Huddersfield Town take on Luton later today in a key game for the Terrier’s season. A win could steady the ship after our recent poor run, a defeat could spark even more fan outrage after a transfer deadline day which left many fans feeling like the sky was falling in.
The good news for this game is that Carlos has some genuine selection headaches after weeks of the team more or less picking itself due to there being so few available senior players. January acquisitions Keogh, Aarons and Holmes are all potential starters and Hogg is due to return from injury too.
Here’s who I would pick for today’s game…
Goalkeeper: Schofield
Despite Town signing Jayson Somebodyorother on deadline day, we’re almost certain to keep Schofield in nets for now. The signing of an experienced keeper was more of an insurance policy rather than actual competition for the number one jersey. I’ve seen a few critical comments about Schofield lately but I think he’s been mostly OK in recent games. He’s also been less busy as the defence has looked to pass back a lot less since Vallejo sold Schofield short in the Watford game.
Defence: Pipa, Keogh, Sarr, Toffolo
Richard Stearman and Christopher Schindler are both apparently getting closer to being back in the first team picture but for now we’ve only got Keogh and Sarr as viable central defensive options.
I hope that these two centre backs show they’ve learned from their mistakes last weekend and don’t take silly risks when in possession. I understand wanting to play our from the back and pass short but some of our decision-making at the back borders on suicidal and frequently leads to coughing up possession to the opposition in dangerous areas. These basic errors are, in my eyes, our biggest issue at the moment. While we might look a bit toothless up front, we’re tending to score in most games but often those goals aren’t enough because of our leaky defence.
Pipa and Toffolo have both looked more positive in recent games and I hope that continues today. Our fullbacks were the most creative players in the early part of the season but have been pinned back in many games lately. Bombing forward from these areas really helps when building attacks as forwards frequently fail to track the runs and it creates overloads, so it would be nice to see more of that sort of thing.
Midfield: Hogg, Vallejo, Holmes
One of the midfield slots for today is already locked in as Corberán confirmed Hogg is not only fit again but will start in this game. His new two-year contract will no doubt add a spring to his step and he’ll bring some steel to our central midfield area. I’m pleased that Hoggy was given a new deal but was surprised he was given more than a one year extension. His recurring hip problem has kept him out of quite a few games already this season, so I’m not sure how many games we’ll be able to expect from him in two years’ time.
Vallejo was signed as Hogg’s understudy but I would be tempted to play them alongside each other. I’ve been more impressed with Vallejo when he’s further up the field and he looks a little bit shaky with the defensive side of the defensive midfielder role, so playing a little further forward would allow him to deploy his long-range passes in more dangerous parts of the pitch.
The furthest forward of the midfield triangle should be Duane Holmes. With two more defensive midfielders behind him he will then have the freedom to drive forward and create opportunities for the forwards.
Forwards: Bacuna, Mbenza, O’Brien
I’m going a bit off piste with my predicted forwards lineup. Both Campbell and Aarons failed to impress against Stoke and would, in my opinion, benefit from being benched and brought on in the second half when the Luton defence are tiring. My thinking behind this slightly odd lineup is that we currently have a glut of first team midfield players and a shortage of forwards, so Bacuna and O’Brien can play further up the field, either side of Mbenza in a fluent forward line that would allow Holmes to get forward and interchange with any of these three.
O’Brien on the left would allow Toffolo to raid forward without worry because there’s already that good understanding between the two of them that would see O’Brien drop in when Toffolo makes runs into the box. Bacuna is perhaps less reliable but has played as a rightback enough to be able to deputise for Pipa too.
Mbenza isn’t really a proper striker but he could occupy that area of the field and then drop off into other positions while the other attacking players interchange and make runs into the box themselves. It might leave us a bit lightweight in front of goal but it might be an interesting experiment that allows Campbell to be rested without having to risk the untested Phillips from the start.
I’m a little confused. This is YOUR starting XI; I thought in the past you’ve been trying to predict Carlos’ starting XI?
