Coventry- V- Wednesday omdt

[Bulldog]

You know this match is being played at Birmingham M'Lud?

[Pieman]

A 1-0 nil scrapathon victory to the Owls. Bannan pen, Green cleaned out in the box. Hutch MOM.

[Pieman]

1 hour ago, LondonOwl313 said:

Big one this. Tbh when Pulis came in and we had that tough run of fixtures and after Norwich we had 9 points from 16. I looked at the next 9 ‘easier’ games and thought to be in the mix we’d need to get 16 points (5 wins and a draw) to leave us on 25 from 25. We then went and lost to Huddersfield, Barnsley and Forest and at that point we looked down.

But wins against Coventry and Wycombe would get us to 25 from 25. Don’t think it’s done us any favours having to delay these games.. but 17th is on 27 and 21st is on 25. We need the two wins to get us in to a position where it’s basically 1 team to go down from 6 with 21 games left. Not winning means we give the others a head start.

If we expect to get 6 points from these two games, expect to be disappointed. 3 or 4 points would be a good return. After that, there is an absolute load of games to play and as always, there will be a team that plummets like a lead balloon. We need to concentrate on the form of the last few games. Solid at the back, brighter in attack. We can do this, starting tonight by avoiding defeat and maybe snatching defeat. If we don't, lets not be too disheartened, lots to play for. 

[The Wall]

1 hour ago, The Dukeries Owl said:

Is it on the Sky red button?

 

Don't think so

[Ante's Bubbly]

I am looking forward to tonight's game. It could be a pivotal match for the season depending on how the team turns out and what style of play we adopt. I feel that if Shaw is fit and plays it could go one way and if he is not and Hutch is picked in midfield and not defence it could go another. I know it is never as cut and dry as that, but I feel that being the first game of the second half of the season, Neil Thompson would like to make a statement football wise and get us going forward as a team and as a club. Unfortunately I am not sure whether Shaw is really unfit to play, or just being hidden away until January is over, or he's signed his new contract. You get the feeling that a couple more driving runs through midfield with an assist, or a goal at the end of it and we might well be waving him goodbye!

 

 

I would like to see us play two up front against teams like this, at least at some stage of the game and preferably not just the last ten minutes looking for an equaliser. I find it frustrating that in so many games we score, then sit back, go behind and then suddenly have more attacking effort in the last 5, or 10 minutes that we have all game, especially when all our players look knackered. I think we have several players that are capable of unlocking defences, and playing one up front was cited as one of the reasons for Pulis getting the chop. I actually agree with Chansiri that we have concentrated too much on defence, which unless Hutch plays in defence, is why I see signing him as a move in the wrong direction. Our Midfield has to drive forward more and be more creative, not less creative. Yes they have to be able to tackle, block and chase, but it is possible to do bth with the right players, as young Liam Shaw is showing. There has been a load of rubbish talked in some quarters, about our defensive record too. We have conceded less goals than most teams in the division. Monk got sacked when the team had kept 5 clean sheets and were a player down with 3 bad injuries, with seconds to go from getting a 6th, in just 11 games! You have to go all the way up to 7th position in the table, to find a team that has conceded less than us and they are in 7th spot, because they have scored twice the number of goals that we have. 

 

I would like to see us get a real striker one day very soon, so that we can play two up front and actually be an attacking threat. We have players that can provide the balls in, but nobody with the level of skill and composure to net regularly enough. When we need goals now, we can ping plenty of balls into the box for headers, put though balls into runners etc, but we do not get enough finishers into positions to head the ball or run through onto the ball. Most of our players have had a go, but none of them are natural finishers. Even cool customers like Bannan, panics when he gets sight of goal and does not have the right kind of composure to just lean forward over the ball when he hits the ball with any power. We are halfway through a season where we are battling for survival and we still have a vital part of the team missing, which is unacceptable and one of the reasons than Monk was sacked. We are restricted to playing defensively, because we do not have enough quality in and around the opponents box. Green and Marriott may make a difference and it would be great to see them do the business today, but the fact of the matter is we need a goal scoring striker urgently. We do not need to spend a fortune, we just need to be have somebody associated with our club, that can spot a player doing the right things at a lower level. Players like Ivan Toney and Olly Watkins were not always out of our reach and were available for any team willing to take a chance on them a few years ago, with Olly Watkins playing for Exeter City four years ago and Ivan Toney playing on loan for Scunthorpe 3 years ago! We still needed strikers back then and instead went for older more expensive options on high wages and with low levels of availability due to their age and fitness issues. That attitude has got to change.

