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Carlos Carvalhal discusses Sheffield Wednesday’s striking options

Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvalhal (REUTERS)
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The Owls head coach has five players to choose from in attack.

Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvalhal before the match

Sheffield Wednesday head coach Carlos Carvalhal appeared to take issue to being asked about specific strike partnerships by BBC Radio Sheffield during Monday’s press conference.

The Portuguese has paired Steven Fletcher with Gary Hooper in two of the Owls’ last three fixtures, in which they have each scored once.

But when asked by BBC Radio Sheffield why that particular combination appears to have hit it off, Carvalhal replied: “I will not put (single out) a double because it is not correct for me.

Gary Hooper celebrates after scoring the second goal for Sheffield Wednesday

“Fletcher and Hooper is good, like Fletcher and (Fernando) Forestieri, like Forestieri with Hooper, like (Adthe) Nuhiu with all of them, like Lucas (Joao) with all of them.

“I think all of them can do a partnership, we don’t have a particular partnership here.”

Despite favouring Fletcher and Hooper of late, Carvalhal later insisted that each of his five forwards have important roles within the squad – even those who feature less often.

Nuhiu certainly falls under that category, having racked up barely 100 minutes of Championship football this season, across six substitute appearances.

Sheffield Wednesday's Atdhe Nuhiu celebrates after he scores his sides first goal

But, after heading against the crossbar in stoppage time of last week’s defeat to Birmingham City – whose winner arrived seconds afterwards – the Austrian again had an impact in the closing stages of Saturday’s win against Nottingham Forest.

“Nuhiu was inside the pitch 10 minutes,” Carvalhal added. “And he have a big influence in goal that achieved (us) the victory.

“He won the first ball. After, the ball go to Fletch, and after Fletch to Fernando, and Fernando again to Fletcher, and Fletcher to (Kieran) Lee. All the players are important to the team not just this specific couple or something.”

Meanwhile, Carvalhal has concerns over the fitness of five of his players ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Blackburn Rovers.

The Owls travel across the Pennines in search of their first away win of the campaign and are definitely without goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith, who is out ‘weeks’ with a dislocated finger.

And first team regulars Tom Lees, Barry Bannan and Daniel Pudil may also be absent, along with striker Joao and summer signing David Jones.

Aston Villa's Ross McCormack in action with Sheffield Wednesday's Tom Lees