Huddersfield Town drew with Stoke yesterday despite playing against ten men for all of the second half. Familiar frustrations returned when Stoke sat deep and Town were unable to find a way through.
Most fans would have been happy with a point before kickoff but the circumstances of the match make this feel like a defeat. After going ahead early then getting pinned back after a sloppy mistake led to a penalty, the red card incident should have given Town an advantage that made victory inevitable. Sadly we continue to struggle to break down unambitious but organised defences and that cost us once again.
Here’s what I thought of each player.
Ryan Schofield – 6 out of 10
Hard to really give a rating as he had a very very quiet afternoon. Couldn’t do anything to stop the penalty and I don’t remember him facing another shot all game. Thankfully we avoided passing back to him mostly but he did fine when he was called upon.
Harry Toffolo – 6 out of 10
Did a lot of running down his flank and played progressively higher up the pitch as the match went on. His crossing was a bit of a let down, often looking a bit aimless. He did, however, produce a lovely cross in the build up to Pipa’s goal. I don’t know if he’s carrying an injury or the pressure of the captaincy is affecting him but whenever the camera showed a closeup of him he looked very unhappy. As a fiercely competitive player he may just be annoyed that we’re not playing as well as we can.
Naby Sarr – 4 out of 10
Gave away a penalty by jumping into a tackle when didn’t need to commit and gave Stoke a route back into the game when Town were otherwise on top and looking like scoring a second. He was OK apart from this mistake, which is what I said about him after the Bristol City game, which shows silly mistakes are becoming too common an occurrence for him.
Richard Keogh – 3 out of 10
As much as I’ve blamed Sarr for giving away the penalty, the whole situation could have been avoided if Keogh didn’t squander possession by attempting an unlikely, through-the-eye-of-a-needle pass that gifted the ball to Stoke in a dangerous position. A single bad pass could be excused but he’d attempted and failed an almost identical pass moments earlier and has been lucky we weren’t punished for it the first time. Even after making the key error in the build up to the goal he continued to be far too wayward with his passing and looked a bit of a liability.
Pipa – 7 out of 10
Had a great battle with McLean in the first half and mostly did well against a player that always seems to play at the top of his game against us. Deserved his goal for the excellent positional awareness he showed to step back to the edge of the box to make space to get his shot away. Roamed around the pitch during the second half to try and find gaps and put in some decent crosses even though they didn’t lead to the breakthrough we needed.
Alex Vallejo – 7 out of 10
One of the better players for Town, did well in possession when under pressure and showed an impressive range of passing. He did particularly well to pull off the same cross-field pass out to Mbenza on the wings on a regular basis. I think he looks better in games where we have more possession and have less defending to do, which might be an issue for a defensive midfielder but he suits the way we are trying to play.
Lewis O’Brien – 6 out of 10
I could go either way in my opinion about O’Brien yesterday. He covered an impressive amount of ground and got into good areas. I also don’t recall him making any of those strange five-yard passes straight to the opposition which he’s got into the habit of doing recently. On the negative side, he didn’t have the quality or make the right decision when he got into good areas and that meant good play wasn’t capped with goals. He’s got potential to be an incredible player when he adds that last bit of polish to his game but for now he’s not quite the finished product.
Juninho Bacuna – 6 out of 10
Someone on Twitter pointed out that it’s always Bacuna that draws the bad fouls, as though it was bad luck but I think it goes a bit deeper than that. Firstly, Bacuna gets fouled a lot because he’s got the skills to move the ball away quickly when a player goes in to make a challenge. Secondly, he seems to actively look to win fouls rather than trying to get past opponents in some situations. I’m not sure where this comes from but in most games you’ll see him tangle with opponents when he’s got the skills and speed to get past them instead. Although, for the red card incident he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or right place at the right time, depending on your perspective. Otherwise, Bacuna was OK without being exceptional. He tried to make things happen at least but rarely with any genuine threat. He needs to sharpen up with his shooting from distance as the chances he’s taking on are too often sailing miles over the crossbar.
Rolando Aarons – 5 out of 10
I think this was a game too many for him since his arrival and he looked subdued for most of the game. He’s got tricks and flicks in his locker but is still learning how and when to deploy them. On a couple of occasions he missed Toffolo’s overlapping run because he had his head down and was trying to do it all himself, which is fine when it works but sometimes a simple pass can be more effective than trying to take on two players on your own. I’m still excited to see him when he’s fully adjusted to our way of playing but yesterday wasn’t a vintage performance from him.
