Scoring goals has been a big issue for Sheffield Wednesday this season. The Owls have found the back of the net just five times in 11 Championship matches.
It is a pitiful return and it is the worst record in the division. Their meek performance in front of goal cannot continue if they are to avoid relegation.
It is not that Wednesday are low on striking options. New boss Danny Röhl has got plenty to choose from ahead of his first match in charge at Watford this weekend.
But Josh Windass, Lee Gregory, Michael Smith and Ashley Fletcher have not yet produced the goods in the final third. No one has hit top form and nailed down a place in the starting XI.
It should be noted that the service into the front men has not been up to scratch in a lot of matches. Too often the attackers have looked isolated and been forced to feed off scraps. There is certainly plenty of room for more creativity and risk-taking in at the business end of the pitch.
Röhl watched on from the stands the Under-21s Steel City derby last Friday. The clash gave Röhl an opportunity to have a look at the next generation.
The academy is a “key part” of his plans for the future. Röhl said: “Because if we have a good academy and we can bring some players into the first team then we can create extra value for the club. That means we have to be very linked to each other, very close to each other, and it’s very important for me to know what’s happening in the U21s, in the academy, and so on.”
A player that will no doubt be on Röhl’s radar is Bailey Cadamarteri. The striker, the son of former Everton striker Danny, has been in fine form for the 21s this season, hitting 10 goals in eight matches. The 18-year-old, who has made just one senior appearance for the Owls, is full of confidence and self belief.
Could Cadamarteri be the answer to Wednesday’s goal-scoring deficiencies? It would be a heavy burden of responsibility to put on the shoulders of a teenager still making his way in the game.
It will be fascinating to see if Röhl selects Cadamarteri in the matchday squad for Saturday’s trip to Vicarage Road. Cadamarteri and Joey Phuti were unused substitutes last time out.
Given the precarious position Wednesday find themselves in, it might be that Röhl resists the temptation to unleash Cadamarteri from the start. It is vital the Owls get points on the board after the international break.
But Cadamarteri deserves a spot in the matchday squad at the very least. You never know, he could prove a wildcard option from the bench.
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