I told you the 10pm paper deadline was a killer with all that added time. On the plus side, it means Aaron Bower’s report from Hillsborough is already live on the site, so I’m going to wrap this blog up and go back to watching highlights of the Ashes. Thanks for your company and emails – goodnight.
Watch Che Adams’ winning goal
"THAT COULD BE THE WINNER FOR SOUTHAMPTON!" ⚡
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 4, 2023
Former Sheffield United man Che Adams comes back to haunt Wednesday...😬 pic.twitter.com/5xZi79kZTj
Full time: Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Southampton
A winning start for Southampton. They came to Hillsborough and dominated the ball throughout, with Adam Armstrong and Che Adams scoring at either end of the game. The latter, after a fine move, was the kind of goal their new manager Russell Martin dreams about.
Wednesday never gave up, despite being outclassed, and were level for most of the second half after a smart finish from Lee Gregory. Ultimately Southampton’s possession football – they played almost 1,000 passes – wore Wednesday down. They should be fun to watch this season.
Updated
90+8 min A poor pass from Aribo goes to Palmer, but he dithers and is robbed by Stuart Armstrong. You can apply a fork to this one. Make sure it’s clean though, Richie.
Updated
90+8 min Aribo is fouled, which wastes another 20 seconds.
90+7 min This is a masterclass is passing the clock down from Southampton. It’s entirely boring to watch, as a neutral, but hard not to admire.
Updated
90+5 min Tiki-taka, tiki-taka, tiki-taka. Wednesday can’t get the ball.
90+4 min “Absences not tardies,” says Niall Mullen. “#saveferris.”
90+3 min Southampton are passing the clock down. Like Manchester City in Big League, they have the tools to manage games effectively when they have a one-goal lead going into injury-time.
90+2 min Southampton’s last away win was at Chelsea in mid-February.
Updated
90+1 min Bannan’s corner comes to nothing.
90+1 min There will be nine added minutes, one for each of Ferris Bueller’s tardies.
90 min Paterson’s cross is headed away as far as Bannan, whose half-volley from 20 yards hits a defender and goes behind for a corner. Bannan tries to whip up the crowd before running across to take it.
89 min: Southampton substitution Joe Aribo replaces the eyecatching Samuel Edozie, who has plenty to learn but looks very talented.
That was a lovely goal, so incisive. Walker-Peters, in the inside-right channel, guided a pass down the side of the defence towards Ward-Prowse, who ran off Palmer and into space. Ward-Prowse reversed a low, first-time cross that was turned in from eight yards by Adams. He celebrates by putting a finger to his ear, a response to the boos from the home fans when he came on.
Updated
GOAL! Sheff Wed 1-2 Southampton (Adams 87)
Che Adams finishes off a superb team move to give Southampton the lead!
Updated
86 min: Wednesday substitution Reece James (behave yourself) replaces Josh Windass.
85 min Bannan’s free-kick is headed away at the near post. The set-pieces haven’t been great tonight actually, even though one led to a goal.
84 min A triumphant couple of minutes for Stephens, who is booked for a cynical foul on Fletcher down the Wednesday right.
82 min Walker-Peters’ shot goes behind off Famewo, who gets a high-five from his keeper. Ward-Prowse’s corner is headed away at the near post. He gets the ball backs and lofts a deep cross towards Stephens, who screams as he heads the ball up in the air. The ball is claimed easily by Dawson, and Stephens srays down for a bit. I think Paterson headed the back of his head.
81 min “Because of my age I see both of these teams as proper First Division/Premier League Clubs along with others like Coventry, Norwich, and Nottingham Forest,” says Niall Mullen. “Leeds, Wolves, and Sunderland are very much not top flight team. Newcastle and QPR are 50:50. I presume it’s like this (but with different teams obviously) for everyone, right?”
Oh, of course. Luton are back, baby!
80 min Stuart Amrstrong has looked lively since coming on. He runs onto a return pass from Edozie but shoots tamely at Dawson from 15 yards.
79 min: Southampton substitution Che Adams replaces the goalscorer Alan Armstrong. As a former Sheffield United player, he is greeted warmly by the home crowd.
78 min Cameron Dawson is booked for perceived timewasting. We’re going to see a lot of that this season.
77 min: Double substitution for Wednesday Ashley Fletcher and Liam Palmer replace Juan Delgado and Will Vaulks.
77 min Stuart Armstrong receives the ball 25 yards from goal, gets it out of his feet and swishes a drive just over the bar. Good effort but Dawson had it covered.
