George Boyd remains Sheffield Wednesday’s only summer recruit.
Three days before their season opener at Preston North End, Sheffield Wednesday have added just one new face in the form of George Boyd.
When quizzed at the start of the summer, Owls head coach Carlos Carvalhal told the club’s official Youtube channel he would be concentrating on “four or five players to improve the team” – so where does he still need to strengthen, in the eyes of HITC Sport’s resident Wednesdayite, yours truly?
Centre-back
Carvalhal has made no secret of his desire to strengthen at the heart of his defence, which stretches back more than a year. Despite being priced out of last summer’s market, Wednesday do not appear to have learned their lessons and their search looks set to go down to the wire, much to the Owls fans’ frustration. Having said that, better value deals are often found towards the end of the transfer window.
Anyone in the frame? Free agent Johan Djourou is the latest in a long line of linked players, although the Switzerland international’s lack of match practice suggests he would be of little immediate use.
Central midfield
For me, this is as big a problem area as Wednesday’s central defence, despite the Owls’ apparent strength in numbers. Without Kieran Lee or Sam Hutchinson (who have both struggled for fitness this pre-season), Carvalhal’s side aren’t anywhere near as effective – Sunday’s friendly defeat to Rangers being a prime example of this. Barry Bannan remains an important player, but while the abilities of David Jones and Almen Abdi cannot be debated, the question remains: are they capable of matching the energy and tenacity of a Hutchinson or Lee? This writer is unconvinced.
Anyone in the frame? Max Power’s name has resurfaced this week and could fit the bill for Wednesday, with Wigan reportedly making him available for half-a-million pounds. The 24-year-old impressed me at the DW Stadium in February and his arrival would enable Hutchinson to drop back into the back four if required.
Full-back
Two years on, the jury remains out on first-choice pairing Jack Hunt and Daniel Pudil, while understudies Liam Palmer and Morgan Fox have been no more convincing. Wednesday may have boasted one of the Championship’s best defences again last season, but often appeared vulnerable when attacked down the flanks – as well as at the far post once the crosses came in.
Anyone in the frame? Links with Aston Villa’s Alan Hutton are recurring, although neither he nor his manager, Steve Bruce, seem to be pushing for a transfer.
What about pace?
As much as this writer could not say no to a winger with Jermaine Johnson’s wheels, rediscovering that urgency of the season before last is, in my opinion, significantly more pressing. Turning over possession through Lee, Hutchinson, Bannan, Alex Lopez and Fernando Forestieri was just as effective at exposing space in the opposition’s half as a pacy winger would have been, and we just didn’t seem to do that as well last season, with Lee, Hutchinson (both often) and Lopez (permanently) missing. Boyd’s tireless running will hopefully help in this regard.
Who do Sheffield Wednesday need to sign this month?
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