'Doesn't look good' - Sheffield Wednesday dealt double injury blow ahead of Portsmouth game at Fratton Park
Problems continue to mount for Sheffield Wednesday as they prepare to face Pompey at Fratton Park on Saturday
Sheffield Wednesday’s already threadbare options for their trip to Pompey on Saturday have taken yet another hit.
The Owls, whose first-team ranks were decimated during the summer because Dejphon Chansiri’s continued controversial ownership of the club, were already approaching their latest game at Fratton Park without the services of goalkeeper Pierce Charles, defensive duo Nathaniel Chalobah and Di’Shon Bernard, and promising youngster Gui Siqueira.
Now manager Henrik Pedersen has another injury headache to overcome after two of his starters in Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup defeat at the hands of Grimsby hobbled off.
More injury concerns for Sheffield Wednesday ahead of game v Pompey
In an effort to protect his first-team ranks, while also rewarding those young players who helped guide the Owls to the third round of the League Cup, the Dane made 10 changes to the side that lost 3-0 at home to Bristol City in the Championship on Saturday.
On-loan keeper Ethan Horvath was the only one to keep his place in the team, while Jamal Lowe and Olaf Kobacki were the only other senior pros named in the side to face the League Two Mariners.
Yet Polish forward Kobacki, who has featured six times in all competitions this season for Wednesday, picked up a groin injury in the first half of the 1-0 defeat.
Meanwhile, accompanying him off the pitch at the same time on 37 minutes was midfielder Reece Johnson, who appeared to be nursing a foot or ankle injury following a heavy challenge.
The 19-year-old has also played six times for the stricken Hillsborough outfit this season following his promotion from their academy ranks.
Henrik Pedersen concerned by latest blows
Speaking to our sister title, The Star, after the game, Pederson said: ‘I have no real information yet but it does not look good, especially for Reece.
‘Reece has come in, he played well at Bolton, against Leeds (in previous Carabao Cup rounds), he has come in in the Championship. He has really started to grow and I really feel for him now if there is something serious.
‘I hope not because how he has adapted to the physical side, his courage on the ball, he has grown a lot. His foot went out and (motions a twist), but I am not sure. We will see.’
Sheffield Wednesday ranks decimated since last trip to Fratton Park
It’s nearly one year since Wednesday were last at Fratton Park, with Danny Rohl’s then side recording a 2-1 win thanks to Michael Smith’s wonderful 70th-minute winner.
A lot has happened since then, though, with the Owls moving from crisis to crisis under Chansiri’s ownership.
And that’s reflected in the number of players who have exited Hillsborough, fed up with the way the Thai businessman continues to run the club.
Of the XI that started Wednesday’s win over Pompey last October, only four remain - Max Lowe, Liam Palmer, Barry Bannon and Bernard.
Smith, Josh Windass, Pol Valentin, Anthony Musaba and Akin Famewo are among the big names who left during the close season.
This new-look Wednesday team head into Saturday’s match sitting second from bottom in the table and with just one point from their five league games played.
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