Sheffield Wednesday’s Stockport County clash could serve as vital for new signings should Xisco rotate

The Owls welcome the dangerous League Two opposition to Hillsborough in the midst of a learning mission, being asked to adapt to a continental style of play that both manager and players have warned will require patience.

An opening evening defeat to Southampton on Friday evening has offered Wednesday an extra day’s rest on their rivals and more pertinently has given more opportunity for the squad to work towards the bigger picture - no season will be remembered good or otherwise for what happened in the first round of the Carabao Cup.

The temptation will be there either way - to go all-out in selection, build momentum and offer senior players more pitch time to get used to the methods and systems the Spaniard wishes to instil as time goes on.

An alternative school of thought could lend itself to the option to hand debuts out to the likes of new signings Bambo Diaby and Deviz Vasquez, in doing so giving them a fitness-building run-out and handing them their first experience in front of their own supporters. It would offer Xisco a chance to look at where they are at heading into the away trip to Hull City on Saturday.

Those who have been in the building a little longer may benefit, too. Ashley Fletcher is a player who - aside from a catch-up run-out off the bench against Luton Town - had no preseason. Cut adrift by parent club Watford, three weeks ago he was training alone with a strength and conditioning coach in Preston and spent time working with a GB Taekwondo coach.

Nothing makes up for match fitness.

Xisco said: “We will try to give our best 11 because it is also important for everybody to have a lot of games (involvement).

“Because if we want to have one competitive squad, we need to play more games, more games and more games.

“I am sure we can see some players we played (on Friday) and other ones for that situation (cup game).”

Stockport, who missed out on back-to-back promotions to League One only on a penalty shootout in the League Two play-off final last season, will provide a steady test for the Owls.

Their league campaign got underway with a 1-0 defeat to a Gillingham side that has been the subject of ambitious investment over the summer.