Last weekend’s 2018/19 Championship opener didn’t exactly go Sheffield Wednesday’s way as we suffered a 3-2 defeat to newly promoted Wigan Athletic.
With Jos Luhukay’s side conceding three goals in our first competitive match of the year, it simply compounded feelings amongst the fan base given the talk all summer of the lack of signings, a potential transfer embargo and the club already announcing an ‘answer all’ meeting with the owner and Board last Monday.
They would certainly have hoped for a positive result to temper frustrations ahead of that meeting, but what can go wrong seems like it is at this moment in time. Going back to the game, we did have some positives with Atdhe Nuhiu and Fernando Forestieri opening their accounts for the year and giving fans something to cheer, but that didn’t gloss over the disappointments.
One such disappointment was the individual performance of Joost van Aken, and whilst he was far from alone in having a bad game at the back, the Dutchman saw himself replaced on the hour mark by Lucas Joao and that probably intensified criticism in the 24-year-olds direction from fans on social media as they vented post game.
He's so bad it's unbelievable
Joao should start, I'd say drop Pelupessy too bit not sure who we can play instead
— Simon Morris (@BigAl_simon) August 4, 2018
Van Aken simply not good enough
— Steven brookes (@StevenBrookess3) August 4, 2018
Just think Carlos looked at 200 centre backs before asking Chansiri to spend 4 million on Van Aken ???????? #swfc
— Russell Amos (@RussAmos333) August 4, 2018
back 3 think they can play football….no! lees back to the centre of the 3…..van aken back to holland!!! #swfc #wawaw
— Mark Wilson ???? (@s6owls) August 4, 2018
That system was dreadful and Palmer and Van Aken are simply not good enough
— Holly Moore???? (@Holly_moore22) August 4, 2018
Van Aken looked nowhere near fit enough….looked like he could barely run #swfc
— Northern Monkey (@Northern6Monkey) August 4, 2018