So here we are, five and a half years since the last one Sheffield Wednesday's next opponent is our city rivals Sheffield United. A lot has changed in that time since Chris O'Grady's 73'd minute winner back in 2012. Wednesday have been promoted, had a takeover, big investment and a couple of cracks at the Play Offs. United have endured another 5 seasons in League One after missing out in 2012, an FA Cup Semi Final in 2014 and a League cup Semi Final in 2015 before sealing promotion in 2017. This is a derby that has been eagerly anticipated since Danny Ward saved Fernando Forestieri's penalty back in May.
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Chris O'Grady sealing a win in the last Steel City Derby
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What does this game mean?
I doubt anyone that is going to read this will need any introduction to what this game means to the two sets of fans. I wouldn't dare be arrogant enough to try and speak for all of them. What I will do is tell you what it means to me. Back in 2012 after Sheffield United's play off final defeat to Huddersfield I was asked by a friend was I disappointed they'd not come up with us. My response was something like this,
"Are you f*cking joking? I've not stopped laughing at them. I hope we never play them again." I stand by these comments from my 16 year old self. I'm not one of these fans that looks forward to the derby, there's so much pressure on them. True they are the best games to win but they are also the worst to lose. I don't believe any fan that say's they aren't nervous before one. Now that the game is here the familiar feeling of nerves that only this fixture can bring. For me the only kind of scenario that compares however odd this may sound is something like the Crystal Palace game in 2010(we needed to win to stay up for those who may have wiped this from memory) where losing just isn't an option. Now take the fact it's Sheffield United away and it just becomes another early season league game. Nothing will be decided on Sunday that much is obvious but I'm sure proper football fans will understand what I mean.
The game itself
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Billy Sharp: Will he feature on Sunday?
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So how do I see this particular game going and where will it be won or lost. I won't claim to be an expert on Sheffield United but I have seen a bit of them. They have had a very good start which didn't surprise me. A lot of teams that come up with the kind of momentum tend to start well. Do I feel they are in a false position? Maybe just a little. It was interesting on Saturday that the one big question over them that I had was without Billy Sharp and new signing Clayton Donaldson where would the goal come from and it didn't come. Important to bare in mind it's one game and I personally think Sharp, Donaldson and Leon Clarke will all be fit but it's worth pointing out. From our point of view it's a case of just doing what we know we can do. I might be called biased for saying this but I'm struggling to see a better squad than ours. We know that if we perform to the levels we know we are capable of then we should beat anyone in this league. If we start like we did against Nottingham Forest then I'd be fairly confidant of a victory. Wednesday have found teams that sit back and but 10 men behind the ball and hope to nick it on the counter tricky to break down over the last 2 seasons but United are unlikely to do that meaning an open game could well be on the cards and that suits Wednesday.
The Key Men
So in a game of this size and importance who do I think will be the key in making sure it's a Wednesday win? Firstly will start of with the man in form at the moment Gary Hooper. Hooper's importance to Wednesday became apparent last season when he wasn't in the side. We missed his link up play, his ability to slot into space that not many others do and of course he scores goals and having scored 4 in the last 4 he'll be itching to make that 5 in 5 and as any Celtic fan will tell you he knows a thing or two about scoring in a derby. As does his current partner in crime up front Steven Fletcher, now anyone that knows me knows I've been Fletcher's biggest critic but since April he's been one of our best players. He's brought the form from the end of last season into this and he's been very good. He's played in big derby games before, he knows what they're all about. He supports Hooper well and as a duo the stats are there to prove it they get the best out of each other and the team benefits massively. Kieran Lee's return to the side has been a major shot in the arm, we missed him so much in August. I can't tell you the amount of times during August I said "when Lee's back you'll see how much of a difference he makes" and it's proved to be the case. His ability to get about the pitch as he does will be important on Sunday, it's a cliché but you need legs in a game like this and Lee provides them. Another thing you often need in a game like this is guile and Ross Wallace has that in abundance. He's been a massive part of what Carlos has done here since they both arrived. He can create goals from nothing weather that be for himself or for others, when we get accused of a 'lack of passion' the first player I'd pick out to counter act that rather stupid comment is Ross Wallace. Look at him when he scores, he's another one that has played in big derbies before. He'll be key if selected. The final player I'd pick out from our squad is a player who I don't think get's anywhere near enough credit especially recently after an excellent start to the season and that's David Jones. Cool, calm, collected Jones has been key in the upturn in results. He's often overlooked when the likes of Lee, Bannan and Wallace play well but often they play well because Jones allows them to. His ability to put his foot on the ball and provide a solid base to allow those players to do what they do so well is key. He'll be key on Sunday for me, another one who's played in big games before. A lot of people have mentioned over the last few days about the midfield battle being the key to the outcome of this game and I'd probably agree with that and Jones' role could be the most important of the lot. Oh and he's another one who can provide the odd screamer as we saw against Sunderland.
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| David Jones celebrating his superb strike against Sunderland. |
Summary
So to sum up then, how do It see it going? In truth I don't care too much if it's a good game or not I just want to win. It's got all the ingredients to be the best Sheffield Derby for many a year but that's not really what anyone who'll be there at Hillsborough on Sunday cares about. Blue and white or red and white the only thing that matters is three points. Wednesday have held the bragging rights for an awful long time. United will be fired up for it and I have no doubt we will match that. There has been a lot of talk about the fact that United have a fully British squad and there manager and captain are blades so that means they'll be more passionate about it. Nonsense. Just to clear up the myth of the 30 men in Wednesday's first team squad 9 of them are non British/Irish. Only 1(Joost Van Aken) is pretty much guaranteed to start this game if were honest. Quite a few are injured meaning it's likely to have a fairly British feel to it. Another poor journalistic approach I've seen chucked about is this nonsense about Carlos maybe not understanding the derby. I have three counter points to this. 1) Carlos has been very aware of all the other derby games we have played under him, Leeds, Rotherham, Barnsley etc. Why is this one any different? 2) He's managed the likes of Sporting Lisbon and Besiktas they both have fierce and rather intense derby games themselves. 3) He lives in the city, he probably has to interact with blades fans when he's out and about. Carlos is a cleaver man, he knows all about what this game means and he'll have his players up for it. All in all I predict it to be a tight game, if both teams do try to attack then I think it could be a very entertaining game however given the nature of how these games tend to go I think a narrow Wednesday win is the mostly likely outcome. As I said before I'd take that every day of the week. We are capable of smashing them without a doubt but I don't care if it's the worst performance of the season as long as we win. Let's really get behind them on Sunday and hopefully play a part in another derby win for the Owls.
Oh and just a quick one for these people that support other clubs that have been having a go at both Wednesday and United fans for hyping the game up. It's the first one for five and a half years. We're allowed to be a little bit excited for it. It's funny how a lot of these people support clubs with no real rival.
Thanks for reading
Tom
