Team Lineups

Does Jones stick with winning formula at Pride Park?

Derby County

Wednesday fans wait to see if Dave Jones sticks with a winning formula as the Owls prepare for the short trip to Derby on Saturday.

Jones has always said that if a player is doing well then he will keep the shirt for the following game … and after last Saturday’s long-awaited victory this will be the first time this season that he has to contemplate whether to change a winning line-up.

An unchanged side would also mean him starting with two out-and-out strikers, something he has been seemingly reluctant to do this season. However, it would be an extremely brave man to break up the forward pairing of loanees Matty Fryatt and Connor Wickham, who played together for the first time against Reading and made such an impact in the 5-2 victory.

At the same time, Jones was quick to point out after Saturday’s game that there were parts of our defensive game he was unhappy with and Reda Johnson’s poor run of form in recent weeks will be a concern … his dip in performances coinciding with being made captain.

Jones, not surprisingly, would not confirm an unchanged line-up when he spoke earlier today, adding: “Derby are a good side, with good players … and we will have to be at our best to get a result on Saturday.”

Wednesday are likely to come up against an old S6 favourite on Saturday, with former London Owls Player of the Year, Lee Grant, in the Derby goal.

We have only won once in nine league visits to Pride Park, ex-Ram Marcus Tudgay and loanee Leon Best scoring in a 2-0 win back in April 2006, when our line-up included such names as Burton O’Brien and Drissa Diallo.