Spoilt for choice

There are three sporting fixtures I could go to this week. Leamington are at home to Stourport Swifts as they seek to maintain their lead at the head of the BGB Midlands Division. I could combine a visit to the New Windmill Ground with an evening at the Coventry Arena watching the Blaze take on Basingstoke Bisons on the ice. But, of course, I will be at The Valley for the mid-table Championship clash against Sheffield Wednesday.

The Owls were, of course, the team that ended our first tenure in the Premiership. Since then they have had all sorts of ownership problems which have not been finally resolved. (See Wednesday.) They also top the empty seats league in the Championship with Hillsborough being only 47.7 per cent full in the four home games played there so far. So don't expect too many hooting Owls in the Jimmy Seed stand, but you can guarantee that they will make proportionately more noise than we do.

The attack and the midfield practically picks itself, given that Zheng Zhi will probably be held back to sort out the Glaziers on Tuesday. It is in defence that Pards has big problems. Misfortune has hit Fortune who is now out for six weeks. It looks as if Cranie has recovered sufficiently to join Hudson in central defence. The big question mark, then, is over the right back slot. Most of the Addickted would probably prefer Moutaoukil to get his chance as he gives us an attacking option, but it looks as if Semedo will fill the vacant slot.

Pards told the club website: 'Semedo is, in my opinion, the best character we have at this football club in terms of his attitude. The boys love him, we love him, and he will eventually nail a position down.' Quite what that position will be remains to be seen, although I had thought that he was a defensive midfielder.

Not so. According to Pards, 'Semedo came here as a centre-back but it's very difficult for a foreign player coming over here to play that position. He's played at right-back and centre midfield but I would have no qualms now about playing him at centre-back.'

What is particularly difficult about that particular position for a foreign player? Jorge Costa, also from Portugal, had no problem in settling in. There appears to be some suggestion that it's too risky to have too many foreign players (two French speaking and one Portuguese) in defence, but I would have thought that the communication on the pitch was fairly basic. A few key terms such as 'pass the ball' and a few choice pieces of industrial language should be sufficient, aided by appropriate getures. After all, there isn't going to be the opportunity for a learned discourse about the game: 'When you attempt an angled pass from the left side, could you give it a little more pace?'

Wednesday seem to be in good shape, with star 18-year old centre half Mark Beevers available again after a hamstring injury. Ever optimistic, I will go for a 2-1 win for the Addicks.