Wagner to give wake up call to fright Owls
DAVID WAGNER is confident Huddersfield can put an end to their Sheffield Wednesday hoodoo in the Championship play-off semi-finals.
Wagner has faced the Owls three times since taking over as Terriers boss and has yet to see his side pick up a point – or even score a goal.
But as Wednesday head to the John Smith’s Stadium for the first leg today, he said: “It’s time to change history. The three defeats we suffered against Sheffield since I arrived were very narrow.
“Small details made the difference. We didn’t get enough details right and we lost and this is why it’s so important to be focused on ourselves and not too much on the opponent.
“We have seen in the games that we have a chance, a big chance, even if they are a very good side.”
The teams finished level on 81 points, with Carlos Carvalhal’s side taking fourth spot on goal difference.
This is as close as Huddersfield have been to promotion since their last top-flight campaign in 1971-72.
And Wagner has called on the Terriers’ fans to make the difference.
He said: “We will feel it from the stands. This has to be the best atmosphere in 45 years and then we have to make sure we take this energy and transform it into energy on the grass.”
Huddersfield are boosted by the return of top scorer Elias Kachunga from injury but regular keeper Danny Ward is suspended.
That means another chance for Joel Coleman, 21, and Wagner has full confidence in his understudy.
“He’s totally ready,” said the German-born boss. “We have no worries for him.”
Glenn Loovens, meanwhile, believes that Sheffield Wednesday are ready to make the step up to the Premier League.
The Owls skipper said: “We all know Sheffield Wednesday is a big club and has a massive support so there is only one place where everyone involved with Sheffield Wednesday wants to go – and that is the Premier League.
“Everyone knows it is one of the biggest games you can play – with the money that is involved – and is probably one of the biggest games I have played in.
“I think the momentum is with us because we have done so well lately but we have to be focused and treat it like another game.”
Jordan Obita’s second goal in a week ensured they will go into Tuesday’s second leg full of confidence and hoping to erase six previous failures at this stage.
Reading have suffered play-off heartbreak before, most recently against Swansea in the 2011 final.
And they will be chasing a £200million Premier League pay-out without skipper Paul McShane, sent off in the 83rd minute for a straight red following a studs-up tackle on Kevin McDonald.
His rush of blood could yet cost them dear but only time will tell.
Reading still held out to beat the odds after being on the back foot throughout a tense clash. And they had the answers and the ability to strike back.
This was never more in evidence than when Obita struck in the 53rd minute, adding to his previous strike against Burton.
The winger raced on to McShane’s pass and from a difficult angle drove sweetly home via the far post. Fulham equalised through Tom Cairney four minutes later to keep the tie on a knife-edge. Both sides gave their all but overall the quality was lacking and you already fear for both if promoted.
Fulham rely on their strength in defence while Reading rely too heavily on Yann Kermorgant, a striker well into his 30s.
Yet both sides could not be faulted for effort, they gave everything they had.
The visitors took the lead after McShane surged into the opponents’ half before playing a sweet pass wide left to the overlapping Obita.
At first it did not look as if there was an opening but he struck the ball true with his left foot and it flew in off the far post.
Fulham ended the Championship season on an unbeaten run of six matches, winning five of them – and they refused to panic. Their composure was rewarded when Cairney headed in after goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi had pushed out Scott Malone’s cross-shot.
It had been hectic from the start with Cairney blasting a shot inches wide as the Cottagers worked hard to assert their superiority against a side they whipped 5-0 in a league match back in December.
Fulham’s classy football has been the talk of the Championship but Reading are gritty and work hard for each other.
The game was kept continually on in the balance. It flowed from end to end with neither side prepared to give an inch.
Reading finished the season third in the table and had been unfancied heading into the play-offs.
But they arrived in decent form, having won seven of their previous nine matches and striker Kermorgant ended the season as the star player in the division.
Their desire to claim a first-leg advantage was underlined when John Swift was booked in the 40th minute for timewasting over a corner!
But Reading’s strength has been at home and you fear for Fulham on Tuesday as they know they have to go to the Madejski Stadium and come away with a positive results or the game is up for another season.