Predicted Huddersfield Town XI to take on Barnsley

When the fixtures came out my eyes immediately darted towards the Boxing Day game and I remember thinking that an away game at Barnsley was an excellent fixture and felt optimistic that fans might be allowed back in by then. So it’s going to feel bitter sweet to tune into the stream on iFollow instead of making the journey to Oakwell myself. I’m glad I’ll be able to watch the game but it won’t be the same as being in the stands, smelling the newly gifted Lynx Africa and watching turkey sandwiches being stuffed into gobs.

Obviously the world faces greater hardships than football fans not being able to watch games from inside crowded stadia but it’s still sad we can’t all come together to watch our team in person. Hopefully the roll out of the vaccine next year will see fans getting back in and we can experience the real thing again instead of the shallow imitation of watching on a screen.

Anyway, back to the point of this post, here’s how I think Town will line up against Barnsley today. It’ll be a tough game against a team with similar qualities to our own.

Goalkeeper: Schofield

Carlos was a bit vague about Hamer’s current injury situation. He’s back training again and in theory could play but isn’t 100% fit. Given that Schofield had his best game of his Town career so far against Watford (described as a “worldie” performance by Ben Foster) he should start if there’s even a shadow of a doubt about Hamer’s fitness. Corberán has a welcome selection headache in this area of the pitch now with two viable options. I don’t mind which is chosen really but the fact Schofield is a keeper for the future as well as the present makes me hope he keeps the gloves for a while.

Defence: Pipa, Edmonds-Green, Sarr, Toffolo

With the rare luxury of not playing in midweek, we should be able to play our best available defence today. The way Edmonds-Green has played so far you could argue its our best back four full stop. That would be harsh on Schindler and Stearman possibly but Edmonds-Green looks better suited to the possession-based football we now play. He might not have the defensive steel of the more experienced pair that are currently injured but he’s so comfortable on the ball and is making us slightly less reliant on Naby Sarr to carry the ball out of defense.

Toffolo and Pipa are arguably the best fullback pairing in the league, nevermind in Town’s squad, so must surely start today. The lack of first-team quality options in these positions as backup might be an area the club want to address in the upcoming transfer window but priorities elsewhere might take precedence.

Midfield: Hogg, O’Brien, Pritchard, Bacuna

The only change I think we’ll make from the Watford game is to drop Eiting in favour of Pritchard. For reasons I don’t understand, Eiting’s performance levels have dropped off a cliff this last few games and he’s tended to jog around in the middle of the park while the game passes him by. Pritchard might not be the answer but I’d like to see him given the role at the point of a midfield diamond.

Bacuna has frustrated most fans this season but he did manage one of his most disciplined and effective performances against Watford so I’d stick with him today. He’s had the odd situation of playing most games but getting shunted into all sorts of positions on the field. Left back and centre back are the only outfield positions he’s yet to play and you could argue he’s a victim of his own versatility. That would, however, overlook how he has sabotaged himself and his team with his ridiculous decision making and infuriating tendency to overdo things. It wouldn’t stun me to see him leave the club in January but for now he deserves a chance to show some consistency and potentially save his Huddersfield Town career.

Hogg and O’Brien are now just about playing at a level where their selection is inevitable if they are fit. O’Brien isn’t quite at the standard he set last season but I’d still want him in the team ahead of any of the alternatives. Hogg had a fair few doubters earlier in the season but his recent form has been superb. While still fundamentally the same kind of player, he’s adapted his game to better suit the way we now play. It really shows when he doesn’t play as we tend to become very fragile and disorganised at the back.

Forwards: Mbenza and Campbell

Mbenza and Diakhaby are the only two fit wingers and Carlos has previously said he is committed to playing a 4-3-3 system. So it gives an insight into the Head Coach’s opinion of Diakhaby when he would rather change his whole formation rather than play Diakhaby from the start. With the winger’s contract running out in the summer and no reasonable prospect of him getting a new deal, the kindest thing would be to allow him to look for a new club in January, possibly on an initial loan so he can try to rebuild his career in a new environment. Who will take him is another matter but I can imagine a return to France may be on the cards.

Mbenza has really impressed this season and today will be another chance for him to continue his journey from outcast to key player in less than six months. Without Koroma we really rely on Mbenza to bring a bit of spark and creativity to our front line.

Another player that has had his doubters this year has been Fraizer Campbell. His work rate is unquestionable (the same can be said for the work he does in the community too, he’s a great example to the younger players) but the goals haven’t flowed for him this season despite his current tally of four surpassing the three he bagged last season. Being a bit more selfish in the box could help him and looking to attack the spaces when balls are coming in rather than making those selfless runs to draw away defenders.

Danny Grant has signed for Town and I’m guessing he’ll be getting his body used to the strain of training and matches for the first month or two he’s in Huddersfield. I know a lot of fans will call for his immediate call up to the starting lineup but all the noises from the player, coaches and executives are that he’ll have to prove himself in the B Team before he stands a chance of playing in the Championship. He’s a promising player but it could be a while before he’s pushing for a spot in the team. (Or not if he does well with the step up to this level, we’ll have to wait and see.)