On route to Hillsborough I was wondering which team would turn up today, hoping that we could reproduce the performance we put on our last trip to Sheffield against the Blades.
Unfortunately, it wasn't to be.
Burley's team selection was to me, baffling, why does he continue to play players out of position? Although Dyer being a late absentee can't have helped matters I cannot see why Dailly was preferred to Ifil at right back.
First half
The first half was fairly lacklustre, neither side was making much of an impression although Saints did have one or two opportunities. In the third minute Euell put a lob just wide and after twenty minutes Saganowski's touch let him down when put into a good postion by Surman.
Saints best chance of the first half came just before the half hour when a cross to the far post was controlled by Stern John the shot, lacking power, squirmed through the keeper's legs but did not have enough to make it over the line.
Sheffield Wednesday's only meaningful chance came when Sodje was put through but his shot was skewed well wide. Wednesday did make the breakthrough five minutes before half time when Sodje broke free into the area and despite heading away from goal Davis rushed out and brought him down.
It was a clear penalty and a needless intervention from Davis when Wayne Thomas could have take care of it. Whelan dispatched the penalty into the right side of the net, sending Davis the wrong way. Just before the half time whistle a Wednesday corner flashed across the box with Davis nowhere in site but a blue and white shirt couldn't latch onto it.
So at the interval Saints were trailing one nil in what had been a poor first half where we we were lacking width in particular.
Second half
At the break Burley made a double change making a straight swap up front, Saganowski for Wright-Phillips, and bring on Idiakez for Viafara, switching the midfield so left-to-right was Euell, Safri, Idiakez, Surman.
Saints did start the second half the brighter with Idiakez trying to dictate the tempo. Saints' first corner of the match on 47 minutes was punched at the near post by Grant in the Wednesday net jumping with John and the ball fell to Idiakez but his shot went wide of far post.
However Wednesday extended their lead on 51 minutes when Marcus Tudgay's clever back heel put through Sodje who finished from just inside the area, although Davis should have done better.
Before Wednesday further extended their lead Saints found themselves in promising positions but couldn't make anything of them. The third came on 56 minutes, Saints never properly cleared the danger from an attack down the Wednesday right and the ball fell to Whelan on the edge on the area to shot home with a tame shot that squirmed under Davis.
Six minutes later Sodje added his second and Wednesday's fourth when he latched onto a long ball down the right channel outmuscling Davies and tumping the ball past Davis into the roof of the net.
The rout was completed on 65 minutes when O'Brien found himself in acres of space on the left of the area and slotted the ball in at the near post. As the game fizzled out Saints again found themselves in good positions but the final ball and finishing was never there.
In the latter stages of the game there were exchanges between the away section and Kelvin Davis, with the keeper appearing to gesture to the fans.
Unfortunately, it wasn't to be.
Burley's team selection was to me, baffling, why does he continue to play players out of position? Although Dyer being a late absentee can't have helped matters I cannot see why Dailly was preferred to Ifil at right back.
First half
The first half was fairly lacklustre, neither side was making much of an impression although Saints did have one or two opportunities. In the third minute Euell put a lob just wide and after twenty minutes Saganowski's touch let him down when put into a good postion by Surman.
Saints best chance of the first half came just before the half hour when a cross to the far post was controlled by Stern John the shot, lacking power, squirmed through the keeper's legs but did not have enough to make it over the line.
Sheffield Wednesday's only meaningful chance came when Sodje was put through but his shot was skewed well wide. Wednesday did make the breakthrough five minutes before half time when Sodje broke free into the area and despite heading away from goal Davis rushed out and brought him down.
It was a clear penalty and a needless intervention from Davis when Wayne Thomas could have take care of it. Whelan dispatched the penalty into the right side of the net, sending Davis the wrong way. Just before the half time whistle a Wednesday corner flashed across the box with Davis nowhere in site but a blue and white shirt couldn't latch onto it.
So at the interval Saints were trailing one nil in what had been a poor first half where we we were lacking width in particular.
Second half
At the break Burley made a double change making a straight swap up front, Saganowski for Wright-Phillips, and bring on Idiakez for Viafara, switching the midfield so left-to-right was Euell, Safri, Idiakez, Surman.
Saints did start the second half the brighter with Idiakez trying to dictate the tempo. Saints' first corner of the match on 47 minutes was punched at the near post by Grant in the Wednesday net jumping with John and the ball fell to Idiakez but his shot went wide of far post.
However Wednesday extended their lead on 51 minutes when Marcus Tudgay's clever back heel put through Sodje who finished from just inside the area, although Davis should have done better.
Before Wednesday further extended their lead Saints found themselves in promising positions but couldn't make anything of them. The third came on 56 minutes, Saints never properly cleared the danger from an attack down the Wednesday right and the ball fell to Whelan on the edge on the area to shot home with a tame shot that squirmed under Davis.
Six minutes later Sodje added his second and Wednesday's fourth when he latched onto a long ball down the right channel outmuscling Davies and tumping the ball past Davis into the roof of the net.
The rout was completed on 65 minutes when O'Brien found himself in acres of space on the left of the area and slotted the ball in at the near post. As the game fizzled out Saints again found themselves in good positions but the final ball and finishing was never there.
In the latter stages of the game there were exchanges between the away section and Kelvin Davis, with the keeper appearing to gesture to the fans.
Verdict
Overall, it was an extremely disappointing performance especially after a clean sheet against a dangerous Wolves team and given our recent record against Wednesday.
Burley's team selection is really starting to worry me. We had no width and I cannot understand why either Hammill wasn't involved or why Skacel didn't play his natural position of left midfield with Vignal coming in at left back.
We were lacking options for right midfield so Viafara was a fair selection on the right with Euell and Safri in central midfield as Idiakez has been struggling with an injury. However, why has he put Dailly to right back, neither of his natural positions and dropped Ifil, who has been one of our best performers this season.
I can't see how we can achieve consistency in terms of results if he drops players who aren't playing badly, especially in the back four.
The squad is better than this performance, but at the moment the team isn't. I think the team need new guidance but also more passion, a motivator, and I for one would love to see Stuart Pearce in charge.
A special mention goes out to the support which again was fantastic, noisy and there in numbers.