Huddersfield Town face Leicester in the League Cup tonight and will most likely be making a raft of changes to the eleven that started the game against Reading at the weekend. These sorts of games would be a nightmare to predict the lineup if I cared about being accurate but I actually enjoy the challenge of cup fixtures even if it is a fool’s errand.
Here’s how I think we’ll lineup but if I get 7 out of 11 right I’ll be pleased with myself…
Goalkeeper: Lee Nicholls
Jacob Chapman’s injury means Lee Nicholls is the only experienced pro who can replace Goodman. This could be Nicholls’ last game for the club, as he seems too good a keeper to play second fiddle to a loanee keeper. It’ll be interesting to see how he behaves at full time, an emotional farewell to the fans is a possibility. I spoke after the Reading game about the difference in distribution between Goodman and Nicholls, it’ll be revealing to see if Nicholls is as committed to playing the ball out from the back. In the pre-match press conference Nicholls said all the right things about trying his best to impress in training and biding his time but my suspicion is that his agent will be shopping him around as you read this.
Defence: Sorensen, Feeney, Balker, Wallace
Sorensen started at the weekend but I think that was only because Gooch’s minutes were being managed because he didn’t participate in our full preseason. With that in mind, I’d guess Gooch will have the night off and it’ll be Eccleston or Sorensen. With Lasse Sorensen struggling for form, more time on the pitch in a lower stakes game might be just what he needs.
In the central area of defence, Josh Feeney and Radinio Balker seem likely replacements for Low and Whatmough. This gives a bit of playing time to players that need it and rests our current preferred central defensive pairing. Feeney has looked classy in the bits I’ve seen of him but Balker has looked a bit wasteful and sloppy in his brief outings in preseason. Balker has a lot of talent but his passing can be overly ambitious at times and he often wants too much time on the ball. With all that said, he could easily be our best defender if he stays fit and pulls his finger out.
At left-back we could see Jay Sway (B Team player that did well in preseason), Roughan (coming back from a knock), Wallace (slowly recovering from a foot injury he picked up last season), Miller (seemingly pulled something against Reading – now confirmed to be 4 to 8 weeks out with hamstring twang) or Roosken (preferred as a winger). Sway deserves a chance in many ways but Wallace needs minutes and it’s probably more useful to play him at left back as he’s likely to be needed there more than central defence.
Midfield: Kasumu, McGuane
Kane and Ledson have both looked very good in their first few games together, so this game seems like a good time to rest them and let the other two midfield options show why they should be considered for a starting position in league games. We know what Kasumu can do already but it’s not clear how he will function in Lee Grant’s system. His energy and workrate is always exemplary but his technical ability may hold him back in a system that depends on midfielders receiving the ball in tight spaces and passing in intricate triangles.
Marcus McGuane is a bit of a mystery to me so I’m really hoping he gets plenty of time to show what he can do. He’s been on the books at Arsenal and Barcelona, so couldn’t have had a better footballing education but there must also be a reason why a player with enough potential to be picked up by those European giants has now washed up in Huddersfield. Time will tell.
Attack: Ashia, Castledine, Roosken
After Cameron Ashia’s heroics at the weekend, a starting berth in this game seems like a suitable reward. There are tactical reasons to play him too, as he’s one of the most enthusiastic pressers in the team and will happily chase after endless lost causes, which we may need in this game. Coming on and impressing in the dying minutes against tired legs is very different to playing from the start of a game, so he may not look quite as good if he’s picked but it would be nice to see him get a run out.
Leo Castledine is another player yet to feature for Town but will hopefully make his debut tonight. The Chelsea youngster was loaned out at Shrewsbury last season and earned decent-ish reports from their fans even if his goals and assist numbers weren’t amazing. Hopefully stepping up to an ambitious League One team from a struggling one will bring out the best of him, as well as playing under Lee Grant’s regime.
We have Miller and Roosken as options on the left wing but with Miller bursing a poorly hamstring for the next 4 to 8 weeks, we look pretty thin in this position. If Roosken is rested, I’m at a loss to name a player that could fill in on the left wing. Maybe Ashia but then I don’t know who would play on the right wing? Roosken seems the obvious choice but it could be Ladapo or Radulovic are thrown in just to plug up the gap, though I’d rather not see that in a competitive game.
Striker: Charles
If both May and Taylor are going to start against Blackpool at the weekend then I’d expect both to be rested for this game, leaving the door open for Dion Charles to come in. While he’s not set the world on fire since his arrival, he’s a likable player and a lot of Bolton fans rated him before he left. He’s also always willing to put a shift in, so much so, in my head I see him as Danny Ward 2.0 for both good and bad reasons.
If Radulovic and Ladapo are expected to stay at Town when the transfer window shuts, then I suspect they’ll both be involved in this game at some point but I can’t see either starting. While I try to be optimistic and believe in every person having the capacity to change, I’m not sure this pair will ever become valuable members of this squad. Let’s hope I’m wrong.
Interesting and helpful, TS.
I wouldn’t completely write off Radulovic. I thought (and I think you thought) he had a decent game,, as well as scoring the winner, in the second Austrian pre-season friendly. If ever we just need some height, he’s got it. In that Austrian match, he played slightly withdrawn behind Charles. It wouldn’t surprise me to see that combo again tonight.
Ladapo is definitely a write-off. Grant of course has worked with him at Ipswich so he’s well aware of what Ladapo has (or rather hasn’t) got. How on earth he ended up with Town we’ll never know. He must have a bloody good agent.
I hope we see something of Castledine this evening. I have good memories of 2 other Chelsea attacking midfielders in Town shirts, so let’s see what he can do.
More than anything, your team highlights the absence of good attacking wide players. And, despite what you say, I hope we don’t start both May & Taylor on Saturday. I may have missed it but if Harkness is fit, surely he comes back and presumably Taylor returns to the role of super-sub? Of course Taylor is good enough to start; I just don’t want to see May playing in a position that doesn’t suit him.
It’s true, I though Radulovic was decent when we saw him in Austria. I suppose it’s possible Radulovic could adapt his game to play a deeper role behind the strikers and get games that way. Otherwise, I can’t see him getting ahead of May, Taylor and Chalres in the pecking order.
On paper, Ladapo looked like a decent free agent signing with the vast experience he has at this level. But surely we’d have scouted him in person and seen what he’s like?
We are a bit thin in the attacking areas. And we’ve picked up a significant injury already, with Miller out for a while. While the club are playing down the chances of more signings, I hope behind the scenes they’re trying to bring in at least another winger.
May and Taylor didn’t work at the weekend, so if Harness is fit, I think you’re right that Taylor could drop to the bench. An alternative would be to switch them around and have May central and Taylor out wide. Though that is just a different way of putting square pegs in round holes.
It’s certain Harkness won’t be playing. On the other hand Harness might!
I think Balker could do really well in a good team when he can be confident of running forward with the ball. I was very impressed with Ecclestons performances towards the end of last season in a really poor team so it would be good to see more of him as well.
Balker’s a funny one, because he’s not stayed fit long enough to know exactly how good he could be. It’s possible he’ll be great for us this season but I’m pleased we have plenty of other options in case he breaks down again.
Eccleston looks like he’s got something about him but I’m hoping he’ll get another loan this season, so he doesn’t waste away in our reserves. Tom Iorpenda has a similar situation last season until his back injury. He barely played for us when he could have been playing every week on loan.
Roosken working hard on that left hand side !
Roosken was great in this game. The penalty he won and the one he was denied were almost identical runs from him, so he seems to have got the knack for getting ahead of defenders and drawing a foul. A very useful skill to have.