Harsh to pin ALL the blame on Darren Moore when Sheffield Wednesday lose - Alan Biggs

Not here to excuse an unacceptable performance in a derby, of all matches, against an unfancied Barnsley.

Not here, either, to accept that the supposed “distraction” of Championship interest, focused on four members of Sheffield Wednesday’s squad in the build up to Barnsley, was any kind of admissible excuse for such a lack of drive.

But am here - hopefully - to provide some sort of sensible perspective on where this leaves Darren Moore and his team.

MORE: Why Darren Moore’s office door is always open – and always will be

For instance, fourth in League One and actually three points better off after seven games than Rotherham United at this stage last season.

Rotherham, who lost three of their first seven as opposed to Wednesday’s two defeats this time, went on to win promotion in second place.

It’s far too early for panic over the odd defeat, providing they remain isolated.

Ultimately, the manager carries the can, of course he does. And correctly so with this squad.

MORE: Marvin Johnson has already shown he can cut through the noise to prove the doubters wrong

But I think a fellow Wednesday watcher, Joe Crann, has a point when he suggests that when the Owls win Moore gets little of the credit and when they lose he gets most of the blame.

Look at it another way. Every single one of the 15 players Wednesday used in the defeat to Barnsley has played higher than League One, mostly with merit. That’s the astonishing reality.

Not four or five. Every single one. All eleven starters plus the four substitutes deployed.

Players of this calibre and experience ought to be able to sort it for themselves most of the time. You can talk all you like about tactics and formations. Fact is, they had a collective off day.

Wednesday are banking, almost literally, on this group having the character as well as the quality to come through difficult games.

They should be able to do that and, with a couple of the more recent signings still to fully integrate, you simply have to believe they will.