Mark Bonner calls for Cambridge United to force their game on Sheffield Wednesday in Sky Bet League One
Mark Bonner wants Cambridge United to make the most of the pressure on Sheffield Wednesday in Sky Bet League One at the Abbey Stadium tonight (October 19).
The Owls are one of the biggest clubs in the division and their status carries with it a demand from supporters to get promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking.
They are currently seventh in the table with five wins, four draws and three defeats, which is the same number of losses as the U's.
“In terms of their league position, they're really in touch with those play-off positions,” said United head coach Bonner.
“I guess when you are a club the size of that - like a few we will play this year - the expectation is to be in first spot.
“There is a pressure on them in every single game that they play. Defeats get looked into far greater, and the pressure builds far faster than in clubs with different expectations.
“We know this year when we play against the likes of Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday that our fights aren't their fights. We're probably looking for different things this year, but what we can do is compete with these teams.
“We have to try to make sure the pressure on them to come and win games forces them, and makes them force the issue, and we have to try to make sure we force the issue at the right time ourselves as well.
“They've got some strong individuals as you would expect, players that are well versed and have played a lot of football in the Championship so we know that creates individual quality in games that can cause any team at this level problems.
“They've had a little bit of a fluctuation in the way which they've played and the systems they've played so we can't be certain of that going into the game.
“But I think we can be certain we know it's a tough game, and one we want to try to be forceful in if we can be.”
Wednesday have dropped points by conceding late goals in three of their past five games.
But they have a wealth of experience running throughout their squad and an array of options, even though they have a couple currently missing.
“They’ve got some really good attacking options,” said Bonner.
“Lee Gregory, Saido Berahino, Callum Paterson upfront, they are all players that can cause you a problem.
“They’ve got some good experience through the team. Barry Bannan is a good playmaker for them, Lewis Wing in the middle of the pitch gives them really good experience as well.
“Defensively they are a big and athletic unit. We know they’ve got individuals that can cause you a problem and they should have, but we have to try to find our own way of putting a stamp on the game.”
Meanwhile, United were drawn away to League Two side Northampton Town in the first round of the Emirates FA Cup, on the weekend of November 6 and 7.
It means they will be up against former boss Colin Calderwood, who is assistant manager of the Cobblers, but it does mean that seven out of eight matches will be away.
“The good thing that week for us is we go to Northampton, then Stevenage, then Milton Keynes so we’re not travelling far in that week," said Bonner.
“I was straight onto Mr Calderwood after that draw yesterday to have a little bit of pre-FA Cup banter early doors to work out where he is going to take me for a beer afterwards.
“We will get ready for that busy run we’ve got."
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