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It was an eventful first day of the new season for Nathaniel Chalobah, and the Sheffield Wednesday man has now spoken to the fans in the wake of the defeat to Leicester City.
The Owls went into that opening fixture against the Foxes with everyone expecting them to suffer a heavy defeat, but a valiant effort saw them lose the game 2-1 in the dying stages.
It was Chalobah who gave Sheffield Wednesday the lead in the first-half, but he had to be taken off just five minutes later due to an injury.
His absence now leaves Henrik Pedersen with another dilemma to solve, but Chalobah is doing his best to rally the troops from the sidelines already.
Nathaniel Chalobah shares injury update with Sheffield Wednesday fans
It is thought Chalobah will be out of action for a significant period after suffering a hamstring injury on Sunday, with the Sheffield Wednesday manager confirming it will be ‘some time’ before we see the midfielder back on the pitch.
Now, Chalobah himself has spoken out with a heartfelt, rousing message for the Wednesday fans on his Instagram.
Chalobah wrote: “This reaction is what we live for, especially during a time like this where there isn’t much to celebrate. Us as players understand what it means to our fans and everyone associated with the club. The boys left it all out there.”
On his own situation, Chalobah continued: “Devastated is an understatement of how I’m feeling right now. But it’s nothing I haven’t been through before. Keep believing, Owls!”
He was brilliant vs Leicester City, but Nathaniel Chalobah injury opens door for youngster
As you can see from our Leicester vs Sheffield Wednesday player ratings, Chalobah was one of the best players on the pitch on Sunday, at least for the 30 minutes he was there.
In many ways, the Owls lost control of the game when he was forced off, with youngster Sean Fusire unable to have the desired impact in the middle of the park.
However, with Chalobah out and Barry Bannan suspended for the midweek cup clash with Bolton Wanderers, there’s a big opportunity for Fusire to show what he can do now.
Given how thin the Sheffield Wednesday squad is, and the fact he has been handed the number 4 shirt this season, there is an expectation that Fusire will have a fairly prominent role to play. Now, he’s going to have to step up quickly and prove he’s ready to grab the chance with both hands.