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Sheffield Wednesday 0 Swansea 0: No revenge for Carlos Carvalhal as drab match goes to replay
There was no revenge for Carlos Carvalhal, just a collective shrug of indifference from his former club Sheffield Wednesday, a stalemate and a FA Cup replay his new team, Swansea City, would have preferred to avoid.
In fact, for all the supposed excitement generated by his return, less than two months after he was sacked by the Championship club, this was an under-whelming cup clash between two sides who huffed, puffed but rarely looked like blowing any doors down.
Carvalhal was warmly applauded off the Swansea coach by the Wednesday supporters who had bothered to congregate outside the players entrance to greet him, and that was it.
There was no emotion, no suggestion of animosity, just ambivalence. It was the equivalent of an ex walking into a bar with a glamorous new partner and barely bothering to look in their direction. It was a very Yorkshire reaction.
Carvalhal may have moved on to better things since he was sacked by Wednesday on Christmas Eve, remerging three days later as a replacement for Paul Clement at Swansea, but nobody in Sheffield seems to care that much.
He led them to two play-offs, losing in the final to Hull in 2016 and the semi-finals to Huddersfield last year, but there was little opposition to his sacking and nothing to suggest anyone feels it was a mistake now, despite the excellent job he has done in South Wales since.
His former employers have remained stuck in the rut he left them in, the anticipated uplift under his replacement, the Dutchman Jos Luhukay, yielding an FA Cup run, but just one league win. Whatever the problems were, Luhukay has not solved any of them quickly.
This looked like the perfect moment for Carvalhal to make a point, but having rested key players because of the ongoing relegation battle, Swansea were unable to dispose of spirited opponents.
“We didn’t want a replay,” said Carvalhal, who revealed Alfie Mawson locked his knee in the warm up and had to be taken out of the starting XI. “The games for us are like the Police Academy films, there are too many of them.
“It was a very emotional moment for me and I must thank Sheffield Wednesday for the way they received me. It was very nice, it wasn’t negative. I’m very proud of what I achieved here and I’m sure in five years the reaction will be even better. It has only been eight weeks…”
Wednesday started superbly but did not make the most of either their possession or their chances. The best of them came inside the first two minutes as Adam Reach surged clear, but his shot, with his weaker right foot, was well saved by Kristoffer Nordfelt.
The Championship side carved Swansea open again minutes later, but Jacob Butterfield’s glancing header from George Boyd’s cross flew closer to the corner flag than the goal.
Swansea spluttered their way through much of the first half. It took them 30 minutes to muster an effort on goal, a deflected shot from Kyle Naughton which trickled out for a corner.
They gradually became more of a threat and should have taken the lead just before half time when Naughton did well to swing in a cross that was met by Mike van der Hoorn, on the edge of the six-yard box.
He did pretty much everything right, but his header was brilliantly saved by Wednesday’s 22-year-old, third-choice goalkeeper, Cameron Dawson, who clawed it over the bar.
They may well have deserved a penalty too. Certainly, Daniel Pudil was fortunate none of the match officials appeared to see him push Tammy Abraham to the ground while defending a corner.
Wednesday started the second half with renewed vigour, but their lack of a goal threat when the ball did arrive in the area nullified the vibrancy of their build up play. Swansea were not any better, substitute Jordan Ayew summing up their afternoon when he decided to shoot from 25 yards rather than pass to better-placed teammates.
“We had a strong beginning and we played some very good football,” said Luhukay. “We didn’t really want a replay, but the players made me proud and we will try to win at Swansea. Swansea were better in the second half, but I think this was a fair result.”
Carvalhal suggests this game should end with penalties
"It's just an opinion," says the Swansea manager, as he suggests that the two managers should have been allowed to agree on having a penalty shootout instead of taking this one to a replay.
Dawson's take on his wondersave
"Not a lot really, I just seen the ball coming in and tried to make myself as big as possible. I thought the three centre-halves and wing-backs were great in front of me."
FULL TIME
Carvalhal didn't want a replay but he's got one. Sheffield Wednesday have done well to get a draw here but in truth, Swansea barely turned up.
90 mins +2
Big chance! Joao links with Nuhiu, who shapes to shoot and then plays in Reach to his right! He's in! Can he finish from here?! He passes across the six yard box towards Joao at the back post! He can't get anything on the shot! With his back to goal he tries a backheel but puts it wide and was offside anyway.
