Laws goes on the offensive

The signings of striker Akpo Sodje and winger Etienne Esajas demonstrate the Wednesday manager's commitment to enterprising football of the kind that took the club to the brink of the play-offs last season.

The Owls aim to unleash an onslaught against Bristol City in tomorrow's televised match at Hillsborough (12.45pm) and notch their first win of the season.

"You shouldn't change your ethics, your desire about how the game should be played," said Laws, a believer in wingers.

"Yes, we have conceded goals, but that hasn't been down to the wingers. You've got to blame the players as a group when you're defending. I don't want to change my attacking style."

He will have the balance right if the Owls, when they are defending, continue to show the same meanness and organisation that they displayed against Hartlepool, in a quick recovery from last week's second-half collapse at Charlton.

It is ironic that after his priority had been a new defender, the snags in the Sam Sodje deal and the late intervention of Charlton meant that two forwards, Sodje's brother Akpo, from Port Vale, and Dutchman Esajas, from Vitesse Arnhem, were the first new faces to come in before today's deadline.

But even Akpo can help with the team's defending. One of the problems at The Valley last Saturday was that when Wednesday played the ball up the field nobody could hold it up and it was coming straight back, which meant that pressure stayed on the defence.

Laws said: "Akpo will help us to keep it up there. He is also good in the air and quite quick and will look to get in behind opposing defenders.

"I've watched him a lot in the last two seasons. I saw a real rawness in him when he was at Huddersfield. You could see he was all pace and strength. As the seasons have gone on, he has become a better player. Coming here will make him an even better player, with the players that he has around him."

Akpo's early career path was similar to his brother's. They both played for non-league clubs Stevenage and Margate. Akpo, now 26, then went to Ebbsfleet, Huddersfield and Darlington, and was signed on a free by Vale in the summer of last year.

Esajas, aged 22, made a quick impression in a trial at Middlewood this week and, like Sodje, was given a three-year contract.

The Dutch flier began his career with a local club in his home town, Amsterdam. He spent 11 years coming through the youth system at Ajax and has been at Arnhem for the last two years. With a year left on his Arnhem contract, he came to the Owls on trial this week and was quickly snapped up.

Laws said: "In the few days we have had him, he's settled in and looked like he's been here for weeks. He has a turn of pace and good quality, and can beat his full-back; I've not seen many players give Frankie Simek a hard time in training."

Wednesday immediately pencilled Sodje into the squad for tomorrow and were left waiting to see if Esajas's international clearance would arrive in time.

Sodje's arrival could be timely. Leon Clarke is still out with a stomach strain, Francis Jeffers not quite ready after his calf problem and Marcus Tudgay only just back in training after feeling tightness, believed to have been cramp, in his hamstring when he had to go off in the cup tie against Hartlepool.

Wade Small is rated only 90 per cent fit, which could improve Esajas' chance of a debut, but it would be no surprise if he starts on the bench, with Burton O'Brien, Small's replacement on the left flank, having scored at Charlton and played well against Hartlepool.

Steve Watson should be fit , increasing centre-half options.

Laws admits that he has a decision to make over the goalkeeping spot, after Rob Burch made his debut in the win against Hartlepool.

"Burchy's given me food for thought. He was assured and kicked well. Sometimes things like that change results, when you change personnel," he said.

"It will certainly have given him confidence and put Lee Grant on his toes. That's what you want. No player should automatically think he's first choice."The teams

OWLS (possible): Burch; Simek, Hinds, Wood, Spurr; Johnson, Whelan, Lunt, Esajas or O'Brien; Burton, Sodje (4-4-2).

BRISTOL C (possible): Weale, Orr, Carey, Fontaine, McAllister; Sproule, Johnson, Elliott, McIndoe; Trundle, Murray (4-4-2).