Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle Prediction Preview

Josh Ingram is here to oversee a Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle prediction, team news and lineups preview for the 2024/2025 Championship opening weekend. Wayne Rooney  is in the away dugout as he looks to silence his doubters with his first challenge at Hillsborough.

After both clubs stayed up last year, expectations are slightly different for these sides. Sheffield Wednesday expects to try and climb up the table, whereas a successful year for the Greens would be surviving, not thriving. We can expect goals in this game and for Plymouth Argyle’s Starman to be ever-present throughout.

1. Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle Tip 1: Morgan Whittaker Over 2.5 shots and Over 0.5 Shots on target
2. Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle Tip 2: Both Teams to Score
3. Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle Tip 3: Ante-Post – Sheffield Wednesday Top Half Finish 

2024/25 Season Preview on The Football Betting Pod: Abundant Ante-Post Angles

We’re back, as host Daniel Jenkins is joined by bettingexpert Football Editor, Sam Ingram, and bettingexpert contributor, Jack Wright, who serve up fifteen selections between them.

The pair take a forensic look at the ante-post outright betting markets with the aim of serving up a number of value selections ahead of the return of domestic football in the Premier League, Championship, League One and Two.

Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle Prediction 1: Whittaker to have his Shooting Boots on

England, Championship , Sunday , August 11th , 16:00 (UK)

Plymouth Argyle’s star man Morgan Whittaker is one of the best players in the league, so the fact it looks like he’s staying put is huge for their hopes this season. He can single-handedly influence games and win them for Argyle, as he did numerous times last year. His inclusion in the Championship team of the year was expected due to his attacking exploits of 19 goals and eight assists in an up-and-down year for his side with a rotten spell under Ian Foster.

Morgan Whittaker is a very shot-heavy operator. He craves a shot at goal, especially from outside the box, cutting in off the right with his left foot. You can see what he wants to do most of the time, but few can stop him from pulling the trigger.

Focal point

Looking at his shooting stats from last year, it’s evident he’s the focal point in all things good for Argyle. The 23-year-old averaged 3.73 shots per 90, putting him in the 97th percentile of the Championship, which is not easy in such a competitive league. Playing 46 games and starting 45, he landed three shots, with one on target 28 times out of 46 games he participated in, with him doing this 15 times away from home. Both fixtures against Wednesday saw him land it both times.

As we look ahead to the upcoming game against Sheffield Wednesday, it’s important to note that they are not a team that restricts opponents to limited shots, with last season’s average around 14 shots conceded on average. Even when we consider just Danny Rohls’ 35 league games as manager, there was no significant change in the shot average. This sets the stage for Whittaker to potentially make a significant impact.

• Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle Prediction 1:  Morgan Whittaker to have over 2.5 shots and over 0.5 Shots on target (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 2.05
• Bookmaker: Bet365
• Stake: 10/10

Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle Prediction 2: Goals aplenty at Hillsborough 

Any game Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle is involved in this season, I’m expecting goals and lots of them. He is a manager taking over a side that scored 59 goals and conceded 70, so they are not goal-shy in both regards. With an average of 1.28 goals scored per game and 1.52 conceded per game.

Rooney, during his time at Birmingham, was not a manager who kept many clean sheets. With only three clean sheets in 15 games, he was soon relieved of his position after sending Birmingham down the table, ultimately relegating them.

Even if Rooney’s teams continued to be as porous as his Blues outfit last year, the difference for this Argyle side will be that they have a significantly more attacking threat. This time, he has multiple players who can find the net, so it might be a case where they have to try to outscore teams rather than sit in for 1-0 wins.

End to end?

From the start of December to the end of the season, The Owls were a very good side, but a few things persisted. Danny Rohl could never make them completely rock solid at the back with 11 clean sheets in his 35 league games, and in those 24 games where they conceded, both teams scored occurred 12 times.

Rohl’s side ended last year in brilliant form with no defeat in six, with four of those being wins. It would be no surprise for them to carry on this form on Sunday, but I can see Argyle giving them problems, primarily via counter-attacking opportunities. The personnel in the argyle attack can cause anyone problems on the counter, and I can see there being many chances for both sides throughout the 90 minutes.

• Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle Prediction 2: Both Teams to Score (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.83
• Bookmaker: Bet365
• Stake: 5/10

Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle Prediction 3: Rohl’s owls to fly high

Danny Rohl is a manager who has shown himself to be more than good enough in the second tier of English football. He did a sensational job last campaign, considering he took over what could be described as a mess from top to bottom. While it did take him a few games to get going and mark his style of play on the squad, he did so with 46 of their 53 points coming from December onwards. Rohl is expected to improve on the seven points from the first 18 fixtures compared to last year, and that would surely propel them up the table. Despite the horrifying start, they only finished nine points off of 12th.

This summer has seen many departures at the club, but none have made the squad drastically worse, as key players have remained. A whole host of new names have come through the door for the Owls this summer, and it was needed to replace the gaps in the playing staff.

Svante Ingelsson, a 26-year-old Swedish midfielder, will provide much-needed legs in midfield. He’s experienced, having plied his trade in Serie B, 2.Bundesliga and Allsvenskan. He is an intelligent complement alongside Barry Bannan, a midfield pair that should cover all bases you want from a two-in-the-middle.

Looking ahead, not over the shoulder

The addition of Jamal Lowe for free is clever business, too. He is a solid attacking option for Rohl and can be effective up top or out wide. Lowe had a good return of nine goals and three assists last year, and a similar showing would be more than welcome, seeing as he isn’t expected to be a primary goal threat. The hotly anticipated acquisition of last year’s loanee Ike Ugbo, who returned a respectable 11 goals from an average of 59 minutes a game across 38 total matches, will have the fanbase purring. If the aforementioned pair make their way onto the pitch regularly, Wednesday will hurt teams more frequently in the final third than they were able to last year.

This season should be more about looking up rather than worrying about the potential threat of relegation, especially with the lack of quality near the bottom end of the Championship. The defensive additions are very good. Jan Valery will look to start at right back, pushing Pol Valentin to be his backup, which is impressive depth compared to last season. Max Lowe, when fit, is a good enough Championship fullback and an upgrade for Marvin Johnson. Full-back has been an intriguing area in pre-season for Rohl, who has looked to invert his fullbacks, and these two are far more capable of doing so.

• Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle Prediction 3: Ante-Post: Sheffield Wednesday to finish top half 
• Best Odds: 2.00
• Bookmaker: Bet365
• Stake: 5/10

Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle Prediction odds via bet365 as at 16:00, August 8th, 2024. Odds may now differ.

Sheffield Wednesday vs Plymouth Argyle Team News and Possible Lineups: A Fair few Competitive debuts

Sheffield Wednesday have had a busy summer in the transfer window. With many new players in what is a new-look Sheffield Wednesday, it is hard to gauge what direction he will go in personal-wise. However, a 4-2-3-1 formation looks nailed on, with Rohl having mainly played that formation throughout the pre-season. With no significant concerns, it looks like a full squad to pick from for the season opener.

A similar story is expected for Wayne Rooney, with no major injury concerns. Captain Joe Edwards, who had a slight knock during pre-season, is expected to be back fit, according to Rooney. The Plymouth Argyle gaffer has given 18-year-old Freddie Issaka plenty of minutes across pre-season, handing the youngster a chance to start in the ten role where bodies are a bit light for Argyle.

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Beadle; Valery, Iorfa, Bernard, M Lowe; Bannan, Ingelsson, Musaba, Windass, Gassama;J Lowe

Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Edwards, Gibson, Galloway, Ogbete; Randall, Gyabi, Cissokho, Issaka, whittaker; Hardie

Match Stats: Recent history favours the home side

• In the last three seasons in this fixture the home side has won every time.
• Plymouth Argyle are second favourites to be relegated behind newly promoted Oxford United.
• Barry Bannan will be starting his 10th season at Sheffield Wednesday in this fixture on Sunday.
• Rooney’s side scored in all five pre-season friendlies.

Sheffield Wednesday Fixtures: Good chance of a Positive start

• Vs Plymouth Argyle (H)
• Vs Sunderland (A)
• Vs Leeds (H)
• Vs Millwall (A)
• Vs QPR (H)

Plymouth Argyle Fixtures: Return of Steven Schumacher to Home Park

• Vs Sheffield Wednesday (A)
• Vs Hull (H)
• Vs QPR (A)
• Vs Stoke City (H)
• Vs Sunderland (H)

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