90 mins
Dyer has the ball wide right, steps up the pace... and shoots from 25 yards. That is never, ever, ever, EVER going in. Urgghhhhh both teams have been very medium today.
88 mins
Joao and Nuhiu try to batter their way past the defence to shoot from 20 yards, are blocked and then Swansea try to break. They can't! The home crowd roar their team on... but they lose the ball far too easily and now Clucas brings it forward. Wednesday defending with a back five but that doesn't even matter since Routledge's touch is so poor he gifts the ball back to Reach and then gives away a free-kick.
86 mins
Sheffield Wednesday are tired. Reach has a couple of goes at Ki before taking him down and is booked, the free-kick is taken short and Routledge lifts the ball into the area towards Ayew.
Clucas rides a challenge on the left, crosses low to Dyer but his first touch puts the ball in the air and the defence has time to get in and clear. Swansea have surrounded the penalty area... but an outball to Nuhiu results in a free-kick to Wednesday.
83 mins
Jos Luhukay has predicted a perilous future for Wallace and decides it's a good idea to take him off.
80: Second Owls change of the game
⬅️ Wallace
➡️ Joao#swfcLIVE— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) February 17, 2018
Swansea try to work the ball around the final third but Carroll passes straight to Dawson in the Sheffield Wednesday goal.
80 mins
Wallace puts a really sore one on Naughton and is called out for it, squaring up to several players afterwards. He's been booked, Swansea now don't like him and I'd suspect that won't be the last we see of Wallace for the rest of the game.
Sam Clucas is on for the final 10 minutes, Swansea really don't want this to go to a replay.
The free-kick is put into the area from 40 yards and it's a great ball! BARTLEY MUST SCORE! But he swings at air and misses the ball. Wednesday have gotten away with that one.
77 mins
What is this nonsense. Roberts tries to take a throw-in, Wallace is on the floor behind him and tries to like... grab him? And Roberts ends up falling over, Wallace holds his leg and looks to be in pain... and the referee just doesn't care.
Wednesday come forward now, Hunt bursts forward from a one-two and moves into the box, Nuhiu has it and what a turn! He spins his marker and has space in the box, cuts onto his left foot... and shoots low at the near post. The goalkeeper saves and smothers the rebound.
74 mins
Dyer has made a real difference too, adding a composure to Swansea's possession that they've needed all game. Roberts wins a throw, crosses into the middle and Wednesday's centre-backs head away. I'm not sure crossing from wide is the way to beat this very physical Wednesday defence.
72 mins
Ayew is so much better than anyone else on the pitch just now. Dyer drives the attack, passes inside to Ayew who chops back onto his right foot and gets a better effort on goal. Dawson saves. Swansea getting closer.
71 mins
Routledge tries to do a little too much, taking on two defenders at once and attempting to roll the ball into the bottom corner of the goal from just inside the area. He wins a corner though and that is sent into the area... and Sheffield Wednesday win it back and try to counter. An attempt to play a pass ahead of Boyd into space is woeful and hands possession back.
68 mins
Jones is caught on the ball! Swansea have four men against three - it's a huge chance! Ayew takes it on... and shoots from 25 yards, the ball bobbling harmlessly to the goalkeeper.
66 mins
Narsingh comes off after a poor game and Dyer comes on. Van de Hoorn catches Hunt with his studs while going for the ball and is booked for it. It looks like he's stepped with some weight on the guy's toe and he's very upset about it. This is a decent set piece position, wide right in line with the penalty area. Butterfield and Wallace are there... but someone is offside. So bad.
Abraham is taken off for Jordan Ayew. How will a tiring defence cope against him?
63 mins
Abraham has gone down off the ball, after chasing a headed back pass. He's back up on his feet now though... so I have no idea what was wrong with him. He lays off the ball to Ki, who takes too long to shoot and Wednesday break until they win a free-kick by the centre-circle.
60 mins
Nathan Dyer is being given some instructions on the Swansea bench and will soon come on.
58 mins
Swansea have stepped it up and have Wednesday pinned back near their own box. Routledge tries to dribble past the defender, a one-two goes out of play for a throw-in... it's so frustrating. This is like watching a reserve team play - Swansea are so disjointed.
56 mins
Narsingh takes too long to get a shot away and loses the option, Swansea win a corner. It's taken short, Dawson tries to punch the subsequent cross away... but Bartley is offside.
