Often Partisan

GAMEDAY – Sheffield Wednesday Away

The first match of the busy festive period sees Blues take on Sheffield Wednesday away. Can Rowett build on the little three match unbeaten run?

Sheffield Wednesday

The Owls lie one place above Blues having thumped Wolves 4-1 the week before Christmas. That was the only game that Carlos Carvalhal’s men won in December yet they last lost at Hillsborough in August.

Jeremy Helan, Lewis McGugan and Jose Semedo are all pushing for places in the squad along with Rhoys Wiggins.

Blues

Blues welcome back Jonathan Grounds, Paul Robinson, David Cotterill and Clayton Donaldson from injury yet of the quartet it’s possible only Grounds might start. Paul Caddis will come back into the starting eleven for the unfortunate Neal Eardley while James Vaughan could lead the line again. Maikel Kieftenbeld has picked up four yellow cards in his last five games.

With Blues facing both MK Dons (Monday) and Brentord (Saturday) at St Andrew’s within the next week the big question for Rowett will be how and if he rotates his squad.

Ref

Tony Harrington is to be in the middle for this game. He’s taken charge of 13 games so far this season, showing 38 yellow cards and one red. His last Blues game was the 3-0 FA Cup 3rd round win over Bristol Rovers in January 2014.

Suspension Watch

7 Yellow Cards: Maikel Kieftenbeld
4 Yellow Cards: David Davis, Jonathan Grounds, Stephen Gleeson and Paul Caddis
3 Yellow Cards: David Cotterill
2 Yellow Cards: Jonathan Spector, Jon Toral and Neal Eardley
1 Yellow Card: Tomasz Kuszczak, James Vaughan, Michael Morrison, Paul Robinson, Clayton Donaldson, Andy Shinnie, Shane Lowry and Demarai Gray.

The cutoff date for 5 yellow cards to attract a suspension is November 30, 2015
The cutoff date for 10 yellow cards to attract a suspension is April 9, 2016

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76 Responses to “GAMEDAY – Sheffield Wednesday Away”

  • StaffsBlue says:

    I’d start with the same team as against Cardiff, but with Grounds back for Lowry. I’ll go for a hard-fought 1-1.

  • steve says:

    Not the same team then staffs? :)

  • Macca 21 says:

    I would bring Donaldson & Cotterill straight back in . If they fit they must play. No point having your best 2 players getting splinters.

  • andy says:

    I wouldn’t say it was a must that Cotts and Donaldson play, both Maghoma and Vaughan have done well and will have more reason to keep the shirt now that the competition is there

  • ChrisG says:

    I’d put the strongest team possible out today & then jiggle things around on monday if needed, Sheff Wed are a better side than MK Dons & with 2 games in 3 days hopefully MK will struggle a bit on monday.

    • Shirley Blue says:

      I would get the strongest team out possible for MK Dons – much better chance of 3 points against one of the weakest teams in the division. I hope I am wrong but I think we will do well get a point today whatever side we put out. I would certainly try and give Donaldson and Cotterill half an hour anyway in preparation for Monday when I would like to see Donaldson and Vaughan both start,

    • Andrew says:

      The only team i see struggling monday will be birmingham city, never mind anyone else we have 0 back ups when players get injured or lose form

  • edd77 says:

    In my opinion and I want to be proven wrong this is the toughest away game so far I expect Sheff Wed to win this quite comfortably 3-0 ,then we’ll bounce bk Monday and beat mk dons,that’s my predictions

    • kirkus says:

      Congratulations to ed77 on the correct result,but what makes it all the more remarkable is the fact that apparently he doesn’t go to many away games!!!!!

  • Dave Mann says:

    edd77 , you don’t go to many away games do you. No, obviously not . Kro

  • Waycoolblue says:

    We can beat Wednesday. A point is expectable but we can take all 3.

  • Poppa999 says:

    Wednesday will be a touch test.