 

Our defenders are doing a decent job at one end, let's help them out by playing more football at the other end. Coventry are not a good team, but we managed to scrape past them last time out. It would be nice to build on that with another three points and I would like to see us do that by not being so defensive. If we do not get ourselves into enough good positions to score lots of goals we will not score lots of goals and for me that has been our main problem this season. We don not need to go all out attack, but we also need to concentrate less on being all out defensive. It will require a few younger fitter players, because we still have too many players that struggle to play more than 3/4 of our games, but we could start the ball rolling tonight, by going for Coventry and concentrating our play in their goal mouth.

 

Come On Thommo! Come on Wednesday! UTO!

[akbuk]

1 hour ago, Shetland Owl said:

We need to win tonight otherwise we could be bottom. All other teams down below are hitting form. Very Disappointing we haven't picked up another striker. My team, considering injuries/covid

 

                                                  Wildsmith

                                Uri,  Brennan, Borner, Van Aken

                                Green, Hutch, Bannan, Reach

                                         Windass,  Paterson

It will be 3-5-2 I think

[Rev Owl]

Hope we play 2 up top as I take the points @Ante's Bubbly makes very well.

I'm not hopeful though of a result. We're in a position that's very fragile and that can carry over into fragile morale and then fragile performances.

We need a bit of old fashioned luck to go with that old fashioned man's head.

UTO

[Tommy Crawshaw]

Realistically there are only 6 teams we are looking at as catchable of which Coventry are one. So can't afford to lose tonight or they will be 10 points clear of us with 22 games left, making them just about out of reach.

 

We now have to keep winning on a regular basis to stay up as matches left are going to rapidly start running out once we get to less than 20 matches left by next week.

[Ante's Bubbly]

7 minutes ago, Rev Owl said:

Hope we play 2 up top as I take the points @Ante's Bubbly makes very well.

I'm not hopeful though of a result. We're in a position that's very fragile and that can carry over into fragile morale and then fragile performances.

We need a bit of old fashioned luck to go with that old fashioned man's head.

UTO

 

The thing that cheers me up most at the moment, is that we have fallen very lucky with Neil Thompson, because he knows the capabilities of the players very well and has allowed them to express themselves within his defensive framework. If he can get his attacking ideas into the new players heads as well (I include Hutch in that group, if he plays), I think he could do as well, if not better than most of the realistic candidates for the head coach job right now. I think Chansiri is waiting until the transfer window is over until he takes another coach on, if at all, depending on how we perform in the next few games. I hope we carry on doing well and picking up more points, because I would really hate to see some new coach come in now and struggle to get his head around the squad, trying to discover who the best 11 are (17 with subs) are etc, trying different styles of play and treading water while we do that. If Thompson has the bottle for it, and it seems like he may have, at least short term, he could just steady the ship long enough for us take stock in the summer and make some sensible signings for the club's future.

 

A separate question really but, does anybody know why Bullen was not put in temporary charge, or why Thompson has not been put in previously when head coaches were sacked? I wondered if Thompson's personal position had changed in some way or other, because professionally he has done a great job with players and it is hard to imagine that his professionalism and calmness was overlooked previously.

[Harrysgame]

At the stage where every game is a must win until we are out of the bottom 3. Pressure on the players so sooner we win the 2 games in hand the better.

Somehow think we will get out of relegation. Issue is are there any further deductions coming our way?

 

Don't understand the accounts issue as late again so does this not mean another automatic deduction?

[wellbeaten-the-owl]

52 minutes ago, Pieman said:

If we expect to get 6 points from these two games, expect to be disappointed. 3 or 4 points would be a good return. After that, there is an absolute load of games to play and as always, there will be a team that plummets like a lead balloon. We need to concentrate on the form of the last few games. Solid at the back, brighter in attack. We can do this, starting tonight by avoiding defeat and maybe snatching defeat. If we don't, lets not be too disheartened, lots to play for. 

Table means nothing yet, 23 games to go and need circa 31 points, realistically that's 8 wins, 7 draws and 8 defeats.

 

Coventry haven't lost at home for quite a while so draw would be ok tonight.

[wexowl]

3 hours ago, Lord Snooty said:

 

 

  Morning all. Looking forward to the game?

I am. No I am, I know on paper it was a bit of a pasting by the toffees, well actually, it was a real pasting on the pitch once they'd got the first, but I saw plenty to be positive about didn't you? 

