One Sheffield Wednesday player features in the Championship’s worst XI of the season so far, according to data.
Sheffield Wednesday rank 23rd in the Championship table.
They’ve been in the bottom three for almost all of the season so far and they were rooted to the foot of the Championship table until Danny Rohl came in.
Before the last outing against Coventry City, the Owls were in 22nd and just four points from safety, but a 2-1 defeat at Hillsborough has opened that gap up to five points.
Fans have witnessed some woeful individual performances this season. Few Sheffield Wednesday players have covered themselves in glory this season, but one player seems to have struggled more than most; Bambo Diaby.
The Spanish defender finally lost his place in the XI last time out, following a calamitous individual performance in the 4-0 defeat at Southampton earlier in the month, and he now features in the league’s worst XI.
Bambo Diaby features in Championship’s worst XI
Based off WhoScored player ratings for Championship players who’ve played more than 1000 minutes of league football this season, Diaby features in the XI with an average rating of 6.30.
As per WhoScored, Diaby averages 0.9 tackles per game this season (17th in the whole Sheffield Wednesday first-team), 0.8 interceptions (8th), 3.7 clearances (2nd), and 0.8 blocks (1st).
Despite ranking high in certain stats, Diaby’s individual errors has made him something of a liability at the back; he was at fault for two goals against Southampton which prompted his removal from the XI for the following game against Coventry.
Diaby may struggled to get back into the XI
Di’Shon Bernard is widely considered to best Sheffield Wednesday’s best centre-back, perhaps followed by Michael Ihiekwe.
The pair formed the centre pairing of Sheffield Wednesday’s defence against Coventry and, for the most part, they were solid.
The Owls were undone first by a class finish from range and then a scrappy second, with both goals perhaps preventable.
Rohl’s side certainly looked more mobile and more secure without Diaby at the back.
He might now find it tough to get back into the XI given the form of Bernard and Ihiekwe, and especially so if the Owls decide to bring in a new centre-back in the final week of the window.
Diaby will no doubt get more chances to regain the trust of the manager and the fans in the second half of the season and Rohl might view certain games against more physical and aerial sides as better-suited to Diaby’s traits.
But after a very divisive first half of the season, Diaby now looks set for a run on the bench.