The Wolverhampton-born striker has scored just one since moving to Sheffield Wednesday in January.
With no Wolves striker netting more than three league goals all season, you could forgive Wolverhampton Wanderers for regretting their decision to release a young, unproven Sam Winnall in 2013.
Because, three-and-a-half years later and via prolific spells with Scunthorpe United and Barnsley, the 26-year-old striker earned a move to Sheffield Wednesday after a goal-laden start to his debut Championship campaign. And Wolves fans thought it was painful enough watching Sam Vokes fire Burnley to promotion on two occasions.
Yet, on the face of it, Winnall’s slow start to life in the Steel City may just ease the blow of the Midlands club letting another promising young striker slip through their fingers.
The Wolverhampton-born forward has found the net just once in nine games in Wednesday colours while being dropped to the substitute’s bench on occasions.
However, perhaps this is more of an indication of the shortcomings of Carlos Carvalhal’s promotion chasers. Winnall has already won over the majority of Wednesday fans with his work-rate but his underrated technical ability has almost proven to be a hindrance rather than a help.
He was deployed in a deeper, attacking midfield role against Brentford – and that doesn’t exactly help the goals tally.
Nonetheless, there’s a reason why only two teams have scored fewer goals than Sheffield Wednesday in the top half of the Championship. As epitomised by the midweek home draw with Burton, The Owls struggle to break down defensive teams and create chances for the likes of Winnall to thrive upon.
Before criticising Winnall’s goals tally, the fact that fellow January addition Jordan Rhodes has failed to score in six of his eight games for the club suggests that there is a wider tactical problem at work.
Perhaps Wolves’ one-time starlet simply chose the wrong club to show off his considerable talents. Though it won’t make the pain of letting him go for free any more bearable.
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