In The News: Thu 10th November

By Nicholas Rigg
November 10 2005

In this section of Wednesday Wonderland we take a look at how Wednesday are hitting the news: either in newspapers, or on other media websites. These articles are totally independant from Wednesday Wonderland and are not the views expressed by our site.

from SHEFFIELD STAR:

Owls regain pride after first-half flop

WEDNESDAY salvaged some pride with another second-half fightback at Hillsborough last night.

Muted applause from fans at the final whistle replaced half-time boos and suggested that supporters once again appreciated their team's spirit and tenacity.

But, after overcoming a 1-0 deficit to beat Derby on Saturday, this time the Owls left themselves with too much to do, with a combination of flawed defending and superior firepower giving Cardiff a virtually impregnable 3-0 lead by half-time.

City's Cameron Jerome plundered his 10th and 11th goals of the season and looked the sort of quick, dangerous striker that the Owls have been seeking.

Evidently he could have been theirs in the Chris Turner era but opted to join Middlesbrough instead after a Hillsborough trial and the offer of a deal.

Premiership-style quality came in the first half from on-loan wideman Jason Koumas, who cost West Brom £2.25m and showed why with the classy header that put Cardiff one up in the ninth minute.

Beforehand, this had looked a demanding test for Wednesday against an experienced and capable team, and so it proved, as Dave Jones' outfit powered up to fifth in the table, despite that second-half wobble when men such as Jerome and Koumas looked ordinary.

Was the see-saw in standards down to the Owls' improvement or an easing off by the visitors? Possibly a bit of both. It must also be said that Wednesday could have been in even bigger trouble.
From a through ball, Jerome raced in behind Richard Wood but hit the top of the bar with a chance to make it 2-0.

Cardiff twice more showed that incisive touch when they hit the post and then grabbed a two-goal lead.

Both chances came from great left-wing crosses from Koumas. Jerome sent a stooping header against the foot of a post - Wood then made a terrific block to thwart Kevin Cooper from the rebound - and Jerome, allowed a free header inside the six-yard box by Weaver and the defence, leaped at the far post to direct it into the top corner in the 29th minute.

Groans greeted long-range shots by Graham, Chris Eagles and Chris Brunt which sailed into the Kop, and some boos of frustration erupted after the Owls fell further behind.

Midfielder Jeff Whitley - a former team-mate of Weaver's at Manchester City - lofted a perfect pass down the middle, and away went Jerome, in between Wood and Lee, to make no mistake.

Boss Paul Sturrock resisted any temptation to make wholesale changes at half-time but he did alter from 4-4-2 to a sort of 4-2-1-3, with Brunt getting a central role behind a three-pronged spearhead of Eagles, Corr and Graham.

Eagles, on the right side of the front line, wasted a promising situation by crossing from the byline into the keeper's hands but did better with a strike from 25 yards, which sent Neil Alexender diving to push the ball on to the post.

The on-loan forward made a breakthrough with the second goal of his Owls spell. A good run ended with a crisp left foot shot from 17 yards into the keeper's bottom left corner.

Against Wednesday's endeavour, goal-inspired confidence and new shape, Cardiff were forced back and looked less sure of themselves, unable to recreate their cutting moves of the first half, while the Owls looked tighter and more combative.

Graham created the next threat, cleverly beating two men and spraying a pass out to Eagles, whose near-post might well have been headed home at the near post by sub Lee Bullen.

Cardiff nerves showed when centre half Darren Purse almost beat his keeper with a backpass outside the box, and a run by Brunt down the middle stirred the crowd.

With little to lose, Sturrock made a double substition, sending on Richie Partridge for Eagles and Gabby Agbonlahor for Graham.

Wednesday, encouraged by the crowd, kept up the lively stuff with Agbonlahor making a darting run to the byline, Whelan shooting off target after a sharp movel, and Partridge forcing a good save from Alexander.

A brilliant tackle by Whelan denied Jerome a hat-trick in stoppage time, and an excellent stop from Alexander prevented Bullen from finding the bottom corner.

The Owls had made a fight of it and played patches of decent football. But Cardiff proved too strong and looked impressive in that decisive first half, though they had not scored for four games before this.

Boss Jones said: "We always felt we had players who could get goals. Those recent games were really tight. This time it was nice to show people what we can do. There was a lot of pace and good movement from the strikers. "We're getting stronger. All credit to the players."

But for Wednesday it was the worst League defeat of the season, with fresh question- marks about their defending, and another lesson about the standards required in the Championship.

from BBC SPORT:

Simek suspended for Watford clash
Frank Simek will miss Sheffield Wednesday's game against Watford on 19 November after a fifth caution. The defender was booked during the 3-1 league defeat against Cardiff much to the anger of manager Paul Sturrock. Sturrock told the club's website: "It was impetuous and will cost him a suspension. It gives somebody an opportunity to perform." Skipper Lee Bullen could replace Simek if he recovers from a hamstring injury which he sustained on Wednesday.