{"id":295455,"date":"2025-07-27T08:46:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T08:46:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/295455\/"},"modified":"2025-07-27T08:46:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-27T08:46:14","slug":"sheffield-wednesdays-latest-pre-season-win-came-with-an-unexpected-silver-lining-it-bodes-well-for-2025-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/295455\/","title":{"rendered":"Sheffield Wednesday’s latest pre-season win came with an unexpected silver lining, it bodes well for 2025\/26"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There\u2019s not much cause for celebration around Sheffield Wednesday right now, and while a pre-season win over Mansfield Town won\u2019t change that, one of the goalscorers will.<\/strong><\/p>\n

With the ongoing financial crisis caused by Dejphon Chansiri and the debacle around Danny Rohl\u2019s future<\/a> at the club, most fans would be forgiven for dreading the start of the new season.<\/p>\n

The Owls<\/a> are tipped for promotion by most, with our Championship preview for 2025\/26<\/a> tipping them for a very difficult season indeed.<\/p>\n

As it stands, Sheffield Wednesday will go into the new campaign with a threadbare squad and potentially a new manager just days before their first game. But, there is one small positive to take this weekend.<\/p>\n

\"IkePhoto by MI News\/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesSheffield Wednesday win and Ike Ugbo scores<\/p>\n

Across a 120-minute game, described as a \u2018training exercise\u2019 by the club, Sheffield Wednesday defeated Mansfield Town at their Middlewood Road facility.<\/p>\n

The key takeaway comes in the goalscoring department, with forgotten man Olaf Kobacki on the scoresheet, and Ike Ugbo scoring as well.<\/p>\n

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The Owls completed a 120-minute training exercise with Mansfield at Middlewood Road this afternoon.<\/p>\n

The aggregate score finished 2-0 in Wednesday\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n

Olaf Kobacki and Ik\u00e9 Ugbo were on target for the hosts in S6 #swfc<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/oyellHFEUV<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) July 26, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

View Tweet<\/p>\n

Fans have been excited to see Owls youngsters<\/a> getting game time lately, and suspect that may carry on into the new season.<\/p>\n

However, the fact that misfiring striker Ugbo has finally got himself a goal could be absolutely massive for Wednesday, if he can use that as the platform to rebuild his shattered confidence in 2025\/26.<\/p>\n

\"DannyPhoto by Molly Darlington\/Getty ImagesIke Ugbo could turn things around after disastrous 2024\/25<\/p>\n

Ugbo suffered a truly bizarre season last time out. After joining from Cardiff City in a reported \u00a32.5m deal, the Canadian forward went the whole Championship<\/a> campaign without scoring a goal for the Owls.<\/p>\n

Bagging one goal in the League Cup did nothing to alleviate fears that Wednesday had signed themselves a flop. Indeed, many fans went through a range of emotions last term, ranging from anger and frustration at Ugbo\u2019s displays, to simply mocking the striker for his barren run.<\/p>\n\nStatistics<\/strong><\/td>\nIke Ugbo 2023\/24<\/strong><\/td>\nIke Ugbo 2024\/25<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nGames<\/td>\n19<\/td>\n38<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nMinutes<\/td>\n1,353<\/td>\n1,475<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nGoals<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nxG<\/td>\n5.7<\/td>\n4.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nShots on target<\/td>\n33.3%<\/td>\n29.2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nShot-creating actions\/90<\/td>\n2.23<\/td>\n2.32<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Stats via FBRef<\/a> (based on Sheffield Wednesday appearances only)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth remembering, though, this is a player who scored seven goals for Wednesday during a loan spell in 2023\/24 to help keep them in the division.<\/p>\n

Ugbo\u2019s issues were purely based on his confidence, and now that he\u2019s scored his first goal in almost a year, we could and should see some signs of recovery moving forward.<\/p>\n

With less competition for game time and drastically lower expectations, there\u2019s every chance that Ugbo could find himself in the ideal environment to thrive now.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n