Hidden complexity behind Huddersfield Town bagging a brace goal conundrum after Yuta Nakayama tease

Hidden complexity behind Huddersfield Town bagging a brace goal conundrum after Yuta Nakayama tease

Hidden complexity behind Huddersfield Town goal conundrum after Yuta Nakayama tease

The Japanese international reminded us of his goalscoring credentials by bagging a brace for the B team on Tuesday afternoon, the second of which was an absolute peach

The Terriers need more goals in their side. Yuta Nakayama, yet to play a Championship minute this season, scored two of them for the B team on Tuesday: a close-range bundle, and an absolute screamer from the edge of the box that was still rising when it hit the back of the net. Add two and two together, and you get a question…is it worth fast-tracking Nakayama back into the first team for his ability to score goals alone?

There’s merit to it. Huddersfield Town’s Japanese international can certainly hit a ball, he likes taking direct free kicks, and by rights he ought to have had an impressive three goals in 14 league appearances last season had the goal line technology allowed his effort against Blackpool.

The issue is…how compelling is that case in actuality? First of all, let’s reiterate that Josh Ruffels has been fine at worst and excellent at best since Neil Warnock arrived as Terriers boss in February. The left-back has finally, as hoped, Done An Ollie Turton and settled into life in the Championship so convincingly that his inclusion in the starting line-up now goes uncommented on, despite a small proliferation of alternative options for that role.

Secondly, appearances can be deceptive. Over their respective careers, Ruffels’ goalscoring record is actually slightly better than Nakayama’s, even if we only take his record since his mid-career switch from central midfield to left-back into account.

Read more: Huddersfield Town sent David Wagner warning ahead of Norwich City clash

We haven’t seen it much at Town, where Matty Pearson and Michal Helik have been the chief threats from set pieces, but Ruffels particularly developed a reputation for sticking the ball away off corners and free kicks at Oxford Unit and was a notably good header of the ball.

Warnock spoke after the Middlesbrough game about how many dead balls they were able to get nodded back across the six yard box only for them to go unfinished. Ruffels is one player who might be able to do that; unfortunately, he was usually the man nominated to stay back on the halfway line to guard against counter-attacks.

Naturally, someone needs to do that job, and Ruffels’ athleticism makes him an obvious candidate. Besides, who would you swap to accommodate him while retaining some defensive solidity? Tom Edwards is probably the only alternative. Either way, Nakayama would face much the same debate.