In the fifth of a series of pre-season reports, HarryfromBath assesses the mood around clubs in the Championship by delving into their forums. The Owls’ quiet summer falls under the spotlight here and all of the teams in the division will be covered before the start of the season.
"I’m not panicking but God this has been the dullest pre-season I can ever recall”, "With less than two weeks before the big kick-off we have only signed one player. On our manager’s admission, he wanted three or four new players in place before pre-season”, "Not much else is happening here.”
"There’s a thread about which player has the best ears. That tells you everything.” With just one new arrival and half a dozen fringe players departing Hillsborough this summer, Owls have had little to excite or even much to discuss since their play-off semi-final defeat to Huddersfield last May.
"A lot of people are worrying about the lack of activity on the transfer market. Don’t panic”, "The squad can play the first month and it’s only a couple of players away from being ready to challenge again”, "The better players will have more realistic prices as we get close to the end of the window.”
"I thought Carlos should have gone at the end of last season. It’s not that he has done a bad job at all, I just don’t think he has what it takes to get us over the line. I hope I’m wrong but I have a feeling he won’t be in charge come Christmas and we will be scrapping it out in and around sixth place.”
Although this is the view of a minority of Owls, a number are concerned that their 51-year-old boss may not have the tactical flexibility to push the squad to a top-two finish. "It’s exactly the same as last season. Anyone thinking we are going to become a super-attacking team is kidding themselves.”
Most Owls are fully behind the manager. "When the pressure was on last season, Carlos won six in a row to finish fourth. With a catalogue of injuries, we just missed out on a play-off final on penalties”, "Very recently we would not have dared to even dream about finishing fourth in the Championship.”
"We are now looking for players who are going to be a cut above the rest and improve our playing squad. They are not as readily available as the average dross out there.”
The only arrival at the time of writing has been 31-year-old winger and one-time Blues target George Boyd, moving from Burnley on a two-year contract.
"Boyd is precisely the kind of winger Carlos wanted all along, so is a genuinely excellent addition”, "He is a sure thing to start on the right. His work-rate second to none and while not as spectacular as Ross Wallace, he’s a lot more consistent. Teams hate playing against him at Championship level.”
The fringe players departing are defenders Darryl Lachman (to Willem II), Urby Emanuelson (to Utrecht), Vincent Sasso (to CF Belenses) and Claude Dielna, (on loan at Dinamo Bucharest for part of last season) is now a free agent, as are departing midfielders Jose Semedo and Modou Sougou.
"We have been desperate for another first-team-ready centre-half for over a year and should have had it sorted by now”, "The sensible part of my brain would want and attempt to buy a top-quality centre-half.” The central defence is widely acknowledged as the area which most needs addressing.
"We need a dominant leader at the back”, "If my hunch is right, our target is Grant Hanley. I feel that Newcastle’s valuation of him is probably a little high”, "Hanley has been the one for me all summer long”, "Beyond signing a new centre-half, we need to keep a settled team and we are doing this.”
"What have we learned from the friendlies so far? Well, I think it’s fair to say we won’t be prolific”, "Our lack of pace and being too defensive or negative in friendly games has been pretty much the same as last year. If Carlos opens up our style of play again it could be a fun season, let’s hope.”
The Owls recorded 5-0 and 3-2 wins respectively against Alfreton and Mansfield before heading out to Portugal, where they beat Portimonense 1-0, drew 1-1 with SC Farense and concluded their stay with a 0-0 stalemate against Carvalhal’s former side Vitoria Setubal from the Portuguese top flight.
The starting XI for the goalless draw against Setubal was set out in Carvalhal’s favoured 4-4-2 shape. The only expected alterations for the season opener against Preston are the inclusion of keeper Keiren Westwood and centre-back Glenn Loovens, both of whom were missed this game through injury.
Owls attending the game noted that Fernando Forestieri played in a more withdrawn role off Steven Fletcher when he was brought on. The team which finished the match (above) still had Adam Reach on the left wing. Many Owls see the ex-Boro man as a nailed-on starter after an excellent pre-season.
"Three average games in Portugal and nothing much to add but if I was picking the team I would play Reach ahead of Forestieri. He was far sharper, had a better work-rate and looks to have bulked up”, "The games weren’t the best and we look like a team that has changed nothing from last season.”
"We have hit a crossroads where we have a squad that contains quality players. It needs a bit of fine-tuning to take it to the next level and become top two contenders”, "This team has been knocking on the door of the Premier League for the last two seasons. This time it feels like promotion or bust.”
The busiest Owls message board is the very friendly and knowledgeable Owlstalk.