If this is the former, I like your thinking. If it’s the latter, er, not a cat in hell’s chance of that midfield/forward line-up.
Now you mention it, this week I’ve written this article more like I’m the manager rather than what I think Carlos will choose. Not an intentional decision but just what I wanted to write about.
If I was trying to pick the most likely lineup for this afternoon, I’d guess Hogg would come in for Vallejo and Holmes for Bacuna. Though Vallejo did the press conference yesterday which might suggest he’s playing. And Bacuna has had a bit of an upturn in form lately.
The goalkeeper, defence and defensive midfield feels pretty obvious but the attacking midfield and forwards are trickier to predict. We’ll have to see at three o’clock.
Tinker man TerrierSpirit? Interesting but try this. Go with your back five if only for continuity. Hoggy the coach says starts give him O’Brien and Vallejo and continuing with Mbenza and Aarons on the wing. I can hear the boring minds grinding away so here is my Trump card. In at nine replacing Campbell, Dwayne Holmes. In modern speak i suppose a false 9 for me a deep lying one who can come forward at will and with freedom. Then watch the goals flow. A repeat of the 1961 bonanza at Kenilworth Road when we came out the right side of a seven goal thriller could be on the cards. From TerrierMirren a happy Saturday to all Town fans.
Now that’s called thinking outside the box, David. Love it!
Yes I could see that team turning out but I want O’Brien box to box through the middle with Hogg & Vallejo, up front Campbell, Holmes & Mbenza back four & keeper as yours, I think with this midfield is a tight aggressive group with a player in there to spread the ball about & up front the three can play narrow allowing our left/right backs to produce the width, try playing them through the middle & if it doesn’t work plan B wingers & extra striker
What’s happened to Campbell then, you need him up there to play off. Is he injured ?
The majority view, Steve, seems like it’s “Campbell needs a rest”. (putting it kindly)
Yes Simon he probably does, but is Luton the right place to start. He needed a rest last week and the week before that etc.
Is the majority decision just Simon and the Terrier then , putting it bluntly.
….and David. Not forgetting that the Terrier, as chair & host, in the event of a tie gets the casting vote.
The back 5 pick themselves. Knowing Carlos he won’t change much. Midfield will still be O’Brien and Hogg with the addition of Holmes. The front 3 won’t change, Mbenza, Campbell and Aarons
I’m afraid you’ll be proved right, John. That front 3 were collectively worse than bad last time out so they ought to all feel very fortunate if they all get another go from the start this week.
They say a week is a long time in politics; let’s hope it’s also a long time in football and we see something very different from last week.
My team today would be to make better use of our best attacking option and that’s the 2 full backs. That means playing 3 at the back (Vallejo is my third to join Keogh & Sarr), Pipa & Toffolo given more freedom to get forward. Hogg in holding midfield plus Holmes & O’Brien buzzing about, 2 up front being Bacuna & Mbenza, fluid, swapping about, and as suggested by David (above), the likes of Holmes & O’Brien getting up there into the box. Most players like scoring goals but I think it gives Bacuna special pleasure, so let’s give him a bit more licence to get into the box.
‘Might leave us a bit lightweight in front of goal’. Never a truer word.
I think it would be interesting to consider who “needs a rest” first and foremost – if a player is jaded then he will not perform at his best. Campbell is the obvious choce but there is noone to really fill his boots right now – and I think you need square pegs in sqare holes. Toffolo is another that is not firing on all cylinders, but Jaden Brown would not be a popular choice unless Toffs was injured. Then lets look at those who are out of form – Keogh is not fit to wear the shirt, and Schofield is not as impressive as he was when Hamer was still here. She here we go – Schofield retains the shirt as he is the most viable option. Pipa, Vallejo, Sarr and Brown at the back. That leaves room for Hogg’s return, alongside O’Brien, Holmes in midfield. Aarons and Mbenza on each flank and 45 minutes each for Bacuna and Campbell with Campbell coming on fresh at half time.
