Up next for Sheffield Wednesday is a tough trip to Pride Park to face Derby County, but Danny Rohl has all the ingredients he needs to win the game.
Last time out for Sheffield Wednesday, the Owls put in an impressive display away at Hull City to claim a 2-0 win at the MKM Stadium.
Danny Rohl’s side were dominant there, but they’ll need to grind out another away day victory at the weekend to keep up their momentum and continue pushing into the top half of the table.
Sheffield Wednesday players were hailed for their ‘big effort’ against Hull, and it’ll take just as much, if not more, to get the better of Derby at their own place. But, Rohl can take advantage of the Rams in a few key areas.
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Sheffield Wednesday can suffocate a wasteful Derby County attack
Derby County have not been the most prolific team this season — an issue Wednesday know all too well — and the struggles of both teams in front of goal could lead to a fairly low-scoring affair on Sunday.
However, it is the Rams who should be more concerned going into this game. Paul Warne’s side have failed to score more than one goal in each of their last eight games, and against a stacked Owls defence, they might not even manage that.
The Sheffield Wednesday back three will likely comprise of Yan Valery, Dominic Iorfa, and Max Lowe, with Di’Shon Bernard serving a suspension. Add to that the support of wing-backs Pol Valentin and Marvin Johnson, and Derby will find their path to goal heavily guarded on Sunday.
It’s a game that will likely be decided by one goal, and both teams may only get one or two chances throughout. If Wednesday can stifle the Derby attack, they could very well register another clean sheet.
Danny Rohl’s slick, quick play will be too much for Derby County
We all know how Danny Rohl likes his team to play, but for their opponents, dealing with fast-paced counter attacks will be too much too handle.
Derby have not fared well when facing the more slick, expansive teams in the league, and they simply do not have the pace to deal with a turnover of possession.
If Wednesday can press with intensity and win the ball back quickly, they could really punish Derby on the break.
Barry Bannan and Shea Charles have to control midfield areas
Derby County are currently the second-worst team in the Championship when it comes to possession statistics this season, and while the Owls are not much better, they can beat the Rams this weekend if they win the battle in the middle of the park.
| Team | Average possession |
|---|---|
| Luton Town | 45.4% |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 44.8% |
| Oxford United | 44.1% |
| Portsmouth | 43.4% |
| Derby County | 43.1% |
| Millwall | 40.3% |
That will all come down to Shea Charles and Barry Bannan, who are the key figures when it comes to dictating the flow of the game and helping Sheffield Wednesday establish a composed and competent passing game.
If the Owls can control the tempo on Sunday and frustrate Derby, they will eventually find pockets of space they can exploit, and implement those aforementioned attacking plays.
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Sheffield Wednesday have to be wary of Derby’s set-piece prolificacy
Much has been made of Sheffield Wednesday’s struggles when it comes to dealing with set-pieces this term. The Owls are among the worst in the division in terms of conceding from dead ball situations, and have not been able to convert from said scenarios at the other end, either.
Unfortunately for Rohl, his team come up against the best in the league for that particular metric, with Derby scoring 11 set-piece goals this season already (as per WhoScored).
James Beadle will have to command his area better than he has so far this season, and the defenders around him have to be highly organised, not just on the first ball, but by winning the second ball from set-pieces, too.
In a game that will be about fine margins, these situations could be the difference, and Wednesday will kick themselves if their main weakness were to be exploited again.
Kenzo Goudmijn cannot be allowed space to roam
The player to watch for Derby County is Kenzo Goudmijn, with the playmaker really having the ability to hurt the Owls if he’s given time and space on the ball.
A new signing at Pride Park this summer, the diminutive Dutchman is great with his feet, has a tireless engine, and offers a brilliant range of passing.
It’s important that one of the Sheffield Wednesday players — most likely one of the three central defenders — has Goudmijn’s number throughout and doesn’t let him roam around that little pocket between the midfield and the forwards.
Keep Goudmijn quiet, and Wednesday will shut off Derby’s main creative outlet.