Sheffield Wednesday's difficult start to the 2013/14 season continued on Saturday as they laboured to a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town at Hillsborough. On its own merits this may be a decent result but in the context of Wednesday's start to the season it represents another game without a win.
The Owls have now racked up ten league games without a win. Only 3 other clubs in the top 4 divisions have also failed to register a league victory to date. What these 3 clubs have in common with each other is is that they have managed victories in various cup competitions this season – leaving SWFC as the only club in the Premier League and Football League without a competitive win so far having themselves been dumped out of the League Cup by League One Rotherham at the fist attempt.
On a positive note the Owls have not lost in 6 of their 10 league matches however only a complete optimist would be able to take solace from Wednesday's current record. 6 points from 10 matches represents relegation form and the Owls inability to hold onto or build on a lead in previous matches is alarming, as is their defensive record. Injuries have not helped consistency in the back 4 but this is no excuse for no clean sheet since the last game of last season. This is even more worrying considering the fact that goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has had to produce man of the match performances more often than not this term.
As the second half dragged on against Ipswich it didn't really seem as though the Owls were capable of a concerted push to find a winner, as has been symptomatic of most of the drawn games so far, this despite an ever increasing need to find 3 points.
Wednesday now go into the international break slumped in the bottom 3 in the Championship and when they return to action they face consecutive away games at fellow strugglers Bolton and Barnsley. The Owls don't have another opportunity to pick up a first home win of the season until 2nd November.