Alan Biggs at Large: Sheffield Wednesday boss Garry Monk has to find the right balance - and stick with it

Sheffield Wednesday currently have six senior forwards; six-shooters, they are not. But is the reason the squad’s most overstocked and seemingly strongest department is so unproductive down to those strikers? Or is there a deeper reason?

Finding the answer to that question, and thereby establishing some semblance of balance in the team, is key to a precarious end to the season.

Garry Monk chose to start with only one of the six - Fernando Forestieri - at Birmingham last Saturday. The 3-3 draw only added to the puzzle.

Writing ahead of Charlton’s visit on Wednesday night, no line-up was harder to predict - after a half-time reshuffle at St. Andrews to 4-4-2, which I still believe to be Wednesday’s most effective formation. Ahead of the midweek game, the Owls had conceded 15 goals in a win-less run of seven matches, in which they mustered just five of their own.

It’s been a chaotic spell of chop-and-change, allowing that the manager sees his squad day to day, which no-one else does. On the one hand, very few players have picked themselves, making the manager feel entitled to make the changes. On the other, no team or formation has been persevered with, perhaps fuelling a lack of understanding and confidence.

Of course, injuries haven’t helped and I’d rate the absence of Massimo Luongo, who adds vim and vigour to midfield, almost as costly as the loss of top scorer Steven Fletcher, now happily back in the fold.

But there is a mounting argument for Monk to decide on his best line-up and formation - and stick with it. It has to be one that strengthens the whole fabric of the team, making it harder to breach and more threatening. Easier said than done, though Wednesday should have the artillery to put opponents on the back foot.

Fletcher’s return allied to the early promise of Alessio Da Cruz, Forestieri’s current fizz, Connor Wickham’s integration and Atdhe Nuhiu’s physical presence ought to strike fear in the opposition.

Somehow Monk has to harness this while stemming the flow of goals conceded. Again, 4-4-2 (with at least two forwards selected) seems to offer the likeliest solution.

We’re talking short term rather than long term here because the bigger picture is now well understood, even, I think, by some of Monk’s severest critics. He needs to get to the point where he can introduce change, and be properly judged. Maybe there are favours he can do himself in the meantime because, by his own honest admission, results have to improve.