Goalkeeper Brian Murphy and left-back Shane O’Connor could be in line for Town league debuts as the Blues travel to Sheffield Wednesday looking to climb out of the bottom three. Murphy could take over from Arran Lee-Barrett, who was at fault for two of the goals at Peterborough in the week, while O’Connor has impressed in the reserves recently in the problem left-back position.
Manager Roy Keane says he wasn’t surprised to see his side drop back into the relegation zone after Wednesday’s fixtures saw Reading win at Crystal Palace: "I knew if we didn’t win Tuesday night that we’d be back in the bottom three as I felt the other teams were going to win their games and that’s how it’s panned out.
"It’s where we deserved to be. We’ve not won enough games. Again the other night we were in a good position and we gave a team a helping hand once again and obviously it’s not good enough.”
Despite his side’s lowly position, Keane is confident that the squad is good enough to survive: "We’re very positive, there’s enough in the group in terms of quality and leaders in terms of people like Jon Walters, but we’re in a battle, there’s no getting away from it.
"Everyone’s been very, very patient with us, including most of the supporters, but I think we used that up the other night, particularly the last 20 minutes. We’ve got a big job on our hands and another tough game tomorrow.”
The Blues boss admits that his own performance hasn’t been up to the mark: "The buck stops with the manager, absolutely. I pick the players, I pick the systems, make the substitutions and it’s not been good enough so far this season.
"Whatever decisions I’ve been trying to make just haven’t been falling into place, and that comes down to the manager. I’ve never shied away from that.”
Keane says Town’s poor recent second half displays aren’t down to a lack of fitness: "Even at QPR last week we were 2-0 up and coasting and we let them back into the game and ended up hanging on 2-1 when we should have been four or five ahead.
"That’s been a big, big problem for us, no one needs to remind me. We get all the stats of second half performances and I think we’re the second worst [in the division] and that’s not good enough.
"Our fitness levels are very, very good, there’s no doubt about that, but maybe the players get tentative or get a bit nervous because we had such a bad start of the season and start stepping back a bit rather than being on the front foot. Then you invite trouble on yourself.”
Keane gave new keeper Brian Murphy a game in the reserves at Southend on Wednesday having initially planned to field youngster Ian McLoughlin in that game which may indicate that the Irishman, who officially joined from League of Ireland champions Bohemians in January, is set for his first team debut at Hillsborough with Arran Lee-Barrett dropping to the bench.
Keane has also been impressed with Irish youngster Shane O’Connor, perhaps the only natural left-back at the club, aside from Ben Thatcher who has not been in his manager’s plans all season.
The Blues boss hints that O’Connor could be in line for at least a place in the 18 in South Yorkshire: "He was doing really well until about three months ago when he got a bad injury in a practice match. That set him back a bit but he’s had a couple of reserve games now and he did quite well the other night [in the reserves].
"He’s popular with the reserve group and I like him. He’s got a hunger, a desire, he’s enthusiastic and people enjoy that.
"Shane’s doing very well, we’re delighted with him, it’s a pity the injury set him back a little. The other day in the reserves we started him at left-back, moved him to left midfield and he scored two goals.
"Shane’s captain of the reserves, so there are plenty of plusses in the background and Shane’s doing himself no harm. He’s doing very well and he’ll have a chance of making his debut for the football club before the end of the season, and he’ll have done that on merit.”
Keane says the same applies to other youngsters on the fringes of the first team squad: "If the young kids are doing well they’ll get a chance, Connor’s the obvious one, he’s had a taste of it, then he’s had a few injuries. Shane and a few of the lads had a run-out in the League Cup and they’ll be looking at it and thinking there might be an opportunity for them over the next one or two months.
"I suppose in an ideal world you’d like to give them 15 or 20-minute cameo roles when we’re flying high in the league and we’re 2-0 or 3-0 up, but we’ve never really got into that situation.
"Having said that, sometimes you throw them in and say ‘Listen, let’s see what you’re about’. I think that’s what the top managers do, just throw the young kids in to see what they are about, and that’s what we might do.”
The Town manager says the Owls will be well aware of Town’s poor second half record: "Clubs look at other club’s stats and their performances. Peterborough would have looked at ours the other night, particularly our second half performances over the season, which haven’t been good enough.
"I’m sure Sheffield Wednesday will be rubbing their hands with us coming to town. It’s an opportunity for our players to roll their sleeves up and show good character.”
Ahead of debutant Murphy, who is set to become the fifth keeper to start a game for the Blues this season, Keane is likely to continue with Liam Rosenior at right-back and Damien Delaney and Gareth McAuley in the centre.