I mean to say, one little look at that attacking  options at their disposal. Gomes ,Rodríguez , Sigurdsson, Richarlison and  Calvert-Lewin , £200m worth of talent up against our back line, of which 4 have come through the kids and who excluding the keeper have less than ten seniors starts between them. I thought they did remarkably well. No, I did. 

And it still took two set pieces, which we always look a concern from whoever is in our back line, no matter their experience, to finally put us to bed.  Yes. I thought we did ok as a team and was delighted for the kids. Though of course I'd like to hope theirs been some clearance of the Covid in the squad and we can get some of the older heads back in for the League. Lees, Dunkley. I like the kids but a relegation scrap, only in my opinion of course, is no place for kids. 

 

It did get me thinking back about a few years ago. Geary, Quinn, Bromby that era. So much pressure on those young boys to bail a team out of the mire. Too much pressure and expectations.  Yes, I'm delighted for Brennan, Urhoghide and Galvin, and I hope, like young Shaw they continue to impress and push and forge their way in the game. Hopefully with us. But Dogfights are for the aged men of war. Which is why I'm happy we've brought Sam back. Though, at the same time disappointed.  Pleased we've signed a player with those attributes so needed in this situation, but how typically Wednesday to sign a player they've let go only months before. 

If anything sums our club up...it really is that. Well, that and the fact we're signing players when we have no manager!

 

GEARY AND QUINN - TOO MUCH PRESSURE TOO SOON FOR YOUNG LADS?

 

 

Neil Thompson, sorry "Thommo" must be thinking he's got a chance here. He's done well.  Two wins and a draw in the league a win in the FA Cup and just the one defeat to a very strong Everton side. more than that there has been a different vibe about the team. We've actually been mustering a shot or two!

Yes, he might think he's got a snifter. And why not. None of us know how any manager or coach is going to do until they are in the position. East Stirlingshire didn't know how Alex Ferguson would do. He'd never managed before.  Then again. Tony Pulis had managed plenty of teams and done well.  You just don't know what will transpire, don't know how your managerial appointments will pan out.  Unless you're shopping at the very top of the game of course, Klopp, Guardiola, Mourinho. Or, getting Warnock.

 

Yes Thommo must think he has a sniff if he can keep this up. However, Bullen must have thought he might have a chance too when he went on an impressive run last year while in caretaker charge.  Until rumour started doing the rounds that it was on the cards and he very well might get the job...then the performances dropped off.  Under the bus? Comfort zone? Who knows, but there was a marked difference on the park as his odds started dropping. Foot off the pedal.  It will be interesting to see how the player perform the longer Thompson is in the role. 

 

Neil Thompson- He's got a mans head.  That might seem odd but I like that. There's a lot of men these days that don't have a mans head. But he has. There's something I find reassuring about that manly shaped block on his shoulders. Like a fortification. It gives me comfort in these troubling times.

One can almost imagine it as a rock sitting proud in a stormy sea something reassuring for the drowning man.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------

 

One person who is glad Thompson is in the role will be the returning Sam Hutchinon, who quipped on his return that he knew Thommo well from his various spells training with the U23's. 

At least we won't have to worry about him being frozen out instantly. It may take a new manager before that happens. If we even get one at all. The Hutchinson debate is a interesting one. Does he offer more than our current midfielders? Certainly, and while questions might be raised about his discipline, which can often be exaggerated what can never be argued is Hutchinsons burning desire when he's on the park. His drive and enthusiasm. 

 

Also, Sam brings something which, to my eyes, is something I seem to have see less and less of over the years, though it might just be the memory playing tricks with the passage of time - Hutchinson like players of my younger days watching Wednesday is offended when the team lose. He is offended when players get past him and does everything he can to get back, it's a bugbear of mine over the years when a player is beaten and they leisurely stroll back  or do the little hands on the hips routine. 

 

 

"My mans just strolled past me....oh well, still getting paid."

 

He loves a battle, Sam, and we have to remember...we are in a battle! A battle for our Championship lives. Will he start tonight?

Well, it might be a bit soon for someone who hasn't played a game since November. 

That said, he's generally fit, he says. Which did raise a wry smile. 

 

I quite liked the look of the boy Green, I thought he showed a couple of glimpses and have hopes for the lad when he reaches match fitness. I think we'll have to be careful with him not to ask too much too soon with the games coming thick and fast. It would be just our luck, and as we've seen earlier in the season, going from nothing to full throttle can really set a chap back. 

 

 

 

----------------------------- THE MATCH --------------------------------

 

COVENTRY CITY

V's

WEDNESDAY

 

 

Jan 27, 2021

Kick Off: 7pm

Ricoh Arena

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Coventry will be without Kyle McFadzean after the defender was sent off in their previous fixture at Reading.

