Sheffield Wednesday: Danny Rohl has to repeat 2023/24 trick to turn things around: View | OneFootball

Ike Ugbo was a revelation in his first stint at Hillsborough, but Owls fans are yet to see the same impact this time around

With three straight defeats in which they have failed to score a goal before the international break, there will be some cause for concern about what is going on at Sheffield Wednesday.

After his miraculous work to keep the Owls in the second tier last season, Danny Rohl has failed to get the most out of his side since a 4-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle to start the season, with goalscoring opportunities coming at a premium.

After going all out to get striker Ike Ugbo back to the club over the summer, there has so far been little to suggest that the £2.5 million signing will recreate his sensational efforts from the previous campaign.

Not only did his seven goals in 18 appearances help to maintain Wednesday’s survival hopes, but his all-round attributes of bullying defenders, bringing teammates into play and creating space in the final third all contributed to Rohl’s success, and the pair will be hoping they can rediscover that in the weeks to come.

Ike Ugbo 23/24 Sheffield Wednesday impact

After starting the season well but then continuing with a less than convincing spell at Cardiff City, Ugbo seemed to come alive after making the move to Hillsborough in January, as he joined on loan from Ligue 1 outfit Troyes.

With Rohl finally getting a tune out of his Wednesday side, his frontman was essential to everything that was going right for the Steel City outfit, with attacks centering around the Canadian international.

Match-winning braces against Birmingham City and Bristol City further endeared him to the Owls fans, as well as notching the winner in a 1-0 victory over local rivals Rotherham United.

The striker seemed to be thriving playing in a system that suited him down to the ground, and although he wasn’t blessed with ample chances, he was taking them at an impressive rate, as a 0.22 goals/shot ratio would suggest.

The quality of chances he was being given would have helped with that metric, with an xG average of 0.20 per shot taken proves just how much Wednesday were playing in a way to offer Ugbo the perfect opportunity to score, and he often did when given the chance.

With such an impressive conversion rate, it was no wonder that the Owls did all they could to bring the striker back to the club this summer, although after their £2.5 million outlay, they are yet to see the same player out on the field.

Sheffield Wednesday fail to rediscover attacking intent

There can’t have been too many drop-offs in attacking quality than we have seen from Wednesday over the past month, with a barnstorming opening day victory followed by three toothless displays when going forward.

The Owls were creating chances almost at will against Argyle on the opening day, with a home crowd behind them that had glowing expectations for the season ahead.

But after failing to register an xG measurement greater than 1.03 in their next three matches, it is plain to see that the Yorkshire side are failing to create quality chances, which then leaves Ugbo isolated up top.

While the 25-year-old can be one of the sharpest shooters when given a sniff of an opportunity in the penalty area, he - like any striker - is going to struggle when not given the service, which is something that Rohl needs to address and fast.

These early season performances might seem familiar to Cardiff City fans, who failed to see the best out of the former MK Dons man, and seemed happy to see the back of him when January came around.

But last season proved that the German can work wonders when his back is against the wall, and with a player of Ugbo’s talent at his disposal, you wouldn’t bet against him repeating the trick in the coming months.

Formulating a plan that can get the most out of his clinical marksman could make all the difference in the season ahead, with this likely to be a bigger test of Rohl's credentials than his first season in charge.