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Matches

Predicted Huddersfield Town XI to take on Stockport

Predicted Huddersfield Town XI to take on Stockport

Matches, Predicted lineups
Huddersfield Town take on Stockport this afternoon in a game that feels like it could be significant in Toen's season. After a mixed bag of results up to now this season, this feels like a game where Town either get their act together or continue to stumble around trying to find some form.  Town sit fifth in the table and could finish the weekend higher still if results go our way. But given the expectations that were set in the summer, it feels like we're not quite where we need to be yet. While there are signs of promise in Lee Grant's system, there are also weaknesses which keep costing us.  To get the most out of this game, Town need to play the right team. Here's who I think Lee Grant will pick today.  Goalkeeper: Lee Nicholls  With Lee Nicholls continu...
Talking points ahead of Huddersfield Town v Stockport

Talking points ahead of Huddersfield Town v Stockport

Matches, Talking points
Huddersfield Town take on Stockport County at the Accu Stadium on Saturday afternoon. It’s the first home game since the club announced taking full ownership of the stadium, so it’s being billed as a housewarming party. Hopefully Stockport won’t do anything to spoil the party atmosphere and we can prove ourselves against one of League One’s more fancied teams (and last season’s defeated playoff finalists). Before I get into the talking points, I should also apologise for my lack of posts in the last few weeks. I’ve been under the weather but am feeling better now, so normal service should be resumed. I'll be doing the usual predicted lineup, player ratings and post-game notes for this match as well as some slightly different bits during the international break.  Here are the pre...
“Swagger and technique” Player ratings for Huddersfield Town’s 1-0 win over Exeter

“Swagger and technique” Player ratings for Huddersfield Town’s 1-0 win over Exeter

Matches, Player ratings
Huddersfield Town beat Exeter 1-0 on Saturday in a game where they had over 20 shots and could easily have won by a far wider margin. Though if we’re going to talk about “what ifs", Exeter could easily have taken the lead in the early stages after a shaky start by Town. Instead of all these alternative timelines, we saw Town play well enough for enough of the game to feel like this was a decent performance, even though there were still a few quibbles to be had too.  That introduction alone should hint towards player ratings that are mostly positive but with a few grumbles thrown in along the way. I think that’s pretty much what’s on show below… Lee Nicholls - 7 out of 10 Kept the gloves despite Owen Goodman’s availability after suspension. Proved why Lee Grant has kept faith w...
Predicted starting XI and pregame talking points for Huddersfield Town v Manchester City in the Carabao Cup

Predicted starting XI and pregame talking points for Huddersfield Town v Manchester City in the Carabao Cup

Matches, Predicted lineups, Talking points
It wasn’t long ago that Huddersfield Town were in the same league as Manchester City and we even managed to get a vital point away at the Etihad at the end of our first season in the Premier League, which set up the heroics we saw at Chelsea shortly after. So it’s a mixture of emotions that comes as we host Manchester City in the League Cup tonight. OK, it’s nice to see Town play against one of the big boys but it’s sad that we’re now so far from meeting them in league competition. Lee Grant will have to decide whether to field a strong team in this match or whether he’ll preserve his best players for the less glamorous but more important game against Exeter on Saturday.  Here’s my predicted lineup and pre-game talking points for this match… Predicted Huddersfield Town lineup...
Duff-esque, trigger happy Town fans, Grant’s rose tinted specs and Roosken’s towel – Notes on Huddersfield Town’s 0-0 draw with Burton Albion

Duff-esque, trigger happy Town fans, Grant’s rose tinted specs and Roosken’s towel – Notes on Huddersfield Town’s 0-0 draw with Burton Albion

Matches, Notes
In a game where Town fans hoped to see this team bounce back from defeat to Bradford, Huddersfield Town stumbled to a 0-0 draw with bottom-of-the-table Burton Albion on Saturday. Town were a bit unlucky to see a flurry of late chances either cleared off the line or just miss the target but the need to push for a late winner was due to Town making a hash of the first hour of the game.  Draws can generate a variety of feelings but this one definitely falls into the two points dropped category. And while the league table doesn't look too bad, it's a bigger concern that we've looked poor in recent games.  Here are a few of my thoughts on the game…. Duff-esque This game felt a lot like watching Michael Duff’s Huddersfield Town of last season. The dour football, the inability to...
“Functionally useless” Player ratings for Huddersfield Town’s stalemate with Burton Albion

