One of Sheffield Wednesday’s key players is nearing a return to first-team action after a positive update from manager Henrik Pedersen.

The Owls are currently 8th in League One and have only lost one game so far this season. Despite that positive start, some fans aren’t too happy with the way the side are playing.

One possible reason for their poor performances in recent weeks is the absence of one of their key attacking players. Louie Barry picked up a freak ankle injury running down the sideline against Wycombe Wanderers and has been dearly missed ever since.

With fans desperate to see Barry back on the field, manager Pedersen has provided a promising update on the young attacker’s recovery.

Louie Barry Running and Doing Ball Work

Speaking ahead of Sheffield Wednesday’s clash with AFC Wimbledon, Pedersen confirmed that Barry was doing work on the training field. The Dane said:

“Louie Barry is running a lot and working hard with the ball.

“You can see from the smile on his face that he is getting better and better.”

At the time he picked up his injury, it was reported he would miss three months. 

A Key Piece of the Sheffield Wednesday Puzzle Already

Despite only joining in the summer, it was clear how important Barry was to the Wednesday setup. He is a natural left-winger and is a proven goal threat in League One.

In his first four league games for the Owls, the 23-year-old scored three goals. That included two in Wednesday’s 7-2 win against Bromley, a game where Barry picked up a 10/10 rating from Sofascore.

In his limited number of appearances, Barry averaged 2.5 shots per game and 1.3 shots on target per game. His three goals also exceeded his xG of 2.13.

Barry was also a threat creatively for the Owls. He had one assist, while creating two further big chances and averaging 2.5 key passes per game.

How Big of a Miss Has He Been?

Even though in the games Barry had played Wednesday hadn’t been at their best, their performances certainly went downhill when he picked up his knock.

The biggest issue Pedersen has had is finding someone to replace him. Wednesday don’t have another natural left winger; Harry Gray has played there, but he missed several games because of the concussion protocols. He’ll likely be the player to cover that spot until Barry is back.

Right winger Kieran Morrison was tried on the left, but he didn’t look as threatening despite being more than capable of using both feet.

The sooner Barry is back, the quicker the Owls can get back to being a two-winged attacking threat.