It’s Owls v Bluebirds... who will be flying high?
CARDIFF City’s season rests on their trip to Sheffield this weekend, with Russell Slade’s side knowing nothing less than a victory will do.
They have been inconsistent in recent weeks, but so have their hosts with Sheffield Wednesday going four games without a win at just the wrong time of the season.
The Bluebirds showed they are more than a match for Wednesday in the reverse fixture after going two goals up, only to surrender that lead and end up drawing the game 2-2.
So, just how do the two teams measure up ahead of the monumental clash in the race for the final Championship play-off place?
SIMON GASKELL looks at the two teams head-to-head and marked them out of 10 based upon Championship standards...
KEIREN WESTWOOD 7 V DAVID MARSHALL 9
Both have the capacity for producing stunning stops – Westwood most memorably from his days at Coventry before a failed spell at Sunderland.
Marshall, though, has performed at an unrivalled level of consistency over the past few seasons, including that unforgettable campaign in the Premier League where he made over 100 stops and turned in virtuoso display after virtuoso display.
JACK HUNT 8 V LEE PELTIER 7
Hunt forged a strong reputation for bombing forward from full-back which saw Crystal Palace pay £2m for him from Huddersfield before injury stalled his progress. He signed for Wednesday permanently in January and has the edge on Peltier who is solid enough but doesn’t give the Bluebirds the same dynamism upfield.
TOM LEES 8 V SEAN MORRISON 7
Lees, previously at Wednesday’s Yorkshire rivals Leeds, has become one of the most sought-after defenders outside the top flight with a string of high-quality displays. He is the heartbeat of a Wednesday defence that has kept 16 clean sheets this season. Morrison is always a threat from set-pieces but isn’t quite as consistent defensively.
GLENN LOOVENS 7 V MATT CONNOLLY 8
Ex-Ninian Park favourite Loovens will receive a warm reception from the travelling Bluebirds supporters and is still doing a job for the Owls at the age of 32. He can be susceptible against pace though while Connolly has proven himself a rock at the back for Cardiff this season with many a goal-saving intervention and good all-round defensive displays.
DANIEL PUDIL 7 V SCOTT MALONE 6
Watford’s on-loan Czech Republic international is a hard-working and committed customer who also has ability delivering from wide areas. Malone offers Cardiff good energy going forward and can often drive into the opposition area but Pudil has greater solidity at the other end of the pitch, as well as those international credentials.
AIDEN MCGEADY 8 V CRAIG NOONE 7
Ex-Celtic and Spartak Moscow man McGeady joined on loan from Everton at the start of the year and opened his account against Nottingham Forest last month. On his day, he is capable of terrorising defences but doesn’t always produce. It is a similar story with Noone, who can be deadly on his day and has great ability shooting from distance as proved by his double against Wolves earlier this season.
KIERAN LEE 7 V STUART O’KEEFE 7
Ex-Old Trafford youngster Lee, who played three first-team games for United, has gone from being a fringe player to a key component in Wednesday’s midfield with his composure on the ball and all-action style. O’Keefe has similarly worked his way into first-team thinking, distinguishing himself while also offering an increasing goals threat. Nothing to choose between them.
ALEX LOPEZ 7 V JOE RALLS 8
Talented on-loan Celta Vigo man Lopez hasn’t always stood out in the Wednesday midfield but was a revelation in the draw with Derby last time out. Ralls has had a brilliant season and his authority on the ball and play-making ability in the engine room make him tough to go up against.
BARRY BANNAN 7 V PETER WHITTINGHAM 8
Ex-Aston Villa duo who are very good players at this level. Bannan is nippy across the pitch and scored in the reverse fixture. Whittingham has enjoyed a renaissance this season, proving his goal-scoring worth again while he held his nerve from the spot against Bolton to set up this clash.
FERNANDO FORESTIERI 9 V ANTHONY PILKINGTON 8
The respective teams’ goalscoring talismen, Forestieri has bagged 15 goals this season while Pilkington has been employed as a striker in the second half of the season and has bagged eight. Forestieri is an elegant creator who has been described as the Messi of the Championship, while Pilkington is brilliant playing on the shoulder of the last man.
GARY HOOPER 7 V KENNETH ZOHORE 6
Hooper showed he has a brilliant touch in front of goal during spells at Scunthorpe and Celtic but has failed to quite hit those heights since a big-money move to Norwich and joining Wednesday permanently in January. Powerful Zohore is starting to show what potential he has after scoring twice in recent matches with Brentford and Bolton.