76 min An unkind appraisal of Southampton’s performance would be that they are all hat and no cattle. They must be pushing 750-800 passes now, yet the goal aside Cameron Dawson has only had a few relatively comfortable saves to make.
74 min Edozie and the two Armstrongs combine nicely to tee up Ward-Prowse, whose snapshot from 15 yards is well blocked.
74 min “I really don’t have a dog in this fight, but I am following this MBM for the community,” writes Joe Pearson. “Since the WWC games kick off in the middle of the night for me, I haven’t seen any of them live, and watching them on DVR is a kind of empty experience. Glad to have some matches that are played when I’m awake and can send emails filled with idiotic ramblings. Welcome back, live football!”
73 min: Southampton substitution Stuart Armstrong replaces Carlos Alcaraz.
73 min Paterson has done very well against Edozie. I feared for him, particularly after the yellow card, but he has had the better of the second half.
72 min The substitute Musaba controls a long ball forward and gallops past Smallbone to the edge of the area. The last man Bednarek comes across to make an important challenge.
Updated
70 min Walker-Peters drags wide from about 22 yards. Southampton have had a lot of shots from distance, which is a compliment to the Sheffield Wednesday defence.
68 min: Sheff Wed substitution The speedy Dutchman Anthony Musaba, signed from Monaco, replaces the goalscorer Lee Gregory. He barely had a kick, through no fault of his own, but finished expertly when given a half-chance at the start of the second half.
67 min It’s played short and clipped benevolently into the arms of Dawson.
66 min Walker-Peters wriggles into the area and wins a corner for Southampton.
65 min In the circumstances, and particularly given the first-half chasing they received, this would be a great result for Wednesday.
64 min Tella is booked for dissent.
63 min Now Tella curls high and wide from the edge of the area. Southampton have dominated possession since the goal, but they have been impatient in the final third.
61 min Alcaraz is okay to continue. Edozie slips Delgado stylishly on the left edge of the area, only to wallop a shot into orbit.
Updated
59 min Alcaraz finds Tella on the right side of the area. He can go both ways but cuts inside Famewo (I think) and mistimes a low shot that just evades Armstrong on the six-yard line. Wednesday clear.
Alcaraz is still down, having been caught by Ihiekwe when he played that pass to Tella. He’s in a fair bit of distress. It might have been the fall rather than the challenge that caused the injury.
57 min “Good to see Russel Martin has really stamped his shape on this team already<” says Matt Dony. “Really pleased to see that. Absolutely brilliant. Not at all annoying. Can’t wait to see Michael Duff make, I dunno, Ipswich more progressive and technically proficient. It was ever thus.”
56 min Here’s the goal, if you’re into the whole audiovisual thing.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY HIT BACK! 🦉
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 4, 2023
Lee Gregory with the equaliser for the home side! pic.twitter.com/0DWclKfugP
Wednesday are a much bigger team than Southampton, so set-pieces were always going to be dangerous. Vaulks swung a high, hanging corner towards Iorta at the far post. He shouldered it back across the area towards Gregory, who pinged a first-time volley into the ground and past Bazunu from 12 yards. Good finish.
Updated
GOAL! Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Southampton (Gregory 54)
Chris Fowler knows of what he speaks.
Updated
53 min This is a much better game now. Windass runs at Bednarek to win another corner for Wednesday.
52 min Ward-Prowse’s free-kick is headed away as far as Tella, 15 yards out. He completely mishits a volley on the run and Wednesday clear.
51 min Iorfa, whose nickname really should be ‘why’, makes a good challenge on Edozie. But Southampton retain possession and Delgado takes Edozie out for no particular reason. Free-kick to Southampton on the left wing…
50 min “It’s excellent to read your positive opinions about how Saints are playing,” writes Chris Fowler, lining up the inevitable ‘but’. “But … this is Saints. Any Saints fan can tell you, particularly after the last few seasons, that you can only start to breathe easy when the lead is at least three goals and there’s less than five minutes of playing time left.
“For two or three seasons we topped the Points Lost After Taking The Lead table, and it leaves you unable to believe in one-goal leads, or even two-goal ones. Come on, Saints. Show us that Russell Martin has got you working in defence, too!”
49 min Tella, who has two right feet, uses his actual right foot to crack a low drive from the edge of the area that is blocked.
