A window of opportunity opens up for Sheffield Wednesday

Some positive vibes around Hillsborough at last. There are any number of negative things you could write about Sheffield Wednesday. Have written here about Sheffield Wednesday and without apology.

The state of the club as a whole is more pressing than its league position, graver even than another potential slide into League One. But only one man can do anything about that, so let’s focus on one thing everyone else can influence - the opening of a window of opportunity in the fight against relegation.

Last weekend’s victory at Millwall was the perfect set up for three further upcoming games that are all in the winnable bracket. Should be and may have to be in the final analysis. Bristol City and Plymouth at home, either side of Rotherham away. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that, with ground still to make up, this little sequence could well decide the Owls fate.

To add emphasis to that, look at the two games that follow - Leeds and Ipswich. So you’d have to be aiming for seven points as a minimum.

Certainly, Danny Rohl’s side can point to recent performances which suggest they are capable - Hull, Watford and Birmingham, for example, plus the Millwall triumph. You can also throw in the two games against Leicester, yielding a point and an aggregate goal deficit of only 3-1 against the Championship leaders. So this is far from a team dead on its feet accepting its fate.

Suddenly there are goals in it too after Ike Ugbo’s three in three games. One puzzle, though - why not Lee Gregory on the bench? Surely the 35-year-old proven marksman can be fit enough for a late 15-20 minutes when the game is stretched, players are tiring and Gregory’s scoring know-how could be invaluable. If he’s on the payroll, why not play him?