The Forum
Normally I head straight into the games in these blogs but due to what went on just before Christmas I think it's important this is addressed straight away. The whole fans forum idea certainly split opinion, by the EFL rules you have to go a certain amount of them a season which might be a debate for another day. For me the format of them doesn't seem to work as well as other things such as steering group meetings. While the idea of getting to ask the chairman whatever you like is obviously a good one it can often descend into a bit of a mismanaged evening often with the chairman being either misquoted or people taking what he says out of context. The big headline of the night was obviously Chansiri saying he was to put the club up for sale. Now again there has been a lot of discussion as to whether this was a genuine statement or not. For me it doesn't really matter for the moment. If there is a buyer waiting in the wings and it's a deal that suits Chansiri fair enough, if Chansiri changes his mind, or it wasn't a serious threat, Again fair enough. Football is football, nothing surprises me. The FFP question was asked and again there didn't seem to be a solid plan of what to do going forward that would guarantee avoiding any sanctions against the club in the summer. Again I think that's another blog in itself about what may or may not happen. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on FFP/P&S but it's hard to see without selling players how the club can avoid punishment.
Jos no longer the boss
Obviously the other big off the field decision was to remove Jos Luhukay of his position as manager. A lot of questions were raised when Chansiri made the claim that changing managers doesn't always work, personally and this is just my opinion Chansiri didn't quite realise the distain for Luhukay prior to the forum and he changed his mind. I could be wrong on that and if so fair enough. It was overdue, for me as someone who does like to see managers given time it was hard to go to games thinking the manager shouldn't be in the dugout. I personally wouldn't sing for a manager to lose his job but I could understand why those fans at Blackburn and Swansea and against Rotherham at home did. The team was not performing, the players heads were down, the fans had turned and it was toxic at Hillsborough. Some might say he should have gone a lot earlier than he did, maybe so. He still has my sympathy with the fact he never really got a proper transfer window, the fact he never got a chance to work with the likes of Lee and Hooper but ultimately that was not enough to excuse some of the results and performances. Ultimately Jos failed and had to leave. I wish him well, I think he's a decent enough bloke probably wasn't aware of just how big a job it was when he took over in January.
The Matches
Blackburn Rovers
Following on from the win over Bolton at the end of November, we travelled over to face another side from Lancashire in Blackburn Rovers. While Blackburn have a very good home record it's fair to say we had a chance of getting something. Sadly it was another afternoon to forget for Wednesday and the first of the games where the fans chanted for Jos Luhukay to lose his job. We gifted Blackburn three points, made it far too easy for the likes of Bradley Dack and Danny Graham to punish us. The team looked bereft of ideas and organisation. While a manager's tenure can never be truly decided on one game this felt like the end. As much as goals from Joao and Bannan showed a bit of fightback they really masked what was a drab afternoon in the Blackburn rain.
Rotherham United
A week later Wednesday were at home to face Paul Warne's Rotherham United, the Millers arrived at Hillsborough having not won a Championship away game since April 2016 but this felt like their best chance. I hate to say that and sound negative but that's genuinely how I was feeling in the build up to the game. After a tepid first 45 minutes that man Joao again put Wednesday ahead on the stroke of half time after a great ball from Adam Reach. While it may have been undeserved I was shocked at the booing as the players came off. OK the situation wasn't great but to boo a team who were winning? Really? The 2nd half was more entertaining, Rotherham equalised quickly through Michael Smith who we didn't deal with all game before Richie Towell put Wednesday in front. That goal for me summed Wednesday under Jos up, it was clear what Towell was going to do and we did nothing to stop it. Maybe Dawson should have saved it but the truth is it should never have got to him. Wednesday equalised through Joao again from a Daniel Pudil cross who'd come on as a half time substitute. It finished level and while it was probably fair if I was a Miller I'd have been disappointed with the full time score.
