Andy Giddings, BBC Radio Sheffield: Wednesday players doing a terrific job in the most trying of circumstances | OneFootball

BBC Radio Sheffield’s Andy Giddings has provided the lowdown on Brentford’s next opponents Sheffield Wednesday. The Bees take on the Owls in the FA Cup third round at Hillsborough on Saturday (3pm kick-off GMT).

Sheffield Wednesday were deducted 12 points in October after the club filed for administration, and a further six points in December for regulation breaches. The Owls are 32 points from safety in the Championship, but Giddings has praised manager Henrik Pedersen and his players for their commitment during such challenging circumstances.

Putting the troubles off the pitch to one side, on the pitch, how would you summarise Sheffield Wednesday’s season to date?

It has been a great test of endurance for a group of players that are performing above and beyond themselves, both physically and mentally, given the omnishambles that has taken place off the field.

They are doing their level best in the most trying of circumstances. They are competitive, to a point, in every single match that they play.

But given the injury circumstances - they have got a list as long as your arm - they are having to use a lot of players out of the academy that are not ready.

It has been horrendous, really, with little to no high points. But the manager and the players that are playing are doing a terrific job.

With relegation from the Championship essentially all but confirmed and a takeover no closer at present, is there a feeling of just wanting this season to end, in order to get the new era started?

Everybody to do with Sheffield Wednesday wants to put this period of time behind them.

There are several layers to that. One, the fanbase is just relieved that the previous owner is now no longer the owner. They are waiting - as we all are - to find out how the club is going to progress, but that does not appear to be simple at this current time.

And from a football perspective, the vast majority of people are accepting that it is going to be a really quite dispiriting few months, but to their credit, they are turning up anyway, and hopefully in the summer, they will know where they are, there will be a degree of positivity, and it is just a case of going again.

There were a few euphoric matches slightly earlier in the season when the previous owner had been ousted, but now the harsh realities of the football challenge are just too insurmountable.

With all that in mind, it feels like this game at the weekend is a bit of a free hit. Do you expect Wednesday to give it everything?

I do. The reality is, though, every game is a free hit for Sheffield Wednesday. This may well be freer, given the fact that it is in-form Premier League opposition.

There was a jokey moment at the press conference after the game at Queens Park Rangers the other day, where a reporter - not me, I hasten to add! - asked Henrik Pedersen if he was going to put out the kids.

The reality is that team cannot really get any younger, otherwise there will be schoolchildren playing for Wednesday!

This is the freest of free hits you could ever imagine in a footballing situation and, frankly, they are going to need help from a higher power, I dare say, if they are going to turn Brentford over this weekend, even if Keith Andrews rotates his squad and plays some of the academy lads.

The only real positive, if you like, is the group of players that have performed as they have done over Christmas and into the New Year will have had five or six days of rest.

Which player should Brentford fans be looking out for at the weekend?

I have spoken about Wednesday v Brentford a few times in the past and the easy answer is always to say Barry Bannan.

He makes Sheffield Wednesday tick, and will do so again, if selected. It is as simple as that.

What should Keith Andrews’ players expect in terms of shape and style?

Intriguingly, at Queens Park Rangers, it was more of a back five, and I wouldn't be surprised if that continued again, though that may well shift should Yan Valery be back from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Who plays in the left wing-back role? There is a question mark over that given Harry Amass is currently scheduled to return to Manchester United.

But from an attacking perspective, there really has not been a great deal going forward.

So, it will be a tactical battle where Sheffield Wednesday will try and defend for as long as they possibly can and stay in the game for as long as they possibly can in the hope of nicking something.

It will not be anything like just attack, see how you get on, there is nothing to lose type performance, because that is just not how they are going about it.

What’s your score prediction?

Well, I would be surprised if Brentford did not win!