Sheffield Wednesday manager Gary Megson has some interesting selection decisions to make ahead of Saturday’s League One game against Leyton Orient as the Owls will be forced to shuffle their pack.
Already without the services of 1st-choice right-back Lewis Buxton due to a hamstring injury Wednesday will also be missing top scorer Gary Madine, who is ruled out for over a month with a broken toe and captain Rob Jones is suspended.
Megson has brought in three loan players this week in a bid to cover the absentees and all could be in contention to make their Owls debuts. James Tavernier, on loan from Newcastle, could come in at right-back,Blackpool defender Miguel Llera could replace Jones at centre-back and Arsenal forward Sanchez Watt would most probably be on the bench if he were to make the squad.
League rules state that only 5 loan players can be included in a match-day squad. Goalkeeper Stephen Bywater, centre-back Danny Batth and winger Ben Marshall, all on-loan to the Owls, are currently key 1st-team players and so one of the six loanees will have to miss out.
Leyton Orient travel to Hillsborough having also completed some midweek transfer deals. Popular left-back Charlie Daniels has joined Bournemouth on a permanent deal and is set to be replaced in the short-term by Tony Craig who has signed for the club on loan from Millwall.
Orient have also secured the services of QPR winger Lee Cook on a short-term deal. Cook was rumoured to be a Wednesday transfer target in the summer and is expected to make his debut against the Owls. Wednesday’s reshuffled defensive unit will have to be alert with experienced strikers Kevin Lisbie and Jamie Cureton likely to be in the visitor’s squad and former Owls loan player Jimmy Smith should start in midfield.
Wednesday will be attempting to extend their unbeaten home record this season and return to winning ways on home soil after Brentford became the first team to take points from Hillsborough in a 0-0 draw 3 weeks ago. The Owls have lost just once in their last 11 matches in league and cup.
Leyton Orient could provide a stern test of the Owls impressive Hillsborough record. After a slow start to the season Russell Slade’s team have picked up and are unbeaten in 10 matches, 4 of which have been away games including a 2-2 draw at unbeatenHuddersfield.
Wednesday have won an impressive 12 out of 18 home fixtures against Orient including a 1-0 win last season but they will want to forget the last meeting between the two sides as Orient ran out 4-0 winners in London back in January.