Match preview: Forest v Wednesday

13 December 2019

Sheffield Wednesday head to Nottingham Forest this weekend.

A victory would see the Owls leapfrog their Championship rivals Forest, who are in fifth position with 34 points.

Wednesday are eighth, just one point behind.

Forest have enjoyed a strong season so far but are on a three-game winless run and have just one win in their last five.

That win came away at QPR (4-0) but just three goals have been scored in the other four games.

Forest’s last victory on home soil was in early November against Derby (1-0).

Wednesday have won eight of their last nine meetings against Forest.

Team news

SWFC: Moses Odubajo and Sam Hutchinson will miss Wednesday’s trip to the City Ground.

Hutchinson picked up his tenth booking of the season away at Derby in midweek and now serves a two-match ban.

Odubajo was sent off at Pride Park after picking up two yellows and his one-match suspension will see him miss the Forest clash.

Nottingham Forest: Yuri Ribeiro, Samba Sow and Carl Jenkinson have been out through injury.

Ribeiro and Jenkinson could return for Saturday's game against Wednesday. Sow, meanwhile, featured at Hillsborough on Friday for Forest's Under-23s.

Ryan Yates returned to Forest’s starting XI in the midweek 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough after completing his three-match ban.

Yohan Benalouane and Michael Hefele continue their recovery from long-term injury, with the former also included in the Under-23s' visit to Hillsborough on Friday.

Championship form

Owls: LDWWD
Nottingham Forest: DWLDD

Top scorers

Steven Fletcher: 11 goals
Lewis Grabban: 10 goals

Tickets

The Owls’ allocation for the clash at the City Ground has sold out.

Wednesday will be backed by just over 2,000 Owls fans.

Safety

Sheffield Wednesday are reminding supporters of their conduct whilst following the team both at Hillsborough and away from home.

The launching of missiles from the stands, including pyrotechnics, are criminal offences and the club have a zero-tolerance policy to these.

iFollow

Wednesdayites can access every minute of the Owls’ first team games in all competitions, home and away.

This weekend, iFollow commentary will be from Rob O’Neill and John Pearson.

INTERNATIONAL

For overseas fans, subscribers can watch the full game with enhanced production for the 2019/20 season including four-camera coverage, match commentary and graphics.

Match passes for this service are priced at £5.

Last five v Nottingham Forest

Owls 3-0 Forest – 9 April 2019 – Championship (pictured)
Forest 2-1 Owls – 19 September 2018 – Championship
Forest 0-3 Owls – 26 December 2017 – Championship
Owls 3-1 Forest – 9 September 2017 – Championship
Forest 1–2 Owls – 18 February 2017 – Championship

Match Reports

Report: Forest 0-4 Wednesday

14 December 2019

Jordan Rhodes took the plaudits and the match ball home as his 37-minute first half hat-trick dismantled Nottingham Forest at The City Ground.

Rhodes was unplayable and a beleaguered Forest had no answer, with Wednesday putting the points out of reach before the interval.

Steven Fletcher chipped in with another goal to ensure there was no way back for the hosts.

The second half could never match the thrills of the first, which began with Barry Bannan sending a sighter just wide as the Owls made their attacking intentions clear.

And that was the sign of much, much more to come in a scintillating opening period that belonged to Wednesday.

On nine minutes, Fletcher glanced into the path of Rhodes, who made no mistake with a low drive beyond Brice Samba to give his side the ideal start.

Then, just four minutes later, Rhodes made it two. Adam Reach sent a delicious cross right into the danger zone, where Rhodes was lurking to nod calmly past Samba.

The Owls were in rampant mood, and Samba had to make a key save on 22 minutes, scrambling across his line to expertly divert a Fletcher volley.

Kadeem Harris tried to get in on the act but curled past the post before Cameron Dawson was called into action for the first and only time of real note, tipping a fierce long ranger from Joao Carvalho over the crossbar.

But the game promptly reverted to type with more Wednesday pressure that resulted in Rhodes completing his treble on 37 minutes.

His third was the pick of the bunch too as the striker executed a stunning overhead kick from 12 yards that flew past the stunned Samba to put the visitors in complete control.

And still there was time before the whistle for Wednesday to further extend their lead. Bannan delivered a corner that caused panic in the Reds’ rearguard and Fletcher stabbed home to take his tally to 12 for the season.

Predictably, the second half was very much after the Lord Mayor’s show. Forest saw more of the ball but rarely threatened and the next challenge for the Owls was to post a clean sheet.

Carvalho looked the most likely to make a mark to that end with his shot from distance on the hour narrowly fizzing the wrong side of the upright.

But that was about as good as it got for the Midlanders, who were ruthlessly picked off in a first half performance that will live long in the memory for Wednesday as a collective and, individually, hat-trick hero Rhodes.

Wednesday: Dawson, Palmer, Iorfa, Lees (Börner 78), Fox, Reach, Bannan, Luongo, Harris, Rhodes (Winnall 86), Fletcher (Nuhiu 82)

Match Reports

Ticket News

Forest ticket reminder

13 December 2019

Owls fans are reminded that the clash with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground is sold out for visiting supporters.

Wednesdayites are urged not to travel without a valid match ticket.

Ticket collection

Tickets will be available to collect at the Away Ticket Office from 1.00pm on Saturday.

The Away Ticket Office is located near the corner of the Brian Clough and Bridgford Stand.

Sheffield Wednesday

Standings

Match preview: Forest v Wednesday

Report: Forest 0-4 Wednesday

Forest ticket reminder

Forest trip sold out

Ticket details: Forest v Wednesday

Standings

Ticket News

Forest trip sold out

Ticket details: Forest v Wednesday

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