Wayne Rooney speaks
The scoreline was deserved. The really disappointing is that we didn’t do the basics – winning duels, second balls, stopping crosses. We didn’t play with the confidence we’ve shown in the last few weeks; we didn’t take the ball well enough. I’m disappointed and angry, because that’s not a performance I want to see.
We stressed to the players that the threat was from crosses, cutbacks and Barry Bannan getting on the ball. He ran the game. We weren’t aggressive enough, we didn’t win our tackles. That’s not acceptable, that performance.
Players have to earn the right to play. You can lose football games, that happens, but there’s a way [to lose]. We had a lot of fans here today, who travelled a long way, and the performance we gave them wasn’t good enough. We have to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Maybe it’s a bit of a shock to the new players coming into the league. They know now what to expect. It’s something for us to look at, and it’s something I didn’t expect today, but it’s just one game.
Danny Rohl’s verdict
We saw a lot of things that we worked in the last six weeks. We are fit, we can run and we played very well with and without the ball. Well done.
We can still be more clinical; we missed some good chances. It’s a good step but it’s just the first step – there are 45 more.
The fans can dream, they have high expectations. The atmosphere was great, but for me the next game is the important one. I’m very proud of my team today.
Sheff Wed reaction
Jamal Lowe
Massive. It’s a good start to the season: four goals, clean sheet, can’t complain. I guess the hardest bit is being in the right place at the right time, making the runs again and again. [Did you know today was the 300th game of your career?] Is it?! I didn’t know that, I’m proud of that.
Yan Valery
It’s been really easy to settle. We still have things to work out but it could be a really good season for us. We played really strong teams in pre-season and I think that helped us.
"It could be a really good season for us..."
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 11, 2024
Jamal Lowe and Yan Valery reflect on their dominant performance against Plymouth Argyle 💪👏 pic.twitter.com/h6wo2icRJs
Updated
Full time: Sheff Wed 4-0 Plymouth
Not a great start for Wayne Rooney, whose Plymouth team were taken apart by a very impressive Sheffield Wednesday. Jamal Lowe and Josh Windass scored either side of an unfortunate own goal from Brendan Galloway. The biggest plus for Danny Rohl was probably the performance of his new signings: Jamal Lowe made one and scored one, Yan Valery was a bullet train at right-back and Svante Ingelsson, who created the first goal, dominated the midfield alongside Barry Bannan.
It’s probably too early to say whether Wednesday are promotion contenders. It’s not too early to say there is almost no chance of them being involved in another relegation battle.
GOAL! Sheff Wed 4-0 Plymouth (Smith 90+6)
Michael Smith adds a bit more icing to a very tasty cake. Bannan flipped a pass down the left to Johnson, whose excellent cross found Smith unmarked at the far post. Hazard saved his first shot but could do nothing about the second.
Michael Smith, off the BENCH! 😱 pic.twitter.com/Bpux2ZPVPF
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 11, 2024
Updated
90+4 min Bannan’s corner is headed invitingly across the face of goal by Jamal Lowe, then Smith’s long-range curler is pushed away by the diving Hazard. This has been a hammering, 24-5 if you measure these things in shots.
Updated
90+3 min Hazard dives bravely in front of Jamal Lowe to push Smith’s header away. Moments later, Lowe controls a chip forward with his shoulder and hits a volley that is blocked and goes behind.
Updated
90+1 min Whittaker shoots wide from the edge of the D. He looks highly frustrated.
90 min Six minutes of added time.
89 min “I have to say it’s an unusual feeling to be getting an MBM for. Wednesday game where they are playing well and actually winning,” says Andy Wood. “After last season I was used to seeing Wednesday rooted to the bottom of the table but something tells me that might not be such a worry this season. Lots of good performances out there today.”
It’s hard to judge because Plymouth have been poor, but there has been loads to like. I thought Valery was outstanding at right-back and I really like the balance of Ingelsson and Bannan in midfield. Windass is class, Lowe will get goals, the two wide players are always dangerous. It’s coming home!
88 min: Wednesday substitution Liam Palmer replaces Svante Ingelsson, another very impressive debutant.
87 min Gyabi moves infield from the left, swerves past a couple of players and rattles a low drive just past the near post. Good effort.
86 min Morgan Whittaker misses Plymouth’s best chance of the match, dragging well wide from 15 yards after a good break.
Oh hello, Timo! 👋
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 11, 2024
Tottenham's Timo Werner has been spotted at Hillsborough Stadium watching Sheffield Wednesday take on Plymouth Argyle 👀 pic.twitter.com/ED5M8aIXpj
83 min: Double substitution for Wednesday Michael Smith and Pol Valentin replace Windass and the highly impressive debutant Yan Valery.
Windass pushed the ball into the area for Musaba and kept running. Musaba wriggled to the byline and cut the ball back for Windass to finish first time at the near post. A nice goal to complete a superb performance from Windass and Wednesday.
Josh Windass makes it three for Sheffield Wednesday 🤩 pic.twitter.com/R99UUApOxu
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 11, 2024
Updated
GOAL! Sheff Wed 3-0 Plymouth (Windass 82)
Edit: as 3-0 wins go, this has been utterly emphatic.