  • Dave Mann says:

    Kirkus, get a life son . Idiot Kro

  • ChrisG says:

    Don’t understand the negativity around todays game, sheff wed aren’t that good & I can’t see anything but a blues win

  • StaffsBlue says:

    No Gleeson in the squad.

  • Waycoolblue says:

    I think this will be the line-up 4-2-3-1

    GK: Kuszczak
    RB: Caddis
    CB: Morrison
    CB: Spector
    LB: Grounds
    CDM: Kieftenbeld
    CDM: Gleeson
    RAM: Gray
    CAM: Toral
    LAM: Maghoma
    ST: Vaughan
    subs Legzdins, Halford, Cotterill, Donaldson, Davis, Solomon-Otabor, Brock-Madsen.

  • We should only be playing a 4+2+3+1 system with at least 3 proven goalscorers , big call , but hey , time to go for glory , winner takes it all …kro

  • StaffsBlue says:

    I think he’s picked the right team for the match.

  • KC says:

    Sounds like organised chaos to me so far.

  • StaffsBlue says:

    Decent work undone by defenders who can’t do the job properly as usual.

  • 2-0 down staffsblue ain’t the right team at halftime i am sorry to say ,

  • Waycoolblue says:

    All over doesn’t work without Gleeson no one to play balls in to space.

  • KC says:

    Not there today so unfair to comment too much but defend,create,score goals – we ain’t got the quality to dp any of it on a regular basis. Accept for a a few transfer mistakes feel for GR. He was never going to keep up the early season upside with this lot.Our lack of goals in open play is incredible

  • Alex says:

    Wednesday at Hillsborough – only lost to Middlesborough, tough to beat at Hillsborough

  • Shirley Blue says:

    It’s central midfield that needs sorting out first. We are very, very weak there with or without Gleeson. That was the strongest team he could have put out barring the players coming back from injury which is probably the most worrying thing.

  • StaffsBlue says:

    I think that, so far, the management and players have done an excellent job, but I think this squad, as it is, have taken us as high as we’re going to get. Without some decent additions in January, I can only see us continuing to slide. We have very few clean sheets and very few goals in us. Mr Rowett has to change things somehow because, apart from the odd game, it’s not working as well now. He’s going to have to be very astute in the marketplace to get us going again. He said the other day, that the requirements can change every few games, we’ll I’d love to know what he feels after today’s game. Not the end of the world, but very disappointing.

    • KC says:

      Agree with your comments Staffs. He conjured up some magic post Xmas last season. Let’s hope he can do the same. Optimiistally hoped for something above last season but realistically had us down for around 16th which with this squad was still a result for me.

  • Today I have been unfair to blues , they have done well by us , but without enough goal scorers in the squad blanking the team out is to easy , and allowing the opposition 24% more possession than us is giving them to much time in our half giving them just more shots at goal than us , let’s hope the January window can get us winning again regularly ,kro

  • Bluey says:

    As predicted our form is starting to dip as well as results. I`m not blaming GR he hasn`t much to work with. The players simply aren`t good enough and without investment he is hamstrung regarding bringing in quality.I forecast a struggle from here on in and a bottom half finish.

  • Andrew says:

    I said at the start of the season when we were doing well and all was rosy that as soon as the goals dry up it will change, until we get some decent defenders we will struggle. I know we dont have money for big signings with wages but thinking we are able to get by on that squad is asking a bit much.

  • Tony says:

    The result was expected Wednesday are a good side and a bigger club than us, I expect us to fall further and finish about 10-12th which is what I would have settled for at the start. If you think about it that’s not too bad at all considering our squad and the quality they have i.e. not really and goal scorers and a shaky defence.
    We have overachieved up to now it was inevitable things would level out.

  • Shirley Blue says:

    Today was always going to be a very tough game against a team bang on form at home anyway. I will start worrying if we don’t win on Monday. If our home form hadn’t been so bad then defeats like today wouldn’t be such a blow. He needs a good transfer window to give the place a lift as its all getting a bit flat.

