Owls boss Carvalhal wary of improving Brewers

Somewhat understandably, Sheffield Wednesday’s Portuguese head coach is rather anxious that his Owls side avoid that particular curse this evening following a headline grabbing and handsome weekend victory which made a considerable statement.

In many respects, the Owls’ outstanding 5-1 triumph over a browbeaten Norwich City outfit was the vivacious performance that Wednesdayites have been waiting to see for the past seven months – to evoke some memories of their brio of 2015-16.

Having had their appetites whetted, home supporters will be contemplating an encore against Burton this evening, but Carvalhal believes that patience may just have to be the order of the day against a visiting side who are likely to rather more pragmatic than Norwich were.

It is a wise stance, given that Burton have chiselled out 0-0 draws at Bristol City and Derby County in their past two away games and also frustrated the likes of Fulham and Leeds United on their travels too this season.

On tonight’s test against the Brewers, making their first ever visit to Hillsborough, head coach Carvalhal, whose side raced into a 3-0 interval lead at the weekend, said: “It will be a game with a completely different history than Norwich, for sure.

“I am sure we must show some patience and attention to the players they have who can create damage. They are solid in their defensive process and we must be patient.

“We must be at 100 per cent and respect Burton a lot to win the game.

“It is not easy to play the same football against team who are more compact than a team who want to take the game to you. We know the game will be more difficult than Norwich.

“They have more points and are better team than Burton, but we must provide the correct answers to the questions that the game puts to us. It will not be an easy game. The strategy of some (away) teams is to try and make the crowd a little nervous. Of course, it is important that the crowd must understand we must be patient – with 100 per cent concentration and support from the fans.”

Following an afternoon when the Owls’ vibrant start to a game was perhaps the main tick in the box after struggling for tempo in many previous matches this season, Carvalhal would like a replication, in an ideal world, against a Burton side who shocked Wednesday in a 3-1 victory back on August 16.

But his view that it is rather more important that the Owls finish the game on the front foot is a shrewd one.

Carvalhal, who will assess the fitness of midfield duo Sam Hutchinson and Almen Abdi this morning, added: “All the teams of the world want to start well in a game. But more important than the start is the way that we finish.

“Sometimes you cannot win in the first 45 minutes or sometimes, in the first eighty too and you can win in the last ten or 15 minutes. We must not lose the game and must play with our heads and be patient to try and score and not concede.

“Burton is a tough game and they upgraded their team in the transfer window. They have a different face now and in the last four games, they have drawn three and won one. They are not an easy team to play again.

“But we are in a good mood and confident and know exactly what we need to do.”

It may have been Jordan Rhodes’ two goals and a sublime strike in a majestic performance from Fernando Forestieri that hogged the headlines from an Owls perspective on Saturday, but there were plenty who felt that Rhodes’ flourishing partnership with Sam Winnall was just as significant. Winnall may not have found the net, but the on-pitch chemistry between him and Rhodes added further weight to the argument of those who believe that the pair are Wednesday’s most natural front two ‘fit’, with the ex-Barnsley frontman looking like a perfect foil for the club’s marquee January recruit –given recent evidence.

For his part, Carvalhal plans to continue to utilise all of his striking options between now and the end of the season, with his ‘horses for courses’ policy of using different strikers for different games and scenarios as he sees fit likely to continue.

He added: “We have played before with Gary Hooper and Nando (Forestieri) and Fletcher and Hooper and (Atdhe) Nuhiu and other players.

“I am not worried about that situation because we have different combinations and are not just choosing two players to play all season as it is a long season and we have had (injury) problems.

“It is something that I am thinking about too much in my mind.”

Last six games: Sheffield Wednesday WWWLLW; Burton Albion WLWDDD.

Referee: P Bankes (Merseyside).

Last time: The two sides have never previously met at Hillsborough.