Sheffield Wednesday were held to a 1-1 draw against Stoke City in the Championship on Saturday.
Whilst there were definite positives to take from the 1-1 draw vs Stoke, the overriding message is a negative one.
The Owls go from 22nd to 23rd and are now two points adrift, with Blackburn Rovers and Birmingham City both winning on Saturday, and Plymouth winning on Friday night.
The relegation race remains very tight.
But Sheffield Wednesday are certainly running out of time to salvage their Championship status for another year, with just three games left now.
Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Stoke City as Potters come from behind
Sheffield Wednesday dominated the first half.
They really started on the front foot and were unlucky to see Michael Smith‘s headed goal from a corner disallowed.
Danny Rohl kept the XI the same going back out after the break, and midway through the second half, Wednesday took the lead.
Liam Palmer latched on to a loose ball inside the box and fired hard and low in the far left corner, wheeling away as Hillsborough erupted with noise.
But that noise was quickly silenced when Stoke City broke on the counter, equalising through Luke Cundle just eight minutes after Palmer’s goal.
Liam Palmer’s Sheffield Wednesday future
Palmer has once again been something of a utility man for Sheffield Wednesday.
He was in and out of the side under Rohl earlier in the campaign but plays more regularly now, having started the last three.
And he often plays in different roles, though Rohl seems to fancy Palmer as a defensive midfielder, or as one of three central midfielders.
From here, Palmer can open up his range of passing but also provide steel in the middle, being a natural defender.
And he showed again on Saturday that he can get forward and score important goals; not only did Palmer score what seemed like the all important goal vs Stoke, he played really well.
The Star gave him an 8/10 rating with Joe Crann adding:
“Took his goal brilliantly, and it was an overall good showing from the long-serving Wednesday man in what should really have been a win. Won tackles and battled well.”
As per Sofascore, Palmer made 2 tackles, with 45 touches of the ball (fourth most for Wednesday), making 23 accurate passes and 2 key passes as well.
And with performances like the one vs Stoke, Palmer is surely edging towards a new Sheffield Wednesday deal.
He remains a really positive and useful player, and he’d be especially so in League One.
Given his affinity to the club, he’d surely want to help them get out of League One of they’re relegated, which is starting to seem more and more likely.
But for Palmer, after spending all his career in S6, and now being 32 years old, the time might be right for him to move on and open a new chapter.
It remains to be seen, but Palmer has shown in the last few weeks especially why he warrants a new contract.
Sheffield Wednesday return to action away at Blackburn Rovers next weekend.
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