Predicted Huddersfield Town XI to take on Stockport

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 continuing to be a safe pair of hands, literally, and Owen Goodman blundering again on Tuesday night at Harrogate, there’s no doubt that Nicholls is the best choice in goals at the moment. With an “adventurous” keeper like Goodman, you have to gain more from his risky play than it costs us but currently we’re mostly seeing the downsides of his style. Nicholls may not be the best with the ball at his feet but he’s got over a decade of experience which helps him to realise when a pass isn’t on. While Goodman is the better passer of the two, he’s not as good as he thinks he is and while that’s the case he’ll keep on trying and failing with these Hollywood passes that go straight to opposition players. 

Defenders: Sorensen, Feeney, Low, Roosken

Lynden Gooch played around an hour of the Harrogate game, so is close to fitness but I think this game will come too soon for him. When he’s fully fit he will give Lee Grant a tricky choice, as Sorensen has improved after getting a regular run of games. He still has his flaws but they have been better masked lately and his all round play has been much improved. Saying that, I’d probably still put Gooch in if he were fit. 

Feeney and Low have been our best central defensive partnership so far this season. If Whatmough was fit, there could be an argument for his experience being useful but Feeney and Low play with more maturity than their ages suggest and I’m glad to see them developing a relationship. 

Ruben Roosken hasn’t impressed fans this season, particularly when played as a winger but Lee Grant must like him because he has consistently picked him and I think he’ll do the same for this game. I’d perhaps prefer Roughan because he’s more defensively solid but he’s also been erratic with his form, so can’t complain about dropping out of the league starting eleven. 

Midfield: Kasumu & Ledson

We’re down to the bare bones in central midfield at the moment so it’s similar to the meal options I was given to choose from as a child: Ledson and Kasumu or nothing. Though Ledson and Kasumu are a capable pairing and should be able to win the majority of midfield battles at this level. Oli Norwood will be a threat for Stockport, so it’ll be interesting to see who picks him up and how effective they are at stemming the flow of passes. 

Attackers: Harness, Wiles, Castledine 

This trio all feels a bit too similar to each other and there’s a risk of them stepping on each other’s toes if both wingers are cutting inside all the time. That said, we created a bucket load of chances against Exeter last weekend with this selection of attackers, so it worked well enough in that game. While Castledine was the only one of these three to finish a chance (with another brilliant strike), both Harness and Wiles should have scored too. In fact, Wiles should have had a hat trick last weekend, so I’d like to see him at least working the keeper today if he gets into a shooting position. Marcus Harness could also do with a goal, as he’s yet to score in the league or from open play. He does a lot of other work for the team other than scoring but we could do with him being a regular source of goals too. 

Striker: Alfie May

Joe Taylor started against Harrogate on Tuesday, so I think he’s likely to make way for May today as May is the fresher of the two. May is another player that needs a goal to give him a boost. He’s not scored as many as you’d expect him to but he has been played out of position or had to come off the bench a lot, so it’s understandable he’s not in a rhythm. I’d like to see him given a good run as first choice as the main striker. He’s proven over the last few years that he scores regularly when given the chance. Then Taylor can be the one coming on later on in games to make an impact against tired legs.