Sheffield Wednesday: Danny Rohl has big Marti Cifuentes advantage ahead of QPR clash - View | OneFootball

Sheffield Wednesday will be encouraged by their recent results against QPR ahead of Saturday's meeting at Hillsborough.

It has been a disappointing start to the season for Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.

After narrowly securing survival last term following a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl, there was plenty of hope among Owls supporters that the club could climb the table this season.

Rohl signed a new long-term contract in May, and it was a busy summer for Wednesday with 11 new signings arriving at Hillsborough, while a number of key players committed their future to the club, including the likes of Liam Palmer, Dominic Iorfa, Di'Shon Bernard, Barry Bannan and Josh Windass.

The Owls got off to the perfect start to the season with a 4-0 home win over Plymouth Argyle on the opening weekend, but they have struggled since then, and they suffered their third consecutive defeat as they were beaten 3-0 by Millwall at The Den before the international break.

Wednesday have conceded nine goals in their last three league games, failing to get on the scoresheet themselves during that time, and they currently sit 20th in the table, which is the same position they finished in last season.

Rohl said that the loss to Millwall was a "big signal" that things are heading in the "wrong direction", and he will be desperate for his side to return to winning ways when they take on Queens Park Rangers at Hillsborough on Saturday.

Rohl will be hoping to see a response from his Wednesday squad this weekend, but it will not be an easy task against a QPR side who have picked up five points from their first four games.

The R's were beaten by West Bromwich Albion on the opening weekend, and they then drew with Sheffield United and Plymouth before recording an impressive 2-1 win at Luton Town last time out.

Marti Cifuentes' side are tipped by many to be one of the surprise packages in the Championship this season, but while the Spaniard has done an outstanding job at Loftus Road, he has found the Owls to be tough opponents.

Cifuentes' first meeting with Wednesday came last December, and the Hoops went into the game at Hillsborough on the back of a four-game unbeaten run that had put them within touching distance of safety.

With both sides sitting in the relegation zone, it was a crucial game, and it looked as though the R's were heading for all three points when Ilias Chair's strike deflected in off Bambo Diaby in the 37th minute.

However, the visitors sat back on their lead in the second half, and the Owls deservedly equalised in the 86th minute through Bailey Cadamarteri before Anthony Musaba won it in the fourth minute of stoppage time, sparking wild scenes of celebration among the home fans.

That defeat did not prove to be damaging for QPR as they continued their rise up the table over the following few months, but despite sitting 16th when they took on Wednesday for the second time in April, they again came unstuck, with second half goals from Djeidi Gassama and Musaba sealing a 2-0 win for Rohl's men at Loftus Road.

Having both looked destined for relegation when their respective managers took charge in October, the Owls and the R's went on a similar trajectory in the second half of last season as they both achieved safety, but they have been going in opposite directions so far this campaign.

The Hoops have had a solid start to the season, and they may even feel they should have more points on the board after being held to a 1-1 draw by nine-man Plymouth last month, but fears are increasing that Wednesday could be set for another year of struggle.