Huddersfield were one game away from reaching the premiership last season. It has all gone a bit pear shaped since then. Corberan the manager left close season along with a host of players including Toffolo, O'Brien and Pipa. Tight financial constraints were put in place and the next manager Schofield didn't last long winning only once in his nine game period. The new manager, Mark Fotheringham has got off to a better start winning against Hull and drawing 3-3 at Luton in his last two games.
They have a couple of skillful players in Holmes and Rudoni and veteran strikers in Ward and Rhodes. They look capable of scoring goals (15 so far) but their defence doesn't look great(conceded 19 already). Is this the day our powder puff attack comes good ?
I think Taylor will bring Wood back into the team and carry on with a 3:5:2 formation. Will he play Harding on the left of the back three or push him forward on the right of the five ?. Taylor stated he should have left Cuffey out at Blackburn as he looked leggy and tired. I think he will play him today after a weeks rest. It will be interesting to see what changes Taylor makes if any. I think he will play Ferguson if he is fit.
No Chieo, apparently he is ill. Wood Peltier and Hall in the back three. Very slow combination that. Eaves and Washington up top. Kelly cannot get a place which is hard to believe when you look at how Washington and Eaves have performed. hope they prove me wrong.
Enjoyed today even though it wasn't a classic. Very pleased for MT that he has his first victory. I was concerned at the lack of pace in our starting line up and we were almost undone several times down our left as their No7 had space and loads of speed. After the first ten minute onslaught from Town, we gradually came into the game and it was good to see great endeavour in midfield with Ollie and Ben putting in good shifts whilst Dan B's distribution was top notch. Excellent finish from Wash but a great set piece response from Danny Ward. The moment of the afternoon was the arrival of Kelly whose introduction coincided with a heavy cloud being lifted from both the team and the crowd. His goal was so predictable as was his no-nonsense approach to unsettling their back line. I'm afraid, despite his inexperience, he is light years ahead of Eaves who failed to control a ball all afternoon, got nowhere near most aerial balls and lumbered around like a pub team centre forward. I'm all for giving the guy a chance but he just does not seem to have what it takes.
With Cuffy and Ogbene to come back fresh for the Stoke match, we have a chance of picking up points, particularly with Hull coming to NYS next Saturday. It would be great to go into the World Cup break in the top half.
We were ok in parts today but not great to be honest. The three points is very welcome though. We had to start without the three players who give us pace in the side and I was nervous when I saw that starting lineup but fair play we ground out a win against an admittedly very ordinary Huddersield side. I thought they subbed all their best players off which turned them from ordinary to poor as the game wore on whereas our subs all made positive contributions. Big shout for Washington today - 85 minutes of relentless hard work and pleased he got a goal for his efforts. What a great finish it was as well.
I thought Huddersfield were the better team in the first half. They played the ball out from the back and stretched us at times especially down the right where Ferguson looked a bit slow today imo. We played a lot of long balls mainly from the goalkeeper up to Eaves who didn't win a thing. I hope Eaves has still to find full fitness. In the second half we took control and although at times it wasn't pretty we were pretty comfortable and Kelly took his chance from a great knock down from Wood.
To these eyes it looked like two very ordinary teams with just the odd flashes of quality (Barlasers pass and washington finish and their movement and finish for goal). I still think this division is nowhere near as good as the last time we were in it. I also think Taylor will play a very similar style to what Warne did. Keep it tight, rely on experience (Wood, Peltier, Hall , Ferguson and Eaves) all started today. Make great use of the long ball and get set pieces into dangerous areas. With our budget and quality i think it us possibly the only realistic chance we have of staying in the division by playing this way. Not easy on the eye but could possibly lead to us being out of the bottom three. I still have a worry about players being burnt out by February but hopefully this time our squad is better. Time will tell but i still think fourth bottom would be some achievement without big investment in the attacking options in January.