  • Tony says:

    Shirley he’s desperate for a left back ,and a central midfield man, a proven goalscorer too would be helpful, he also needs to give Halford a chance at centre back hes big strong and doesn’t take prisoners.

  • Mitchell says:

    Halford most certainly will partner Morrison on Monday. I also feel the system will change with 4-4-2 with Vaughan and Donaldson. It simply has to because another defeat at home will have the GR doubters circling.Our once healthy position of being out of reach by 4/5 bottom teams is not now so good. How many like myself still cast an eye on that third from bottom spot.

  • Mitchell says:

    My real concern Staffs is that our young manager just doesn’t have that older head around him. Great when on a roll GR is-but make no mistake these are tough times for him and I don’t see experience around Stans will the only exception being Robinson-which in itself is pretty sad.

    • StaffsBlue says:

      It’s a fair point and one I’ve heard on more than one occasion this season. It makes you wonder what his assistants are doing.. you sometimes get that McDermott-Fazackerley feeling… how are they helping matters? Just a thought.

      • Kro_chris says:

        From what I heard it’s thanks to the assistants that our manager still our manager and not Fulhams. It was them that wanted to stay at blues and Fulham weren’t prepared to pay for them or make them decent offer. Rowett didn’t want to go without them. I don’t post often but don’t knock loyal club staff they don’t get to speak out or chat to the press so it’s often a thankless task with no recognition outside of the training ground. As is often said if rowett rates a player that’s all that matters surely that applies to his direct team as well.
        Not having a pop staffs but to compare the current team to those past two is harsh. Here’s to good result against MK

  • StaffsBlue says:

    Mr Rowett has had a pretty smooth run of it since he came in and this is his first proper rough patch. It’s going to be very interesting to see how he deals with it and what he does in January but, looking at his record of last winter (Teshe, Fabbrini,) you have to trust him to get it right this time too. Fingers crossed.

  • Dave Mann says:

    Congratulations to edd77 and kircus for predicting the right result 3-0… It was not good and our worst away performance of the season , there support was very good and was impressed with them but we were slow, Inaffective, no invention and looked way of the pace…sorry to kircus for my rant but I didn’t see where you came to the conclusion of us loosing and edd77 on the correct result of 3-0 , well done !!.. as for Bluey , I think finishing in the bottom half of the table will give you great satisfaction and with realistic fans like you we might just avoid a relegation battle .. positivity is not something you associate yourself with his it mate , it’s doom and gloom all the way for you .. The Mann mantra will continue on its positive path because it keeps me healthy and happy , that will do for me . Kro

    • StaffsBlue says:

      I think our failings were there for all to see yesterday, including the manager, but I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom Dave. We’re in a bad run, but we’ll get out of it I’m sure. We certainly won’t go anywhere near the relegation fight, but whether we can challenge for the top 6 again, I’m not so sure, but with 2 or 3 quality additions, who knows.

    • almajir says:

      Did I go to the same ground?

      Their support was poor, they had an annoying drummer and they barely sang.

  • Mitchell says:

    Dave. Nobody hurts more than you when we lose-especially the long drive back home. Many OP commenters cannot handle win,draw,lose situations and this nearly always results in a punch bag target-often it is yourself. You take it on the chin and look ahead to MK Dons in the hope of 3points. Just imagine for a moment that some people still wouldn’t be able to be happy with that! As the late Les Dawson once said ‘it’s being so miserable that keeps me going”.

    • StaffsBlue says:

      I preferred knickers knackers knockers. :)

    • Dave Mann says:

      No problem Mitchell , it’s sticks and stones with me and I can’t be bothered with negative responses but I will give as good as I get and that’s all I expect from the players as well but not yesterday , very disappointing , ah well roll on stans tomorrow and maybe our results have changed round , it’s home wins now and draws and defeats away … Still in there fighting mate and it’s still possible top six with two home wins coming up . Kro


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