Well, that was boring
uneventful summer wasn't it?
OK, maybe a hint of sarcasm there. It's been yet another summer full of talking points regarding Sheffield Wednesday. A second soft embargo, a retained list of key players, three signings that we all knew about ages before they were announced and... oh yeah the manager left. Let's get into it all.
Steve
Bruce
I don't want to spend too much time talking about Steve Bruce, what's
done is done and I'm sure everyone reading this will know all the
facts anyway. For me the way it was handled by Bruce was poor and
left a bitter taste in the mouth. Departing the way he did after
Wednesday had been good to him, I feel massively for the chairman who
after sacking Jos Luhukay back in December listened to the fans and
appointed a manager who the fans wanted only for that manager to
engineer a way out of the club. I have no issue with him wanting the
Newcastle job but to resign to force our hand regarding the
compensation of him and his staff meant Bruce went down in my
estimations.
It does of course leave us with the dilemma of appointing a new
manager, at the time of writing this no manager has been appointed
and we already know Lee Bullen will lead the team down at Reading.
For me the longer it goes on the better chance Bullen has of getting
the job full time. While he wouldn't necessarily be my choice there
are positives to him, he gets the club, he understands the fan base,
he knows the players inside out and also knows the division inside
out. Yes a lack of experience is a drawback but everyone has to start
somewhere. Like I say, he's in the best possible position to get the
job as it stands.
The one positive of all of this was the way the fans got behind the
chairman. I saw people online who had been very critical of Chansiri
over the last few years backing him over this and that was good to
see. I think he's actually won quite a few people round because of it
and that's very pleasing.
On
the pitch
While all the chaos was going on off the pitch this summer, on the
pitch has been fairly steady and there are a number of positives from
the pre season schedule. A good ten days training out in Portugal
before a training game against Shrewsbury was followed by a two
friendly games in one day as the squads split, one to Lincoln and one
to Stocksbridge where both ran out winners. Northampton away followed
with some nice football played and good goals scored before heading
out to Germany. Wednesday lost at VfB Lubeck before coming from two
goals down to beat Holstein Kiel 3-2. Again some good football on
display. Fletcher and Rhodes linking up well up front was a
particular highlight. Finally the only home fixture of the campaign
saw Wednesday host Espanyol in a friendly. For a friendly it was
quite a decent game, we kept the ball really well and dominated the
first twenty minutes or so and took the lead through Steven
Fletcher's header after Barry Bannan's sumptuous cross, if you
haven't seen that by the way, check it out. Tom Lees' ball to Bannan
wasn't bad either. Their equaliser from Javier Diaz was wonderful,
arguably the best goal scored against us for a while. Fernando
Forestieri scored a 2nd half penalty before Wu Lei made it
2-2 with not long left. It was a good work out which Wednesday edged.
Other positives included the comfort on the ball from most of the
players, Hutchinson, Lees and Borner keeping possession nicely
throughout the first half. Kadeem Harris looked fantastic and looks
to be a really clever addition and Moses Odbubajo also impressed on
his first showing as a Wednesday player at Hillsborough.
Looking
ahead
Looking ahead to the upcoming season, this Championship doesn't look
as daunting as in previous years. That isn't to say it won't be as
competitive as ever but I feel it's a more even division than before.
Predicting it is even tougher. It's been an interesting summer, it's
clear many clubs in the division are close to that EFL line so
spending has been a lot lower this season with the exceptions of
Bristol City and Brentford nobody is really splashing the cash. We
ourselves have been under a soft embargo. While it's obviously not a
good thing I do think it's been slightly overplayed by the media.
Reasonable sources suggest it was only there because of the late
accounts submission which seems to be in line with the EFL's Profit
and Sustainability rules.
If I'm 100% honest I don't really know what to expect from this
season from Wednesday. I don't think we'll finish in the top six, I
don't think we'll be near the bottom six either. We have a squad that
is capable and if we can avoid the injuries that have dogged us over
the last two seasons and find some consistency then we might have a
decent chance. The squad has underperformed for large spells over the
last two or three years but the 2nd half of last season
did show that they can put a run together. It's worth remembering
that since Jos left we've only lost 5 times. One to Chelsea in the FA
Cup, one to Leeds who finished third, once to Villa who went up, once
to Hull who were at the time the form team in Europe and the other
was to QPR on the final day of the season when it didn't matter much
anyway. At the end of the day we became a team that was organised and
difficult to beat. Yes a lot of that was down to Bruce but if whoever
gets the job can continue that pathway then hopefully we can be
successful.
Who
will be the key men?
