“And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.” Friedrich Nietzsche
Huddersfield Town’s defeat to Fulham leaves them planted at the bottom of the Premier League, five points from safety and stretches our losing streak to seven games. It was a cruel, but not unpredictable, blow when Mitrovic scored the 91st-minute winner at Craven Cottage.
Of all the defeats Town have suffered this season, and there’s plenty to pick from, this feels like the most sickening. It was a game we could have taken something from if we’d have shown a bit of ambition, but familiar problems led to a tepid display that a relatively poor Fulham team were able to exploit.
Negative tactics and selection
I my last post I congratulated David Wagner’s bold decisions for our Boxing Day match, playing 4-2-3-1 and picking proper wingers to play alongside the striker and number ten. That bravery led to a far more positive performance against Manchester United. Sadly we reverted to type against Fulham, dropping Kachunga and Mbenza in favour of defensive-minded players and reverting to the 5-3-2 system that Wagner has preferred this season.
The first half performance from Town summed up the issues with the 5-3-2 system. By flooding the central areas of defence and midfield Town could dominate possession and stroke it around in our own half. However, Mounié and Pritchard were isolated up front and we lacked any kind of significant goal threat.
The second half was even worse, with Fulham showing more ambition and pinning Town back in their own half for long periods. As Fulham enjoyed more possession it opened up potential for break aways for Town, but our slow build up play meant we didn’t make the most of these opportunities.
Something needs to change…
It’s been a frustrating run of games for Town fans and it feels like it’s now time for a significant change. A new manager or a huge splurge on attacking players could provide that change, but it’s possible that Town could change their approach without having to make fundamental changes to their personnel.
A lack of goals has been a problem for Town for a number of years now, but recently we’ve also lacked any kind of threat on goal either. With so few attacking players in the lineup most weeks, it’s hard to see how we could score many.
A move back to 4-2-3-1 and a commitment to have a go at every team we play might lead to the odd heavy defeat, but I’m confident that our players will flourish under a more attacking system and goals will come if we play more offensive players in a tactical system that’s more aggressive.
The team against Fulham had six defenders and two defensive midfielders in the starting lineup, so it’s no surprise we didn’t score. It might work if we had the kind of creative players up front that can create goals out of nowhere, but sadly we don’t.
Relegation feels more likely than not
I’d like to consider myself an eternal optimist but things look pretty bleak right now. The league position is worrying, but the bigger worry is our lack of goals. We need to win between six and eight of the remaining 18 games, which isn’t an impossible task but I can’t see how we’ll manage to score the goals required to accumulate those wins.
I wouldn’t say that relegation is inevitable, but it’s certainly the most likely outcome for Town. I’ve just had a quick look at the latest relegation odds and our chances of survival are now about the same as the chances of rolling a six on a dice. Not impossible, but a relatively unlikely event.
If we can beat Burnley and Cardiff in our next two league games then those odds will be slashed and the mood around Huddersfield will be a lot brighter. Given our current form it’s hard to imagine we’ll be able to pull off back-to-back Premier League victories though, but it would be a great way to kickstart our season.
#WagnerOut calls are on the rise
It’s no big surprise that more and more fans are calling for Wagner to be sacked, given we’ve not won for so many games. I’m not in that camp, and won’t be likely to join any time soon. While I’ve grumbled about tactical decisions and team selections lately, I still believe Wagner knows how to get the best out of this squad of players.
When David Wagner took over at Town he laid out a plan to Dean Hoyle that involved reaching the Premier League within five seasons. He over-achieved in his goal and managed to get promotion in his first full season, so it’s not all that surprising that we’ve struggled to make the transition from Championship strugglers to established Premier League performers.
I don’t see the benefit of changing managers at this time in the season. There isn’t likely to be a big pot of money available to reshape the squad in January, so why expect someone else to come in and do better with the players that Wagner has picked to play his system. Far better to let Wagner continue in his long-term project and see where it leads us, even if that involves a short term trip back to the Championship.
Frustration followed by frustration.
I’ve sat and wondered at times this season why we just haven’t had a go at teams.
We have simply fallen apart since Mounié got sent off when 1-0 up against Brighton, the team looks negative and the manager is either clueless or stubborn with his negativity.
Yet I also won’t be calling for him out, he’s stuck by us when others have come calling and he deserves a chance at taking us back up when we inevitably go down.
His one job over the summer was to strengthen the squad, yet I believe we are weaker now than we were 11 months ago.
It was always going to be tougher to stay up, so I wanted to see a team capable of having a crack at it but built with a probable chance at a return should we fail.
I saw Ince sold on, Sobhi brought in.
Pace wasn’t added on the wings which is what we were being told and what we needed last season, we brought in two forward players not wingers, Diakhaby who we are told hasn’t adjusted and Mbenza who isn’t even our player.