80 min Almost a third for Wednesday, with Windass and Kobacki both having shots blocked desperately by Plymouth defenders. As 2-0 wins go, this has been utterly emphatic.
77 min Windass’s driven corner is headed vaguely towards goal and claimed comfortably by Hazard.
75 min: Double substitution for Wednesday Marvin Johnson and Olaf Kobacki replace Max Lowe and Djeidi Gassama.
73 min Musaba misses an excellent chance, sidefooting over from 15 yards after being teed up by Windass. It was a fine break from Wednesday, who moved the ball neatly across the field from right to left before Windass put Musaba through.
72 min Wednesday are in complete control, as they have been throughout. It would be absurd to judge Wayne Rooney on one game, so that’s exactly what will happen.
70 min Musaba moves infield from the left, beats three players during a thrilling run and shoots just wide from the edge of the area. That would have been a lovely goal.
Drinks break
Incidentally, at least two Plymouth players, Forshaw and Cissoko, have their names spelt incorrectly on the back of their shirts: Foreshaw and Issoko. Thank goodness Wayne Rooney didn’t sign Zanka from Brentford.
67 min: Plymouth substitution Freddie Issaka replaces Cissoko, who faded after a bright start.
Updated
66 min Nothing much to report. Plymouth are huffing and puffing but without much success.
62 min Valery makes another buccaneering run down the right and is fouled by a combination of Galloway and Cissoko. Windass curls a brilliant free-kick into the corridor of uncertainty which bounces up and is headed over by Bernard at the far post. That was a better chance than the one a few moments ago.
60 min Wednesday take a corner short to Bannan, whose inviting cross is headed over by Bernard. Half a chance at best.
60 min Windass’s free-kick is hooked way crucially by Hardie at the far post. There was a player waiting behind him who would have had a good chance.
57 min: Triple substitution for Plymouth Ryan Hardie, Callum Wright and Bali Mumba replace Tijani, Bundu and Ogbeta.
56 min Lowe almost creates space before a shot despite being completely surrounded in the area. Plymouth are really struggling.
54 min Musaba misses a great chance to make it 3-0, volleying wide at the far post after an excellent run and cross from Valery. He’s been a constant threat on the right.
It was an unfortunate own goal from Brendan Galloway. Musaba (I think) lifted a routine cross towards the far post, where Jamal Lowe – who might have been offside – won the aerial ball too easily against Ogbeta. His header back across goal hit Galloway, who had no time to react, and flew past Hazard.
It's an own goal from Plymouth's Brendan Galloway 😬
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 11, 2024
A dream for Sheffield Wednesday. A disaster for Plymouth Argyle. pic.twitter.com/knIY4EQKUK
Updated
GOAL! Sheff Wed 2-0 Plymouth (Galloway og 52)
Wednesday have picked up where they left off at half-time – and now they lead by two.
Updated
48 min Two corners in quick succession for Wednesday. The first almost led to a chance for Musaba, who just couldn’t reach a header back across goal; the second is headed away at the near post.
47 min Valery picks out Bannan on the edge of the area with an excellent cutback. He mistimes his shot, which is blocked, then nails the rebound, which is also blocked.
Updated
46 min Peep peep! Sheffield Wednesday begin the second half.
Half-time reading
Remember when is the lowest form of clickbait.
Half time: Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Plymouth
Wednesday lead after a dominant first-half performance against Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth™. Jamal Lowe scored the goal after fine work from the two central midfielders Barry Bannan and Svante Ingelsson. This is the first time they’ve played together in a competitive game. You wouldn’t know it; they complement each other beautifully and have totally dominated the midfield.
Plymouth have defended well, and Ibrahim Cissoko looks lively on the left wing. But overall they’ve been outplayed.
45+2 min Cissoko is booked for an absurd foul on Ingelsson (I think).
45 min Jamal Lowe is booked for flattening Galloway.
43 min At the other end, Whittaker curls over from the edge of the box after a good run from Cissoko. He’s been bright; the other Plymouth attackers have not.
42 min Musaba beats his man on the left and crosses low. The ball takes a slight touch off a defender and rolls towards Gassama, who slips in the act of shooting! That would have been a good chance had he not slipped.
40 min Here’s that goal from Jamal Lowe. The two passes to create it were terrific.
The debutant nets on his Hillsborough bow. 👏
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 11, 2024
What a goal from Sheffield Wednesday's Jamal Lowe ⚽ pic.twitter.com/iXveA5xyVt
39 min Replays show it hit Forshaw’s arm, but it was down by his side so even with VAR that wouldn’t have been given.
38 min Ingelsson appeals for handball in the area after cutting back inside Forshaw. The referee, who didn’t have a great view, waves play on.
38 min Gassama runs through on goal and is denied superbly by Hazard. Turns out he was offside, but Hazard didn’t know that.
Bannan found Ingelsson in space on the right edge of the area with a penetrative pass. Ingelsson waved a beautiful low cross into the corridor of uncertainty with his left foot, and Lowe ran on to finish gleefully from six yards.