Fraizer Campbell – 3 out of 10
Continues to be the scapegoat for Town’s inability to score. The criticism feels a bit more justified for yesterday’s performance as he was not good. There was a wonderful opportunity to put us 2-0 moments before Stoke’s equaliser which would have most likely set Town on the path to victory. Disappointingly, he failed to even test the keeper with his header. I’d hoped this game would see a return to form for Campbell but instead it seemed his dip in form has plumbed new depths. The lack of experienced alternatives is hurting us as we’re running Campbell into the ground by playing him for 90 minutes in most games, which could be a factor in why he’s looking off the pace at the moment.
Isaac Mbenza – 5 out of 10
Seemed to spend most of the first half completely unmarked, which meant we regularly played him in with diagonal balls but he didn’t make these opportunities into anything much. He did do very well to draw players towards him before laying it back to Pipa for the goal though. I think we overly rely on Mbenza for creative spark and in the second half he seemed to run out of ideas when Stoke were sat back. He also seems reluctant to take on players and use his pace when attacking which is odd given how quick he can be.
Substitutes
Duane Holmes – 6 out of 10
Lively and showed for the ball regularly when he came on. He put in a couple of nice crosses and linked play up neatly. Looked like he was trying to avoid mistakes more than do anything spectacular which is fair enough for in his debut.
Kieran Phillips – 5 out of 10
Given fifteen minutes but spent most of that time stood around in the box while we messed around in midfield, so he had very little work to do.
Alex Pritchard – N/A
I’m not sure why we bother bringing him on from the bench as he doesn’t even look like he might produce something any more. Seems to be badly out of form and may benefit from a move elsewhere to rekindle his career as it’s not working for him at Town and Holmes’ arrival pushes him further down the pecking order.
I agree a typically frustrating afternoon! The comments are spot on, but you noticed Holmes far more than I did!!
My premonition at half-time was a 2-1 defeat, so the miracle of this match was Stoke’s inability to find the back of the net in the second half. The first twenty-three minutes were a joy to watch and then Keogh having already put his hand up to join the long list of pass-poor central defenders who have graced this team in recent seasons cemented his place with a dreadful pass that lead to a Sarr “moment,” a penalty and a goal; further passing misdemeanours, I counted at least five in total, confirmed his place, possibly at the top of said list. These were not examples of creative or imaginative passing but basic skills. ERG’s return cannot come soon enough, there seems to be little chance of him joining this club.
Stoke then provided the wall which we were unsurprisingly incapable of penetrating. Accurate passing and individual invention were required but not provided. Town are at their creative best when the game is played on a full-sized pitch, here almost clueless in the last third of a compacted arena.
I had thought Campbell’s scoring was inhibiting by his commendable closing down and ball chasing; in the second half, without this encumbrance, there were numerous opportunities, none taken, to find space, anticipate the run of the ball and control it. This is not to condemn Campbell but to demonstrate what he isn’t and what we are missing
Holmes came on and did a Pritchard, then Pritchard came on and also did a Pritchard – I hardly noticed either of them. Mbenza did little to protect the ball allowing numerous opponents to take it off him.
Given my disgust at the outcome, I am surprised to find myself writing: the original three in mid-field together with the fullbacks seemed the likelier problem solvers, but it was not to be.
A worrying theme is that we often start matches well, fail to significantly capitalize and ultimately descend into a frustrated lump.
I know we were watching the same match this week – just occasionally I wonder.
I totally agree with you that there were a few players who were truly awful yesterday. Keogh and Campbell, with Sarr, Mbenza and Aarons not far behind. If you have 5 players way off it, you’re going to need 2 or 3 players to be really on it. And Town had nobody really on it yesterday.
Dismal & depressing.
The main problem to me js the bench is just not strong enough.
As soon as players dropped injured we’ve been left exposed.
The youngsters just aren’t capable of stepping up at the moment, in defence they’ve not been strong enough, or get pushed off the ball too easy for goals and upfront they seem so far off the level I think its only going to sour them and the supporting fans.
I’m pretty sure there’s a decent 1st team but its going nowhere until a decent amount is spent on a striker.
Campbell puts himself about no doubt, but it’s like he’s playing a roll to feed others, and that’s not what’s needed when there’s a lack of goal threat.
Don’t get me started on his blatant diving.
I was horrified to see the link with the lad from Walsall, I’ve no problem taking young strikers who can do it lower down, someone with pace, tricks or ability to score plenty.
If you look at the clips of him, he is paceless and takes an age to get going.
The goals I’ve seen him score are the stuff of lower leagues and he looks a fair bit clumsy at times.
100% it’s not going to be the answer
As for Keogh there is a reason he was playing league 1, it’s his level.
I presume he’s a stop gap, but it’s our luck the chairman sees him as a cheap alternative to not giving Schindler a new contract and cutting the wage bill.
