Sheffield Wednesday had big hopes for striker Ike Ugbo this year after an impressive loan spell at Hillsborough during the second-half of last season. So far, things haven’t gone to plan.

Ugbo scored seven times in 18 Championship games for the Owls last term following his temporary switch from Ligue 2 side Troyes, with the striker’s goals helping ensure Danny Rohl’s side escaped relegation to League One on the final day of the campaign.

Since making the move permanent in the summer, however, the 26-year-old has scored just once in 10 games in all competitions.

As a result, the former Chelsea academy graduate has come under heavy criticism from some Wednesday fans, but Rohl is still happy with the striker’s displays, even if he isn’t finding the net.

“His job and his work against the ball in the last games was outstanding,” Rohl explained in a press conference earlier this week. “I think this is sometimes what we don’t recognise, we look to the strikers and see ‘Oh no shots or no goals.’ But he worked very, very hard for the team, he had a lot of good moments.”

Chalobah "needs time" after injury

Another of Wednesday’s summer signings who is struggling this season is midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah, albeit for completely different reasons. Chalobah, also a graduate from Chelsea’s academy, joined the Owls on a free transfer after leaving West Bromwich Albion, but has since played just one game for his new club due to a series of injuries.

Rohl has now given Wednesday fans an update on when they can finally expect to see the 29-year-old in action again, and unfortunately it’s not good news, with him expected to wait until after the next international break to return to the fold.

“He needs time,” Rohl told The Star. “We have to give him time and now he needs a new pre-season. When he came to us in the summer, he missed some weeks in the pre-season and then he was injured, then a small injury and now a bigger injury.

“We are building him up on the grass and the goal for us now is for him to get minutes in the next international break,” the German boss explained. “If it is earlier then it will be good, but in the next three weeks when we play every three days the intensity in training is not so high.”

Burnley

Home

October 19

Swansea

Home

October 22

Portsmouth

Away

October 25

Brentford

Away

October 29

Watford

Home

November 2

Norwich City

Home

November 5

Sheffield Wednesday

Away

November 10

Burnley will be a "challenge"

Next up for Rohl’s Owls are high-flying Burnley, whom they welcome to Hillsborough on Saturday afternoon. Scott Parker’s side currently sit third in the Championship, just one point off leaders Sunderland having picked up an impressive 18 points from their first nine games.

Speaking to the press ahead of Saturday’s match, Rohl said he is well aware of the threat that Burnley pose.

“They have high potential players and good results in the last weeks, not results where you think they will beat everyone four or five-nil, but they are well-organized and very clinical and focused in front of goal,” Rohl said of Parker’s side.

“Saturday will be of course a challenge, we have to be very focused the whole time,” he added.