49 min “For how many of all those Saints passes was Will Smallbone responsible?” asks Niall Mullen. “As a fellow card-carrying Irishman I do hope there’s a player in there.”
A lot, most of them simple five or ten-yarders. I don’t say that disparagingly; it’s just been that sort of game. I like what I’ve seen of him, and you could see him and Cullen forming a good midfield in a 3-4-2-1. It’s a shame he probably won’t get a full season alongside Ward-Prowse as he would learn loads.
48 min A shortish backpass from Stephens gives Gregory something to chase, but Bazunu gets there first to lump clear. A better start from Wednesday, though; they were a bit passive in the first half.
48 min “This Evertonian agrees with you about Ward-Prowse,” says Brad Wilson. “I have always liked his play on the ball and off it, and his set-piece skills would help a team that struggles to score. Good leadership too. I have never seen him give less than 100 percent effort. Alas seems as if Everton can only shop in the bargain bin.”
47 min Bannan’s corner is headed away.
46 min A bit of early threat from Wednesday. Vaulks’ long throw is flicked on and then headed behind for a corner by Walker-Peters.
46 min Peep peep! Sheffield Wednesday get the second half under way, with no changes on either side.
Southampton played 477 successful passes in the first half.
Updated
Half time: Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Southampton
A chastening start to life in the Championship for Sheffield Wednesday. They were completely dominated by Southampton, playing swaggering possession football under their new manager Russell Martin. The goal came in the eighth minute when Nathan Tella’s curler brushed the head of his teammate Adam Armstrong and beat Cameron Dawson.
There were a few near misses after that, though no really clear chances. Even so, it was a thoroughly impressive performance from Southampton.
Updated
45+5 min Hillsborough is extremely quiet.
45+3 min The Wednesday centre-forward Lee Gregory will be calling a befriending service at half-time.
45+2 min Ward-Prowse curves the resulting free-kick over the wall, but Dawson is well-positioned and saves comfortably at the near post.
45+1 min Delgado stands on Edozie’s toe and is booked. It was certainly a foul; a yellow card might be a bit harsh.
Updated
45 min There will be six minutes of added time. That’s going to be the norm this season, which will thrill whoever is on production for the 10pm edition of the paper.
44 min Samuel Edozie has caught the eye on Southampton’s left. He’s direct, penetrative and elegant in his movement. Some of his decision-making hasn’t quite been right, but that’s to be expected: he’s only 20.
43 min The dubiously awarded corner almost leads to a goal. Edozie’s run and cutback lead to a scramble in the box, and eventually Stephens’ shot is cleared off the line by Paterson.
43 min Tella – whose early goal has been awarded to Adam Armstrong – whistles a rising drive just over the bar. A corner is given, though it didn’t seem to get a deflection.
42 min Windass fouls Walker-Peters again. On the back of the previous challenge, he’s very lucky not to be booked.
42 min “If the goal has been given to Armstrong then Mac Millings has made as good a start to the season as Southampton,” says Richard Hirst. “He must know things. As for Ward-Prowse, can Fulham have him, pretty please.”
Having recorded a podcast with Mac the other night, I can confirm that he does indeed know things. The usefulness of these things remains open to debate.
40 min Passes in the final third: Wednesday 9-98 Southampton.
39 min Nothing much has happened in the last 10 minutes. I suppose if there’s one criticism of Southampton’s performance – and Russell Martin’s philosophy – is that at times it can veer towards sterile domination. Cameron Dawson hasn’t had a difficult save to make. Yet.
37 min Manning gives the ball away to Delgado, then fouls him and is booked.
34 min Bakinson tries an extravagant, dipping curler from 25 yards. It’s a decent effort but goes a few yards wide.
33 min Edozie beats Paterson again and gets to the byline, but his cutback is intercepted at the near post. Paterson has major problems now that he is on a yellow card.
32 min The resulting free-kick, 22 yards out but a fair way to the left, is taken by Ward-Prowse. It hits the wall.
30 min The grizzled Paterson is booked for pulling back Edozie, who is giving him an increasingly torrid time.
30 min “Football can’t be back?” says Matt Dony. “Surely? It never went away, did it? This is my life, now. A non-stop procession of football, punctuated by other sports that have the temerity to try and pull focus (Hi, Ben!). It’s good to see Ward-Prowse on the pitch, but he’s too good for this league, isn’t he. Where is he going to be when the window Slams Shut?”
