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Town Out to Make it Five in a Row at Sheffield Wednesday
Tuesday, 30th Sep 2014 06:00

Town take on Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough this evening looking to win five league games on the trot for the first time since October 2003.

Coincidentally, that run started with a 2-1 home victory over Rotherham - who were defeated 2-0 at Portman Road on Saturday - followed by wins at Bradford (1-0), at home to Burnley (6-1) and Stoke (1-0) and finally at Crystal Palace (4-3).

Town managed a run of five wins in all competitions during the August and September of the following season when Cardiff were beaten 3-1 at Portman Road before Brentford were beaten 2-0 in a League Cup tie, also on Suffolk soil.

Once again a victory over Rotherham, 2-0 at Millmoor, was part of that run with home wins against Millwall and Wolves (2-1 and 2-0 respectively) completing the streak.

Despite his fifth-placed side having won their last four games, manager Mick McCarthy says he’s not concerned about his players becoming overconfident: “It doesn’t bother me at all that, not within here because they all know what I’m like.

“It’s the next game that matters to me, I’m not bothered what we’ve done. I said to them on Saturday that it’s performances which gain you momentum.

“Everybody will say ‘It’s results that get you momentum’. But how do you get results? You get results by playing well and we’ve played well in all those games. So, it’s looking after performances, and if you do that, results will come.”

He expects a tough game against the Owls, who dropped to ninth following their 2-1 defeat at Cardiff on Saturday. Prior to that loss and last week’s 7-0 thrashing by Manchester City in the Capital One Cup, Wednesday had made a generally positive start to the season.

“We’ve just had good results but we’re going to Sheffield Wednesday on a Tuesday night under lights,” the Town boss said.

“They’ve had a good start. I thought they were excellent here at the end of last season and we were very lucky to win that, they were the better team.

“Stuart Gray’s got them playing some really good football. He was with Dave Jones for quite a while and took over from Dave.

"He was the caretaker-manager, he settled them down really well and they’ve started well this season. I know Stuart, I played with him at Barnsley 100 years ago," he joked.

“It’s never an easy place to go and play and they’ve started well. Then we’ve got Nottingham Forest before the break. We’ve done all right, let’s see what we take out of these two games.”


McCarthy says Gray has a decent squad: “They’ve still got Atdhe Nuhiu. He’s a handful and Steve May looks particularly sharp. I know there was a bit of interest in him from other places. He looks like a good signing.

“They play a solid 4-4-2. Jacques Maghoma they got from Burton Albion, who did well there but stalled last year, but is looking more of a threat. Chris Maguire on the right, Jose Semedo and Giles Coke.

“They’re a solid 4-4-2, nothing strange or unusual, they haven’t got anybody playing in behind or a sitter or somebody drifting around, but they’re a really capable team off their shape.”

He believes Wednesday are one of a number of sleeping giants in the Championship: “If they were in the top two the place would be rocking, you’d be looking at 30,000 there. It’s a huge club.

“There are a few of them about. Our league is full of clubs who have been in the Premier League not that long ago. What’s the Premier League, 21 years old?

“I think if you look at the league there are 18, 19 or 20 teams who have been in the Premier League, who think they are huge clubs.”

McCarthy once again has plenty of decisions to make regarding his personnel and formation, however, his back four and goalkeeper are likely to remain unchanged.

Dean Gerken will be in goal with Jonny Parr at right-back, Tyrone Mings on the left and with Christophe Berra and skipper Luke Chambers in the centre of the defence. Berra and Mings are both only one booking away from a suspension.

In midfield, McCarthy could look to move away from the three he has used in recent games to match the Owls’ system.

That could see Cole Skuse - if he’s over his toe injury - or Kevin Bru or Luke Hyam behind new loan signing Jonny Williams in the centre with Paul Anderson on the right and Jay Tabb on the left.

Alternatively, if McCarthy feels Williams isn't ready to start, Hyam could start ahead of Skuse or Bru.

Daryl Murphy would partner David McGoldrick up front with Conor Sammon dropping to the bench.

Wednesday will again be without defender Tom Lees, due to a hamstring tear, but fellow centre-half Kamil Zayatte is back after a one-match ban

Midfielder Kieran Lee returns to the squad after a groin problem, but another defender Sam Hutchinson is not yet ready to get back to action after a back injury.

Owls boss Gray told his club's official site that he's pleased to have another game so soon after the defeat at Cardiff: “There’s no reason why we can’t get the points and that is the approach we have for every game.

“We are all looking forward to because we want that quick opportunity to get back on the park.

“I should be talking here with us having taken something from Saturday because we certainly deserved it.

“But we know what we have to do and where we have to improve. We have been working on those things today and I want to see them in place on Tuesday.”

Wednesday just have had the edge on the Blues historically, winning 17 times (16 in the league), losing on 16 (15) occasions with 10 (nine) matches ending in draws. However, Town are unbeaten in their last five at Hillsborough.

The teams last met at Portman Road on the final weekend of last season, the Blues running out 2-1 victors with Tommy Smith and Paul Green on target.

Smith stabbed home from close range in the 37th minute, Kieran Lee equalised for the visitors 10 minutes after the break but Green nodded in Stephen Hunt’s freekick in the 67th minute.