Jordan Thompson could be provided with an opportunity in his place, while Ben Sheaf and Maxime Biamou will hope to earn recalls to the first XI.

 

 

Mark Robins will be eager for his side to produce a response as soon as possible.

While they are not in any immediate danger of dropping into the relegation zone, Coventry can see some of the teams below them improving significantly, putting them under pressure to get another three points on the board.

Goals are the biggest issue for this side with just two strikes being netted during their recent disappointing period, both of which came in a win away at Millwall.

 

Coventry City possible starting lineup:
Wilson

Thompson   Ostigard   Hyam

Dabo  Hamer  Sheaf   McCallum

O'Hare   Gyokeres   Shipley

 

------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------

 

 

 

 

Wednesday have been showing signs of improvement under caretaker boss Neil Thompson.

Before Sunday's 3-0 defeat at Everton in the FA Cup fourth round, the Owls had collected seven points from Thompson's three games in change since replacing Tony Pulis.

 

Having watched Derby County register successive wins over the past week, Thompson will be aware that one defeat may lead to the club's hierarchy replacing him with a more experienced head.

 

However, claiming three points in the West Midlands on Wednesday evening will only strengthen calls for the 57-year-old to be handed the reins on a permanent basis.

 

Providing that he receives international clearance, Sam Hutchinson could feature for Wednesday after his return to the club.

Josh Windass is one of a number of players who could be recalled to the team with Andre Green expected to drop down to the substitutes' bench. Osaze Urhoghide may continue in defence if Thompson opts against taking any risks on Cheyenne Dunkley

 

 

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Wildsmith

Dunkley   Brennan  Borner  

Harris    Hutchinson    Bannan    Penney

Reach    Green

Paterson

 

--------------------------------------------------

FORM GUIDE

Coventry C Championship form: D L D L W L

Wednesday Championship form: L L W D W W

 

 

----------------------------------------------

 

AS IT STANDS...

 

                                                 P       W       D       L        F        A       GD     PTS

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

COME 

ON

WEDNESDAY!

That post has cheered me up no end.

[Guest]

I have a horrible feeling tonight will be Thompsons 'Bullen Burton game' 

 

We was on a similar run with Bullen and then just looked shocking against Burton 

 

Hopefully wrong 

 

[Caicos Owl]

1 hour ago, Ante's Bubbly said:

I am looking forward to tonight's game. It could be a pivotal match for the season depending on how the team turns out and what style of play we adopt. I feel that if Shaw is fit and plays it could go one way and if he is not and Hutch is picked in midfield and not defence it could go another. I know it is never as cut and dry as that, but I feel that being the first game of the second half of the season, Neil Thompson would like to make a statement football wise and get us going forward as a team and as a club. Unfortunately I am not sure whether Shaw is really unfit to play, or just being hidden away until January is over, or he's signed his new contract. You get the feeling that a couple more driving runs through midfield with an assist, or a goal at the end of it and we might well be waving him goodbye!

 

 

I would like to see us play two up front against teams like this, at least at some stage of the game and preferably not just the last ten minutes looking for an equaliser. I find it frustrating that in so many games we score, then sit back, go behind and then suddenly have more attacking effort in the last 5, or 10 minutes that we have all game, especially when all our players look knackered. I think we have several players that are capable of unlocking defences, and playing one up front was cited as one of the reasons for Pulis getting the chop. I actually agree with Chansiri that we have concentrated too much on defence, which unless Hutch plays in defence, is why I see signing him as a move in the wrong direction. Our Midfield has to drive forward more and be more creative, not less creative. Yes they have to be able to tackle, block and chase, but it is possible to do bth with the right players, as young Liam Shaw is showing. There has been a load of rubbish talked in some quarters, about our defensive record too. We have conceded less goals than most teams in the division. Monk got sacked when the team had kept 5 clean sheets and were a player down with 3 bad injuries, with seconds to go from getting a 6th, in just 11 games! You have to go all the way up to 7th position in the table, to find a team that has conceded less than us and they are in 7th spot, because they have scored twice the number of goals that we have. 

