Sheffield Wednesday 100% made the right transfer call on this ex-Nottingham Forest player: Opinion | OneFootball

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Sheffield Wednesday’s miserable form continued on Saturday as they were beaten 1-0 at Watford in Danny Rohl’s first game.

There were some positive signs for the new boss to cling to, but the end result was a ninth loss in 12 Championship games, and the Owls have now not scored in their last five, as they sit nine points from safety.

Sheffield Wednesday move on from Lyle Taylor

That goalscoring stat is particularly concerning, and it’s why some fans would have taken a punt on signing Lyle Taylor.

The 33-year-old, who had been a free agent since leaving Nottingham Forest in the summer, was training with Wednesday last month, but they decided not to pursue a deal.

Taylor has proven himself to be a good player in the Football League over the years, and his game isn’t just about scoring goals, as he can lead the line well with his ability to bring others into play.

Wednesday are at the beginning of a new era, and Rohl needs to be given time and patience to build a project, which requires a change in terms of the player profile, so not signing Taylor was the right call.

Of course, Rohl has taken over Wednesday in a very difficult position. The demand for results in the short-term is understandable, as they can still survive in the Championship, and certainly shouldn't give up hope.

But, this appointment was not just about this season.

If Dejphon Chansiri wanted an instant fix, he could have turned to the many options out there that would have jumped at the chance to take over at Hillsborough with the remit of making them hard to beat to grind out results.

Instead, and to his credit, Chansiri has recognised his mistakes of the past, and seems to acknowledge that a major shift in policy was needed.

Appointing Rohl was doing just that. Bringing in a 34-year-old who has no managerial experience is bold, and the German’s background with clubs like Southampton. Leipzig and Bayern Munich give an indication to what his footballing philosophy is.

He will want to build a young, dynamic team that can press from the front, so the striker position is crucial, and Taylor wouldn’t have the qualities he wants from a number nine.

Of course, it’s not possible for Rohl to have his ideal centre-forward right now, as he must work with this group until January.

But, even with the current squad, the likes of Michael Smith and Lee Gregory, who were both subs at Vicarage Road, can be the Plan B when Wednesday are chasing the game or need something different.

Furthermore, Taylor would just add to a squad that is already too old, and that’s a factor Rohl will address in the windows ahead.

Ultimately, there’s no miracle fix out there for Sheffield Wednesday, and relegation to League One seems likely no matter who is in charge.

Yet, Rohl’s appointment means they are committed to going down a new path, so not signing a 33-year-old free agent was the right move, even though their goalscoring woes continue.