The issue facing Darren Moore and Mallik Wilks as Sheffield Wednesday star shows his class
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However, the attacker showed signs of his obvious qualities on Saturday with a fine goal in the Owls’ comprehensive 4-2 win over Burton Albion on Saturday.
Now, fans will be wanting to see that level of performance from the former Hull City man on a consistent basis… but there lies the problem.
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Hide AdWith Wednesday reverting to four at the back on Saturday, Wilks picked up an obvious place on the wing, however with Darren Moore often going with three central defenders and wing-backs, how does Wilks fit in?
"Not only does the [transfer] saga build up expectation but it affects the player as well - they've got baggage they have to deal with,” said Wednesday writer Joe Crann on The Star Owls Podcast Monday Review. “They're at a club [Hull City] where they know they aren't wanted that much so it's difficult to get into training, you aren't playing too many games and Darren said when he arrived he had a lot of work to do just to get up to speed - not just in terms of fitness but where he needs to be in terms of playing in this Wednesday side.
"He's also a player who it takes a formation change for him to really fit in. Wednesday went to a back four on Saturday because he can't play as a wing back, that's not going to be his role. It did look like with the minutes he was getting, he grew into the game. He finished strongly, got a goal and an assist - you can't really argue with that."
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So can he now get in the team on a regular basis?
“That's where it gets interesting and I think that's not just with Mallik Wilks, I think that's with the entire Wednesday side,” added Joe. “There are a lot of players in there where you think, in a 3-5-2, where do they fit in?
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Hide Ad"Mallik Wilks has played up top but does he play over Michael Smith, does he play over Lee Gergory, does he play over Josh Windass? There's a lot of players in the side where you go, how does Darren go about picking this?”