How Sheffield Wednesday could ensure no Soccer Saturday for 'sharp and serious' players

The Owls’ clash against Blackburn Rovers will take place on Sunday, a day later than the rest of the second tier fixtures. And while Wednesdayites will be nervously tuned into Soccer Saturday and drinking in every update from games concerning those around them at the bottom of the table, as of Thursday lunchtime considerations were being had over whether to deliberately move Wednesday’s Saturday training session to clash with the 3pm kick-offs.

Players will quickly know the results once training is finished, of course, but in focusing on their own task it is felt it could be beneficial from a mental perspective, Owls boss Danny Röhl said. Otherwise, players and staff will make the trip to Lancashire at the time of the Saturday matches.

Wednesday came through the ups and downs of other results last week when a midweek whitewash of their rivals was followed-up by wins for Plymouth Argyle, Birmingham City and Blackburn - though Huddersfield Town were harshly pegged back to a 1-1 draw after a penalty decision in the 100th minute at Bristol City.

“It makes no sense (too obsess over other results),” Röhl said. “We saw it last week, when you have such a good draw like against Norwich and you start looking on Friday and Saturday to look to the other results. It costs too much energy. We must put our energy into our own performance and this is what I want to try. This is what we have to do.

“On Sunday at 3pm we will know more because then we will know where are. This is what we will focus on.”

Any disappointment that followed last weekend’s round of results has not leaked into this week’s efforts at Middlewood Road, Röhl said. The German boss repeatedly commented on the intensity of Owls training this week during his pre-match press conference.

“They are really sharp,” he said. “They have trained well with intensity and they are serious - they know what we need in these games. We have experienced players who know what has been needed over the last years as well, this is helpful. This gives me a good feeling and now we find the right starting line-up to go in this game. I see everybody open, such a good, positive mindset and good energy.”