Owls need to focus on the football

Over the past few days Sheffield Wednesday have once again making the headlines for the wrong reasons. Not for the first time this season the club were in the High Court on Wednesday afternoon, faced with a winding up order over unpaid taxes. With administration having been a distinct possibility in the lead up to the case being heard the judge decided to grant the club a 28-day stay of execution.

It goes without saying that these issues will have had a detrimental effect on the focus of the squad but the reality is that there is little if anything that they can do to influence matters and so their priority must be to get things right on the pitch.

A run of 6 matches unbeaten during October was ended with a defeat at Charlton and a further loss at home to Huddersfield followed. Since then Wednesday have looked like getting back on track once more, following up two comprehensive cup victories with a home win in the league against Rochdale.

The F.A. Cup tie against non-league Southport was a potential banana skin for the Owls but it proved to be a game that may have given them some renewed attacking impetus. Prior to that game a fortnight ago the team were struggling for goals, having only scored 8 goals in the previous 9 games. A 5-2 victory appeared to give Wednesday some renewed confidence in front of goal and that win was followed up with a 4-1 home win against Hartlepool in the Football League Trophy. Last Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Rochdale at Hillsborough means the Owls have found the net 11 times in three games with Clinton Morrison bagging 3 of these.

The former Eire international looks like he is beginning to find his form following a slow start at S6 and he has started to form an effective partnership with on-loan Preston front-man Neil Mellor. Sheffield-born Mellor has scored 4 times in 3 matches and the two are developing an understanding that has enabled the Owls to look far more of a threat going forward that was previously the case.

Wednesday will be without goal scoring midfielder Giles Coke on Saturday as the midfielder serves a one-match ban for picking up 5 yellow cards but influential winger Jermaine Johnson is thought to be close to a return following an injury setback. A win at MK Dons could see the Owls soar into the League One play-off places.

Disclaimer: The views in this article are that of the writer and may not replicate those of the Professional Footballers' Association.