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.