There is rarely a straight forward pre-season at Sheffield Wednesday nowadays. There was a transfer embargo in 2018, followed by a similar soft embargo and a July managerial departure the year after.
Although the Owls haven’t had to contest with any transfer ban in 2020, their pre-season preparations have been blighted by the news that they will be starting the season on -12 points. Their sole aim is to finish above the drop – a mission that starts on Saturday with a tough trip to last season’s play-off semi-finalists Cardiff City.
Cardiff City v Sheffield Wednesday Preview
Differing Form
It’s fair to say that these two clubs had a contrasting second half of last season. When they last met in December 2019, the Owls were fourth in the league, while the Bluebirds sat in 11th. Cardiff visited Hillsborough as the underdogs that day, but they managed a 2-1 victory in South Yorkshire. From that game onwards, the Welshmen picked up 39 points and finished in fifth place. Meanwhile, the Owls picked up a grim total of 17 points.
Wednesday would have finished bottom of the table if the deduction had been applied last season, so it’s obvious that they will have to improve this time around if they manage to beat the drop.
Sheffield Wednesday’s Pre-Season
The Owls have seen a high squad turnover this summer. 11 players left, including reliable performers Morgan Fox and Steven Fletcher, who both joined Stoke City. Fernando Forestieri was recently unveiled as a Udinese player, whilst Sam Hutchinson is yet to find a new club.
So far, Garry Monk has been able to bring in five players. Central defender Chey Dunkley joined on a free transfer from Wigan Athletic. 28-year-old Dunkley is an experienced operator at this level.
The Owls also signed attacking midfielders Izzy Brown and Josh Windass. They secured Brown on a season-long loan from Chelsea. Windass, meanwhile, rejoined the club on a permanent transfer after spending the second half of last season on loan with the club.
Monk also bolstered their attacking options by signing striker Elias Kachunga, who joined on a free transfer from Huddersfield Town. However, it’s widely agreed that Wednesday are desperate for more attacking reinforcements.
19-year-old central midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru also joined the club from Manchester City.
The Yorkshire side only played one friendly in pre-season, an encouraging 0-0 draw against Premier League outfit Leicester City. They followed that up with another goalless draw against Walsall in the Carabao Cup, which they won 4-2 on penalties.
Sheffield Wednesday Team News
Chey Dunkley is unlikely to make his Owls debut this weekend. He’s behind the rest of the squad in terms of fitness as he’s recovering from a double leg fracture that he sustained in February. The former Oxford United man did not play in the clashes with Walsall or Leicester.
Fellow new signing Elias Kachunga missed out on the trip to Walsall because he was behind the rest of the players fitness-wise. However, he could be in line to make his Owls debut in South Wales.
Garry Monk is expected to stick with a similar shape to the 3-5-2 system he favoured after lockdown last term, but it could look more like a 3-4-1-2 with Izzy Brown just behind a front two.
Cardiff City’s Pre-Season
Unrest behind the scenes has disrupted the Bluebirds’ pre-season plans, as Cardiff terminated Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s contract. The winger was sacked by the club for a ‘serious breach of contract’. The club is yet to release any more details about the situation due to legal reasons.
Thankfully for Cardiff, they have brought in another winger, as Sheyi Ojo joins on a season-long loan from Liverpool. Arsenal right wing-back Jordi Osei-Tutu has also signed for the Bluebirds on loan. The 21-year-old spent last season on loan with 2.Bundesliga side VFL Bochum, but he played the vast majority of his football on the right-wing.
Neil Harris also bolstered his attacking options by bringing in striker Kieffer Moore. The 6ft 3 target man joined Cardiff from crisis club Wigan.
In terms of outgoings, the Bluebirds have seen Danny Ward, Jazz Richards, Matthew Connolly and Omar Bogle leave on free transfers. Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge has joined Birmingham City.
The Welshmen’s season did get off to a terrible start last week; they lost 3-0 to Northampton Town in the first round of the Carabao Cup.
Cardiff City Team News
Midfielders Joe Ralls and Lee Tomlin were ruled out of the Northampton clash through injury. However, according to Harris, the pair have made good progress in their rehab and could still be available for the Championship opener.
Winger Gavin Whyte is also touch and go for the contest. He’s returned from Northern Ireland duty with a tight hamstring.
Cardiff City vs Sheffield Wednesday Prediction
Early season matches are always so difficult to predict, and Wednesday will certainly be desperate to pick up points quickly as they attempt to overturn their 12 point deficit. However, if the second half of last season is anything to go by, Cardiff should be too strong for their English counterparts. Wednesday lack firepower up front, and their defence contains the same personnel who endured a dreadful record in the second half of last season.
Cardiff City 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Main Photo
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