We all talk about the biggest game of the season, the most difficult or even the hardest, however tomorrow’s game should be filed under the most dangerous. Sheffield Wednesday bar a hammering last time out are in form and desperate for points.
The EFL Championship is often described as the most competitive league in Europe with prizes above the majority of folks experience both in business and in their personal lives. There are players in the Championship who earn over one hundred thousand pounds a week, and I’ll also suggest some of them we have never heard of.
That’s the prize.
A look at the league table tells you exactly the scrap the Swans will find themselves in come this Good Friday fixture. They possibly need just one or two wins from eight, some will tell you none at all when you look at the sides below them.
Sheffield Wednesday have only scored thirty goals all season and have conceded sixty one, that’s a huge amount of goals shipped, and last time out a 6-0 hammering by Ipswich Town didn’t help. Before that there has been an upturn in fortunes which gives the Owls faithful (and they are) some hope they can still get out of relegation this season.
Their last six games see them in the play off positions on form and the Swans in tenth. Both sides will have a lot of confidence ahead of this game. There are familiar faces in this Wednesday side, and much of the past two weeks has seen speculation over several key men. Danny Rohl is the head coach who is giving Owls fans hope. He has managed some quality performances of late. Assistant coach, Chris Powell once England International knows the fans have to stay onside. Powell won five England caps under Sven-Goran Eriksson, he took him through his paces when assistant at Leicester City. "The welcome that I’ve had here, from people I’ve met on trains, trams, on the streets, it’s been really good. Even some from the other side of the city have said ‘Welcome’, anyway. I’m just trying to embrace Yorkshire life again. I’ve been an assistant, at Derby and in Holland, and I’ve been in the academy at Spurs. I just like football, I like to develop people - whether that be players or coaches - and help them improve. I like to lend my experience, create a good environment and look out for people”
It has to be said both Rohl and Powell have conspired positively over the past four months or so. Things do take time, and a chink of light is now appearing.
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Barry Bannan, now thirty four is a doubt although he has had two weeks rehab. He has also appeared in thirty four games this season for the Owls, and even now on the fringes of his winter years he is seen as a match winner. He has registered nearly four hundred appearances in all competitions for Wednesday. His withdrawal against Ipswich at half time with a muscle injury places him at fifty fifty for this game.
Josh Windass is also in the fifty fifty bracket with a long recovery behind him again from a muscle injury. Rohl said in the week, : "Josh will be really difficult for the next weeks. This is the situation, it’s hard to take, we will miss him for some games."
Callum Paterson, yes him, he is also rated doubtful this morning. Ian Poveda on loan from Leeds United is also a doubt and Kristian Pedersen is certainly out. Loan conditions between the Swans and Owls are not known but generally he wouldn’t be allowed to play in this fixture, he is also injured.
The Swans have a large travelling support for this game and are fast approaching a very decent crowd for the home fixture this Monday (KO 3pm) Another cleverly managed commercial idea involving ticket pricing. More later from Luke Williams and tomorrow - have a day off if you can and watch the Swans !