Sheffield Wednesday will have to tackle more squad selection headaches after it was confirmed Nathaniel Chalobah will not feature this weekend.
The Owls already have an uphill battle in terms of their options heading into this weekend with six senior players missing for their trip to Ipswich Town, but now will be joined by the midfielder after it was confirmed he had picked up a knock.
Chalobah Out Of Action
In a new post on social media, the Sheffield Star’s Wednesday correspondent Joe Crann confirmed that Chalobah will not be available to Henrik Pedersen as his side head to Portman Road just a day after admitting it was a risk to play the midfielder due to his fitness levels.
Speaking to the Star yesterday, the Danish manager was still wary of the workload the former West Bromwich Albion player was getting after playing twice so quickly after recovering from a hamstring issue. He stated:
“In the central midfield we put Chalobah in, but he has trained two or three times, so, of course, it’s difficult. He did a great job, especially when we think about how little he has trained, but we need to bring him in.
“There’s also a little bit of risk to bring him in, but we need to do it. So we try to find a way how can we be effective short-term, but how can we also develop our players so they are growing? It’s a combination of short-term perspective with long-term, because we not only want to be a part of the game, we want to win games.”
Injuries have unfortunately been a big part of Chalobah’s recent history, with multiple layoffs during his time at Fulham and West Bromwich Albion on top of issues he faced last season and this campaign at Hillsborough.
Opportunities For Youngsters
While Chalobah has been limited to bench appearances since his return, a fresh absence for the 31-year-old could see youngsters get chances at game time for the Owls. Pedersen has already admitted he is willing to give his youth players chances as the fixtures pile up over the next few weeks.
This means that players like Rio Shipston, who has only played in EFL Cup games this season for Wednesday, could be given a nod to make the matchday squad, as is the case for Jarvis Thornton who has made brief cameos against Millwall and Coventry City so far this campaign.
Where Does Chalobah Go From Here?
A new setback for Nathaniel Chalobah has become an all too often but unfortunate theme for his time at Sheffield Wednesday. At a time when the club needs players fit and fighting amid their squad’s high turnover, having a player frequently out is hurting their chances of getting results.
With his contract up at the end of the season and injuries continuing to hamper him, Chalobah’s future in blue and white may be in doubt beyond this season at a time when the club will be rebuilding under new ownership and in a new division with relegation a near certainty.