Alan Biggs: Maybe Sheffield Wednesday's run-in isn't as scary as we might think

That is, losing to teams they should beat and beating, or coming close, against teams they shouldn’t.

So we can be forgiven for looking at the nine remaining matches of the Owls’ Championship survival race in a completely upturned way.

If a near-season long trend continues you can almost write off nearly half of those nine.

Clashes with lower league sides Bristol City, Blackburn Rovers, Nottingham Forest and Derby County appear to offer very little encouragement.

And these are four of the last five opponents, so the pattern simply has to change somewhere if Wednesday are to survive.

But bizarrely, Easter could give them a good start to their mission.

Megson, Irvine and a 'subconscious hunger': Sheffield Wednesday boss Darren Moore describes his coaching influences

The two best performances of recent times, by a long way, have been against leaders Norwich (a 2-1 defeat) and fifth placed Barnsley (a 2-1 victory).

By that measure, Darren Moore’s side should not unduly surprise anyone if they force an “upset” away to second-placed Watford on Friday.

Equally, they should fancy their chances against Mick McCarthy’s in-form Cardiff City (8th) on Monday.

And even Neil Warnock’s 9th placed Middlesbrough, on April 24th, should hold no terror.

Wednesday won at Cardiff in the early part of the season and Boro were beaten at Hillsborough back in December.

Swansea at home by the same token offers a step up against a good side. Then come tense and troubling times outside of a trip to mid-table QPR.

It’s logically here, despite the vagaries of the results referred to above, that the Owls’ fate will be decided.

'Supercomputer' predicts where Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United, Barnsley, and Owls's relegation rivals Birmingham, Coventry and Derby County will finish this season

Can they handle the pressure of outside expectation against Nigel Pearson’s Bristol City, Blackburn Rovers and, in particular, Chris Hughton’s under-performing Forest and Wayne Rooney’s precariously-placed Derby?

This team is capable of so many inconsistencies, either way, that how things pan out is entirely unpredictable.

But the hope must be that beating Barnsley for Darren Moore’s first win will provide enough of an uplift for the strong finish required.