Sheffield Wednesday: What Kadeem Harris and Barry Bannan have had to say about Steven Fletcher’s goalless run

The Owls target man raced to five goals in his first nine matches this season, producing perhaps his best form to date in a Wednesday shirt and threatening the top of the Championship scoring charts.

His last goal come in the 4-1 rout of Middlesbrough back in September, but having struck the woodwork in each of the Owls’ last three fixtures and forcing classy saves from Leeds’ Kiko Casilla and Swansea’s Freddie Woodman, few would argue the Scot is out of form.

That 530-minute barren streak seems to have gone unnoticed by his teammates, too, with countryman Barry Bannan claiming he had no idea Fletcher had gone that long without a goal.

Asked about the run in the lead-up to Wednesday’s clash with West Brom, Bannan said: “That's the first I've heard of it, maybe Fletch as a striker will know about it, but you wouldn't be able to tell, in training he's still his same self.

“He contributes way more than goals on the pitch, he's been brilliant for us this season.”

Kadeem Harris, who’s partnership with Fletcher from the left was Wednesday’s most dangerous direction of travel in the opening games of the season, has no concerns that his number nine will hit the back of the net soon enough.

“It's a matter of time before those hitting the bar and the post turn into goals,” Harris said. “He's a top class professional and player, so it won’t be long before those chances turn into goals.

“He's still the same Fletch that scores six goals in six matches or however many he's scored before. He hasn't changed mentally, he's still training hard and he's still positive.”

That positive outlook means 32-year-old Fletcher is still getting himself into goal scoring positions. It was his crossbar-grazing flick-on at Blackburn that allowed Jacob Murphy to nod home from close range, and although Fletcher’s assist tally stands at only one this season, the Wednesday players are well aware of his importance to the side.

Bannan said: “If he's not bringing goals he's bringing other things to the team, it's up to the other boys around and about him to chip in and help him.

“He went on a good run at the start of the season and scored lots of goals so it's about the midfielders trying to chip in and help Fletch out as well. He brings a lot more than just goals to this team.”