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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Sheffield Wednesday have been through just about every footballing scenario you could imagine already this season – and we aren’t even a quarter of the way through yet.
Steve Bruce left them managerless just as pre-season was getting underway as he took the vacant reigns at Newcastle United which left Lee Bullen in caretaker charge for the third time in his career.
Under their former captain, they started the season brightly recording back-to-back victories over Reading and then Barnsley, but that rich vein of form wasn’t to last long as they hit a rough spell, losing three of their next four matches.
That ultimately resulted in the club’s chiefs making a move to appoint Garry Monk as the club’s permanent boss and his new side delivered in front of the TV cameras against Huddersfield last Sunday.
It was the first look at how the Owls will operate for the foreseeable future, but don’t take too much from it as Monk himself has said he will ‘adapt’ as the season goes on.
We did learn one thing though, as he said the following about Adam Reach: “I have already spoken with Adam. He will primarily be a wide player for us and it is where he is most effective.”
On the Chalkboard
With Kadeem Harris impressing the Hillsborough fanbase, it would seem that Magpies loanee Jacob Murphy is walking on a tight rope at the minute.
He’s underperformed so far this season, managing just one goal in six appearances and is yet to even record an assist.
Considering he’s averaging 2 shots per game it’s quite a poor return that he hasn’t found the net.
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The 24-year-old is also dispossessed at least once each match while 1.3 unsuccessful touches on average is certainly below par.
Since his debut, where he picked up an 8.33 rating and that goal, things just haven’t gone to plan, and his inconsistencies led to him being dragged off at half time against Preston North End.
As a consequence, he started the next match on the bench.
He was handed a start under Monk but he failed to impress recording a rating of just 6.48.
With the 40-year-old stating that Reach will be utilised as a winger, it means Murphy could well make way, and that could occur as early as this weekend as Sam Winnall’s winner against Huddersfield means he too is pushing for a starting spot.
Monk frequently used 4-4-2 at Birmingham last season, so the recent exploits of the striker leaves the manager with plenty to think about.