I assumed West Ham but it sounds like that may have been vetoed, which would be absurd. He would improve most of the teams in the Premier League, and all of the squads. I’m surprised Everton haven’t been in for him, though maybe they are skint. He’d improve Spurs as well.
Updated
28 min Now Gregory is booked for kicking the ball away. We’re in New Directive season, folks, and the referees are clamping down on the big stuff.
Updated
27 min Adam Armstrong is booked for kicking the ball away.
25 min Alcaraz’s cross-shot is turned behind by Gregory. It’s 8.27pm on 4 August, and Sheffield Wednesday’s pre-season optimism has already gone up in smoke.
Updated
24 min Tella is fouled 30 yards from goal by Windass, who is spoken to by the referee. He’s lucky not to be booked; replays show he it was a late, studs-up lunge.
23 min: Just wide from Alcaraz! That was a good effort from Alcaraz. He received the ball 25 yards from goal, moved away from Paterson and Iorfa with ease and then curled just wide of the right-hand post.
Correction: Sheff Wed 0-1 Southampton (A Armstrong 8)
21 min The Southampton goal was actually scored by Adam Armstrong. Nobody spotted it at the time (okay, I didn’t), but Tella’s shot hit the head of Adam Armstrong, who was trying to get out of the way, and flashed past Dawson.
Updated
20 min Southampton have had 85 per cent of the possession. Edozie skins Paterson thrillingly on the left but then overruns the ball in the area.
Updated
18 min Wednesday have their first extended spell of possession in the match – it’s only about 30 seconds, but they needed it.
16 min According to a graphic on Sky Sports, only 7 per cent of the game has taken place in Southampton’s defensive third.
15 min Manning’s deflected shot is held by Dawson.
15 min It’s not just Southampton’s possession that has caught the eye; their pressing has been equally effective. Thus far it has been painfully one-sided.
14 min You are cordially invited to pick this out.
WHAT A GOAL! 🔥
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 4, 2023
Nathan Tella with a BEAUTY for Southampton! 😍 pic.twitter.com/fHT2puyr2d
13 min Tella guides the ball into the area towards Armstrong, who almost drags it away from the last defender. Southampton are playing some lovely stuff.
12 min “It’s great to have the Championship back!” writes Mac Millings. “It’s hard to know what squads will look like a month from now, but in our First Annual Final Table Prediction, my eldest son and I have Southampton finishing top, and Wednesday bottom, with Adam Armstrong scoring at least 20 goals this season, and on-loan Watford not-quite-legend Ashley Fletcher scoring at most 1.”
11 min Manning’s 20-yard shot is blocked by Ihiekwe, and Ward-Prowse’s follow-up from a similar distance is comfortably held to his left by Dawson.
10 min That scrambled aside, Wednesday have barely had a touch in Southamptonh’s half.
9 min Tella is aiming for back-to-back promotions, having been on loan at Burnley last season. He scored 17 league goals in 2022-23; it took him only eight minutes to get his first of 2023-24.
Walker-Peters laid the ball back to Tella on the right edge of the area. He pushed the ball infield, realised nobody was coming to challenge and flashed a delicious left-foot curler into the far corner. Dawson had no chance.
Updated
GOAL! Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Southampton (Tella 8)
Nathan Tella scores the first goal of the season, and it’s a belter!
Updated
7 min Lots of early possession for Southampton. Edozie wins the first corner, which is taken by Ward-Prowse and headed away.
6 min “May I be the first MBMer of the new season and say... why hasn’t the MBM taken Football Daily’s advice and left the limelight to the WWC?” writes Richard Hirst. “Apart from that, good to see you back.”
I just do what William Percival Crozier tells me.
5 min A big scramble in the Southampton, sparked by a lovely dummy from Bannan in midfield. Paterson’s cross almost falls for Gregory; then Bannan, Bakinson and Gregory all have shots blocked; and finally Paterson lumps the ball over the bar from the edge of the area.
2 min Barry Bannan, who wears No10 for Wednesday, is playing as one as well. That’s a change of role for him.
1 min Peep! Peep! James Ward-Prowse gets the new Championship season under way.
Before the game, there is a minute’s applause in memory of Trevor Francis and Chris Bart-Williams, who died so sadly last month. Francis managed Wednesday to third place in the top flight in 1991-92, then reached two cup finals the following season. Bart-Williams, a teenage prodigy, spent four good years at Wednesday under Francis before moving on to Nottingham Forest.
Updated
The players are on the field, Hillsborough is extremely loud. The Championship’s back, baby!
