Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk expects tactical switch on football’s return

Like their Premier League counterparts, the Championship aim to resume the 2019-20 season in mid-June, with all clubs having nine fixtures plus the play-offs to play.

As the last match was on March 8, the dynamic of the division will inevitably have changed.

Monk’s Sheffield Wednesday were on a terrible run, with just two wins from 12 league matches, and a 5-0 defeat at Brentford in their final match before fixtures were suspended because of the coronavirus. Just as for teams in good form, that momentum will now largely have dissipated. Likewise, those such as Hull City who were struggling with lengthy injury lists should return with a far cleaner bill of health.

On top of that, Monk thinks some managers could try to make tactical tweaks now their squads have returned to training grounds this week.

“In terms of analysis and planning for the teams you’re going to play, you still had to do that (in lockdown), although that’s another difficulty,” commented Monk. “Some teams will possibly change what they were doing and we will have no preparation for it – that’s the same for every club.”

As for whether the pause will help his team, Monk said: “You never know until you’re back playing games, but I think the one thing that is key – for footballers and managers – is that getting back to playing football after a break is always something you look forward to.

“You want to get back and try to change that form. We want to give ourselves the best chance.”

The Owls have home games to play against Nottingham Forest, West Bromwich Albion, Preston North End, Huddersfield Town and Middlesbrough, with trips to Bristol City, Swansea City, Queens Park Rangers and Fulham.

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