53 mins
Routledge finds Roberts on the right, Roberts tries a strange cross/shot thing which is easily cleared. Olsson comes inside from the left and has a similar effort blocked. Nuhiu chases the ball and does a little roulette turn which delights everyone in the crowd - like watching a bear do ballet.
51 mins
Swansea have to do a bit of defending as Sheffield Wednesday get the ball forward but there's nothing too much to worry about. You get the feeling that if Swansea really wanted to they could get themselves a lead without a lot of effort here. Not to say Wednesday are playing badly - they're just not putting together any particularly dangerous attacking moves.
48 mins
Swansea have remembered they are good at football and have started this half with some purpose and energy. Abraham puts a pass ahead of Narsingh, who is a little off balance while running at full speed, gets ahead of Fox and then draws a little kick from the defender and goes down way too easily in the box. The referee isn't interested.
KICK OFF 2
We're back!
John Hartson doesn't know how to use a microphone
HALF TIME
Really poor. Sheffield Wednesday had more of the ball but don't have anything like the quality to really scare Swansea in the final third - if they score here it'll be a lapse of concentration from the away defence letting someone in behind from a counter-attack. Hopefully Carvalhal wakes up his players during the break to turn this into a match.
45 mins
Sheffield Wednesday have a corner in the last minute of allocated time. Reach flicks it on at the near post and puts the ball over the bar.
That'll be the last chance of the half.
43 mins
Nordfelft tries to find teammates with long kicks but Wednesday players punt it back towards him with their heads.
Ki has the ball 30 yards out, looks up and launches a powerful effort at goal but slices across his shot and watches it fly wide of the target.
40 mins
Swansea try to play out of danger around their own box but don't do it particularly well and are lucky to get away with some slightly poor bits of control. Goal kick. There's a big lack of quality in the final third for this Sheffield Wednesday side.
37 mins
WHAT A SAVE! Oocha! The reactions to stop that are amazing! From about six yards, Hoorn heads with power straight at goal and the goalkeeper throws his arms out to push it over the bar. Superb!
36 mins
Swansea put a faster passing move together and pull the Wednesday defence apart. Routledge finds space on the right of the box and chips a ball in towards Abraham, winning a corner.
33 mins
Gareth Southgate is here. Abraham? Carroll? Carroll would suit England's style of play, he loves darting around the centre-circle linking passes together, like a budget Jack Wilshere.
Abraham comes alive on the right wing and burns away from his marker and sends a dangerous low ball into the area! This could be good... but the shot doesn't have enough on it from the Swansea forward who attacks and Wednesday survive.
32 mins
Swansea should have a penalty. Abraham is shoved to the floor from behind by Pudil while defending a corner but the referee doesn't see it, or doesn't think it's a foul. It is a foul. Well, it should be.
Pudil has managed to injure himself during that little moment of madness and is receiving treatment.
29 mins
Abraham has the chance to be a menace in the area and links a one-two with Routledge... but the defence see to it and Swansea's attack break down. They're starting to play a bit more now, almost as if Carvalhal was just trying to get the Wednesday crowd to quieten down for the first 20 mins. It definitely worked if that was the plan.
26 mins
A wild brass band appears! The crowd threatens to come to life... and goes back to sleep. Boyd runs with the ball through the middle, Wallace goes wide right and wins a corner off Hoorn. Here come the big lads for the corner.
Wallace takes it, aims to the back of the box... it's taken down and laid to the edge of the area. Take a shot. Please shoot! He crosses... and Swansea have the ball again.
23 mins
Free-kick Swansea about 30 yards out. They take forever to set it up and then Ki hits a poor high ball towards the area and Wednesday easily deal with it.
20 mins
Swansea finally pass their way into Wednesday's half, Carroll keeps everything neat and tidy as the link in the middle and Routledge probes the defence from wide left... and gives the ball away. This feels like a 12:30pm kick off. The crowd are quiet and neither team is really at their best.
17 mins
Here's Carvalhal meeting his old owl friend. Fun fact: this is a real owl.
Wednesday playing all the attacking football at the moment but it's not really threatening Swansea.
15 mins
Swansea seem happy to pass to the goalkeeper and back, the full-back and then the goalie, another defender and then the goalie... it's not exactly Total Football. They really want Wednesday to come out and press them but the home side isn't falling for it.
