The Sheffield Wednesday manager could name the best available side of his reign.
Sheffield Wednesday’s defeat to Preston on the opening day of the season sort of set the tone for the rest of it, on both sides of the Pennines.
Wednesday have slumbered their way to 17th place, while Preston remain in the play-off hunt, occupying eighth position.
It’s a far cry from where the Owls in particular expected to be with eight games remaining, although their predicament can in part be excused by a spate of absences throughout the past few months.
The situation is so grave that Jos Luhukay, the manager Wednesday appointed as Carlos Carvalhal’s successor in January, has yet to receive the green light to play six of his first team players – Keiren Westwood, Joost van Aken, Kieran Lee, Fernando Forestieri, Gary Hooper and Steven Fletcher – while Tom Lees, Sam Hutchinson and Barry Bannan only returned to contention earlier this month.
Although that being said, all but one of those – Van Aken, who hadn’t yet signed – were available at Deepdale back in August.
Anyway, the international break has thus come at a good time for Wednesday, who have Van Aken and Forestieri closing in on comebacks. Whether either of those are included when Preston visit Hillsborough on Friday, however, remains to be seen.
Barring the revelation of fresh victims at Luhukay’s press conference at Thursday – which would surprise no one – here’s how the Owls are likely to look.
Which XI would you play if you were the Sheffield Wednesday manager?
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