Burnley v Sheffield Wednesday: Team news, prediction, Danny Röhl's plan, Scott Parker view and heat on Clarets
Sheffield Wednesday’s latest challenge comes at Turf Moor against Burnley on Friday night
Tonight sees Sheffield Wednesday make the trip to Turf Moor to face third-placed Burnley with the Owls coming up against an incredible Clarets defence. Confidence is high amongst the Owls though and Burnley boss Scott Parker knows his side are facing a tough task themselves.
Keeping the backdoor closed against Burnley
Having impressed in an attacking sense, there’s a confidence in the Wednesday camp that they can breach a Burnley backline that is bordering on impenetrable but the Owls boss knows it’s at the other end where they need to work hardest. Rohl said this week: “I saw yesterday on the data that we are the second best team at scoring in the second half of games and the most goals after subs. This is all positive. But we must reduce our conceded goals. We worked hard again this week.”
Is now the time to throw Ibrahim Cissoko in from the start?
Ibrahim Cissoko has played only a handful of minutes across two late substitute appearances since joining on loan from Toulouse. The Dutch youth international has and is the subject of a staging-up of his fitness having not played a great deal of football in recent months. “Sometimes with the wingers and the offensive players they need more time to adapt but he is really sharp and I like this,” said Rohl, of Cissoko. “Now it is about balance in the games, what we need, how we start the game. But of course he is closer and closer. Is it now against Burnley? Let's see, but to have him, especially now where Musa (Anthony Musaba) is not available, it is really fantastic.”
Sheffield Wednesday team news v Burnley
After revealing that Barry Bannan has recovered well after returning to the team last week against Coventry, Rohl gave an update on Dominic Iorfa, Akin Famewo and Anthony Musaba, while admitting that there is another player that could miss out this weekend. “Dom is back on the grass with the team for the first week now, it looks good but of course he still has some days to go… Akin is doing more and more. “I’m a little bit sad about Musa at the moment. He’s not going forward like we want, another small setback. But with Barry it looks so far so good - no reaction this week... We have one question mark, we have a player with illness, but I won’t speak about who it is.”
Sheffield Wednedsday XI to face Burnley
Questions were raised over James Beadle following his mistake at the weekend, but Röhl quickly put that discussion to bed when he confirmed that the Brighton & Hove Albion loanee remains the number one. There are others that are almost guarantees for the XI, but Beadle is the only one who’s effectively been named. Barry Bannan looks set to keep his place after the Wednesday boss said that all was looking good despite his injury concerns, but there is a mystery concern for one player who may be a doubt due to illness. Frankly it could be anyone.
The view from the Clarets camp
Burnley manager, Scott Parker, says that Sheffield Wednesday are a team with ‘some good individual players’. “They’ve got options,” Parker said. “Certainly on the top line, in terms of different profiles of what they can go with. They’ve obviously got Josh Windass who has been around the division and is a goal threat, and Barry Bannan as well - a player with vast experience as well, who is a good footballer. He controls things for them. They have some good individual players.” Parker will be forced to watch from the stands this week after picking up another booking in last weekend’s fiery clash with Preston, which obviously finished 0-0.
Read more: 'Goal threat' 'Controls things' - Sheffield Wednesday duo namedropped before Burnley clash
The heat is all on promotion-chasing Burnley
A great deal has been said about the Clarets’ remarkable defensive record in recent months - they are unbeaten at home all season and haven’t conceded a goal at Turf Moor since mid-December. So it’s all set up for Wednesday to buck the odds once again, so says Josh Windass. The Owls are among the highest scorers in the Championship this season. “It's crazy that you can go into a Championship game and people are asking if you're going to be able to score!” said Windass. “But that's how well they're defending. We are a team that does score goals so if anyone can go out there and score it could be us.”
Read more: Sheffield Wednesday man says pressure is on Burnley as Owls look to entertain at Turf Moor
Match Prediction
If you are looking for plenty of goals in this one, your Friday night is not going to be what you hoped for. Burnley are so good defensively that their supporters must go into every match believing they’re not going to have to witness opposition fans celebrating. They’d just probably just do like to do some of that themselves a wee bit more. That said, Wednesday’s biggest strength is in attack and they are more than capable of breaking down that teak-tough Clarets backline. The problem they have, though, is they never, ever, look like they’re going to keep a clean sheet. I can see the Owls going ahead but finally breaking in the latter stages. Prediction: Burnley 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1
Warm up for tonight’s match by watching the full episode of All Wednesday, on-demand on Shots TV. Joe Crann is joined again this week by his fellow Owls writer Alex Miller.