Huddersfield Town’s Boss Makes January Transfer Priorities

Huddersfield Town’s Boss Makes January Transfer Priorities

Huddersfield Town’s January transfer priorities are crystal clear after Birmingham City thumping
Darren Moore watched his new Huddersfield Town side fall to a heavy 4-1 defeat at Birmingham City last night. The Terriers were not at the races from the word go.

Huddersfield Town produced a lacklustre performance at Birmingham City last night as Darren Moore suffered the first defeat of his Terriers tenure. Siriki Dembele (2), Koji Miyoshi and substitute Jordan James registered to ease the Blues to a 4-1 win.

Collectively and individually the Terriers were not at it from the word go. Birmingham’s front four of Dembele, Miyoshi, Juninho Bacuna and Jay Stansfield terrorised Town’s defence.

It was a jaw-dropping, error-ridden display from the Terriers. Darren Moore has got plenty of issues to fix at both ends of the pitch after their hammering at St Andrew’s. Here are four talking points after the Championship clash.

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Jonathan Hogg’s absence
Boy did Town miss the skipper’s grit, aggression and leadership qualities in the middle of the park. Moore sprung a big surprise by moving Yuta Nakayama into the centre but the Japan international failed to give adequate protection to the back line as the Blues ran riot.

 

The brutal reality is the Terriers do not have a natural replacement on their books for Hogg (Rarmani Edmonds-Green is still raw and is very much a work in progress). Jack Rudoni, David Kasumu, Ben Wiles are different types of players.

 

When Hogg is at the top of his game, Hogg does the ugly side of the game so effectively. He puts his foot in and effectively breaks up play. Opponents know they are in a game when Hogg is on the pitch.

 

Yet history suggests that it’s a big ask to expect Hogg to play three games in a week as he enters the twilight of his career. He will miss more matches through injury between now and the the end of the season.

 

Nobody else in the squad has shown over a consistent period of time that they are capable of performing Hogg’s midfield anchor role. It is a department of the team that should have been addressed in the last two years.

 

Another specialist No 6 to provide competition and cover for Hogg has to be on Moore’s shopping list heading into the January sales.

 

Positional tweaks

Did too many players play out of position? You had Tom Lees making his first start of the season on the left of the back three, Ben Jackson lined up at right wing back, having been left out of the starting XI against Ipswich, Nakayama started in midfield while Sorba Thomas was deployed in a central attacking role.

 

There was no recognised striker, with Moore choosing to select Kian Harratt and Kyle Hudlin on the bench. Thomas and Delano Burgzorg have played more out wide than up front in their careers. Danny Ward missed out again through an Achilles injury.

 

Some observers felt it was an experimental line-up. Moore said it was important to freshen things up but he only made two changes from the side who picked up a well-earned point against high-flying Ipswich Town. His players gave him everything on Saturday. Did their Ipswich exertions take too much out of the team mentally and physically?

 

Their flat, disjointed performance at Birmingham suggests it did. Way too many individuals looked uncomfortable with their roles and responsibilities. There was a lack of understanding and cohesion in the defensive and attacking units. It was a real off day.

 

Lee Nicholls

We have got to talk about his form. It is a big concern.

 

Nicholls is one of Town’s best players but he has made a string of uncharacteristic mistakes this season. His third minute error in the Midlands set the tone for an awful evening for Town.

 

No way should Dembele’s third minute strike from distance beaten a goalkeeper of Nicholls’ class. The shot went straight through him.

 

Nicholls did not cover himself in glory for the Blues’ third goal either. He appeared to set himself too late to dive as Dembele coolly bagged his second of the contest.

 

Was Nicholls the only one who under-performed in a Town shirt yesterday? No. Has he earned points for Town with his shot-stopping ability this term? Absolutely.

 

But we are getting close to the point where Moore may have to make a decision and take Nicholls out of the firing line for his own good. Chris Maxwell is a solid deputy and must be thinking he deserves a chance to show what he has got to offer.

Credit to Birmingham

“We weren’t clean with the ball,” admitted Moore. “Two of their goals came from us losing possession so that was disappointing.

“We didn’t move it quick enough and we allowed Birmingham to press us.”

 

There was a lot of sloppiness to their play and the visitors lacked a focal point in attack. The winter transfer window can’t come soon enough for the Terriers as an injection of quality is desperately required on the front line.

 

Sometimes, though, you have to give credit to the opposition. Birmingham pressed and harried Town into submission, forcing them into unforced errors. Given the tempo and intensity they played with, you would never have known they had gone five matches without a win ahead of facing Moore’s side.