At Hillsborough in October, two goals in two first half minutes from Paul Anderson and Michail Antonio saw the Blues and Owls draw 1-1.

Each side also hit the woodwork, Cole Skuse for Town in the first half and sub Jermaine Johnson for Wednesday late on.

Both Town’s front two have had loan spells with the Owls. David McGoldrick spent a month there during the early part of 2011/12, scoring once in three starts and one sub appearance, while Daryl Murphy was at Hillsborough for a month in 2005 while a Sunderland player, making four appearances but failing to find the net.

Canadian-born striker Caolan Lavery, a Northern Ireland U21 international, joined the Owls in the summer of 2012 having turned down a professional contract with the Blues during the previous season after coming through the Town academy. He is currently sidelined following knee surgery.

Tonight’s referee is Darren Bond from Lancashire, who has shown 18 yellow cards and one red in 10 game so far this season. Bond’s most recent Town match was the 2-2 draw at Barnsley last season in which he kept his cards in his pocket throughout.

Squad from: Gerken, Bialkowski, Parr, Hewitt, Mings, Berra, Chambers, Smith, Skuse, Bishop, Hyam, Anderson, Tabb, Henshall, Ambrose, Bru, Hunt, Williams, McGoldrick, Murphy, Sammon, Bajner.


Photo: Action Images



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GerkensBeard added 07:31 - Sep 30
Surely Mick won't play that much of an attacking line up as suggested, although I won't complain if he does! Can see him resting didz and Williams taking that role and the midfield 3 of bishop Skuse and Hyam. I'd still be happy with that. COYB
-6

MarkFish added 07:56 - Sep 30
U don't rest your best player who's capable of scoring from anywhere away on a Tuesday night!

Didz will start , williams on bench.
-5

Radlett_blue added 09:05 - Sep 30
Is any away ground ever an easy place to go?
Norwich is quite close.
0

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 09:25 - Sep 30
Will be difficult tonight. Don't believe otherwise. We're not going to walk this division as some folks now seem to think. I'm looking forward, however, to a positive display from the Town and would be happy with a point. Three points would be amazing. All to play for.
7

Tractamatt added 09:38 - Sep 30
This could be a very hard fought draw, three points would be amazing as Wednesday have had a good start to the season. With Forest away next idI'dtake two points from the next two games anyanything else could be seen as a bonus and would most definitely raise the level of expectation for the rest of the season. Not saying we won't win I'm saying the next couple of games really set the bar. COYB
3

SteddyJ added 09:40 - Sep 30
If we win tonight then it will be the first time since 2003! That's Insane! Just shows how good our team has become since MM has taken over and on a shoe-string budget as well. IF we win tonight then this could be a sign for great things to happen this season for us. COYB!
3

Stato added 09:46 - Sep 30
Sheffield Wednesday not been too impressive at home so far this season so at least a draw should be possible ahead of much tougher looking fixture at Forest.
0

Letchworth_Blue added 10:17 - Sep 30
I'd like to see us sticking with a more attacking formation. Keep Skuse on the bench and bring back Bishop with Hyam and Ando. Williams just behind Sammon and Didz.
0

Lightningboy added 10:18 - Sep 30
That's quite a squad Mick's put together there now plus we've still got Cameron Stewart to come in.
0

Razor added 10:55 - Sep 30
Just getting ready for the off---am really looking for 3 points tonight and draw on Sunday.

We are quite capable of doing it with the right atitude and ambition, as shown at Wigan.
0

RedDust added 11:40 - Sep 30
Razor

is the Forest game on Sky? sunday??
0

donnelly78 added 11:57 - Sep 30
3 points tonight would be great COYB
going to forest sunday were is the best places to have a drink or 2 be for the game?
and the game is not on sky it is being played sunday because notts county is at home Saturday.
0

gobs93 added 12:44 - Sep 30
How come there's no mention of hyam in the article??
1

unknown100 added 13:07 - Sep 30
Just throwing this team out there, if players all come good

Gerking
Mings. Berra. Chambers. Parr

Williams. Hyam. Collinson

Mcgoldrick. Murphy. Stewart

If Stewart and collinson coming through, that could be 2 extra additions as well
0

PhilTWTD added 15:26 - Sep 30
Added in a mention of Hyam, probably good shout as one of the alternatives to Skuse, or if Williams doesn't start, or if Mick continues with the central three. Nice to have competition for places!
0

itfcserbia added 15:56 - Sep 30
any video streams out there anyone?
0

Len_Brennan added 16:00 - Sep 30
----------------Gerken
Parr, Chambers, Berra, Mings
---Anderson, Hyam, Skuse (if fit)
---------------Williams
------McGoldrick, Murphy

Subs: Bialkowski, Smith, Hewitt, Bishop, Tabb, Ambrose, Sammon
0

TrueBlueFerret added 16:41 - Sep 30
A TOWN WIN ON TUESDAY @WEDNESDAY!! WOULD MAKE MY DAY ;-)
0

jpring89 added 18:10 - Sep 30
cant see us losing this game if were only half decent tonight on form should be another 3 points. 1-3 to us :)
0

paulcooperisgod added 18:22 - Sep 30
Why change a winning team?
0

masetheace added 18:26 - Sep 30
Letchworth Blue - are you for real . No Murphy in your line up !!! Get a grip man
-1


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