 

I would like to see us get a real striker one day very soon, so that we can play two up front and actually be an attacking threat. We have players that can provide the balls in, but nobody with the level of skill and composure to net regularly enough. When we need goals now, we can ping plenty of balls into the box for headers, put though balls into runners etc, but we do not get enough finishers into positions to head the ball or run through onto the ball. Most of our players have had a go, but none of them are natural finishers. Even cool customers like Bannan, panics when he gets sight of goal and does not have the right kind of composure to just lean forward over the ball when he hits the ball with any power. We are halfway through a season where we are battling for survival and we still have a vital part of the team missing, which is unacceptable and one of the reasons than Monk was sacked. We are restricted to playing defensively, because we do not have enough quality in and around the opponents box. Green and Marriott may make a difference and it would be great to see them do the business today, but the fact of the matter is we need a goal scoring striker urgently. We do not need to spend a fortune, we just need to be have somebody associated with our club, that can spot a player doing the right things at a lower level. Players like Ivan Toney and Olly Watkins were not always out of our reach and were available for any team willing to take a chance on them a few years ago, with Olly Watkins playing for Exeter City four years ago and Ivan Toney playing on loan for Scunthorpe 3 years ago! We still needed strikers back then and instead went for older more expensive options on high wages and with low levels of availability due to their age and fitness issues. That attitude has got to change.

 

Our defenders are doing a decent job at one end, let's help them out by playing more football at the other end. Coventry are not a good team, but we managed to scrape past them last time out. It would be nice to build on that with another three points and I would like to see us do that by not being so defensive. If we do not get ourselves into enough good positions to score lots of goals we will not score lots of goals and for me that has been our main problem this season. We don not need to go all out attack, but we also need to concentrate less on being all out defensive. It will require a few younger fitter players, because we still have too many players that struggle to play more than 3/4 of our games, but we could start the ball rolling tonight, by going for Coventry and concentrating our play in their goal mouth.

 

Come On Thommo! Come on Wednesday! UTO!

Is that you Leo?

[SwellOwl]

Even though "A Man's head" is a ridiculous comment, I knew exactly what you meant and 100% agreed!

 

Biggest game of our season, after our break, we have to come away with a positive result - we can't afford to lose, unthinkable.

 

I think 1-2 win for the Owls - COME ON WEDNESDAY!!!

[striker]

16 minutes ago, Sticky Micky said:

I have a horrible feeling tonight will be Thompsons 'Bullen Burton game' 

 

We was on a similar run with Bullen and then just looked shocking against Burton 

 

Hopefully wrong 

 

Let's hope you're wrong, because the last month has shown Chansiri hasn't got a clue how to appoint a manager.

[s29wfc]

24 minutes ago, Sticky Micky said:

I have a horrible feeling tonight will be Thompsons 'Bullen Burton game' 

 

We was on a similar run with Bullen and then just looked shocking against Burton 

 

Hopefully wrong 

 

Quite possible, Thompson's Bullen game could and perhaps should have been against Derby if it wasn't for their poor finishing. I just hope he's learnt quickly from that and we get bodies forward tonight and have a bit of a go like we did first half v Everton. I'm hoping though that wasn't a 'sod it go and express yourselves we have nothing to lose ' attitude and he reverts to type tonight. 

[REDOWL]

Superb thread as always thank you.

The Mighty Wednesday on course for a massive win tonight because we are not any ordinary football team,we are the truly magnificent, outstanding...

Sheffield Wednesday F.C.

Nowt else matters because WAWAW.

 

[Holmowl]

1 hour ago, Tommy Crawshaw said:

Realistically there are only 6 teams we are looking at as catchable of which Coventry are one. So can't afford to lose tonight or they will be 10 points clear of us with 22 games left, making them just about out of reach.

 

We now have to keep winning on a regular basis to stay up as matches left are going to rapidly start running out once we get to less than 20 matches left by next week.

I agree with you, though many won’t.

 

A draw tonight is a very acceptable outcome.

 

Defeat against a relegation rival would be a disaster.

[Ante's Bubbly]

1 hour ago, wellbeaten-the-owl said:

Table means nothing yet, 23 games to go and need circa 31 points, realistically that's 8 wins, 7 draws and 8 defeats.

 

Coventry haven't lost at home for quite a while so draw would be ok tonight.

 

Yes, at the half-way stage we are in the bottom three, but with key players missing from our squad, a six point deduction and an unenviable change around of coaches, we have been fighting the tide a bit so far.

 

For the second half of the season, hopefully we can avoid any further changes in coaching personnel, we are still hoping to add a couple more players to help improve the strength and balance of the team and if we can manage not to have another six points taken off us, we should be in a good position to reach safety, or at least have our destiny in our own hands. A lot can happen between now and the end of the season can't it and if we manage to get through the rest of the season without too many new Covid cases in the camp, we might manage not to have to seat too much at the end. Being Wednesday though, we do like doing everything the hard way don't we so it looks like being exciting again, if nothing else!