MATCHWATCH : Sheffield Wednesday (a) sponsored by Lloyd Owusu

[Sutekh]

When : Saturday, 15th February, 3pm
Where : Hillsborough, Sheffield, S6 1SW
Capacity : 39,812
Away Stand : Leppings Lane, Upper Tier
What might I see in the area : Whippets, flat caps, dourness but absolutely no stereotyping


Sheffield Wednesday is the next team for Reading, a nice long trip up north, almost exactly 1 year after the last trek to Hillsborough, to play a team that’s generally been fairly useful this season.

Reading will be looking to try and avenge the opening day defeat they suffered at the talons of the Owls but, as ever, it’s going to be a tough proposition although Sheffield have been a bit off form recently with only one win in their last nine Championship games.

And so it seems to be for Reading at the moment, opponents on a bit of poor form turn up a collect some sort of reward while Reading are left looking decidedly average or uninspiring at best, this really needs to change and the players and management prove Reading can perform in games like this otherwise there’s not going to be much at all to look forward to for the rest of this season.

Wednesday are experiencing Reading-esque home form at the moment with their last success being on 22nd December when Bristol City were dispatched by one to nothing, since then they’ve played 5 games at home and lost 4 of them (including being hammered 5-0 by Blackburn) but their last game did show some improvement with a 0-0 v Millwall. Perhaps it’s been a case of concentrating on the cup which is good news as after wins at Brighton and QPR they’ve got a real distraction (hopefully for Reading) with Manchester City destined for Hillsborough in the next round. So with form like that I think we can all guess the likely outcome of this game.

The Owls beat Reading to the loan signing of Conor Whickham, so I hope it’s not a case of, in the words of Bowen (Jim rather than Mark), “let’s have a look at what you could’ve had”. They are also copiously well stacked with attacking operations such as Barry Bannan, Steven Fletcher, Fernando Forestieri and Jacob Murphy so there’s going to be plenty for Reading’s defenders to watch out for.

Sadly SWFC look to have a full strength squad to select from whereas Reading have five definitely sidelined (Joao, Gunter, Boye, McIntyre, Miazga). Other than that Mr Loader looks to be better and new boys Mr Masika and Senor Araruna-Hoffman are raring to go.


Referee

Mr Andrew Woolmer

Previously

09 Nov 19 > Reading 3-0 Luton Town
01 Oct 19 > Reading 1-4 Fulham
19 Jan 19 > Derby County 2-0 Reading
18 Oct 16 > Reading 1-2 Aston Villa
27 Aug 16 > Cardiff City 0-1 Reading
23 Aug 14 > Nottingham Forest 4-0 Reading
08 Apr 14 > Bournemouth 3-1 Reading
29 Oct 11 > Crystal Palace 0-0 Reading
12 Apr 11 > Scunthorpe United 0-2 Reading
15 Apr 10 > Reading 3-0 Coventry City
16 Sep 08 > Reading 6-0 Sheffield Wednesday
17 Sep 05 > Reading 1-0 Crewe Alexandra

Historically

Not a particularly happy hunting ground for Reading but then probably about average for the club for a northern trek and only twelve previous league visits. Of those twelve games three have been won and five lost.

How to follow the game

1. Get a ticket and travel up north
2. Listen to Radio 5 Live and/or a myriad of other radio stations for score flashes
3. Ring/text a mate for updates
4. Use an iFollow subscription
5. BBC Radio Berkshire (FM : 104.4, 104.1 or 95.4 depending where you are in the area)

[Old Man Andrews]

Andy oxf*rd Woolmer!!!!!!!!!

[URZZZZ]

Rafael

Yiadom
Morrison
Moore
Blackett

Rino
Swift

McCleary
Aluko
Richards

Meite

Walker Obita Adam Pele Timbe Puscas Baldock

Best we've played in ages with that front six. Let's give it another go, eh?

[Old Man Andrews]

Rafael

Yiadom
Morrison
Moore
Blackett

Rino
Swift

McCleary
Aluko
Richards

Meite

Walker Obita Adam Pele Timbe Puscas Baldock

Best we've played in ages with that front six. Let's give it another go, eh?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ALUKO

[Crowbar6753]

Time for a shake up and change of tactics, we clearly can't play with one up top, and five at the back doesn't suite the players and hasn't worked. So back to basics and go 4-4-2 and play fast, high tempo football with the ball and press and hurry the oposition when they have the ball.
Yes, we give up a player in the middle, and the posession stats won't look pretty, but who cares!! when we get the ball back, counter attack at pace and get the ball out to the flanks and deliver quick balls into the two strikers, and see how this works at least until Joao is fit again.

Yiadom Moore Morrison Obita

Meite Pele Swift Richards

Puscas Baldock

For this to work best we really need wingers with pace, so i've gone with Richards and Meite. I've also gone with Swift, however you could insert Ejaria or Adam. This is just a temporary solution as nothing else has worked and our football is boring and turgid.

