Sheffield Wednesday pre match chat
We return to Championship action at the weekend following an unconvincing performance and eventual victory vs League 2 Harrogate Town in the FA Cup.
Looking to get back to winning ways after back to back draws vs Blackburn Rovers and Hull City.
2nd placed Burnley play 4th placed Sunderland so once again opportunity beckons.
But we haven't got the easiest fixture ourselves.
A somewhat rejuvenated Sheffield Wednesday are the visitors, currently 10th, 3 points outside the playoffs which I think is probably 5,6 places above where they'd have expected.
Only 1 win in the last 4 however but 18 points from the last 10 which is top 6 in the form table show the upturn.
Furthermore they are 3rd in the away form table over the last 8 with 5 wins and 16 points.
They are a dangerous team offensively, they are the 5th top scorers in the league, the 4th top open play scorers in the league and highly efficient at creating chances.
However that has come at a cost, they've conceded 40 goals, which is also the 4th most in the league.
They give you a chance, however not maybe as you expect.
In open play they aren't too bad defensively, 21 open play goals conceded is the 14th most in the league, not too bad.
The problem they have is they have conceded the most penalties and the most set piece goals, of the 40 goals conceded 19 were from penalties or set pieces.
In terms of eye catching results draw vs Boro and a win vs West Brom and they've given a good account of themselves vs Burnley and Sheffield United but been beaten.
But they've had some stinkers, Watford put 6 past them, Sunderland put 4 past them and even in the Borp draw they conceded 3.
The manager is young German Danny Rohl who has completely turned the fortunes of Sheffield Wednesday around since he took over last season when they were in the relegation zone.
His background before that was as an analyst and then Assistant Manager for some big names like Bayern Munich and the German National team and for some well known managers including influential German legend coach Ralf Rangnick, former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhüttl and current Barcelona manager Hansi Flick.
In terms of style of play they generally like most teams set up in a 4-2-3-1, although Danny Rohl has used a 4-3-3 and a 4-1-4-1 in the past.
Rohl is as his background shows is somewhat Red Bull inspired and that is evident in his tactics.
Not a possession for possession sake coach Wendies average well below 50% (and are somewhat unique in the sense they average slightly more away from home than at home).
Is a heavy focus on progressing the ball as is common with Red Bull teams, very few long passes or medium passes, they are bottom 5 for both of those.
The main focus is on short vertical passes in order to catch opponents off guard defensively, as an example 40% of the passes they play are progressive (forward), for us it's 29-30%.
And they are effective at it as the goals show.
They aren't a massively pressing team as in its relentless, but it is effective, they are 2nd for defensive actions which lead to a shot, they are also 3rd in the league for interceptions and tackles combined so what you can gather from this is transition is where you can get caught against them.
They aren't narrow though like Jesse Marsch, they average the 2nd most crosses in the league so get it forward quickly and into the box is the order of the day.
The downside of course though as mentioned is they concede goals, whilst not massively bad in open play they are rash (probably an over eagerness to win the ball back and an over commitment of players going forward when they do).
This leads to penalties and free kicks and goals going in against them.
In terms of key players.
Veteran midfielder and Captain Barry Bannan is a Wendies icon, a composed and creative operator whose legs and stamina may not be what it once was but his eye for a spectacular goal or creative pass is still evident as his 4 goals and top 87% for Chances created of players in this league shows.
Striker Josh Windass (son of dear Dean) is having a great season, a hard working and dogged striker not without technical ability as his goal from his own half showed is always a threat as his 10 goals and 2 assists shows. A versatile player he can occasionally be found playing wide or as a 10.
Finally Dutch winger Anthony Musaba is one of those enigma type of players, his end product can be awful and he may fall over his own feet. But on his day he is very quick, very strong, and more than capable of spectacular tricky wing play and making opposition players look daft. He also has some end product (all be it inconsistently) as his 2 goals and 5 assists shows.
So an interesting challenge.
A somewhat inconsistent opponent with a tendency to shoot themselves in the foot.
But one in decent form, having a better than expected season and with confidence.
For ourselves the usual questions.
The big one atm of course is after an ok performance vs Harrogate will DF stick with Karl Darlow or will his passionate defence of the under fire Meslier see him return?
The return of Junior Firpo and the impressive performance of Isaac Schmidt could see some full back changes?
And how about now Ampadu and Gruev are back? Fans may like the progressive and relatively more positive play of Tanaka and Rothwell but Farke has more than once bemoaned the loss of his safer Ampadu and Gruev pairing, is a return on the cards?
A goal scoring return for Ramazani throws the cat amongst the pigeons on the wing perhaps?
And the other big call, Mateo Joseph is our only fit striker, Piroe is meant to be back in training by Thursday, who would you start?
