The two new boys? Play Rhodes? Taking a look at the attacking options available to Sheffield Wednesday at Cardiff
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The Owls kick off their 2020/21 Championship campaign with a tricky trip to Cardiff City on Saturday ready to attack that 12-point deficit thrown at them.
It’s a small sample size but while the defence has looked strong and the midfield have had their moments, as it stands it is the final third that needs to be sharpened up as they attempt to get back to level points as quickly as possible.
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Hide AdWith Owls boss Garry Monk making it absolutely clear the club’s search for attacking reinforcements goes on, let’s take a look at the combinations available to him this weekend.
Play the new boys
It would be a popular move among supporters, you feel, and a front two of Elias Kachunga and Josh Windass could be an option for Garry Monk this time out, with the former Wigan man picking up pockets of space between the midfield and front man ‘Kacha’.
Cardiff are a physical side, with some big units at the back, and it might be felt that the aggression and physicality of the German-born Congo international is better suited to the battle than Rhodes.
The issue with the new boys is in their fitness – both players were only confirmed last week – although Windass looked spritely off the bench at Walsall and it was suggested that Kachunga could well feature this time out.
Play Rhodes
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Hide AdThe obvious option, perhaps. Rhodes is Sheffield Wednesday’s only man to have played as an out-and-out striker in recent times and although he is yet to fulfil anything close to the promise that saw the club break their transfer record back in 2017, it may be that he is given another chance to get things going at Hillsborough.
His hat-trick at Nottingham Forest back in December was a reminder of the finishing form he can produce on his day. It proved to be another false dawn, but there is still faith out there in the Wednesday fanbase that he can come good in blue and white.
Playing up top with the legs of Kachunga or Windass around him could open him up and with a couple of goals in him early doors, who knows where that confidence could take him?
One off the top
Wednesday kicked off their season at Walsall last weekend with Adam Reach and Izzy Brown up top together, with Rhodes and Windass entering off the bench.
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Hide AdSpeaking to the media, Monk made clear after the match that he sees Reach’s future at Wednesday down the middle, suggesting he could play as a front man – or at least as a second striker – once again.
Brown had bright moments in that debut and although many are excited to see him link-up closer to Bannan as part of a midfield three, Monk may choose to persevere with either of the men that started out in the Midlands alongside a more recognised front man.