Sheffield Wednesday boss Xisco Munoz is a man under pressure.
Sheffield Wednesday are in last place of the Championship table after eight games, with just two points on the board.
Munoz needs to find a way of getting more points on the board and whilst he continues to make changes to the side, they’ve not been positive changes.
Many are surprised at the exclusions of players like Reece James, Marvin Johnson, and Will Vaulks; all of whom played important roles last time round but have been rather needlessly shunned by Munoz.
Another player struggling for game time under Munoz is Michael Ihiekwe.
Ihiekwe’s absence under Munoz
The defender was Wednesday’s highest-rated player in the League One play-off final last season (8.0, as per WhoScored), winning an incredible 14 aerial duels as Wednesday overcame rivals Barnsley.
The 30-year-old former Rotherham United man featured 23 times in League One last season but has played just twice in the Championship this time round, with summer signing Bambo Diaby largely preferred in the middle of defence.
But many Owls fans online believe that Diaby is not an improvement on Ihiekwe. The 30-year-old is another experienced Wednesday player who, for whatever reason, and quite frustratingly too, has been exiled by Munoz.
Ihiekwe hasn’t been named in any of the last two match day squads now and is seemingly nowhere to be seen amid this poor run of form.
Something has to change for Wednesday soon and reinstating some of last season’s key players might be a start for Munoz.
Sunderland on Friday night is another mammoth task for the Owls. Tony Mowbray’s side are flying high in 5th place of the Championship table and will be expecting a win on Friday night.
Kick off is at 8pm and the game will be shown live on Sky Sports.