Liam Cooper suggests Sheffield Wednesday were too inexperienced vs Doncaster Rovers

Cooper made a very bold statement after the Doncaster defeat, explaining he felt Sheffield Wednesday needed more men.

“We need men now,” the 35-year-old stated.

“We need men. When you play for a club like this, the expectation is so big, and you need to be able to deal with that.

“It’s going to come now and it’s going to be backs against the wall and we need to be prepared to come out swinging.”

The average age of Wednesday’s starting line-up was 27-years-old. Kieron Morrison was the youngest player aged 19, followed by 20-year-old Jaden Heskey and 24-year-old Ali Al-Hamadi.

Pedersen made three substitutions in Mason Burstow, William Grainger and Sean Fusire. The average age of that trio was just 20-years-old, so Wednesday did end the game with an extremely young team.

Perhaps Cooper is indirectly urging the Owls boss to name a more experienced team on Tuesday evening, when they host Cambridge United.

Cooper was also asked to give a message to supporters, and he replied: “We are as disappointed as them. It never goes unnoticed how much they back us. Chucking down with rain, freezing cold in the away end, and they are still singing and still trying to get behind the boys.

“We are feeling it… we are up against it at the minute, but I feel we need to take responsibility as players, I really do.”