O’Connor could be handed his first league game at left-back, having previously come on as a sub in the Carling Cup at Shrewsbury, although the likes of David Wright, Jack Colback, Jaime Peters and Pim Balkestein will also all come into contention for a position which Keane admits has been a problem all year.
The Blues boss also has selection decisions to make in midfield, particularly with two games in the next four days. David Norris will probably be given a rest at some point having only recently returned from a lengthy absence and the ex-Plymouth man may be left out against the Owls, allowing Jack Colback to move into the middle.
Owen Garvan could be given another start on the left with skipper Jon Walters on the right. Lee Martin may also be in Keane’s thoughts after returning from his hamstring injury.
Up front, Daryl Murphy will be looking to score in each of his first four games for the Blues, which although impressive wouldn’t be a Town record with Ian Marshall managing to net in each of his first five games at the start of the 1993/94 season.
David Healy, Connor Wickham and Pablo Couñago are all in with a chance of a start alongside the Irishman with the Spaniard perhaps getting the nod after being a sub at London Road.
Wednesday boss Alan Irvine is determined that his side will return to form after losing 2-0 at home to Doncaster Rovers in midweek: "It's important that we bounce back but it won't be easy because none of the games in this division are easy.
"But one thing about being a Championship professional footballer is that you have to have the character and the mental strength to recover from low points.
"Obviously, we were very disappointed with how it went against Doncaster, it could have been a very different game had we taken a couple of chances that we had at 0-0. We now have to recover from that and I'm sure the players will do so.
"We've got 15 key matches to go, there's no question about that. When we first came in [to replace Brian Laws] we had 23 matches and so far it's not been bad. It's been a good start overall but we have to win a lot more games.
"I think a few people thought that because we had won five out of seven, the job was done. It isn't. I know the Championship, I know how tough it is and we have a lot of tough games from now until the end of the season.
"The sooner we get the points on the board, the sooner we can relax a little bit and look to the future."
Irvine feels the Blues ought to be higher in the table: "From what I have seen of Ipswich, they are a very good side with a lot of good players. Their big problem has been that they have drawn a lot of games. Had they converted some of those draws into wins, they would be in a better position.
"They are in a false position and I think they have the quality and depth in their squad to get out of trouble."
The Owls, who are two places above the Blues, a point ahead, having played a game more but with a goal difference four worse, have a home record of six wins, three draws and seven defeats.
Wednesday have added defender Eddie Nolan on loan from Irvine's old club Preston. The Wednesday boss says Nolan will improve his backline: "We have a tough battle ahead of us in order to stay in the Championship this year and Eddie Nolan is a very good defender who will bring a lot of quality and cover to our defensive unit."
Former Blue Tommy Miller is back in training after a hamstring injury and could be in the squad, but winger Jermaine Johnson and defender Lewis Buxton are out, also with hamstring problems.
Wednesday have had the better of the Blues historically, winning 16 times (15 in the league), losing on 14 (13) occasions with eight (seven) matches ending in draws.
Earlier this season, the sides played out a 0-0 draw at Portman Road and that was the scoreline when the teams met at Hillsborough last time around. Last year’s Portman Road clash was also a draw, the game ending 1-1 with the goals coming from Steve Watson and Pablo Couñago.
Town defender Alex Bruce, currently with Leicester until the end of the season, was on loan at Hillsborough when a Birmingham player in 2005, making eight starts and one sub appearance.
Alan Quinn spent seven years as an Owl between 1997 and 2004, making 169 starts and 11 sub appearances, scoring 17 goals, before blotting his copybook with Wednesday fans somewhat by joining Sheffield United.
Goal-a-game striker Daryl Murphy was on loan at Hillsborough for a month in 2005, making four appearances but failing to find the net.
In the Wednesday ranks at present is Tommy Miller, who had three spells with the Blues before leaving for the final time in the summer and joining the Owls.
Franny Jeffers was on loan at Portman Road in 2007 and came close to joining Town on a permanent basis but preferred to remain in the north and signed for Wednesday. Winger Jermaine Johnson spent time on trial with the Blues back in January 2001 but failed to win a contract.
Saturday’s referee is Mick Russell from Hertfordshire, who has shown 70 yellow and three red cards in 27 games so far this season. Russell’s last Town match was the Blues’ Carling Cup victory against Shrewsbury on penalties back in August when he booked just the one Shrews player.
Squad from: B Murphy, Lee-Barrett, Rosenior, O’Connor, D Wright, Peters, Delaney, McAuley, Balkestein, Leadbitter, Norris, Colback, Quinn, Garvan, Walters, Martin, Edwards, D Murphy, Couñago, Healy, Wickham.
Photo: ITFC