Whether Schindlers now required or not is another question, can he ever get back to the level he was when we signed him.
Does Schindler even need to get back to that level? Even without that, he is still head and shoulders above all his competitors in this team. He is a steadying influence who can be invaluable in developing young lads and sorting out Sarr’s rushes of blood.
As you say, our owner doesn’t want to pay his wages, some ‘influencers’ have chosen to follow that lead and we don’t really know how serious his injury might prove to be.
Looks like we can conclude he is on his way out of the club, another signpost on our disappointing journey to where this owner sees our destination.
john let me put you straight on one comment you have made ie schindler. town like most clubs are trying to cut there wage bill ie high earners it is nothing tomdo with so called cheap options it is the reality of the situation. im sure you havnt been on planet job these last twelve months. i have no idea who they may offer contracts too and your comment about the walsall lad ie he looks paceless and time to get going how the hell can you say that by watching clips. gooidness me dont let your standard drop to the level of datm.
Sorry must have been watching a different game to you to have given Toffolo same score as Holmes , never noticed the latter , Keogh shouldn’t have many score out of 10 , absolute disgraceful signing , same problems we have had for lt few years , let too many soft goals in & score too few , we never sort one or the other
how many years have we all been saying we cannot beat 10 men. it is different managers, players, coaches, owners. So why??? answers please.
many sides find it hard to beat ten men do you reallky watch football at all?
I think David Sykes is right that Town tend to struggle more than most teams against ten men. This current team are particularly bad in that situation because the opposition shut up shop and we have struggled all season against defensive teams. I genuinely believe we stood a better chance of winning against eleven men but would also have been more likely to lose as the game would have been more open.
(p.s. Please play nicely with other commenters, both of you comment regularly and intelligently about Town on here, so there’s no need to snipe if you disagree with someone.
The whole game yesterday turned when Campbell missed yet another gilt-edge chance…. a striker’s dream, provided yet again by Toffolo…. I m not surprised he’s hacked off, two outstanding crosses in two games, not converted… At 1 nil up and then a chance to go 2 up we would, in my opinion have gone on and scored more and put the game beyond Stoke…true, Keogh’s pass was woeful but he was excellent in the first two games and he’s a footballer… not a plank who lumps the ball into the stand at every opportunity…a canny signing on my opinion with Schindler sidelined…54 shots in our last three games and 3 goals says it all… if we play the great-to-watch, attacking football, it has to result in goals, as we will concede a few… just like Leeds did under Beilsa in the first season…
Campbell looks drained, slow and short of confidence.. his positional play for a striker is so poor it’s embarrassing… it’s got to be worth giving Phillips a go, we have nothing to lose…bring Campbell on when we need to shore things up and we re 2 or 3 ahead….
Think Campbell has played more than even he thought he was going to. Like the positive vibes Rich of bringing him on when 2 or 3 up, whoever you have in mind to get them ?. Head of recruitment only got eyes for wingers, when all town fans know we are short of a couple of named strikers and have been for seasons now. Perhaps Jordan was the last to find the back of the net regularly, but for one reason or another the hierarchy at the John Smith’s , with one transfer day to go do not agree with the fans about a striker. It maybe our downfall ?
Not sure which game you guys watched you seem to of missed Holmes make 2 delightful crosses that a pub striker would of done better at getting nearer than Campbell – though in his defence his energy his spent in some great pressing closing down – and at 33 a tough ask. And can we ban short passes because clearly O’Brien and most of our defence struggle to complete a 5 yarder nowt wrong with the long diagonals which even Keith can execute
I agree, Axeman, with your comments about Holmes. I was surprised to read just critical stuff from contributors to this blog. I was particularly watching him as I am one of the few who seem to think he is a good signing. Yes, as Terrier Spirit said, maybe at times he played it a bit safe but hard to criticise that on debut; but I didn’t see him misplace a pass and he put in probably the 2 best crosses of the second half which deserved someone getting on the end of. I didn’t say the 2 best crosses of the match as Toffolo’s first half cross right onto Campbell’s head must get pride of place. Very bad miss from Campbell.
But back to Holmes – I thought he did pretty well for his first half-hour back in a Town shirt; I hope he becomes a regular starter. As things stand, it would be Bacuna to make way for him and Bacuna can go back to being the proverbial ‘impact sub’.
For me, a striker is an essential signing. I can reserve judgement on Ward until we see more of him. Why not play Phillips from the start, he cannot be any worse than Campbell.
I thought Holmes did ok. Apart from the 2 gorgeous crosses, he also had a number of first touch passes and had good movement always making himself available. As he trains more with the team, I think we will be pleasantly surprised.