13 mins
Boyd and Wallace try to trick their way into space on the left, Boyd leaves the ball by accident, Wallace's cross is poor, Swansea win a free-kick. It's booted long and Wednesday have possession back. Swansea try to press a little higher but are easily bypassed.
10 mins
Swansea are defending really deep here. Sheffield Wednesday being given so much time on the ball.
It could be a tactic to lure them out and hit them on the counter-attack, but 73 per cent of possession is a big share for a Championship club against a Premier League one. It's a big share in any game!
7 mins
Poor clearance from Nordfeldt as he elects to boot the ball away rather than continue the short passing game from the back. He kicks straight to the Sheffield Wednesday midfield and is happy to see a cross headed well wide of his goal shortly after. Swansea could do with a little more energy here.
5 mins
I think it should be law that Sheffield Wednesday have blue and white stripes. This solid block of blue and white arms just isn't doing it for me. The team wearing the kit have started well though and seem up for this one, taking the game to Swansea and moving the ball around well. Swansea absorb the passing and try to push them back with their press.
3 mins
It looks like both teams are playing a three man defence. Swansea press high with three players from the start, everyone else stays near the halfway line. Some short passing and then suddenly Reach is away! He's in space in the box and should score! Great save by Nordfeldt!
KICK OFF
Here come the players!
It's the FA Cup, and it's Clive!
Tammy Abraham
Big chance for Tammy Abraham to earn himself a place in the non-FA Cup Swansea first XI, especially with Bone injured. He's deceptively slow to accelerate to anything approaching fast but his movement off the ball around the penalty area is excellent for such a young player.
The teams are in...
Sheffield Wednesday XI:Dawson; Hunt, Venâncio, Pudil, Fox; Boyd, Butterfield, Jones, Reach; Wallace, Nuhiu.
Here is our team news today v @SwansOfficial, in association with @Ladbrokes#swfcLIVEpic.twitter.com/GykzKFmLIa
— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) February 17, 2018
Swansea XI:Nordfeldt; Bartley, Mawson, van der Hoorn, Roberts, Olsson; Carroll, Ki; Narsingh, Routledge, Abraham.
Here's how we line up against @swfc this afternoon...#SHESWApic.twitter.com/BbHGdajyPv
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) February 17, 2018
Preview
Morning all, JJ will be in shortly to bring you the team news, build-up and match itself. Prior to that, have a read of our preview below.
Carlos Carvalhal insists he will not risk Swansea's Premier League status for FA Cup glory.
Carvalhal has extra motivation in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday as he makes a swift return to Sheffield Wednesday - the club where he spent two-and-a-half-years before departing on Christmas Eve.
Victory would also secure Swansea's first quarter-final in the competition since 1964, but manager Carvalhal has promised to rest several first-team regulars ahead of key relegation battles in the Premier League.
"We won't take any risks and there will be changes because I will protect some players, I'm absolutely sure about that." Carvalhal said.
"Ask me to stay in the Premier League or win the cup, and I say Premier League because it is more important to the club.
"As a manager it would be fantastic to be with the trophy.
"I was at Wembley with Sheffield Wednesday (in the 2016 Championship play-off final) and I loved it, I want to go back there in my career.
"But I am not selfish because I understand the priority of the club - and that is to stay in the Premier League."
Carvalhal rotated his squad in previous rounds against Wolves and Notts County.
Swansea still had enough to win those ties, albeit after replays, and cup progress has come alongside excellent league form.
Carvalhal has taken 14 points from 21 for Swansea to climb off the foot of the Premier League and escape the bottom three.
The Portuguese must now try to maintain that momentum without cup-tied pair Andre Ayew and Andy King and a raft of injuries ruling out the likes of Leroy Fer, Wilfried Bony and Renato Sanches.
But he said: "We will not change our path compared to what we did in the past.
"We are playing against a good side in the Championship and it is very difficult to play at Hillsborough.
"We are underdogs there, not because we are worse than our opponents but because we are outside our main competition which we are completely focused on.
"We will try our best to go to the next stage and if we win it will be fantastic. But if we do not get to the next stage, then it is OK."
Carvalhal's successor Jos Luhukay has taken Wednesday into the fifth round for the first time since 2014 by knocking out Carlisle and Reading.
But the Dutchman had to wait until Tuesday's 2-0 home win against Derby, his sixth league game, to register his first success in the Championship.
"The reality is injuries have given him the same problems as me in my last games," Carvalhal said.
"But when some of the players are back I think they are strong enough to be in the top places of the division."
