The games come thick and fast in the Championship, and Danny Rohl has to get his Sheffield Wednesday players ready for a trip to Hull City on Tuesday night.
Sheffield Wednesday put in a good performance against Cardiff City at the weekend, with some slick passing moves and the lion’s share of possession.
But, it wasn’t enough to claim the three points, with Danny Rohl’s side only managing a 1-1 draw after once again struggling in front of goal.
After that disappointment, it’s been suggested Sheffield Wednesday need ‘attacking reinforcements’ in the January transfer window. But, until then, Rohl has to give one trick another chance.
- READ MORE: One key Danny Rohl decision questioned as Sheffield Wednesday drop points in Cardiff City draw
Ike Ugbo and Michael Smith pairing could work against Hull City
Many fans suspected Rohl would either start Ike Ugbo or Michael Smith against Cardiff on Saturday. Instead, the Sheffield Wednesday manager included both strikers in his starting lineup.
While Ugbo has been criticised for his performance versus Cardiff as his goalscoring rut continued, it is very likely Rohl will stick with that combination for the game against Hull on Tuesday night.
Indeed, Rohl now finds himself in something of a sunk cost fallacy. He has invested so much time, effort, and perhaps most importantly, money into Ugbo, that he simply has to persevere until the striker comes good.
Against a Hull side who are struggling in the relegation zone at the moment, in a game that’ll likely be gritty and scrappy, Ugbo might just find the ideal conditions for him to end his poor run and finally kickstart his season.
Rohl will be hoping the big, battling qualities of Smith can help to achieve that, and there were glimpses of the pair’s linkup play against Cardiff to suggest that a successful partnership could form there.
Chances are coming for Ike Ugbo
To be fair to Ugbo, his display against Cardiff wasn’t all bad. He had a couple of decent opportunities, one of which you would expect to go in 99% of the time.
That chance came courtesy of Smith, too, with the target man playing the ball back across the six-yard box for his teammate, whose flick towards goal was somehow kept out by Jak Alnwick in the Cardiff goal.
| Statistic | Ike Ugbo 2024/25 (Championship only) |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 15 |
| Minutes played | 720 |
| xG | 2.4 |
| Shots on target % | 30 |
| Shots on target per 90 | 0.38 |
| Shot-creating actions per 90 | 1.49 |
As Alex Miller puts it, Ugbo has been “brutally unlucky” all season with a number of his chances. But, the good thing is, he is not shrinking or particularly going missing in games; he is “getting into the right places,” he just needs to show more composure and then his luck will turn.
Rohl is ‘convinced’ Ugbo will come good this season, and has made it very clear that he will keep giving the striker chances in the team to turn things around.
It will be interesting to see how long that generosity stretches, but it is surely a case of when, not if, Ugbo gets himself on the scoresheet. When he does, there will be more than a few relieved smiles among the Sheffield Wednesday team.