Vincent Sasso saw his header well saved and we might have had a second-half penalty for handball but, by and large, we huffed and puffed our way through the afternoon against mediocre opposition.
Carvalhal, who said it is not realistic to expect players to perform at their best with two games in such quick succession, reflected: “I think the result was correct because we had chances, they had chances, and I believe both could have had a penalty.
“We did not play well, that is for sure, and we know we are capable of a lot better performance.
“But did we prepare for this game the same as any other, with set pieces, analysis and organisation? No, because we did not have the time.
“We also had some injuries. Barry Bannan was playing with little pains, so was Kieran Lee and Fernando Forestieri, who only trained yesterday.
“These are not excuses, these are facts. When we can prepare with the correct time and with a full squad, the outcome is completely different, as we saw at Newcastle.”
Carvalhal also indicated that he would be resting players for Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Middlesbrough, ahead of the following week’s important Championship clash with Huddersfield at Hillsborough.
We sit in sixth place on 42 points, with the Terriers four points ahead in fourth spot.