[URZZZZ]

Time for a shake up and change of tactics, we clearly can't play with one up top, and five at the back doesn't suite the players and hasn't worked. So back to basics and go 4-4-2 and play fast, high tempo football with the ball and press and hurry the oposition when they have the ball.
Yes, we give up a player in the middle, so get the ball out to the flanks and deliver quick balls into the two strikers, and see how this works at least until Joao is fit again.

Yiadom Moore Morrison Obita

Meite Pele Swift Richards

Puscas Baldock

For this to work best we really need wingers with pace, so i've gone with Richards and Meite. This is just a temporary solution as nothing else has worked and our football is boring and turgid.

McCleary is a winger. I don't particularly rate him anymore, but he has to be shoe in to start. He may well be leaving at the end of the season, but we should approach each game to win, not thinking about the repercussions for the season ahead. Timbe needs to be in the squad too

Wednesday haven't scored a home goal for 350 minutes, haven't won at home since 22 Dec, and their last 9 league games has resulted in a run of 1-2-6. Lose this and people will really start to become concerned

[Crowbar6753]

Time for a shake up and change of tactics, we clearly can't play with one up top, and five at the back doesn't suite the players and hasn't worked. So back to basics and go 4-4-2 and play fast, high tempo football with the ball and press and hurry the oposition when they have the ball.
Yes, we give up a player in the middle, so get the ball out to the flanks and deliver quick balls into the two strikers, and see how this works at least until Joao is fit again.

Yiadom Moore Morrison Obita

Meite Pele Swift Richards

Puscas Baldock

For this to work best we really need wingers with pace, so i've gone with Richards and Meite. This is just a temporary solution as nothing else has worked and our football is boring and turgid.

McCleary is a winger. I don't particularly rate him anymore, but he has to be shoe in to start. He may well be leaving at the end of the season, but we should approach each game to win, not thinking about the repercussions for the season ahead. Timbe needs to be in the squad too

Wednesday haven't scored a home goal for 350 minutes, haven't won at home since 22 Dec, and their last 9 league games has resulted in a run of 1-2-6. Lose this and people will really start to become concerned

Wow, i find their home record hard to believe!! that's us well and truly screwed then lol......and i see there's alot of nobber's and the manager thinking we are safe. This may be the case, however, there is always that one team that has a fall from grace and plummets into trouble and it's generally a team that gets complacent.
Our record in 2020 is shocking and we have every right to be looking over our shoulders!!

[Hound]

Weather looks atrocious for this one

I think it’s a get stuck in and battle game. Maybe not one for wingers, certainly not one for Aluko

Main thing is we need to stop conceding goals or else doesn’t matter what formation we put out

I’d prob play Adam, Rino and Pele in midfield and rest Swift and Ejaria

[Old Man Andrews]

Time for a shake up and change of tactics, we clearly can't play with one up top, and five at the back doesn't suite the players and hasn't worked. So back to basics and go 4-4-2 and play fast, high tempo football with the ball and press and hurry the oposition when they have the ball.
Yes, we give up a player in the middle, and the posession stats won't look pretty, but who cares!! when we get the ball back, counter attack at pace and get the ball out to the flanks and deliver quick balls into the two strikers, and see how this works at least until Joao is fit again.

Yiadom Moore Morrison Obita

Meite Pele Swift Richards

Puscas Baldock

For this to work best we really need wingers with pace, so i've gone with Richards and Meite. I've also gone with Swift, however you could insert Ejaria or Adam. This is just a temporary solution as nothing else has worked and our football is boring and turgid.

Bold strategy to not play a goalkeeper. Can't see it catching on to be honest.

[JoeyJoeJoeJnrShabadoo]

thanks

[Snowflake Royal]

Would like to see one of Ejaria and Swift dropped. Araruna out. Rino in.

Upfront is problematic. Don't think any of them can play up top on their own, but playing 2 craps up the shape. Maybe a 3 of Meite, Puscas, Baldock.

Maybe 3 CBs with two upfront (must have two defensive midfielders for this though)

Maybe 4-4-2 with some wingers, which basically means two of Olise, McCleary and Timbe. And either Pele or Rino and Swift or Adam or Ejaria.

[NewCorkSeth]

Cant watch this one. Hoping to see:

------------------------Rafael
Yiadom---Morrison---Moore---Blackett
-----------Pele---Rinomhota---Adam
------------Meite---Puscas---Baldock

Walker
Araruna
Richards
Olise
Swift
Ejaria
Loader

Pele and Adam to sit deeper, Rinomhota to work the ball up the pitch, Meite and Baldock to work the wider areas and channels but no sit out on the wing, Puscas to sit on shoulder of last defender, Yiadom and Balckett to sit a little deeper and focus on creating width rather than dribbling inside.

I know it wont happen..

[Westwood52]

Houston we have a problem.The Puskas overdrive is disconnected and the Baldock backup is fragile.While the Loader line has an inherent fault and the Jao alternate is in for serious design repairs.I told you we should have bought an alternator last Month ,instead of spending money on fringe surplus Aruna and Timbe wiring.

