Plymouth Argyle manager Wayne Rooney isn’t entirely certain of the starting eleven that will face Sheffield Wednesday, but he does have a general idea of how the team will shape up. The Owls will meet the Pilgrims on August 11th at Hillsborough, marking the ninth encounter between the teams since early 2021. This matchup has become a familiar battle in recent years.
However, the upcoming clash will feature changes, with Wayne Rooney now leading Plymouth and Danny Röhl having conducted a summer rebuild at Sheffield Wednesday. This means the teams will look quite different compared to their last encounter in March, when the Owls secured a 1-0 victory at Hillsborough. For Rooney, this game will be his first official match as Plymouth’s manager following his appointment in May. He emphasizes the importance of players proving themselves in training sessions to earn a spot in the lineup.
“It’s obviously something which you are always thinking of,” Rooney told Plymouth Live. “That first game of the season is the most important game for us now. It’s about managing players’ minutes and getting them the right game time. Of course, you have an idea of the team, but you also need to leave room for players who are training really well. I think players who train well normally give you better performances on the pitch. That’s something we drive into all the players. One or two players might influence my decision by how they train.”
Meanwhile, Sheffield Wednesday will face Leganes at S6 on Saturday afternoon in their final preseason game. Fans are encouraged to attend in large numbers to celebrate Liam Palmer at his testimonial match.