Obviously when you look for the key players in this team it's
difficult not to start with Barry Bannan, the Scotsman who
begins his fifth season at Wednesday will be eager to have another
crack at promotion. He's taken on the role of playmaker in the side
and is probably first name on the teamsheet. His passing, his reading
of situations, his leadership which has grown over the last couple of
seasons all make him such a key player for us and his popularity with
the fans is only increasing. He's my tip for our Player Of The Year
award.
Keiren Westwood will always be on any list like this, there
were rumours he wouldn't remain a Sheffield Wednesday player this
season but the Irishman has signed a new 2 year deal and like Bannan
is vastly popular. The confidence he gives to the back four is key
and he's probably been worth a good number of points for Wednesday
over the last few years. Keeping him fit and healthy will be key.
Keiran Lee is back fit and while it is a cliché will be like
a new signing for us. We don't have another player like him, his
ability to ghost through that midfield and end up on the end of
something could be crucial. It was great to see him back on a
football pitch at the end of last season and it's even better to see
him now fully fit and ready to start this campaign.
Jordan Rhodes is back from a loan spell at Norwich and while
the 'what shall we do with him' debate rumbles on I think it would be
daft to move him on now after playing him throughout pre season. I
still maintain if you have a fully fit and confidant Jordan Rhodes up
front and give him the service he'll score goals. I've seen nothing
to change my mind on that. It's also worth remembering that during
Wednesday's four years or so under Chansiri trying to get promoted
Rhodes has won promotion twice with Middlesbrough and Norwich in that
time. Having that recent promotion experience might be an important
weapon on the arsenal.
Kadeem Harris looks a real find, he has pace which I think we
all can accept we've lacked over the last few years and he knows how
to cross a ball. There's nothing like a good winger running with the
ball and putting it into a dangerous area. I can foresee him being a
popular player for Wednesday.
Fernando Forestieri for me will always make a list like this.
Now at time of writing news has broken in the last hour or so that
Fernando has been banned for six matches following the incident at
Mansfield last year. It's already been announced he'll appeal that
and I think that's all we can say on that for the moment. On the
pitch he's still probably our best player, a player who can pull
something out of nothing. I know the last few years have been
disrupted by injury and I know there are still sections of fans who
think he's not worth the fuss but I challenge you to find a better
player who wouldn't cost us an arm and a leg to sign. We have to
stick with him and unlock that potential in him again for me.
Adam Reach of course always
catches the eye. The once thing you'd say about Adam is that he needs
to score more tap ins to add to his collection of fabulous goals.
This could be a big year for Reach, he's had a couple of years of
being one of the key men in an under performing team. Now is a good
chance to be that in a team that is challenging.
A
good start could be key
Again it's another cliché but a good start could be massive for us. The main reason I say this is Wednesday have a habit of slow starts. Last season I think most fans would say the start was average to middling. The facts showed it was our best return in terms of points to a 2nd tier season since 1990. We know slow starts have cost us in previous years. 15/16 is a good example of that, the form post September was pretty good but the first month really did for us. 16/17 the same. We've been given a start which on paper isn't as tough as maybe it could have been. While I think it's harder than some people have given it credit for it's still fair to say Wednesday should be looking at winning the majority of those games. Home games with Barnsley, Luton and QPR shouldn't provide as big a test as some of the other teams in the division. Away games at Reading, Millwall and Preston do provide a bit of test. We have to be looking at least 12 points from those first six games if we have serious ambitions of the top six in my opinion.
Prediction
So here we are, time to lay my neck on the line. I'll say we'll finish 9th. It's a position I've had in my head for a while. I just don't quite think we have enough to finish in the top six and I can't see that changing massively between now and the end of the window. I'd love to be proved wrong on that one.
Player Of The Year: I'll got for Barry Bannan, I think this
might be the year where he actually gets some proper recognition from
the rest of the footballing world.
Top scorer: I'll say Jordan Rhodes, yes he has his critics and doubters. I'd love it if he shut them up, I'd love it if he fired us into the play offs or better. He'd deserve it.
Most assists: It's hard not to say Bannan on this one but I do think Harris might run him close. Adam Reach as well is a shout.
Surprise player: This is a bit of an odd one as I don't even really know what I mean. I suppose what I'm getting at is someone who people wouldn't be expecting anything from. Julian Borner might well be that man, people have spent a lot of the summer telling the club to sign Michael Hector and while that would no doubt be a good move we may have already replaced him with Borner. He's looked composed on the ball and also looks a fairly strong player. It will be interesting to see how he gets on.
So there we have it, a preview and prediction ahead of the 2019/20 season. Lets hope it's a good season, we as fans can't do much other than support the lads. We've got a nice new kit as well which appeals to what fans have been asking for for a while. We've had a decent pre season on the pitch. Let's got and attack this division. You never know, look at the crap that went up last year (not you Norwich and Villa)
Thanks for reading
Tom
WAWAW (We're still allowed to do
that as far as I know)
