The player I think Carlos Corberán will transform this season at Huddersfield Town 

Juninho Bacuna. I could be wrong but I think this could be the breakthrough season for the young man with the ever-changing hair colour. 

Bacuna arrived in the summer in the middle of Town’s two seasons in the Premier League. He’s definitely not one of the signings you would point to as bad business (he’s one of the few decent signings from that period) but I still don’t think we’ve seen the best of him. 

Here’s why I think he’s due to have a big season for Town if he makes a few adjustments to his game. 

Bacuna’s strengths 

It’s not hard to think of Bacuna’s strengths, he’s got skill on the ball that looks natural and effortless but is usually the result of hard work and practise. With the ball at his feet he’s capable of dazzling opponents and pulling off a bit of skill that gets him out of tight situations. 

Bacuna’s also one of the few players in the squad with an eye for goal. Only Karlan Grant and Steve Mounié scored more than Bacuna last season. And he was slightly unlucky to not win goal of the season for his incredible strike against Charlton at home. 

One of the things I like most about Bacuna is his ability to make things happen. In a team that didn’t have much creativity he was often able to break through the lines and create openings.

Finally, his set pieces can be devastating when he gets it right. He can whip free kicks into the box which become impossible to defend because of the speed, curl and placement of the ball. He could be more consistent in this area but when he gets it right he’s a joy to watch. 

Things that Bacuna need to work on this season

The strengths listed above should be enough to make him the first name on the team sheet but he also has significant weaknesses that hold him back. 

Discipline is the most obvious issue for Bacuna. Despite often playing higher up the pitch, he has a tendency to get booked and was sent of toward the end of last season for a completely stupid foul.

Obviously we all want to see players with fire in their bellies but Juninho has a temper that he struggles to contain. If he can control and channel this aggression it could be an asset to him but currently he looks like a liability when something upsets him on the pitch and he flies into challenges with his studs up. 

Bacuna needs to work more on his discipline in a broader sense too. He’s brilliant in moments but can lose concentration in games and lacks awareness of what’s going on around him. 

If Bacuna is to nail down a role in central midfield he needs to understand when to bomb forward and when to hold back. Carlos Corberán’s new tactical approach gives each player very clear responsibilities on the pitch and this should help Bacuna to make better decisions in matches in terms of his positioning. 

The final thing I’d like to see Bacuna improve is his tendency to showboat. I love to see this kind of thing in the final third of the pitch when trying to break open the opposition defence. Not so much when you’re the last defender and under pressure. 

Bacuna has the tendency to start messing around with the ball in dangerous areas. It’s great when it comes off but often it doesn’t and leads to chances for the other team. 

All of the issues I’ve listed above are easily fixed and often come with maturity. Bacuna is still only 23 years old but it’s looking like he’ll be one of our more experienced players this coming season, that could help him to become more of a leader on the pitch and cut out the poor decisions. 

A settled position 

Bacuna was a utility player for Town last season. He played in central midfield, the number 10 role, left wing, right wing and right back. It was useful to the team to have a player that could be dropped in to several positions and do a job for the team. 

However, I’m not so sure it’s good for Bacuna’s career to not have an obvious best position. Not getting a run in the team in one position on the field meant that he hasn’t been able to specialise and ends up with him falling down the pecking order. 

Despite playing 40 games for Town last season he was never the first choice for any position on the pitch. For Bacuna to progress he needs to be given a role and not shunted about so much. 

I’m not confident that Bacuna will get this settled position though as he’s already been moved about in the preseason games, starting on the left wing against Manchester United then moved into midfield later in the game. 

What is Bacuna’s best position? 

Bacuna was signed as central midfielder and I still think that is his best position. He’s less of a liability out on the wings because mistakes made in those areas don’t cost the team as much but he’s not a natural winger. 

There were a few games last season where Bacuna looked decent in the right back position but that was mainly because he was so attacking and made some great dribbles from deep positions. I don’t think he’s got the defensive mentality to excel in this area of the pitch. 

If Bacuna plays in one of the two attacking midfield slots in the 4-3-3 system he will have licence to get forward and support the attacking players and be in the right area of the pitch to use his passing ability, silky skills and energetic running to good use. 

Town’s best midfield three based on the current squad would be Hogg as the defensive base with O’Brien and Bacuna playing in front of him. I think these three compliment each other nicely and it could become the engine room of an effective Championship team.

Danny Cowley said of Bacuna last season that he can go as far as he wants to in the game. Which sounded like a compliment but really he was saying that Bacuna’s biggest enemy is himself. If Carlos Corberán can help him reach his full potential we should see him have a great season for Town.