These are two front line players who need service rather than out and out wingers who will deliver quality from the wing so it’s no surprise to me to see the system change from last season.
Sobhi now out on loan, Diakhaby not upto it yet in the managers words and Mbenza who warms the bench.
Van La Para now going also, what the hells going on ?
We now have to play negative because there’s nothing else there upfront.
Defence is fine although I’m unconvinced on Zanka constantly and Schindler’s pace is always an issue.
Hadergjonaj seems defensively weak at this level but I’m sure Championship he would be a cut above what’s knocking about.
Midfield is fine but no depth
Front line just not enough pace, and I feel sorry for Mounié as he’s been outstanding at winning ariel duels all season but no ones close enough to run on to them.
Whoever spent the money this summer needs to hang their heads it’s brought nothing in and doomed us to relegation.
We’ve not strengthened anywhere to what we had given Kongolo was here on loan, he’s the only player brought in who’s capable of playing and doing a job in the 1st team. The summer windows been a shambles.
I’m now also down about our chances next season of mounting a challenge.
Can’t imagine Mooy, Billing or Kongolo being here and a major rebuild will be needed and the cash will have to be spent otherwise we will have had 2 years in the limelight and come down with no improvement in the squad.
I sat at the Newcastle game and couldn’t believe Wagner didn’t switch systems at half time they offered nothing.
It’s was 3 centre backs marking 1 man, we had them all ends up but nothing came.
Brighton it seemed we were happy to lose by the odd goal, even today what’s the point of what I witnessed in the second half.
Teams have worked us out, let us have the ball knock it about at the back once we lose it near their area hit us with pace.
We weren’t as attacking as people thought we were when we got promoted either, we go forward stop on the edge of the area then try to pass it backwards or side to side, that’s why we constantly won 1-0 we have been pedestrian constantly under Wagner.
Sorry the posts probably misjointed but I’m pretty angry and posting as I see it.
I know 2 wins would help in the next 2 games but even then with our fixtures left it’s going to be uphill, but seriously tell me we can break down Burnley or Cardiff with what we have.
There’s currently no incentive to sit in the cold watching negativity praying for a change of tactics that doesn’t come.
I’ve never had a problem going down but for God’s sake go down giving it a go.
I fear we are weaker now as a team than we’ve been and more vulnerable player wise if relegated as to who we will have left and the quality we will have left
I don’t normally comment on these types of articles, but I have to say in my opinion this is a very thoughtful and a fair reflection of my own thoughts.
Whilst I have never been a great fan of Wagner’s tactics, no body can deny the galvanising effect that both he and Dean Hoyle have created at Huddersfield.
However, the summer recruitment was appalling and he is now looking more and more like a rabbit in headlights.
I also agree I think we are relegation bound and it is frustrating and saddening to watch our tactics against quite poor opposition. We have become a laughing stock amongst both our premiership rivals and more irritating our geographical neighbours.
Whilst, there are more shouting for Wagner’s head, I think this would be counter productive and perhaps expensive. But don’t kid yourselves; if we go down, Wagner will be off anyway…
Lets hope for some splash of brilliance in the January window and look to pull in two or three “quality” players and see if we can salvage anything…at least some pride !!
Another good and fair assessment. I agree entirely. I thought we had turned the corner at Old Trafford with a positive team selection and a good performance. I also was surprised that DW reverted to a negative approach yesterday when Fulham were there fore the taking.
It’s worrying that 6 out of 7 games against the teams around us are away from home. I cannot now see us staying up now so we have nothing to lose by switching back to 4-2-3-1 which has brought us success in the past and caused Man Utd problems. I will accept relegation if we go down fighting, not with a negative wimper.
I think DW is the still right man for the job and, if we are relegated, think he should stay. He has been loyal to the club and I think the club should remain loyal to him.
When we couldn’t score last season we thought the problem was not enough pace up front, particularly in the wide areas. I thought we had solved this with the summer signings but this obviously not worked out. We brought in 3 wide men and have played wing backs instead for the majority of games this season. Who is responsible for recruitment?
It looks like the Premier League has moved on and left us trailing in its wake. Not just Town being affected, Burnley also.The teams making strides this season are those with the talent to press and attack. It also helps to recruit players capable of playing that way
It’s not just money in my opinion it’s also tactics. look at the admitted short term effect at Southampton. The transition from a Hughes style outfit to one that is prepared to have a go. The corrolory of course is Fulham, switching from a more expansive style to a more conservative one.
But on balance fortune appears to favour the brave. As far as Town are concerned, this will mean relegation We do not appear to be brave or talented enough on anything like a consistent basis to live in the Premier League, sad to say.
Time to plan for next season, use the money wisely in the meantime and rebuild. We need a bit of success albeit at a lower level to galvanise the team, management and support. Nevertheless, we should be thankful for the sound financial base managed these last two seasonsand move on.