Is also the fitness issues, how far can you push people like Ampadu, Gruev, Firpo, Struijk, Bryram and so on.
Looking to get back to winning ways after back to back draws vs Blackburn Rovers and Hull City.
2nd placed Burnley play 4th placed Sunderland so once again opportunity beckons.
But we haven't got the easiest fixture ourselves.
A somewhat rejuvenated Sheffield Wednesday are the visitors, currently 10th, 3 points outside the playoffs which I think is probably 5,6 places above where they'd have expected.
Only 1 win in the last 4 however but 18 points from the last 10 which is top 6 in the form table show the upturn.
Furthermore they are 3rd in the away form table over the last 8 with 5 wins and 16 points.
They are a dangerous team offensively, they are the 5th top scorers in the league, the 4th top open play scorers in the league and highly efficient at creating chances.
However that has come at a cost, they've conceded 40 goals, which is also the 4th most in the league.
They give you a chance, however not maybe as you expect.
In open play they aren't too bad defensively, 21 open play goals conceded is the 14th most in the league, not too bad.
The problem they have is they have conceded the most penalties and the most set piece goals, of the 40 goals conceded 19 were from penalties or set pieces.
In terms of eye catching results draw vs Boro and a win vs West Brom and they've given a good account of themselves vs Burnley and Sheffield United but been beaten.
But they've had some stinkers, Watford put 6 past them, Sunderland put 4 past them and even in the Borp draw they conceded 3.
The manager is young German Danny Rohl who has completely turned the fortunes of Sheffield Wednesday around since he took over last season when they were in the relegation zone.
His background before that was as an analyst and then Assistant Manager for some big names like Bayern Munich and the German National team and for some well known managers including influential German legend coach Ralf Rangnick, former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhüttl and current Barcelona manager Hansi Flick.
In terms of style of play they generally like most teams set up in a 4-2-3-1, although Danny Rohl has used a 4-3-3 and a 4-1-4-1 in the past.
Rohl is as his background shows is somewhat Red Bull inspired and that is evident in his tactics.
Not a possession for possession sake coach Wendies average well below 50% (and are somewhat unique in the sense they average slightly more away from home than at home).
Is a heavy focus on progressing the ball as is common with Red Bull teams, very few long passes or medium passes, they are bottom 5 for both of those.
The main focus is on short vertical passes in order to catch opponents off guard defensively, as an example 40% of the passes they play are progressive (forward), for us it's 29-30%.
And they are effective at it as the goals show.
They aren't a massively pressing team as in its relentless, but it is effective, they are 2nd for defensive actions which lead to a shot, they are also 3rd in the league for interceptions and tackles combined so what you can gather from this is transition is where you can get caught against them.
They aren't narrow though like Jesse Marsch, they average the 2nd most crosses in the league so get it forward quickly and into the box is the order of the day.
The downside of course though as mentioned is they concede goals, whilst not massively bad in open play they are rash (probably an over eagerness to win the ball back and an over commitment of players going forward when they do).
This leads to penalties and free kicks and goals going in against them.
In terms of key players.
Veteran midfielder and Captain Barry Bannan is a Wendies icon, a composed and creative operator whose legs and stamina may not be what it once was but his eye for a spectacular goal or creative pass is still evident as his 4 goals and top 87% for Chances created of players in this league shows.
Striker Josh Windass (son of dear Dean) is having a great season, a hard working and dogged striker not without technical ability as his goal from his own half showed is always a threat as his 10 goals and 2 assists shows. A versatile player he can occasionally be found playing wide or as a 10.
Finally Dutch winger Anthony Musaba is one of those enigma type of players, his end product can be awful and he may fall over his own feet. But on his day he is very quick, very strong, and more than capable of spectacular tricky wing play and making opposition players look daft. He also has some end product (all be it inconsistently) as his 2 goals and 5 assists shows.
So an interesting challenge.
A somewhat inconsistent opponent with a tendency to shoot themselves in the foot.
But one in decent form, having a better than expected season and with confidence.
For ourselves the usual questions.
The big one atm of course is after an ok performance vs Harrogate will DF stick with Karl Darlow or will his passionate defence of the under fire Meslier see him return?
The return of Junior Firpo and the impressive performance of Isaac Schmidt could see some full back changes?
And how about now Ampadu and Gruev are back? Fans may like the progressive and relatively more positive play of Tanaka and Rothwell but Farke has more than once bemoaned the loss of his safer Ampadu and Gruev pairing, is a return on the cards?
A goal scoring return for Ramazani throws the cat amongst the pigeons on the wing perhaps?
And the other big call, Mateo Joseph is our only fit striker, Piroe is meant to be back in training by Thursday, who would you start?
Is also the fitness issues, how far can you push people like Ampadu, Gruev, Firpo, Struijk, Bryram and so on.