Carlos Carvalhal still believes in Sheffield Wednesday’s Jordan Rhodes

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The Owls boss is putting Rhodes’ indifferent form down to tiredness.

Sheffield Wednesday’s Jordan Rhodes celebrates after the match

Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal still believes that striker Jordan Rhodes will come good for the Owls, despite a shaky start to life at Hillsborough, as reports the Yorkshire Post.

Rhodes has scored just one goal in his first six games for promotion chasing Wednesday, and missed a penalty in the Owls’ 1-0 Championship loss to Leeds United, denying them a much needed draw.

However, Carvalhal has defended his striker, who arrived at Hillsborough having barely featured at Middlesbrough this season, making just six appearances across six months for Boro before departing in the January transfer window.

In 22 days, Rhodes equalled that appearance tally with Wednesday, and Carvalhal believes the increased workload is the reason behind Rhodes’ indifferent form, and was also the reason for substituting the striker during the ill-fated Leeds match.

Sheffield Wednesday’s Jordan Rhodes celebrates after scoring their first goal

“He was not playing when he came and when he came he played six games on a row,” Carvalhal said, as reported by the Yorkshire Post.

“That is why in the last game he was completely exhausted and we decided to take him off because a player who doesn’t play, then plays five games in 15 days, it is hard to play 90 minutes.

“We believe that after this break he has the time to breath and train and I believe if he plays on Saturday he can perform better than in the previous games. People can train, but playing is another matter and the reality is that he was not playing and I believe he will do better.”

Carlos Carvalhal manager of Sheffield Wednesday

Sixth placed Sheffield Wednesday enjoyed a largely successful February, winning four out of their six matches, but they have lost their last two – including the match against both promotion and Yorkshire rivals Leeds.

They will be looking to end that run with a victory against play-off chasers Norwich City, whom they host at the weekend, with a win taking them nine points clear of the eighth placed Canaries.