Grimsby Town v Sheffield Wednesday: Danny Rohl on the importance of giving striker a start
Ike Ugbo will make his first start of the season for Sheffield Wednesday in Cleethorpes on Tuesday, but Akin Famewo and Nathaniel Chalobah may have to wait for theirs.
The Owls are at League Two Grimsby Town in round two of the League Cup.
They made good use of their opening game, completely changing their XI but still winning at Championship Hull City, where Charlie McNeill enjoyed a two-goal debut.
Once again game-time will be in manager Danny Rohl's mind, with Ugbo likely to benefit, although two defeats on the bounce makes a third something he must avoid.
Ugbo had a less-than-perfect pre-season, training with the City Group whilst waiting for his future to be resolved. Only on the eve of the new campaign were Wednesday able to strike a deal with Troyes – one of Manchester City's sister clubs – to be bring 25-year-old striker Ugbo back permanently after a successful loan.
The Canadian has come off the bench in the 79th, 69th and 70th minute of games but with his side suffering back-to-back Championship defeats, the sooner he can become an option to shake things up in that competition, the better.
"This is now important," said Rohl. "I spoke to him before the (Leeds United) game and without a pre-season start, you need appearances to come into it. Tuesday is a good opportunity to start.
"It’s not a secret – he needs minutes and it’s what we want to try."
So do centre-back Famewo and Chalobah, a holding midfielder signed from Chelsea in the summer, after pre-season injuries.
“They are good and back in team training now," explained Rohl. "This is always a new challenge, there’s more players and they want to play as a starter. You have to show you are ready to start."
UEFA's insistence on giving the Champions League and Europa League group stages they have bloated their own exclusive September midweeks has complicated Wednesday’s third-round draw.
The four Champions League qualifiers cannot be paired with either Europa League qualifier or there will not be a night for them to play on before October's fourth round, leading to a "pre-draw" to decide if they will be at home or away before the remaining 26 teams are added.