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Sunday was the step back. Can Warnock’s boys stop us taking the next one forward?

Sunday was the step back. Can Warnock’s boys stop us taking the next one forward?

15th March 2023 By Andy Head 10 Comments

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Well, having endured the one step back that this squad Ioves to provide, we can probably expect the two steps forward that they also enjoy teasing us with.

Huddersfield are an absolute mess at the moment. With a transfer embargo, potential administration, and Neil Warnock having put down his jigsaws and Werthers Originals to try and steady a sinking ship, on paper they should be there for the taking.

But this is Norwich.

Warnock has won just one of his five matches in charge (the first) and suffered back-to-back 4-0 thumpings away at Burnley (understandably) and then at home to Coventry, and are coming off a 1-0 away defeat to West Brom on Saturday.

The formation has chopped and changed between 4-2-3-1 and 3-5-2 as Warnock searches for a winning formula, which likewise, has seen a revolving door of starters and subs.

In goal, he’s tried 20-year-old Nicholas Bilokapic but then dropped him after the two 4-0s for Czech international Tomas Vaclik, who subsequently kept a clean sheet against Bristol City. His pedigree is impressive and he’ll be a barrier.

At left-back, former Oxford player Josh Ruffels is generally the solid dependable starter, but 21-year-old Jaheim Headley has had a couple of recent starts and is a strong, direct option.

At right-back, former Luton centre-back Matty Pearson has started the last couple of games. If Warnock wants a more attacking option, he has Matthew Lowton on loan from Burnley or youngster Rarmani Edmonds-Green, but I’d be surprised if Onel Hernandez or Christos Tzolis coming over the horizon prompts Warnock to get too adventurous.

Tom Lees and Michael Helik provide an experienced but slow centre-back pairing that could be exploited on the deck. If they do go to a back three with Pearson dropping in, I’m not sure that solves the problem either.

In midfield, Jonathan Hogg is there, in the same way that the grass is always there. He’ll probably still be there until he looks like Warnock. He’s accompanied by Jack Rudoni, a prodigy purchased from AFC Wimbledon in the summer who can be a threat in the final third. Other options are 19-year-old French anchor man Etienne Camara and academy graduate Scott High.

In the attacking areas, Josh Koroma is a quick and tricky winger who can also play down the middle, while Ben Jackson, a 22-year-old academy graduate, is a left-back who Warnock has converted into a winger.

Watford loanee Joseph Hungbo is a powerful option in all of the forward areas and the current player of the month for the Terriers. And David Kasumu is another young player with a touch of pace and dynamism about him that can cause problems with the right service.

Up front, Danny Ward is the long-serving Robin to Hogg’s Batman, and is a hard-working, if technically moribund striker of great experience. The other option is loan signing Martyn Waghorn, a player whom City fans would love to see fail miserably, which probably means he’ll score.

Huddersfield are not bottom of the table for no reason. Apart from their off-field shenanigans, the squad is a combination of very young, inexperienced academy graduates, and a few old-timers and loanees with very few, if any, players in their prime.

The results have been poor, with Warnock the third manager of the season and all signs indicating that he’s there to calmly manage the descent into League One while trying to ignore the noise surrounding the ongoing financial mess.

We really should be smashing this one.


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Filed Under: Andy Head, Column

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Comments

  1. Bruce+Wallis says

    15th March 2023 at 8:37 am

    Unfortunately it’s teams like this, especially when wound up by Warnock, that spring a surprise on Norwich.
    Park the bus, then break out and score whilst the Norwich defence is having its customary doze!!

    Reply
    • Gary Gowers says

      15th March 2023 at 8:50 am

      Alas, hard to find a single flaw in that argument, Bruce. 😀

      Reply
  2. Bernard Owen says

    15th March 2023 at 9:22 am

    ACN anybody,
    Norwich have won the last four games against Huddersfield. Huddersfield haven’t scored for four games.
    Nuff said.

    Reply
  3. Herr+Cutz says

    15th March 2023 at 9:56 am

    Colin will be Huddersfield‘s 12th man the pitch, every kick every tackle he‘ll be there, and in the refs face for everything he dislikes which is most things. The old warhorse will use every trick in the book so it will be a tough no holds barred game, City should win and if we get the first goal we could get a hat full but we might be battered into a draw. Might leave us short on legs for Saturday‘s game though.

    Reply
  4. 1x2 says

    15th March 2023 at 10:00 am

    I have seen their games highlights and based on those they are a team which can create 1 or 2 scoring chances, the way they use those are very low level. In their last game they lost to WBA thanks to idiotic penalty. WBA looked surprisingly bad in that game or Hudds made them look bad. Norwich results against bottom half clubs have been very good, Hudds is desperate to get points and does not look like a team which has given up. 1 thing is sure, you will win the ball possession.

    Reply
  5. AlexB says

    15th March 2023 at 10:29 am

    Well, after watching Blackpool V QPR last night, anything is possible, 3 -0 up after 15mins the first being a penalty after 45seconds.

    Mccarthy like Warnock hasn’t changed his style of play or ideas since his time at Ipshite so there’s enough people that would warned Gareth Ainsworth what to expect and the same goes for our game at Huddersfield tonight.

    A number of our squad are playing for their futures others are out injured and will be hoping the club is magnanimous in their thinking as they’re out of Contract this summer too.

    Wagner will have to stick with ones he thinks he can improve and twist with those surplus to requirements and hope he gets it right plus use any pennies wisely for a tilt at promotion next season if the unexpected doesn’t happen this.

    Stoke stung Middlesbrough last night taking a point and Millwall consolidated a playoff position for now and Blackburn looks a shoe in so are we looking to snatch the last top 6 position for a glorified end of season or an undignified failure only time will tell

    With the share issue still not being disclosed and a big black hole on the horizon will webe in as big a mess as Huddersfield come next season ??

    Reply
  6. KevH says

    15th March 2023 at 12:08 pm

    Huddersfield have a secret weapon, his name is Jordan Rhodes.

    But… I think we’ll take all three points, as long as the guys are up for it this time!

    Reply
  7. Spudgunnercanary says

    15th March 2023 at 1:21 pm

    Don’t play players who can’t pass = we win.

    1
    Reply
    • canarylad says

      15th March 2023 at 6:48 pm

      who does that leave to pick from

      Reply
  8. Chris says

    15th March 2023 at 1:24 pm

    “Hardworking if technically moribund” .. thats a double handed compliment if ever I’ve heard one!

    Seriously, having stunk carrow Road out on Saturday we need to show a response. A win is the minimum requirement.

    Hernandez and aarons look unlikely to feature and nunez, Gibson and idah should all be dropped, with sorensen, Sargent and marquinhos or tzolis stepping up.
    Saturday was simply unacceptable.

    2
    Reply

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