Danny Rohl says Sheffield Wednesday are 'investing' but will Dejphon Chansiri?

Since the 6-2 thumping by Watford at the start of November, the Owls have twice lost 1-0, twice drawn 1-0, enjoyed two 2-0 wins and a 2-1 victory over Derby County.

Five points outside the play-off places when the final whistle blew on their 20th Championship game of the season, even one good signing could tip the balance but the way Rohl put more pressure on Chansiri to allow him to make it in January suggested he is not convinced he will get one without playing politics.

Rohl was reluctant to criticise his team after they fell short against genuine play-off contenders on Tuesday, extending their run of home form to one win in seven after Josh Windass' missed penalty cost them victory over Preston North End at the weekend.

“My team invested a lot, both teams were well organised and there was not much in it, not so many chances for both teams," reflected Rohl.

"The data is similar, but it’s a similar story in these tight games, especially when we play against teams that are ahead of us. if I’m honest I think there is something in every game, but there is a difference between a mid table position and top of the table.

"These types of games you have to win if you have the opportunity – I said this to my players.

"It was a 50-50 – we played a team with four wins in a row and in a good mode. We are close, but not close enough.”

Where Wednesday are short is clear. Strikers Windass and Michael Smith have five league goals each but Jamal Lowe has two and Ike Ugbo is yet to score in the Championship since making his loan permanent in the summer. The team has scored just 23 goals in 20 games.

Rohl is keen to add players a level above those currently in his squad to make the difference in tight games, which on a Championship budget will almost certainly mean they come on loan.

An ambitious and highly-rated manager seems unsure if he will be allowed to, but his comments seemed deliberately engineered to put pressure on the chairman.

“Not all the things that I recommended are possible," he conceded. "Not all the things are easy in the market.

"In January we will see in which direction we want to go. We will try our best.

"Some decisions I cannot influence, I can just recommend.

"I think if we look back at the summer it is again the same points we have to improve and I work again. All the decisions I make are for our success.

“At the moment I don't really know what is possible for the budget, what is possible for the players; who wants to come, who doesn't want to come.

"But we need extra and everybody can see this, or should see this.

"I think everybody knows what is my ambition but the final decision is not my final decision. We work together, we find a solution, but then you can ask me after January what is the ambition of the club and what is my ambition of course.”