It has been a tough start to life back in the Championship for Sheffield Wednesday.
Wednesday were promoted from League One last season after beating Barnsley in the play-off final at Wembley in May, but they are in danger of making an immediate return to the third tier.
The Owls made their worst start to a season in their history, resulting in the sacking of Xisco Munoz in October, but they have improved significantly under Danny Rohl, providing belief that safety could still be achieved.
Wednesday brought in 12 players this summer, but many of those new additions have struggled to make an impact so far.
| Sheffield Wednesday – 2023/24 Signings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player Name | Signed From | Loan/Permanent |
| Djeidi Gassama | PSG | Permanent |
| Pol Valentin | Sporting Gijon | Permanent |
| Di’Shon Bernard | Man United | Permanent |
| Juan Delgado | Pacos Ferreira | Permanent |
| Anthony Musaba | Monaco | Permanent |
| Reece James | Blackpool | Permanent |
| Bambo Diaby | Preston North End | Permanent |
| John Buckley | Blackburn Rovers | Loan |
| Jeff Hendrick | Newcastle United | Loan |
| Ashley Fletcher | Watford | Loan |
| Momo Diaby | Portimonense | Loan |
| Devis Vasquez | AC Milan | Loan |
Rohl will undoubtedly be hoping to strengthen his squad in January, and it will be a busy month at Hillsborough which could define the Owls’ prospects for the rest of the season.
With January fast approaching, we looked at the Owls’ dream starting line-up after the closure of the transfer window.
It will be intriguing to see if Rohl opts to bring in a new goalkeeper in January.
Dawson has been the subject of plenty of criticism this season, but Rohl has stuck with him since his arrival, and his penalty save against Stoke City has cemented his place as number one ahead of Devis Vasquez.
Vasquez could potentially be recalled by AC Milan in January, which could force Rohl into the market for reinforcements, but it seems unlikely that anyone will displace Dawson at this stage.
RB: Dominic Iorfa
Iorfa has spent much of his time at Hillsborough playing at centre-back, but he has been deployed at right-back in recent weeks.
The 28-year-old has impressed under Rohl so far, and while he is facing an extended spell on the sidelines with injury, he seems certain to regain his place in the team when he returns.
CB: Scott McKenna
Wednesday have been vulnerable at the back at times this season, and they could be on the hunt for defensive reinforcements in January.
Michael Ihiekwe and Bambo Diaby are both strong options at centre-back, while Iorfa can also play there, but should Rohl look to bring in reinforcements, McKenna could be a potential target after he was excluded from first team training at Nottingham Forest.
McKenna played an integral part in Forest’s promotion to the Premier League in 2022, and he was a regular as Steve Cooper’s side secured top flight survival last season, but he is expected to leave the club in January.
CB: Di’Shon Bernard
It was a disappointing summer transfer window for Wednesday with a number of underwhelming signings, but Bernard has certainly been an exception.
After failing to nail down a place in the starting line-up under Munoz, Bernard has excelled under Rohl, and with his contract set to expire in the summer, the Owls will surely be looking to tie him down to a new deal.
LB: Akin Famewo
Famewo is naturally a centre-back, but he was moved to left-back by former manager Munoz earlier this season.
After initially struggling to adapt, Famewo has grown into his new role in recent weeks, and he seems to be Rohl’s first choice left-back ahead of Reece James.
CM: George Byers
Byers has established himself as a firm fan favourite at Hillsborough since his arrival from Swansea City in August 2021, and he played an integral role for Wednesday last season until his campaign was ended by injury in March.
It took Byers time to get up to speed after returning to fitness, but like many of his team-mates, his performances have improved under Rohl, and he is one of the first names on the team sheet.
CM: Will Vaulks
Vaulks starred for Wednesday last season as they won promotion, but he looked set to leave the club this summer after falling out of favour under Munoz.
A move did not materialise, and Vaulks has regained his place in the starting line-up under Rohl, putting in a number of impressive performances in the heart of the midfield.
CM: Barry Bannan
There were some question marks over whether Bannan would still be good enough for the Championship, but the Scotsman has silenced those doubters this season, and he remains Wednesday’s talisman.
Bannan is one of the Owls’ most creative players, and his leadership qualities are vital both on and off the pitch.
RW: Kwame Poku
Having struggled for goals so far this season, attacking reinforcements are likely to be a priority for Rohl in January.
Poku scored six goals and provided 12 assists in 44 appearances in all competitions for Peterborough United in League One last season, including netting against the Owls in the play-off semi-finals, and he has made an excellent start to this campaign.
According to TEAMtalk, Ipswich Town, Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion, Millwall, Stoke City and Bristol City are all keen on the 22-year-old ahead of January, so it would be tough for Wednesday to win the race for his signature, but he would be an incredibly exciting addition.
ST: Scott Hogan
Journalist Alan Nixon claims that Chansiri is “looking to throw big money at a striker on loan next month”, and he “may even pay around £30,000-a-week for the right man”.
Nixon reports that Birmingham City striker Hogan is on Wednesday’s short list for a new striker, and with his contract set to expire in the summer, the Blues may let him go in January to get his wages off the payroll.
Hogan has found it tough at St Andrew’s this season, but he was Birmingham’s top scorer with 10 goals last term, and he has proven he can be prolific at Championship level previously.
LW: Josh Windass
Leave a Reply