As I thought, Carlos doesn’t like to change much. Hogg back. Holmes in. The only difference to what I thought is that Aarons is on the bench leaving Bacuna to alternate with Holmes on the wing or midfield.
Whos up for League 1.
The chairman and board are about to reap what they have sown.
Got to feel for the coach, was going to say manager but that would probably be doing him a miss service.
Better second half, dont look composed in defence for me.
Enjoyed the attacking intent but ball not dropped in the area for us.
I think Toffs slipped but his foot was in a high position as it went in.
Aarons dribble into the area was nice to see, and I think Pritch did ok after coming on
Probably as bad a performance I have seen all season so how we scraped a draw is a miracle. That is normally the sign of a good side and not a team in a relegation battle. Despite his equaliser, Sarr is a liability at the back whenever he has the ball at his feet. Toffolo put numerous balls into the box and never found a Town player but at least he will get a much needed rest now. Holmes is exactly the same player that left the club, he looks good when in space but will lose every physical challenge. Campbell was invisible again. Positives – Pritchard looked lively when he came on and I don’t think I ever said that before. As a side note – awful pitch, awful stadium and 30 watt energy saving bulbs in the floodlights. And what on earth does “keeping him honest” mean in the commentary????? Rant over
I must question how many Town matches you’ve seen this season, Ian, particularly since Christmas? If that was “as bad a performance as (you’ve) seen all season” then you’re a lucky chappy. I thought Town weren’t great but they weren’t awful such as they were for most of the Stoke match and all of the Millwall match to name but two.
With Sarr, you get what it says on the tin – we’ve been told by Charlton fans that he’s capable of excellence but does spoil it by daft mistakes. That’s what we’ve had to date and it’s what we got today. A real curate’s egg. But for the howler giving away the goal, he would otherwise have been my Man of the Match.
For me, Man of the Match was Hoggy. So good to have him back – tackling, talking, prompting. A real captain’s performance.
There were the usual suspects who just aren’t doing it. Campbell, Bacuna, Mbenza and O’Brien were all indifferent-to-poor. We simply must find a ‘free agent’ striker but what’s new?
At the back, Schofield continues to look like a disaster waiting to happen – he didn’t have one today but at times his distribution left a lot to be desired, he rarely comes for a cross and take command of situations, not what I want from my ‘keeper.
Both full backs did well, particularly Toffolo. Keogh looked a good deal more assured now he’s learned his lesson that his first job is to defend and not to try ambitious creative passing.
I thought Holmes did ok; not great but ok. I was pleased that the 2 subs, Aarons & Pritchard, both made an impact on a much-improved second half performance.
Obviously I’d have preferred 3 points but I’ll settle for one. We did live dangerously despite having two-thirds possession and looking back, you have to say we could have easily been 2-0 or 3-0 down at half time and the match gone.
So it seems you agree with Sarr being a liability with his (quote) “silly mistakes” and (quote) “for the howler” – and I did say when the ball was at his feet. You also agree with the (quote) “usual suspect” Campbell. I think (quote) “Holmes did ok; not great but ok” pretty much aligns with what I said. We do disagree on Toffolo and if you can tell me what % of his balls into the box found a Town player, and you think that he (quote) “did well”, then you have very low standards. And if you think having two thirds possession and (quote) ” we could have easily been 2-0 or 3-0 down at half time and the match gone” represents a good performance then my mind boggles.
I don’t think I said it was “a good performance”, Ian; merely it certainly wasn’t the worst I’ve seen this season.
Town have proved many times this season that it’s possible to have loads of the ball but do nothing with it. The first half today was a good example; 64% possession to produce 2 off-target shots. Better in the second half.
Anyway, you thought it was top-of-the-tree in badness; that’s fair enough; I thought it wasn’t great, but not by any means the worst. No matter – either way it’s a point.