Sheffield Wednesday 2 - West Bromwich Albion 2

Date: Wednesday 3rd October 2018 Live on Sky Sports
Competition: Sky Bet Championship
Sheff W:
5.6
WBA:
5.3
Johnstone 5.7, Dawson 5.5, Hegazi 4.3, Bartley 3.5, Mears 4.1 (Barry, 65 6.1), Livermore 4.7, Brunt 5.2, Gibbs 6.0, Barnes 7.4, Rodriguez 5.2 (Robson-Kanu, 65 4.3), Gayle 6.4 (Hoolahan, 65 6.0)
Unused subs: Myhill, Edwards, Adarabioyo, Field
Manager: Darren Moore 4.9
Scorers: Barnes (85, 87)
Referee: Oliver Langford 4.9
Attendance: 22,150   Home Fans 4.5   Away Fans 7.1

Brendan Clegg:

What to say? A bit of a horror show.

With Phillips out I was disappointed Burke or Leko didn’t make the bench. We don’t have a driving alternative on the right and I class Edwards as a striker like Gayle.

The game was open to begin with and it looked like we’d score soon before Wednesday took the lead with stunning strike aided by poor defending and no closing down.

The second goal was crap defending too.

I thought our two main weaknesses were the limitations of Mears on the right and Bartley seeing way too much more of the ball than he or anyone else was comfortable with.

Fair to say too that Barnes was making the wrong decisions or nothing was happening for him.

We might have scored goals but for tight margins. By early second half we were desperate for thrust through the middle and out wide.

Frankly, I couldn’t believe the triple sub. It seemed to make changes in the wrong areas and from then on I have no idea what formation we were playing and who was playing where. It didn’t look like anyone was playing in defence anymore and we should’ve conceded more.

Somehow with 5 to go Brunt demonstrated that a semi-functioning player out wide on the right could create chances and to his credit deliberately put the ball into a position from a cross where we had to score.

2 minutes later Barnes picked the ball up and did what no other player in this league can with an incredible solo dribble from halfway and finish.

From there we might have snatched it or lost it.

A game where everything about us felt like a loss yet the result felt like a victory. Our individual quality and relative wealth almost embarrassingly taking a point.

On we go. This is crazy but it’s sort of fun for the first time in years.

  • Johnstone - 6 still a bit ropey.
  • Dawson - 6 pick of the back 3.
  • Hegazi - 5 was pretty good but went full-on loony as the game went on.
  • Bartley - 3 Committed as ever but should probably be committed. Where was he playing? What does he do in training? Is he accidentally in the wrong sport? Has a sumo wrestler Quantum Leaped into him?
  • Mears - 5 Tidy but backwards. Always backwards.
  • Livermore - 5 Never a footballer. Unless he can physically dominate he looks a bit lost. Gives it away then fouls people about 10 times a game.
  • Brunt - 6 Extra mark for the assist (still has a football brain) but too many punts.
  • Gibbs - 6 Subdued. Not really an outlet but Bartley was incapable of passing it 10 yards to him.
  • Barnes - 6 Tried but a sloppy game crowned by an unbelievable goal.
  • JRod - 5 Nearly man. Looked up for it but service never came.
  • Gayle - 6 Looked bright but little service.
  • The triple-sub Calvary AKA Dad’s Army - 10 Totally swung the game in our favour with their power-play, pace and cunning.

Steve Fereday:

Brendan, have you thought about stand up son? You are bloody funny my friend, and I mean ha ha.

It's Ozzie Ardiles time. Eeeeeeeeeee weeeee score seeeexee and thheeeyy five, so weeeee win.

Scorchio!