Swansea City
Another week passed by and a trip down to South Wales to face Swansea. While they still have some of the names from the Premier League the Swans aren't quite at the level of some of the other sides in this division. They still have quality players however and it wouldn't be an easy trip. We actually played fairly well. Similar to the Derby County game at home where we probably edged it but ultimately lost. We were the better side and took the lead through Marco Matias only for a collapse that lead to a 2-1 defeat. Defensive errors again. For a defensive coach we sat with the worst defence in the division and no sign on things improving. It was yet another defeat on the road for Jos and another chorus of calling for the Dutchman's head. The post match interview with BBC Radio Sheffield was ended prematurely by Jos not being too happy with being asked about his future. That was the last we heard from him. Although he wasn't officially gone by the pre match presser for Preston, he was by the time the game came around.
Preston North End
So after the departure of Jos Luhukay there was a game of football to be played. The final home game of 2018 saw Alex Neil's Preston visit Hillsborough. The team news was certainly interesting reading with Westwood back in goal for the first time in a competitive game for over a year. Sam Hutchinson and George Boyd back on the bench having not played since August. It was a much improved performance, I've heard a few people say it was a negative display and Wednesday were lucky. I'm really not sure what game those people were watching. OK so Preston went down to 10 men, but lets not pretend Wednesday weren't in control of that football match. A 2nd half goal from Michael Hector, who looked back to his best as did centre back partner Tom Lees, saw Wednesday take a crucial three points.
Middlesbrough
So onto the traditional Doxing Day fixture, Wednesday's record on Boxing Day since returning to the Championship in 2012 is outstanding. Six wins and a draw, it's fair to say Christmas comes late for Wednesday supporters. Following the win over Preston I think it's fair to say Wednesday fans were slightly more confidant heading into the clash at the Riverside. The travelling fans were rewarded with a hard fought 1-0 win. Adam Reach getting on the end of Barry Bannan's pass. It was a lovely move witch deserved to end up the back of the net. A 2nd win in as many games meant it had been a good couple of days for club legend Lee Bullen. Thrown in at the deep end in caretaker charge he'd reinvigorated the players and the fans, there were quite a few calls for him to be given the job permanently following the reports that Steve Bruce is likely to take over.
West Brom
So the final game of 2018 took the Owls to the West Midlands to take on Darren Moore's West Brom. For me the squad assembled at the Hawthorns is one of the best I can remember in Championship history. Packed with attacking talent and we'd seen ourselves back in October how quickly they could turn it on. That 2-2 draw at Hillsborough was probably a bit of a turning point in Jos' time here as the last five minutes over shadowed the previous 85. This game saw the return to the bench of Sam Winnall who hadn't played football at all since February and hadn't played for Wednesday since August 2017. It also saw the return of last seasons less than popular away kit as the third kit for this season. Common practice among football clubs to be fair but still something the club was getting a little bit of stick for before the game. Onto the football and Atdhe Nuhiu gave the Owls the lead after just five minutes and Wednesday once again were the better side for large spells of the contest. However deep into added time a corner from Matt Phillips was deflected into the Owls goal by David Jones, however Chris Brunt was claiming it and I'd rather he had got it that Jones. Just on Brunt I saw a few (and I do mean a few) people having a go at him for celebrating the goal in the way he did. Now I get the idea that people don't like to see former players celebrate their goals against us but lets look at a couple of fans. Chris Brunt signed for West Brom from Wednesday 11 years ago. He's played way more games for them then he did for us and he also didn't celebrate when he scored against us back in 2009/10 at Hillsborough. I don't get what there is to be annoyed about there. As for the result yeah the manner of it was frustrating but I'd have taken a point before a ball was kicked and had West Brom have been on it like they were a few weeks ago against our neighbours in S2 it could have been very different.
So all in all a busy and action packed month for Sheffield Wednesday. Would we have it any other way? Onto January.
Thanks for reading
Tom
WAWAW
