The Terriers have struggled for any kind of consistency all season with both managers overseeing some inexcusably heavy defeats after players failed to carry out instructions.
Darren Moore is currently facing a challenging task, aiming to bring greater consistency and improved performances from a somewhat limited Terriers squad, particularly due to some ongoing first-team injuries. However, the recent 4-0 loss to Cardiff City and the 2-1 win over QPR have highlighted pressing issues that cannot wait for the January transfer window.
Opta analyst David Hartrick and our own Steven Chicken extensively discussed these two matches and the broader challenges confronting Huddersfield Town on the latest episode of our Huddersfield Town podcast, “Ooh To Be A Terrier.”
Hartrick emphasized, “There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding this Town side at the moment, but one thing is clear: many of the concerns we raised over the summer still hold true, and they must address these issues during the January transfer window. Neither of us is typically in favor of attempting to solve every problem with new signings in every transfer window, but this time, I believe they need to make some acquisitions. So, Darren Moore’s task is essentially to secure as many points as possible until January, at which point they can work on strengthening the squad, setting up a different challenge.”
Chicken added, “We’ve been saying this since September. The club acknowledges that they didn’t manage to complete all the necessary work over the summer, but they’re likely hoping for a more favorable landscape in January. I’m sure they’re already working towards that goal. In terms of evaluating Darren Moore’s performance, it’s important to recognize that he inherited a squad that requires these signings. However, this doesn’t entirely absolve him. Moore has had two challenging games recently, with the Sheffield Wednesday match being particularly poor, and the win against QPR not being particularly convincing. They’ve achieved an average of one point per game under him, even though two of those matches were against teams in the bottom three and Coventry, who are currently in 20th place.”
Chicken continued, “There are several issues that need to be addressed. I tend to agree with Matt Glennon, albeit not as strongly, that the forwards often seem positioned as if they’re expecting long balls. Simultaneously, Moore appears to be instructing the defenders to initiate play from the back, which leaves the midfield unsure of their role. It’s now Darren Moore’s responsibility to resolve these tactical challenges.”
He also mentioned, “I’ve spoken to Moore, and he does have a more coherent tactical plan in mind. However, he hasn’t been able to fully transmit it to his players yet. Before the international break, we expressed skepticism about how much improvement he could achieve in those two weeks, and we are now witnessing why our doubts existed.”
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