Russell Martin speaks to Sky Sports
Southampton boss Russell Martin is 'excited' ahead of the new season and is targeting a return to the Premier League 📈 pic.twitter.com/Yj76Wrzo1E
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) August 4, 2023
Chilean international Juan Delgado, signed from Pacos de Ferreira, makes his Sheffield Wednesday debut. Seven of the XI that started the playoff final win over Barnsley begin tonight’s game, including the goalscorer Josh Windass.
James Ward-Prowse captains Southampton, with Romeo Lavia on a start-studded bench. Ryan Manning, who played under Russell Martin at Swansea, will make his debut at left-back. He’s one of three Republic of Ireland internationals in the starting XI; Gavin Bazunu and Will Smallbone.
Sheffield Wednesday (possible 4-2-3-1) Dawson; Paterson, Iorfa, Ihiekwe, Famewo; Bakinson, Vaulks; Delgado, Bannan, Windass; Gregory.
Substitutes Charles, Palmer, Valentin, Bernard, James, Musaba, Wilks, Smith, Fletcher.
Southampton (possible 4-2-3-1) Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Stephens, Manning; Ward-Prowse, Smallbone; Tella, Alcaraz, Edozie; A Armstrong.
Substitutes: McCarthy, Lyanco, Charles, Lavia, Djenepo, Amo-Ameyaw, S Armstrong, Aribo, Adams.
Updated
Southampton’s kit, a nod to Chris Nicholl’s fearless team of the late eighties and early nineties, is a beauty. The only thing missing is a Draper Tools logo.
#SaintsFC matchdays are BACK! 🙌
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) August 4, 2023
How's your pre-match mood? ⤵️
Ben Fisher meets Southampton manager Russell Martin
Team news
Chilean international winger Juan Delgado, signed from Pacos de Ferreira, makes his Sheffield Wednesday debut. Seven of the XI that started the playoff final win over Barnsley begin tonight’s game, including the goalscorer Josh Windass.
James Ward-Prowse captains Southampton, with Romeo Lavia on a star-studded bench. Ryan Manning, who played under Russell Martin at Swansea, will make his debut at left-back. He’s one of three Republic of Ireland internationals in the starting XI; Gavin Bazunu and Will Smallbone.
Sheffield Wednesday (possible 4-3-3) Dawson; Paterson, Iorfa, Ihiekwe, Farnewo; Bakinson, Bannan, Vaulks; Delgado, Gregory, Windass.
Substitutes Charles, Palmer, Valentin, Bernard, James, Musaba, Wilks, Smith, Fletcher
Southampton (possible 4-2-3-1) Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Stephens, Manning; Ward-Prowse, Smallbone; Tella, Alcaraz, Edozie; A Armstrong.
Substitutes: McCarthy, Lyanco, Charles, Lavia, Djenepo, Amo-Ameyaw, S Armstrong, Aribo, Adams.
Here's how we line-up for our first game back in the @SkyBetChamp!
— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) August 4, 2023
XI: Dawson, Paterson, Iorfa, Ihiekwe, Famewo, Delgado, Bakinson, Vaulks, Bannan, Windass, Gregory
SUBS: Charles, Palmer, Valentin, Bernard, James, Musaba, Wilks, Smith, Fletcher #SHWSOU pic.twitter.com/fqxqmL8hcb
#SaintsFC in Sheffield 😇
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) August 4, 2023
Tonight’s line-up for the 2023/24 season opener: pic.twitter.com/NiV9aM2Yfw
Updated
Preamble
Right, no sleeps till May. The 2023-24 Championship season, which begins tonight, will be a gruelling, all-consuming, potentially life-changing marathon, and that’s just for the supporters of the 24 clubs. There’s nothing quite like the Championship, a moreish madhouse in which two of football’s greatest gifts, jeopardy and unpredictability, continue to thrive. Long may that continue.
The season starts with Sheffield Wednesday v Southampton, who meet halfway after spending last year in League One and the Premier League respectively. Both have new managers, Xisco Munoz and Russell Martin, and a handful of new players.
Wednesday could do with a good start to the season to quieten talk about the departure of Darren Moore as manager. Southampton are slightly in limbo, waiting to sell Romeo Lavia and James Ward-Prowse, though even without those two players their squad looks strong. I was going to write ‘expect them to be in contention for promotion come May’. But in this deliciously unpredictable league, expectations are a waste of time.
Kick off 8pm.
