Strikers, subs and Saturday: Four talking points from Sheffield Wednesday's late heartbreak at Derby County

A win could have seen them rise as high as third, but at a ground that hasn’t seen an Owls win since 2006, Garry Monk’s men could perhaps count it as a point gained.

Here are four talking points to mull over from last night’s draw at Derby.

All Rhodes lead where?

Jordan Rhodes made his first Wednesday start in 599 days after his second-half showing against Brentford and worked hard, producing some clever touches without much in the way of direct impact.

Is his partnership with red-hot Steven Fletcher worth putting time into? It will take games for Rhodes to gain match sharpness, that’s for sure, and if he is to rekindle a semblance of his form in years gone by he might just provide the support the Scot needs.

Odubaj-woe

Garry Monk expressed his disappointment at the Moses Odubajo challenge on Jack Marriott that gave Derby their penalty equaliser, saying it ‘gave the referee a decision to make’.

Replays suggest the decision my have been harsh, however, and that it was the right-back that was hauled down. It was the main talking point of a horror night for Odubajo, who was later sent off.

He looks all at sea at current and painfully short of confidence.

Sub standards?

Monk stands accused of making ‘negative’ substitutions in the second half, something he strenuously denied post-match.

Kadeem Harris was replaced like-for-like with Jacob Murphy, Rhodes for fellow striker Atdhe Nuhiu and Steven Fletcher was swapped with midfield man Massimo Luongo after reporting a hamstring strain.

Protecting player fitness is something he and his staff will have to look closely at in the coming weeks.

To Forest

A win would have taken Wednesday into Saturday’s home clash with Nottingham Forest on the crest of a wave and sitting pretty in the top six.

As it stands, really they need to take at least a point from the clash to consider this three-match week a positive one. And they’ll be without suspended duo Odubajo and Sam Hutchinson.

It’ll test their mettle.