Bolton 0-2 Sheffield Wednesday

Should be a fascinating game in front of a packed house this weekend.

They are most bookie's second favourite for promotion and have already beaten two other fancied teams and drawn with one before Tuesday so it's been a tricky start for them.

Wednesday seem to feel there was a great injustice when Reece James was sent off early doors in their game against Posh on Tuesday and that it directly led to their first loss of the season, so they are extra keen to get back to winning ways at the Unibol.

Defensively they've been solid until the Posh game and Darren Moore has stuck with 352 this season despite a lot of Wednesday fans questioning the quality of the back three and susceptibility to crosses from wide - but the consensus seems to be Moore won't change anything which will mean the two teams will probably match up all over the park and the midfield will be a battlefield.

In particular I'm looking forward to the battle of the playmakers Morley v Bannan around whom the transitions usually pivot - and given the Owls' fans concerns re the back 3 dealing with crosses whether or not our wing backs can capitalise and our forwards find the clinical finishing that was noticeably absent against Morecambe.

Lee Gregory and Josh Windass are experienced strikers, but Wednesday are by no means dependent on them for goals as their midfield is not shot shy so we can expect a few long range efforts from them and Trafford will have to be on his toes throughout the game.

We can expect the majority of possession but ultimately it will come down to being clinical when we get chances and rock solid out of possession so we'll need a huge improvement on Tuesday's game.

The season's only just started but if Evatt wants to put down an early marker, this is the game to do it - but we'll need to be at our absolute best.

Win this and Evatt's hype will start to have some resonance around the league. Lose at home to Wednesday and it will seem like hollow rhetoric.

We need the win by hook or by crook is the long and short of it.

I can see this being another draw, i reckon Iredale will come back in the team as he is much better than John defensively, and MJ to come back in to midfield with Morley and Dempsey.

TEAM NEWS: Ian Evatt issues squad update ahead of Sheffield Wednesday clash

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Ian Evatt has confirmed Wanderers have no fresh injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s clash with Sheffield Wednesday.

Ricardo Santos is back from suspension after missing Tuesday night's 1-0 win against Morecambe at the UniBol.

Dion Charles is also back in contention after missing several games due to a thigh strain, while Josh Sheehan and Lloyd Isgrove came through their B Team outing unscathed.

Summer signing Eoin Toal is not yet ready to be involved as he continues his recovery from an ankle problem.

When asked about availability, Evatt said: “All good. Eoin Toal is back training but won’t be ready to be involved on Saturday.

“Josh and Izzy – no reaction to the game. And Dion is back. So yeah, full strength.”

Wanderers have made a positive start to the new season, but things aren’t about to get easier any time soon with games against Aston Villa and Plymouth also coming up.

“It is a tough, tough league,” added Evatt. “You look at every fixture and you think, ‘that’s a tough one’. I was looking at the fixtures yesterday thinking August was tough and I just had a look at September and thought, ‘here we go again’.

“But that is the nature of football at the moment. Every division has got stronger and stronger. There are vast amounts of money being spent and a lot more quality than when I played in League One.

“We got promoted out of this league with Blackpool and the standard was nowhere near the same as what it is now. Nowhere near the same level of clubs or the same level of player.

“I think the game in general has just improved and continues to improve. The standard of coaching has improved, I’ll say that as well.

“Everyone is well coached now, everyone has a plan. Whatever that plan is, that is subjective and it is down to opinion and how the game should be played, but everyone has a plan and is coached really well.

“The detail is important and then it is all about the one per cents we were speaking about before – set-plays, fitness data – that kind of thing. Where you can have the biggest gains, those marginal ones are the most important.”

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It sounds obvious but we just have to take our chances. We lost to Wednesday, Sunderland and others last year purely by missing our chances when we’d very much been the dominant team. This year we look much stronger in that area so as long as we take the chances we make (Are you listening Baka?) I don’t fear anybody. We can beat the Owls, I’m certain of that but we need to make sure we deliver when we have the chances to. A win will certainly put down a maker and if we are going to get anywhere near the automatic places, then we have to make sure we beat the other leaders, certainly not lose to them, home and away. Wanderers to win 2-1.

Owls fans are concerned with crosses, and a weakness in defence down the left side, so hopefully this will give a lot of joy for Bradley if he can repeat the form shown on Tuesday, a tough game first goal will be crucial. Could go either way, but it's years since i looked forward to a game of this quality.

A real feelgood buzz around the stadium on Tuesday whatever happens we are heading in the right direction.

Should be a good game! Our last victory against these was back in 2017.

Sheff Wednesday currently sit 1 point beneath us having won 2, lost 1 (Peterborough) and drawn 1.

wessy wrote:Owls fans are concerned with crosses, and a weakness in defence down the left side, so hopefully this will give a lot of joy for Bradley if he can repeat the form shown on Tuesday, a tough game first goal will be crucial. Could go either way, but it's years since i looked forward to a game of this quality.

A real feelgood buzz around the stadium on Tuesday whatever happens we are heading in the right direction.

Damn! - they've just signed 6'4" defender Mark McGuinness.

I don't think we will get three points from this game.

They are a  strong tough outfit and I still think we are  rather lightweight in some areas.

Hope I'm proved completely wrong.

Cajunboy wrote:I don't think we will get three points from this game.

They are a  strong tough outfit and I still think we are  rather lightweight in some areas.

Hope I'm proved completely wrong.

I don’t agree Cajun, I think we will get the 3 points. As you say, they are a big strong side but lack a bit of pace and the likes of Bannon and Windass haven’t really got going this year yet and Smith is still out injured, so hopefully they won’t find form tomorrow and with Dion back next to Dapo and if Bradley continues to improve, I see no reason for us to worry.

I think we look a much better outfit this year with a more settled side and really good options off the bench if change is needed. We just need to have the confidence to go at the likes of these right from the first whistle. We have less to fear than they do and a couple of early goals will quiet their crowd, who are already on the managers back. I don’t see their new Centre Back signing changing much even if he starts since he can’t possibly know how to fit in with his teammates yet. I went for 3-0 against Morecambe and it didn’t turn out that way but I’m going to go the same again tomorrow. Wanderers 3 Owls 0.

wanderlust wrote:
Damn! - they've just signed 6'4" defender Mark McGuinness.

Still leaves the weakness down the left, and if we start with Charles and Dapo then it's balls to feet that will do the damage hopefully.

We were lucky to get a point when we last met at the Reebok, the team hasn't been improved much so we will be up against it.

1-3 to the Sheffield.

Natasha Whittam wrote:We were lucky to get a point when we last met at the Reebok, the team hasn't been improved much so we will be up against it.

1-3 to the Sheffield.

Positive as ever Nat? You’ll be disappointed when we win then?

Neither set of fans is confident about this one. Anything could happen.

I'm not convinced we've strengthened enough to close the gap on this lot but you never know. Win and I'm going to start getting overly excited because Wednesday will be up there again. Lose and it will just solidify my prediction of a 9th place finish. UP THE WHITES!

I hope Baka finds his shooting boots today.

What an absolute cock up.

Unbelievable Jeff.

2 nil down and it looks like we're sleep walking into oblivion.

75 minutes and we are garbage.
Stupid mistakes have cost us, but the worst thing is that we are devoid of ideas and look as likely to concede a 3rd as score ourselves.

Cajunboy wrote:I don't think we will get three points from this game.

They are a  strong tough outfit and I still think we are  rather lightweight in some areas.

Hope I'm proved completely wrong.

Sadly true.

Too much boosterism bollocks.

Reality dawns.