[Old Man Andrews]

Houston we have a problem.The Puskas overdrive is disconnected and the Baldock backup is fragile.While the Loader line has an inherent fault and the Jao alternate is in for serious design repairs.I told you we should have bought an alternator last Month ,instead of spending money on fringe surplus Aruna and Timbe wiring.

Good god.................................

[Crowbar6753]

Time for a shake up and change of tactics, we clearly can't play with one up top, and five at the back doesn't suite the players and hasn't worked. So back to basics and go 4-4-2 and play fast, high tempo football with the ball and press and hurry the oposition when they have the ball.
Yes, we give up a player in the middle, and the posession stats won't look pretty, but who cares!! when we get the ball back, counter attack at pace and get the ball out to the flanks and deliver quick balls into the two strikers, and see how this works at least until Joao is fit again.

Yiadom Moore Morrison Obita

Meite Pele Swift Richards

Puscas Baldock

For this to work best we really need wingers with pace, so i've gone with Richards and Meite. I've also gone with Swift, however you could insert Ejaria or Adam. This is just a temporary solution as nothing else has worked and our football is boring and turgid.

Bold strategy to not play a goalkeeper. Can't see it catching on to be honest.

Well spotted OMA, all part of the master plan

[morganb]

------------------------Rafael
Yiadom---Morrison---Moore---Blackett
-----------Pele---Rinomhota---Adam
------------Meite---Puscas---Baldock

Walker
Araruna
Richards
Olise
Swift
Ejaria
Loader

Pele and Adam to sit deeper, Rinomhota to work the ball up the pitch, Meite and Baldock to work the wider areas and channels but no sit out on the wing, Puscas to sit on shoulder of last defender, Yiadom and Balckett to sit a little deeper and focus on creating width rather than dribbling inside.

I know it wont happen..

When I cobbled together a team earlier it looked like this except I'd swapped Swift for Adam on the pitch and the bench was slightly different (Obita for Richards, perhaps Timbe if fit for Olise). Like you say It'll never happen...

[John Smith]

Andy oxf*rd Woolmer!!!!!!!!!

The ref for Fulham (h) this season of course, where so many cry babies on here were moaning about the Arter/Swift incident.

[Snowflake Royal]

Cant watch this one. Hoping to see:

------------------------Rafael
Yiadom---Morrison---Moore---Blackett
-----------Pele---Rinomhota---Adam
------------Meite---Puscas---Baldock

Walker
Araruna
Richards
Olise
Swift
Ejaria
Loader

Pele and Adam to sit deeper, Rinomhota to work the ball up the pitch, Meite and Baldock to work the wider areas and channels but no sit out on the wing, Puscas to sit on shoulder of last defender, Yiadom and Balckett to sit a little deeper and focus on creating width rather than dribbling inside.

I know it wont happen..

I'm ok with this, but Blackett wasn't great against Hull and Obita certainly hasn't been poor. Plus it's a brave choice to drop both Swift and Ejaria. Swift has been poor, but he has still created some chances that have led to goals recently, whereas Ejaria looks a bit better mostly, but is delivering little end product.

[SCIAG]

Rafael

Yiadom
Morrison
Moore
Blackett

Rino
Swift

McCleary
Aluko
Richards

Meite

Walker Obita Adam Pele Timbe Puscas Baldock

Best we've played in ages with that front six. Let's give it another go, eh?

In the BFTG thread you were moaning that a bench containing Richards had no wingers, and now you’re playing Richards as a winger? Make up your mind.

For me:

Rafael; Yiadom, Morrison, Moore, Obita; Swift, Pele, Adam; Meite, Puscas, Baldock

Subs: Walker, Blackett, Araruna, Rinomhota, Ejaria, Olise, Loader/McCleary

[URZZZZ]

Rafael

Yiadom
Morrison
Moore
Blackett

Rino
Swift

McCleary
Aluko
Richards

Meite

Walker Obita Adam Pele Timbe Puscas Baldock

Best we've played in ages with that front six. Let's give it another go, eh?

In the BFTG thread you were moaning that a bench containing Richards had no wingers, and now you’re playing Richards as a winger? Make up your mind.

For me:

Rafael; Yiadom, Morrison, Moore, Obita; Swift, Pele, Adam; Meite, Puscas, Baldock

Subs: Walker, Blackett, Araruna, Rinomhota, Ejaria, Olise, Loader/McCleary

Richards isn't a natural winger though. IIRC the only two "natural" wingers we have in the squad is McCleary and Timbe and I hope that's a position we really look to improve on in the summer, because unfortunately Gomes wasn't particularly interested in using wingers

I think Richards can do a job there though, still indecisive on his best position. When you consider the impact he had there against Cardiff, and when you consider Ejaria is in poor form, and Timbe isn't fit enough to start yet, it could be a solution