Huddersfield highlights

[Robert N. LiM 6,208]

Interesting that the three key moments in the game - our two goals and the sending-off - all stem from great play from Kieran Dowell...

Edited August 17, 2022 by Robert N. LiM

[cambridgeshire canary 7,778]

All is forgiven 😉

[TheBaldOne66 768]

A few things from the highlights for me, good finish from Sargent but he is still not going to be a prolific striker as shown with chances he missed, including the scuff for Sinani to score

Sinani looks decent, hopefully keeps Rashica out

Poor defending from Hanley for their goal

Other than that, looked a lot better

[cambridgeshire canary 7,778]

1 minute ago, TheBaldOne66 said:

A few things from the highlights for me, good finish from Sargent but he is still not going to be a prolific striker as shown with chances he missed, including the scuff for Sinani to score

Sinani looks decent, hopefully keeps Rashica out

Poor defending from Hanley for their goal

Other than that, looked a lot better

Honestly wondering if Rashica will still be here come the end of the transfer window.. Not exactly proven himself worth of being in the team

[Ash.m87 24]

My highlights of the game would include:

1) Cantwell playing with enthusiasm and the rewards will soon come

2) Gibbs seems a very well rounded midfielder, very exciting to see him develop whilst Hayden is recovering. I'm sure Smith will prove me wrong, but even at 19, he should be starting ahead of McLean once we have a LB fit. Although, well done to the Mayor for putting in a solid performance out of position.

3) I criticised Aarons for jogging forward on the counter attacks recently, against Huddersfield he was peddle to the metal and delivered some nice balls in the first half.

4) Nunez is settling in more as each game goes by, I really believe he can be the catalyst in our midfield

5) Sinani deserves to start ahead of Rashica, hopefully that will spur Rashica on to improve his decision making after a couple of nice turns. 

6) Dowell had an excellent game and I cannot wait to see him fully fit again 

7) Sergent added a different dimension to our attack, I would like to see him and Pukki play up top together at some point. I still believe Pukki is our best striker, but teams also seem to know how to defend against us too easily at present.

8) Hernandez ripped their defence apart when he game on, of course people always questions his end product but I thought he created enough chances to deserve an assist yesterday and almost scored himself. Let's hope he can get close to 10 goals again this season.

My main concern (other than lack of goals at present), is Hanley doesn't look as comfortable at LCB, but hopefully him and Omobamidele can create a better understanding over the next few games.... On we march to Millwall OTBC

 

[TheBaldOne66 768]

Or maybe he’s sulking because he wants to leave?

[Ash.m87 24]

2 minutes ago, TheBaldOne66 said:

Or maybe he’s sulking because he wants to leave?

I bet he looks a world beater in training, no idea why that hasn't transpired on to matches but his shooting, crosses and balls through look awful at present

[Jim Smith 2,578]

Interesting watching that in light of my concerns about Hanley last night. Whilst he backed off for the goal and shouldn;t have done, its notable from the highlights that on a couple of occasions you can see him getting dragged out from the back line because there is no holding midfielder in the space in front of him. In one clip you can actually see him pointing to Gibbs that is where he needs to be. Perhaps his sudden charging out from defence last night at times was due to the fact he felt there was too much space between the midfield and defence at times. Definitely need that holding midfielder or to train Gibbs to sit a bit deeper. 

[Jim Smith 2,578]

2 hours ago, Robert N. LiM said:

Interesting that the three key moments in the game - our two goals and the sending-off - all stem from great play from Kieran Dowell...

Sinani as well. 

[TheGunnShow 7,360]

Everyone's justifiably going on about Nunez, but Sinani's definitely looking like a man hell-bent on taking his chance. The best thing about him - he plays at pace, doesn't take too many touches and early crosses are EXACTLY what Sargent and Hugill would want to see. And that snap volley which only just flew over the bar... lovely. Three yards further back on impact and you've got an even better goal than Lungi's against Brum.

Thought that flick Rashica pulled off to set Gibbs away right at the end was a cute one as well. Still a long way to go and still not really clicking, but there are signs.

And I'm sure we can eventually put this notion to bed that Smith is a hoof-ball merchant. He's just a pragmatist.

[Capt. Pants 4,973]

Some lovely play and movement at times from our boys, deserved more than 2 goals. Sinani looks to have a bit of fire in his belly.

Real time I thought Krul should have done better with their goal but it was a fine finish. Hanley's got to close him down better than that though.

[AJ 1,357]

Why do Sargent and Cantwell look so disappointed when Sinani scores the second goal?! Thought it when it happened at the ground, looks even worse on the highlights!

[hogesar 10,713]

45 minutes ago, Jim Smith said:

Interesting watching that in light of my concerns about Hanley last night. Whilst he backed off for the goal and shouldn;t have done, its notable from the highlights that on a couple of occasions you can see him getting dragged out from the back line because there is no holding midfielder in the space in front of him. In one clip you can actually see him pointing to Gibbs that is where he needs to be. Perhaps his sudden charging out from defence last night at times was due to the fact he felt there was too much space between the midfield and defence at times. Definitely need that holding midfielder or to train Gibbs to sit a bit deeper. 

Grrr, agree again for crying out loud!

Gibbs was too far forwards, or at least caught too far up the pitch and I think Gibbs got better at that second half although there were still some lapses. Hanley ended up trying to occupy the huge empty space which may have prevented more dangerous attacks but also made us look disjointed when countered.

[Robert N. LiM 6,208]

1 hour ago, Jim Smith said:

Sinani as well. 

Yes, that pass that led to Sargent being brought down for the red card was absolutely sublime. 

[All the Germans 1,228]

I think Sinani and Dowell were the main men last night. I have criticized Sargent before but he was good and consistently a threat. He still hasn't shown enough to guarantee a start next game if Pukki is fit, but he's definitely on the right track. Hernandez entirely has a place in this squad, throw him on with 25 minutes left and he will cause havoc against tiring legs.  Nunez has something special, I don't quite know how to explain it, but something.  The goal conceded was criminal, Hanley was not helped by no fullback anywhere near and no holding midfielder anywhere near but where their player picked the ball up and to run at our goal and getting a shot away without any challenge is criminal.

[Monty13 2,733]

3 hours ago, Robert N. LiM said:

Interesting that the three key moments in the game - our two goals and the sending-off - all stem from great play from Kieran Dowell...

And from Sargent. Dowell was excellent though, especially considering his lack of match fitness.

[Creedence Clearwater Couto 1,611]

Dowel is dynamite at this level. Some of the comments about him in preseason - not good enough, etc, were laughable. 

Big player for us this season.  

Edited August 17, 2022 by Creedence Clearwater Couto

[Petriix 3,207]

6 hours ago, hogesar said:

Grrr, agree again for crying out loud!

Gibbs was too far forwards, or at least caught too far up the pitch and I think Gibbs got better at that second half although there were still some lapses. Hanley ended up trying to occupy the huge empty space which may have prevented more dangerous attacks but also made us look disjointed when countered.

That's a fundamental issue (and ultimately a choice) with playing a single pivot in midfield. Those huge empty spaces are a feature of the 4-3-3 under Dean Smith and not an insignificant factor in why, when we dominate a game so comprehensively, we only come away with a narrow win.