Middlesbrough v Sheffield Wednesday Preview

Posted on | April 10, 2010 | No Comments

You’d assume that just one of these sides has anything to play for going into this one with Middlesbrough’s season all but over. While the playoffs are still a possibility for Gordon Strachan’s men, Boro would have to make up a six point deficit in just four games and at this stage of the season that looks almost impossible. Sheffield Wednesday have absolutely everything to play for though and go into this game knowing that their divisional status is well and truly on the line. The Owls’ home defeat to Bristol City on Easter Monday sent the club into the relegation zone although with the club only down there on goal difference, they still have every chance of staying up.

Middlesbrough can only be described as underachievers for this season and Gordon Strachan knows he has an awful lot of work to do in the summer. Having joined midway through the season, Strachan will want to put his own stamp on the club and that could mean a complete overhaul of the playing staff. Boro just haven’t performed and while 8^th place isn’t a terrible position, with their squad and financial power you’d expect them to be much higher. On the positive side, they’ve not lost in their last seven, although with five of those being draws not much progress has really been made.

While Middlesbrough have underachieved, they’re in a far better position than their opponents. Sheffield Wednesday are in grave danger of being relegated and they know they simply have to pull some results out of the bag if they are to stay in this division. Monday’s 1-0 defeat at home to Bristol City sent the club into the bottom three and with four games remaining, that’s certainly a dangerous place to be. However, they are only down there due to goal difference and Alan Irvine knows that there are still many twists and turns to go in the final few weeks of the campaign.

Middlesbrough have a bizarre piece of team news for this one with the Riverside outfit unlikely to include Gary O’Neil. Should O’Neil clock up one more appearance then Boro will have to pay another £1m, meaning that Gordon Strachan is opting to leave him out at the moment. Elsewhere, Andrew Taylor should return from a hernia injury, but Emanuel Pogatetz is unlikely to feature due to a knee problem. Sheffield Wednesday on the other hand have a few problems and Jermaine Johnson and Lewis Buxton are both penciled in for late fitness tests as they struggle with hamstring problems. Tommy Miller and Sean McAllister are both definitely missing through their injuries though.

Middlesbrough have been pretty solid at home since Gordon Strachan took over but at this stage of the season, stats go out of the window. With so much at stake for Sheffield Wednesday we think this could be their day and they’ll get the points. It’ll be tight, but we’ll predict an eventful 3-2 Owls victory.

Related posts:

1. Middlesbrough v Sheffield United Preview
2. Championship Preview – Middlesbrough
3. Nottingham Forest v Middlesbrough Preview
4. Championship Preview: Middlesbrough
5. Sheffield United v Middlesbrough Preview

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