Thoughts about Huddersfield Town’s draw with Manchester United U23s
Huddersfield Town participated in a high-scoring friendly against Manchester United Under 23s yesterday afternoon. It was the second and final preseason friendly for the team before their first competitive game next Saturday.
Here are some of my thoughts on the game and what it means for Huddersfield Town.
Another enjoyable friendly
After a series of tense but stale games during lockdown it’s been refreshing to watch Town play with more freedom and less pressure. This isn’t an attempt to diminish the achievements of Danny Cowley to guide Town to survival but the friendlies this week have hinted towards the new vision at Huddersfield Town and its much better to watch.
It’s no surprise that Town have failed to keep clean sheets in either of their games this week, as this new approach favours piling players forward and taking risks over defensive solidity and caution. This philosophy is relatively easy to use in meaningless friendlies but harder when the competitive games start. Regardless, it has led to Town playing two friendlies this week that I’ve really enjoyed watching. The combination of attacking tactics and energetic young players has given a breath of fresh air to the team.
Goals at both ends
Just like against Bradford, pushing players up the field increased the number of opportunities in the box for Town. But it also made us more vulnerable at the back.
Against Championship teams we may find opportunities fewer going forward and defensive mistakes more readily punished. But I’m still in favour of this new approach.
Other fans might not agree, but I’d prefer to see a 3-3 draw with both teams having a go than see us grinding our 1-0 wins by playing negative football. Obviously I wouldn’t want to see us relegated and pragmatism has to creep in at times, but I want to see my team set up to attack and win games.
If we continue with Carlos Corberán’s style of football then I can see plenty of goals at both ends of the pitch. How close we come to having a positive goal difference will dictate how much of a good thing this is.
Youngsters ready to step up
I was very impressed by some of Town’s academy lads again in this match. Here are my thoughts on the players that are ready to compete for places in Town’s first team:
Austerfield – The only player to complete 90 minutes in both friendlies and he played excellently in both. He’s composed on the ball, can put in a tackle and pick out a pass. He’ll have less time on the ball in competitive games but it’s worth seeing how he copes. Gotts or Garner would be ahead of him if either sign but Austerfield could be useful backup.
Crichlow – Romoney Crichlow has a passing resemblance to Virgil Van Dyke (at least in the blurry stream) and carries himself on the pitch in a similar way. He seems to almost float about the pitch and tends to be in the right place at the right time. He can run with the ball and helps organise those around him. If Edmonds-Green injury is serious then it could be Crichlow leapfrogs him in the pecking order.
Rowe – My pick for Man of the Match against Man United, he’s one of the players that have kicked on under the new coach. His pace helped him recover position as well as propelling him up the pitch in attack. He’s still learning the right back role but could end up taking Duhaney’s role as backup tight back.
Honourable mentions – The above three have impressed me the most but all of the academy lads have given a good showing of themselves. Ben Jackson’s long-range passing has been superb, Diarra’s driving runs from midfield look to be a threat and Kian Harratt, while given few opportunities in these friendlies, has an incredible scoring record at youth level.
The keeper problem
Joel Pereira was announced as a new loan signing from Manchester United shortly before yesterday’s game kicked off. This acquisition should have been met by relief by fans concerned about Town’s lack of options in this area. Sadly, reports from Hearts fans about his poor form while on loan with them last season have soured the news of this signing.
Personally I’d prefer to judge him based on his performances in a Town shirt but the reports from Scotland are very damning. Alongside this, Town fans haven’t for a lot of reason to have faith in the clubs recruitment department after several poor signings were primarily to blame for Town relegation from the Premier League (alongside plenty of other factors).
A potentially dodgy keeper wouldn’t be such a huge concern if he was merely backup for a first choice that was a safe pair of hands. Unfortunately, Ben Hamer showed yesterday that he still has plenty of mistakes in him.