“Functionally useless” Player ratings for Huddersfield Town’s stalemate with Burton Albion

Matches, Player ratings
Huddersfield Town drew their first game of the season on Saturday after finishing Saturday's game with Burton Albion 0-0. It was a frustrating and dull sort of game, where Town spent long stretches of the game unable to get the ball out of their own half. Things improved later on in the game, when Burton dropped deep and allowed Town to get up the pitch but some excellent last-ditch goal-line clearances meant Town's best efforts weren't rewarded with a goal.  An encouraging late flurry didn't do enough to get all three points and it's slim consolation for the earlier period of ineptitude Town displayed. Burton deserve credit for their resolute and disciplined performance but their position at the bottom of the table shows we've allowed a pretty poor team to come to our stadium and grind...
Predicted Huddersfield Town XI to take on Burton Albion

Predicted Huddersfield Town XI to take on Burton Albion

Matches, Predicted lineups
Huddersfield Town host Burton Albion this afternoon, with Town looking to bounce back from their 3-1 defeat to Bradford last weekend and Burton hoping to win their first game since the opening day of the season.  When it comes to selection, Lee Grant will hopefully be looking to make a few changes to address the problems we had last weekend. Too many players who were out of form continued to be selected and it caught up with us. I'm expecting a fair few chances for this game.  Here's how I think we'll line up.  Goalkeeper: Nicholls  This is the final game before Owen Goodman's suspension is up, so it's also Nicholls chance to impress Lee Grant enough to prove he should become first choice. I think Owen Goodman’s comfort with passing out for the back makes hi...
The brink of crisis, Burton expectations, bouncing back and first half woes – Talking points ahead of Huddersfield Town v Burton Albion

The brink of crisis, Burton expectations, bouncing back and first half woes – Talking points ahead of Huddersfield Town v Burton Albion

Matches, Talking points
After Town fell to a punishing loss to local rivals, Bradford City, last weekend, we’ve now got to pick ourselves up and go again this weekend against Burton Albion. While the defeat to Bradford will leave a sour taste for a long time, this weekend’s game is a first opportunity to put things right on the pitch and to show how serious we are about achieving promotion this season.  Burton look like they shouldn’t be too difficult an opponent on paper but they took four points from us last season, including a 3-0 beating back in the dark days of April, when Town were in freefall. Hopefully we’re a better team this season but this is the kind of game that could easily catch us out. They’ve a canny manager in Gary Bowyer and aren’t likely to roll over and let us tickle their tummy in th...
Insufferable “banter”, the Harlem Globetrotters problem, terrible goals conceded and Kane’s corners – Notes on Huddersfield Town’s dismal defeat to Bradford City

Insufferable “banter”, the Harlem Globetrotters problem, terrible goals conceded and Kane’s corners – Notes on Huddersfield Town’s dismal defeat to Bradford City

Matches, Notes
I tried to leave it a bit longer than usual to do an in depth write up of Huddersfield Town’s 3-1 defeat to Bradford, in the hope that giving it time to settle might make it not seem quite such a bad defeat. That’s not helped though and I think this was the most embarrassing defeat I’ve seen Town fall to since the FA Cup exit to Tamworth, after we couldn’t cope with Tommy Tonks’ long throws.   It’s rare that Town defeats bother me too much, there have been enough of them over the years to help me get used to the feeling. This defeat did hurt though, as we failed to show up for a game against one of our biggest rivals. I’d have accepted being outplayed on the day (which we were) but the way we were out fought and out thought was terribly bad.  After spending months buil...
“Unacceptable” – Player ratings for Huddersfield Town’s disastrous defeat to Bradford City

“Unacceptable” – Player ratings for Huddersfield Town’s disastrous defeat to Bradford City

Matches, Player ratings
Huddersfield Town suffered a humiliating 3-1 defeat against local rivals, Bradford City. After a positive start to the game, Town’s defence had a collective meltdown for three soft goals before half time. While Town pulled one back after making a raft of changes and getting on the front foot, the game was never really a contest after Bradford scored their third.  The defeat felt like a collective failure as much as any significant individual being to blame, even though there were plenty of individuals to blame too.  Nicholls - 5 out of 10 I’d have liked to have seen him do a bit better with at least one of their goals, particularly the third, where he waited too long to commit to a save. Some of his passing out from the back put us under too much pressure and let Bradfor...