Sheffield Wednesday: Owls ready for top challenge
Attacking spearhead: Leroy Lita could remain as the main striker in a 4-3-3 formation after leading the line at Leicester. Picture: Steve ellis
DAVE Jones says that Wednesday are on a high just now and need to maintain it by being at their best against Championship leaders Cardiff.
The Owls’ recent run and wins against top-six sides Crystal Palace and Leicester leave the Owls boss in no doubt that they are capable of meeting tomorrow’s challenge.
“Confidence is high at the moment,” he said. “There’s a feelgood factor around the place.
“It’s not just the players - it’s the staff and everybody associated with the club, and the supporters.
“You want to keep that factor going.
“There’s a buzz about the place. We want to keep all our players fit and vying for places, because competition is really healthy: nobody knows whether they’re in or out.
“If it’s a good, healthy environment, it’s always a pleasure to go into work, and this is good place to come into.”
With 10 games left in the season, Jones also believes that the Owls have a opportunity to build a platform for a more successful 2013-14 campaign.
But the priority is still to make sure of Championship safety. Wednesday have boosted their cause with a revival since they lost to Cardiff in December.
Jones feels reluctance in talking about his former club: “I have good memories. I left the club. I’ve moved to another club. It doesn’t mean anything to me whatsoever. My professionalism kicks in. Full stop. I’d rather talk about us than them. I’ve got enough on my plate.
“Malky has done a good job there. Let them continue with it. My time was done. I have an issue with them that will come to fruition hopefully pretty soon, then I can get on with what I want to do.”
He again declined to elborate on the “issue”, which he also mentioned in December.
But he added: “They’re top of the league. We’ve had them watched a couple of times. No doubt they will have had us watched. They’re up there because they’ve been the most consistent in their results. Whether performances have been what they expect, I don’t know. “It’s about keeping it going. People say they’re limping over the line or jumping over the line, It doesn’t really matter, so long as they get there I’m sure that’s what the manager will be telling them.
“But at our best we are a match for anybody. We have proved that time and time again.”
Asked whether he thought Cardiff would go up, he said: “I would think so. I think they’ll be disappointed if they don’t. They seem to have enough cushion from top to third. It’s a little matter of whether they go up top or second.”
Jones could name an unchanged side, with Leroy Lita continuing as the central striker in a 4-3-3 formation, flanked by Michail Antonio and Jeremy Helan.
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Weather for Sheffield
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 7 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: West
