Statistics hint Sheffield Wednesday are on their way to the Premier League

STILL unbeaten in the league this year. Joint first best home record this season. Top Championship goalscorers at home. Overall; YES, 2016 has been a fantastic year so far. But, statistically what has changed?

This time last season under Stuart Gray, Sheffield Wednesday were sat 11th in the league table on 40 points. This campaign under Carlos Carvalhal, the Owls occupy fifth spot on 53 points – 13 points better off than this time last term.

Remarkably Wednesday have more than doubled their goalscoring tally compared to last year; 49 goals have been scored this season, with Gary Hooper and Fernando Forestieri contributing to 45 per cent of those strikes.

Only 23 goals were scored this time last season. In fact; little Fernando (12) has already surpassed last campaign’s league top goalscorer Atdhe Nuhiu who finished on 11 goals last year. Hooper (10) is also set to complete the same milestone with Kieran Lee and Lucas Joao also following in their footsteps with five and six league goals respectively.

Sheffield Wednesday have already scored 26 more league goals this term than at the same stage (February) last season.

With five more wins under their name this season; three less defeats and two fewer draws, Sheffield Wednesday also have a 21 plus goal advantage (+16) this season compared to last season’s (-5) at this stage.

Last term saw Sheffield Wednesday equal their club record of 17 clean sheets in 46 Championship league games. Surprisingly the Owls have only conceded five more goals (33) this season than at the same stage last year (28). With Lees and Keiren Westwood now back in action after a lengthy period on the sidelines, an improvement in defence may be all it takes to guide us to the Promised Land.

Here is a comparison of the Championship league table between the 2014/15 season and the current 2015/16 campaign:

February 2015:

11th  P 31  W 9  D 13  L 9  GF 23  GA 28  GD -5  PTS 40

February 2016:

5th  P 31  W 14  D 11  L 6  GF 49  GA 33  GD +16  PTS 53

These statistics provide sufficient evidence that significant improvement over a 12-month period has certainly been executed. It is with great appreciation to chairman Dejphon Chansiri that quality, ambition and drive floods throughout the current squad and Sheffield Wednesday Football Club as a whole.

With such a dramatic turn around in our favour since the arrival of the new chairman and manager Carvalhal; just imagine, where could we be in another 12 months…? Excited?!

Norwich City were sat on 53 points after 31 games this time last year, identical to Sheffield Wednesday at this stage and we all know what league they are in now.

However; let’s not get carried away, automatic promoters AFC Bournemouth and Watford were sat on 59 and 56 points respectively. With Sheffield Wednesday not too far off the pace; can Forestieri, Hooper, Daniel Pudil, Lewis McGugan and Michael Turner get Premier League promotion again this year? Interesting.

WAWAW.