Hamer dawdled in possession and allowed himself to be easily dispossessed right on his goal line. I promised in an earlier article that I wouldn’t judge Hamer on past mistakes but it seems he’s likely to keep providing ammunition to his doubters.
With Ryan Schofield out for a couple of months, we’ve got to work out which of the two fit keepers is the least of a liability.
Hamer’s howler yesterday opens the door for Pereira to be given a chance against Rochdale. He’s supposed to be good with his feet (just about the only positive Hearts fans have said about him) so should suit Town’s new system.
Like with Hamer, I’ll give our new keeper a chance and not judge him on past errors. Hopefully a fresh start at a new club will help to show what Manchester United saw in him when they signed him.
How good were the opposition?
How good this result was will depend on how good you think Manchester United’s Under 23 side are. My impression was that they were better than League Two Bradford City but nowhere near an average Championship side. The fact that a severely weakened Huddersfield Town team out played them for long periods is a good sign.
I thought that two of the three standout performances for the opposition came from players Town have been linked with this transfer window.
James Garner, quite frankly, looked like a nasty piece of work in the best possible way. He was the most aggressive tackler on the pitch and looked a commanding presence in front of his team’s back line. He had some nice touches on the ball too and would be a good addition to the squad based on what I saw.
The other player we’ve been linked with was Di’Shon Bernard, the central defender. It was his excellent run from deep and through ball that played in their winger for their second goal. He looks like the kind of ball playing central defender that would suit how Town now play. My only reservation about him joining Town would be the possibility he could block the progress of Edmonds-Green or Crichlow.
Missing Town players
There was very little detail from the club about the players missing from yesterday’s game but there were a significant number of players not in the squad.
Some players, Karlan Grant the only one named, had participated in some sort of special training session in the morning. Others were not being risked because of knocks. Then there are longer term absentees like Kongolo, Hogg, Elphick and O’Brien. There could also be some still self isolating after the “small number” of positive coronavirus tests last week.
I feel a little bit frustrated by the lack of detail given about the fitness of the squad. I’m also a little bit concerned that the team we put out yesterday may be close to the one we lineup with against Norwich when the season opens.
Regardless of how many first team players will be back in training before the season starts, not enough have played friendly games to be considered fully match fit.
We still need new signings
While the club are being evasive about the fitness of the squad, it still seems clear to me that we’re badly in need of additional, experienced players to fill out the squad.
I’m excited about these young lads we have coming through but it would be suicide to chuck five or six straight into the stating lineup from the start of the season.
There’s still a lot of time left in the transfer window but I feel like we’re at least four signings away from having a squad capable of surviving in the Championship. To make those signings we most likely need to move a few players on to free up wages and fund transfer fees. Whether we can do all this business in the time remaining isn’t clear. It’s also not clear if the club intend to add much more to the squad. Hopefully we’ll find out in the next few weeks.
We are poor at the back, if Them Man u kids can score 3 against us, I can see us going down Stearman needs to be gone too slow..
Stearman only signed in January and has another year to run on his contact. I think we’re stuck with him.
He’s looked poor in friendlies but was awesome in the crucial West Brom game last season. He may be one of those players that only turns it on for games that matter.
I think these new tactics leave us open at the back. The defence looks shaky because they’re not as protected by the players in front of them.
I saw our new goalie playing for a decent Hearts team that got demoted the young guns look good in parts but particularly defensively will get torn apart by tough championship pros, if Grant stays and is focused we have a chance with the likes of Schindler back otherwise could be an entertaining but disastrous season
Entertaining but disastrous could describe many of the 30 years I’ve followed Town. Though a lot haven’t been that entertaining.
Stearman will be fine with Schindler alongside, Toffolo in the correct position and a decent left fullback. This is a team game and the back four need each other to be secure. Stearman or any of them on their own would be unlikely to stand out but all together they are a good unit.
I’d like to see one of the young lads played alongside Schindler, either Edmonds-Green or Crichlow, particularly in games against quicker strikers. Stearman looks good against big awkward front men but struggles a bit with pace.