Sheffield Wednesday v Forest Green Rovers
Double Chance: Draw/Forest Green
13/10
In many respects, this trip to Hillsborough is a free hit for Forest Green Rovers.
If they win or even earn a point, it will be an iconic day that will do wonders for confidence in their maiden third-tier campaign: if they don’t, they could reasonably say that their season won’t be defined by these types of games.
The outlook of Ian Burchnall – a highly-regarded, process-driven coach who succeeded Graham Potter at Ostersund – will be to play on the front foot on the big stage.
Sections of home support may instinctively have an initial huff about facing clubs like FGR in the first place, so if Burchnall’s side can take an early griphold of the middle third and start to call the shots through their midfield quartet, there will be murmurs of discontent in the Spion Kop.
Sheffield Wednesday have had a great start to the season results wise, and deservedly won 2-0 at Bolton last time out, but performances in victories over MK Dons and Charlton have not been wholly convincing.
The control of Ben Stevenson and Regan Hendry, the bite of David Davis and the craft of Reece Brown is more than capable of combining for the Green Devils to fashion openings for Josh March, a nippy striker who will look to run in behind.
Wednesday may have the better individual midfielders, like Barry Bannan and George Byers, but Forest Green are the better coached side, they may find numerical advantages in certain areas in a way that their hosts don’t and could put the Owls in a disgruntled mood.
Preview from BetVictor