In December last year our home game against Brighton was classed as a “must-win” match by some. This was despite the fact we were less than half-way through the season and Town were comfortably outside the relegation zone at the time. Since that game fans and pundits have regularly debated whether games are “must win” or not.
In my eyes, this weekend’s game against Watford is the first game that could potentially be classed as a game Town have to win. There’s still arguments against using such hyperbolic language, but I thought it was having a quick look at whether it is a must-win game or not.
Why Saturday’s game could be classed as “must-win”
Huddersfield Town have five games left this season, after the Watford match we play Everton, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal. When the fixtures came out last season I remember thinking that Town will need to have accumulated enough points before our final four games, as it’s quite likely we’ll lose every one of these games.
So losing to Watford will leave Town on 32 points with four difficult games remaining. No team has managed to stay in the Premier League with such a low points total since the league moved to the 20-team format in 1996. So the Watford game represents Town’s best chance of the remaining games to get some more points and go up the table.
If Town lose to Watford then we’ll still be clear of the relegation zone, but our tricky run in will mean the teams below us will have plenty of opportunities to gain ground on us in the final few games.
Why Watford at home shouldn’t be called a “must-win” game
In my mind a must-win game is the equivalent of a cup match, you really have to win if you want to stay in contention. So the Watford game isn’t the final nail in the coffin, and Town’s survival hopes will still be alive if we lose. We’ll have four more chances to get points.
I mentioned how hard our run in was earlier, but it’s worth remembering that Arsenal, Everton and even Chelsea have looked poor at times this season. Also, Manchester City will have comfortably won the league by the time we play them and will probably have the distraction of lifting the Premier League trophy after the game to take focus away from the match itself.
As well as our run in looking slightly less intimidation, the teams below us are in poor form. West Brom are already certain to go down, while Stoke and Southampton are both on losing streaks and look low in confidence. If they continue their current form then Town may only need a handful more points to finish above them.
TerrierSpirit.com opinion: It’s still not a must-win game
If Town fail to pick up three points on Saturday it’ll be a major blow to our survival hopes but we won’t be out of the fight, or even in the relegation zone. We’ll certainly have a big task ahead of us to stay in the Premier League but there’ll be other opportunities to pick up the points we need, so we’ll cope if Watford get something out of the game.
Calling games “must win” is a term that gets used more and more these days, mostly by journalists who want to increase hype. For Town fans, and more importantly the players, it puts too much pressure on a game to say we have to win it when we don’t.
I think it’s more accurate to call it a pivotal game, as the direction of the rest of our season will be defined by what happens in this match. A win puts us in a strong position and puts all the pressure on the teams below us. A draw or a defeat leaves Town with a lot to do in their remaining four games.
I entirely agree with your article today,but I still feel hopeful that safety is achievable, as long as DW does not place the emphasis on the team’s defense. After having seen an attack- minded display on a few occasions this season it seems quite obvious to me that they are a much better outfit when trying to seek out a goal, better for the team,..and better for the supporters!. As it stands, I believe their defense is in most cases quite adequate. Granted, there will be the occasional lapse but this can generally be found with most teams. If they can produce a system of quick one-two’s within the penalty area, like Manchester City, then I believe they could offer much improvement.
It’s an important game. I agree it’s not a ‘must win’. The Arsenal game may turn out to be just that so it’s important to save the term for when it’s really required. I’m uneasy about those pushing for a gung-Ho approach. I was at Arsenal and saw what can happen when we press forward without enough regard for midfield cover in the event of a counter-attack. I was also at Brighton when we were nearly caught out in the first minute for the same reason. Luckily we got away with it on that occasion, learned our lesson and didn’t make the same mistake again. More of the same – Home and away – will see us stay up this season.