Sheffield Wednesday v Bournemouth: Owls can draw little comfort from run of games

They drew against a Norwich City side relegated from the Premier League last season, gained a point at Brentford, who then went and beat Derby last weekend, and then saw a one-goal lead frittered away at Charlton on Saturday.

None of those results would cause opponents to sit up and take note, but they do point to a team that is, at the very least, hard to break down.

Put them all together, though, and it is a sequence that has led to them sliding slowly down the Championship table.

Owls, who have drawn five of their last seven games and eight of their opening 15 in the league, have not tasted victory for eight games.

The first fixture of that run was the 7-0 drubbing they suffered at Manchester City in the Capital One Cup, a result that at the time was dismissed as a one-off, but one that has taken on greater significance in the ensuing weeks.

As Tom Lees observed after the latest point earned at The Valley on Saturday: “We’ve worked hard for three games to earn three points, when you only need one good game to get the same return.”

It is a simple equation but one the Owls are having problems solving.

“It is about wins and I would rather win two and lose two at the moment,” said manager Stuart Gray yesterday, ahead of a home game with Bournemouth which they go into, on current form, as underdogs.

“We are unbeaten in three. We got a good point at Brentford and Derby lost there on Saturday.

“We have been very close, but there is such a thin dividing line in this league.

“We just cannot put teams to bed, but we’ve had opportunities to do so, and they are defining moments in games.”

Gray attributes his side’s inability to kill off teams as the reason for their early-season momentum being checked.

Wednesday have eight draws and four wins to their name, with Gray believing that could quite easily have been eight wins and four draws.

“We’ve had four opportunities where we have been 1-0 up and, in big moments in the game, we’ve had chances to get that second goal and haven’t and it’s frustrating and it’s killing our points tally,” said Gray.

“We’ve had it against Millwall, Ipswich, Leeds and Charlton.

“I’m happy with the performances, the effort and commitment. We are just lacking that little bit of composure.”

Gray’s frustrations are felt by his players who appreciate the transformative powers a win would generate.

“If we get the win against Bournemouth then it changes the perspective about the recent run,” said Jeremy Helan, who has started the last three games having previously being restricted to appearances from the bench.

“It’s been frustrating for us too.

“A win would be like a breath of fresh air for the team and for the people around the club.

“We’ve not lost many, just drawn too many. Defensively we’re strong, so we’re very close, we’re not far.”

In order to break the victory conundrum, Gray has challenged his players to take greater responsibility, not to be afraid to take shots and take risks.

“It’s about decision-making,” offered Helan.

“We have the players to do it, it’s just about doing it.

“Stu has been saying to us to ‘take responsibility, take your shot’. He doesn’t want us to be afraid of teams.”

If there is any team striking fear into opponents in the Championship at present it is Bournemouth.

Reputations and recent form are no guard against a club from the south coast that, not so long ago, nearly went to the wall.

Having started the season with a 4-0 win at Huddersfield, Eddie Howe’s Cherries have not looked back. They have won six straight games and have scored 14 goals in their last three league games, including eight at Birmingham.

Gray saw them defeat Premier League West Brom last week in the Capital One Cup, after Howe – under whom he worked at Burnley – made 10 changes.

“They are a good footballing side,” said Gray. “They move the ball very quickly.

“They’ve got Callum Wilson up front who is a handful and scoring goals.

“They are an attractive side and we have to be in their faces and close them down. We can’t let them come here and dictate the pace of the game. It’s important we impose ourselves on them.”

Gray revealed that Joe Mattock went for a scan on the ankle injury sustained at Charlton. Sam Hutchinson is out until January but Stevie May is available after overcoming a virus.

Last six games: Sheffield Wednesday DDLDDD, Bournemouth WWWWWW.

Referee: M Dean (Wirral).

Last time: Sheff Wed 1 Bournemouth 2; December 21, 2013; Championship.