The defence????? We lost the game yesterday through Keogh and Sarr. We will not be signing any more defenders, so I cannot wait for REG to recover.
Also, I think that there is a lot of unfair criticism of Phil. This man has a vision for the club, has put the foundations for success in place and is gradually transitioning the Club. This takes time and is made more difficult because of Covid and football finances. I think that Phil and the Board are well aware of how to do this within our means. I think that our fan base need to be patient. We are not being relegated this season despite our weaknesses. We will improve the squad in the summer, we will have a full pre season. Next year, I anticipate that we will be the fittest team, less injuries, more consistency, many more points and pressing for promotion.
Just get a striker before the deadline closes PLEASE
Mike, if you will sign in blood your statement that “we are not being relegated this season”, you’ve sold it to me. If I had that degree of certainty, I’d happily sacrifice the signing of a striker now, struggle along to the end of the season and then regroup & reassess. I genuinely don’t share your confidence. This is a side that hasn’t won throughout January and quite capable of not winning during February too! Apart from the second half against Bristol City and the first 20mins yesterday, Town have been woeful. Shipping laughable goals at one end, not scoring at the other. This could very quickly turn into a relegation battle. If Town are relegated from the position we were in at the beginning of 2021, then they have brought it on themselves. We have had opportunities to plug gaps during the transfer window and the most glaring gap at centre forward has not been filled. A leaky defence and a forward line that can’t score spells trouble to me.
Simon, I am always the optimist. I don’t think that CC has or will lose the dressing room. My judgement is based on the assumption that we will have more competent defenders back sometime during March, Koroma back around then, Holmes being a positive influence, O’Brien gradually getting better and hopefully no further injuries. I would feel far more comfortable however if we got a striker this window. I just believe there are more than 3 teams worse than us in the league. We probably need 5 or 6 more wins from 19 games. I think we can do that.
The criticism of Campbell is fair but until he has competition (Phillips and sicknote Ward are not the immediate answer) then it is unlikely things will change. It will be interesting to see what the front three line up like when Koroma is fit again but any club looking for success needs more than one striker to rely on, and I fear the step up from Irish football to the Championship is too big for Danny Grant as well as the kid we bought from Boreham Wood.
Basically Carlos’s style of play and coaching is wrong for Huddersfield. If your fullbacks are always in the opposing penalty box who is supposed to be defending? You can’t expect midfielders to be always there to step in when they’re supposed to be up the other end attacking as well. His training methods have decimated the Town squad, especially the older players (but young ones like Koroma as well), and it’s no good saying he’s a good coach if his methods have injured all the main experienced squad members and he can hardly put out a team. If he was at a club with a massive squad of experienced players it would probably work but at Town the squad is paper thin. Also playing out from the back with the class of players that Town have just doesn’t work either as they don’t have the quality. Hence mistakes by Schofield, Stearman, Keogh etc. have led to goals and the highest goals against except for Wickham.
Wow! That’s a really interesting comment from John. Everyone is normally keen to support Carlos so this is a different slant on things.
Very well argued too. The only comment I can make is one of cause & effect. I’m not totally convinced that it’s the demands of the training regime that has brought about all the injuries. Just focusing on 2 in particular – Schindler & Koroma – they’re vivid in my mind as I watched the matches. They were both as a consequence of awkward falls whilst running at speed. How can you attribute those injuries to Carlos and his training programme? Or take Hogg – he has an ongoing weakness with a hip, it was there well before Carlos, so it seems harsh to level the reoccurrence on the training regime.
So I’m tempted to say that the bad run of injuries may just be bad luck.
I know it’s sacrilege to criticise Carlos but he is a bit of a “one trick pony” and he doesn’t seem to have a plan B (like putting your foot through the ball as the Keogh’s of this world were used to doing!). As to the injuries, if you are working at the limit of your physical strengths, anything over and above that is likely to break something. The injuries that you mention could be bad luck but there are so many of them is it not likely that these players bodies were already close to breaking point and the stresses in match playing conditions were just too much.
I have to agree with John Holmes. I made the very same point several weeks ago that CC has to take some responsibility for breaking the players.
And on Campbell reprinted from elsewhere to which I am in total agreement:
“Yesterday West Brom played Fulham and on their showing, Town are better than either of them. Also on show were two of the top (alleged!) strikers. Mitrovic and Karlan Grant. The last time Mitrovic scored for Fulham was 19/9/2020, 20 matches ago. Grant has only scored one, 13 matches ago. Before anyone criticises Campbell they should look around and see who has done better. Campbell has run himself into the ground for Town this season and without him they would not be doing as well as they have. Yes he may have missed a couple but so have everyone else so give him a break – which is more than Town have done this season.”