One To Watch: Steven Fletcher

Despite a later than usual kick off time tomorrow, the challenge to get 3 points is still very much the same. St Andrews, or as I like to call it ‘The Fortress’ is again the venue for a Championship game of football that promises to be entertaining. Having said this, I know I’ll receive the blame when the score is 0-0 and the shots on target are the same figures. Sheffield Wednesday are the visitors and this won’t be an easy game by any stretch of the imagination.

This game almost has a revenge tag to it due to the fact that the decline in form at the latter end of last season cost Blues’ a play off spot and this was sparked by a defeat to Wednesday. Again, this year Wednesday will be competing for a play-off spot alongside Birmingham City so it will be a good test and one that we hope will show promise.

Now I must say I haven’t had much luck with the player of the match predictions this season. Either they’ve scored an own goal, been sent off or been on the subs bench. At least this shows I’m not psychic. However, I watch a lot of football and these players that I choose often stand out and if they’re on the bench then it is good news for us. For me Sheffield are a good team with a couple of good players who are real show stoppers. They have a decent defence which is hard to break down but this can be done. They’ve conceded quite a few goals this season but it’s there attacking play that has stood out.

For me, there is only one real contender for this and that is Steven Fletcher. He has scored in his last 2 appearances including one that helped Sheffield Wednesday to a 3-2 victory over in form Bristol City. The Scottish striker has been prolific in most clubs that he has played for. As a former Wolves man, I doubt he will be welcomed into St Andrews very nicely but this may spur him on to try and get himself on the scoresheet. He is very experienced playing at a high level including Sunderland in the Premier League and even in French’s Ligue 1 with Marseille. He averages a goal every 3 games so here’s hoping that as he scored in the last fixture, he won’t score in this one!

Fletcher is a poacher who has an eye for goal. As a tall striker, he often gets his head on the ball and Wednesday have full backs who like to bomb forward and really whip crosses in for the target man. We will have to be wary of this and I hope that Grounds carries on with a run of good performances as seen in the last week. Overall, he is a danger and I’d like to see him marked tightly but we need to stop the ball getting to him. They have playmakers in their side who need to be kept quite such as Wallace and these players have a good shot on them. Also, if they’re given time, then they can find Fletcher with clever runs. If this is prevented then we have a high chance of keeping yet another clean sheet.