Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen was proud of his side’s display as they were beaten 3-1 defeat to the Blues at Portman Road.

The Owls fell to their 14th defeat of the season and are now winless in 15, sitting bottom of the table, 30 points from safety having been penalised 18 for going into administration and failing to keep to their financial obligations.

Nevertheless, Pedersen, who took over in the summer following Danny Röhl’s departure having been his assistant, was pleased with his team’s display.

“I’m really, really proud to go to Ipswich,” he said. “I think they have the best squad in the league and to give a performance with this courage, with this belief, this discipline, with this togetherness, I can only be proud.

“How we played in the first half, it was one of the better halves we have played this season.

“With this intensity, we knew we should have to bring a lot of intensity if we should have a chance to press them because they are so strong on the ball, they have so much individual quality.

“But how we did this and how we also created chances in the first 15 minutes and how we played generally in the first half was really, really good.

“We came in 1-0 down [at half-time] but we were working and the first half was really strong.

“In the second half, it was a tough period in the beginning but we came back and then after it went to 2-0, the togetherness and how we stayed together and how we kept having the courage for our medium press to high press, how we have the courage to keep on playing with courage, with risk.

“Because we also know to break a team like Ipswich, you cannot only play safe passes, you need to play passes with risk and two times when we win the ball and we play with risk, we open up a little bit too early and then they play behind us and make two transition goals beside the set-piece goal.

“And then they scored to make it 3-1 after 87 minutes and after then how the boys kept on going, how they worked together, how they stayed together. It was amazing. I’m proud.”

Pedersen says it wasn’t just a case of his team showing spirit: “One thing is to play with the heart. Before the game, we spoke a lot about tactics because your relationship between the players, if you don’t have the same idea in the same moment as many times as possible in 99 minutes today, you have no chance against Ipswich.

“With how much discipline the players played with today, tactical discipline, it was amazing.

“It was not just to show that we have a big heart, it was also from the pressing side, we did a lot of good things on the ball. Our offensive transitions, we played some very disciplined transitions and we also had some really good phases on the ball.

“I think from the braveness, from the heart, from the culture, we were strong, but also I think from the football side they showed a lot of good things today.”

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