GOAL! Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 Plymouth (J Lowe 35)
Jamal Lowe scores on his debut!
Updated
34 min Cissoko, who has been Plymouth’s most purposeful attacker, tries a one-two on the edge of the area but is crowded out.
31 min Bannan runs onto an inviting pass 22 yards out but slices his shot high and wide. Nothing educated about his left foot on that occasion.
30 min Wednesday are starting to apply some pressure again. Jamal Lowe’s shot is blocked, with the loose ball booted behind for a corner. Nothing comes of it.
28 min Wednesday win the ball high up the field, which is when they’ve been most dangerous. Valery’s early cross evades Jamal Lowe at the near post and is put behind for a corner by by Palsson.
26 min Free-kick to Plymouth on the left wing. Forshaw overhits it/goes for goal [delete depending on positivity accentuation levels] and Beadle makes an easy save.
24 min In fact Forshaw is fine; he just had a problem with his boots. As you were.
22 min Adam Forshaw has a problem and has walked off the field; he must have pulled something. Bad nes for Wayne Rooney, though the game has at least been more evenly contested in the last five minutes.
It’s a hot day so the referee is taking a drinks break.
18 min Plymouth are starting to get on the ball a little bit. Cissoko gets away from Valery in the area, thinks he’s won a corner and is entirely unimpressed when the referee gives a goalkick.
Updated
17 min A rare Plymouth attack leads to their first corner. It bounces around the Wednesday area for a bit before being cleared.
16 min Musaba charges infield from the left, away from Palsson, but mistimes his shot through to Hazard.
13 min A deep corner is headed back by Iorfa and hooked over on the volley by Musaba. Not much of a chance.
12 min Musaba plays a short pass to find Ingelsson in space onthe left side of the area. He pokes a fairly tame shot that is pushed round the near post by Hazard. But it is all Wednesday.
9 min Wednesday are smothering Plymouth, with almost all of the play so far taking play in one half.
7 min “Rooney’s appointment in the summer was announced the same week as Kompany’s hiring by Bayern Munich, and both appointments were widely discussed as cases of ‘failing upward’,” says Phil Podolsky. “Which I suppose tells us that everything is relative. Personally speaking, I’d rather take a nice job in the West Country than having to answer to the kind of types who sit in the executive seats at the Allianz Arena. Whenever Bayern lose, the camera always zooms in on the facial reactions of former players who you’d rather admire from afar than have as your boss.”
5 min The corner is cleared, but Wednesday come again. They’ve made a superb start.
4 min Max Lowe cuts a sharp cross back towards Windass, whose blocked shot leads to Wednesday’s first corner.
2 min Wednesday have started well. Gassama appeals unsuccessfully for a penalty after going down near the byline. Gibson was up his backside but there’s no immediate evidence of a foul.
1 min Peep peep! Plymouth kick off from left to right as we watch.
A reminder of the teams, who are about to take the field on a lovely summer’s afternoon in Sheffield.
Sheffield Wednesday (possible 4-2-3-1) Beadle; Valery, Iorfa, Bernard, M Lowe; Ingelsson, Bannan; Gassama, Windass, Musaba; J Lowe.
Substitutes: Charles, Palmer, Valentin, Diaby, Ihiekwe, Johnson, Kobacki, Smith, McNeill.
Plymouth (possible 4-2-3-1) Hazard; Palsson, Gibson, Galloway, Ogbeta; Forshaw, Gyabi; Whittaker, Bundu, Cissoko; Tijani.
Substitutes: Cooper, Mumba, Pleguezelo, Szucs, Edwards, Hardie, Wright, Randell, Issaka.
Referee Lewis Smith.
Updated
Read Matt Hughes’ preview
Team news
Both teams include five summer signings in the starting XI: four new, one returning for a second loan spell (Beadle and Gyabi).
Wednesday James Beadle, Yan Valery, Max Lowe, Jamal Lowe and Svante Ingelsson.
Plymouth Nathanael Ogbeta, Victor Palsson, Darko Gyabi, Muhamed Tijani, Ibrahim Cissoko.
🦉 Here's how we line-up for our @SkyBetChamp opener!
— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) August 11, 2024
XI: Beadle, Valery, Iorfa, Bernard, M. Lowe, Ingelsson, Bannan (c), Gassama, Musaba, Windass, J. Lowe
SUBS: Charles, Palmer, Valentin, Diaby, Ihiekwe, Johnson, Kobacki, Smith, McNeill@SpreadexSport | #SHWPLY pic.twitter.com/PLlxqWfo2x
🗞️ Opening day team news!#pafc pic.twitter.com/K7vpx1tDPH
— Plymouth Argyle FC (@Argyle) August 11, 2024
Updated
Preamble
The big man is back in town. Wayne Rooney’s first competitive game as Plymouth manager is a trip to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday. These teams finished 20th and 21st last season, though that only tells part of the story.
Sheffield Wednesday had a brilliant second half of the season under Danny Rohl; Plymouth got most of their points before Stephen Schumacher left for Stoke in December. His replacement Ian Foster struggled and was sacked in April, which is why Rooney has a new job.
Kick off 4pm
