Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday: Selfishness can help the cause as squad battles continue

Unfortunately, for most clubs, cups are no longer the be-all and end-all – no longer enough, as Manchester United demonstrated on Monday, to keep managers in jobs – just the means to a bigger end. It is certainly true of Sheffield Wednesday in this season's League Cup.

You would like to think the Owls will throw everything at knocking out a Premier League team and booking a place in the quarter-finals, with the possibilities that opens up.

But the reality is there will be changes, certainly to the Owls, after a big weekend win, making the battles on the field as much personal as collective. Manager Danny Rohl worked hard this summer to try to build a squad loaded with options, and it is already becoming clear why after Akin Famewo and Olaf Kobacki joined the injury list last week.

Charlie McNeill scored twice in the first round at Hull City, 19-year-olds Pierce Charles and Sean Fusire are ever-presents, centre-back Gabriel Otegbayo made an impressive first start at Blackpool in the third round. Barry Bannan and Josh Windass are yet to kick off a game.

Whether the balance will change now the level of opposition has gone up a notch remains to be seen, but Fusire and Otegbayo were notable by their absence for the under-21s at Fleetwood Town on Monday.

But it is not just youngsters with something to fight for. That only captain Bannan and goalkeeper James Beadle have started every league game to date – plus Shea Charles since he arrived on loan from Southampton – is an indication of how Rohl feels he has a squad of equals he can mix up in different combinations and formations for the task in hand.

You could see it as a weakness he does not have as many outstanding performers as some, or a strength that he has so much depth.

Having started the last four matches, Pol Valentin is currently flavour of the month at right wing-back having spent much of August and September on the bench.

"You can think it's unfair, it's fair, it doesn't matter, it's the gaffer's decision," reasons the Spaniard.

"First you need to accept it and you can't be angry because every player wants to play but you have to show what you're like as a player and a professional.

"If you are a good professional you need to try and be at your best in training and show Danny 'I'm here, if something happens I'm ready,' or 'I think you're making the wrong decision.'

"It's healthy. Everyone is pushing the others to be better.

"My goal now is to try to be in the starting XI all the time. Sometimes Danny is thinking of a different plan that needs a different player but I always want to be ready for more."

Michael Smith made only his second Championship start this season in Friday's 2-1 win at Portsmouth, making the first goal and scoring a wonderful winner.

"It's tough being on the outside a bit but I've been at it long enough to know to just keep your head down and the manager's been spot on with me," said the former Rotherham United forward. "You have to keep working hard, know that you'll get your chance, and hopefully I've done enough.

"I still feel that No 9 spot's up for grabs. Ugs (Ike Ugbo) is still a quality striker, Jamal (Lowe)'s still a quality striker, you've still got to come in every day, get your head down and work hard. Any lax performance and lads are going to be ready to take your shirt. Hopefully I've done enough to keep it. Everyone would love to play away to a Premier League side."

The bad news for Valentin and Smith is places are likely to be hard to nail down with Rohl so determined to keep his team fresh to play the intense football he demands, and to mix and match his players to the strengths and weaknesses of the other side.

The good news for Smith is Brentford are one of the Premier League's more direct sides, just as struggling Portsmouth have become in the Championship.

"I knew what would come,” said Rohl when asked why he picked Smith at Fratton Park. “There would be second balls, we wanted to have that type of player up front. Maybe in the future we can play with two strikers, but it depends at the moment on who is the opponent and all these things.

“People might say that with his (Smith's) goal and assist he is the right choice but I know we need Jamal, we need Ike, all the three guys. They have different tools. We keep going – it's a team performance and all the players are important.”

As Valentin says: "When you work for yourself and you're thinking of the team at the same time it's the best thing because you're trying to push all you can and it's the best thing for the team."

So bring on the selfishness in west London.