Rival Lines
Match Preview
Huddersfield Town v AFCB
Blogger Interview: HTFC-World
Twitter: @htfcworld
It has been some time since the Cherries have gone up to Huddersfield for a match and I have been retracing a few past Huddersfield bloggers to see who I could ask to come on Rival Lines. I then hit upon Daniel Gee again who runs HTFC-World and his fabulous artwork of Huddersfield games which is just a unique website in the football world. Here is what he had to say about the Terriers season.
CC: Do you share David Wagner's continued optimism about Huddersfield being better off as a chaser than being just outside the bottom three?
HTFCW: Not really, I’d sooner be outside of the bottom 3 though it hasn’t really affected my optimism one way or the other as I’ve always felt like we’re in a relegation scrap and still do.
CC: David Wagner seems to say you have to accept the situation Huddersfield are in after every press conference. Is battling enough for the fans or do you want to hear something else from your manager now?
HTFCW: I accept the situation. Many fans don’t – they want to see us having more of a go at other teams and while I fully understand this point of view, it’s much easier said than done. We’ve tried setting up with a seemingly more attacking mindset (2 strikers against Liverpool) but if we can’t get out of our own half then it still looks defensive. Plenty of fans look on teams around us such as yourselves and Watford beating Chelsea and ask ‘why can’t we do that, why aren’t we attacking top 6 teams?’ To be honest, the tactical master-classes from Town fans on social media and online forums are one of the worst things to endure this season, every bit as tedious as some of the defensive performances we’ve put on and I’ve found myself withdrawing more and more from them as the season’s progressed to the point where I hardly look online now after a defeat.
CC: With the performances that the team is putting in at the moment and recognising that Huddersfield not having won in the league since before Christmas, are you being unlucky or is it much worse than that?
HTFCW: I don’t think luck has played a significant part in where we are. We’ve had good luck and bad luck this season. There aren’t many games which I can look back on and think we didn’t get what we deserved, whether it be wins, draws or defeats. Our home form kept our heads above water in the first half of the season and we need to rediscover that form starting with Bournemouth on Sunday if we’re to have any chance of survival. Lose that and many fans may well throw the towel in. Some already seemingly have done after January’s results and will simply jump up and down on it screaming about having a go and going down without a fight. If we lose while playing well then they may be a bit more forgiving but that’s been a rare occurrence this season, once we go a goal behind we never really look like getting back into games.
CC: Huddersfield fans are among the best at home for the atmosphere they create but has there been any grounds in the Premier League where you have been impressed by the home support?
HTFCW: I’ve missed two games this season – Bournemouth and Leicester away, so can’t really comment on those but I’ve found the atmospheres at Premier League games to be woeful. Swansea was about as close to a ‘normal’ atmosphere as I’ve seen despite them having struggled before and after their win against us. Liverpool, West Ham, Manchester United, Arsenal and Everton didn’t feel like the home fans really cared much. They all beat us by two or more goals but the home fans were the ones leaving with 10 minutes left and most of them looked miserable. I don’t really understand it, I’d be staying at home and watching on TV if I was so disconnected from the game going on in front of me. Burnley at Turf Moor is probably the best atmosphere I’ve experienced this season but it still wouldn’t even get in the top 10 of those from last season.
CC: Has Scott Malone (ex-Bournemouth of course) been a good buy?
HTFCW: No. [Ed- a lot of AFCB fans will agree with you there!] Fans have recently targeted him for ridicule, particularly on Twitter. Twice for Fulham last season he had a field day down our right hand side which not many teams/players did, to be fair. I think we were expecting far more attacking threat from him but that was always going to be difficult with our set up. Our own right back, Tommy Smith, who was contributing goals and assists throughout last season has struggled this term, too, so it may be harsh to judge Malone on that criteria. However, he really has struggled to cope so far. The problem is that we paid several million for him which we never would’ve done previously for a ‘squad’ player and having the price tag on his head hasn’t helped his cause. We’ve rarely paid seven figure fees before this campaign and when we have, they’ve been a cut above the rest of the team – Marcus Stewart and Christopher Schindler. I guess if we do stick around at this level, it’s something we’d have to get our heads around.
CC: Has the FA Cup been a bit of a good breather from the premier League or has it been a hindrance with a replay against Birmingham?
HTFCW: Well, I can answer this one with hindsight thanks to it being just after our extra time 4-1 victory; it’s probably been a help. We played fringe players in the 3rd round against Bolton and the 1st game against Birmingham and looked almost as toothless as we had done in the league. However the team for the replay was almost a full strength line-up and it will probably have done them some good to get some goals (eventually) despite having to play 120 minutes. I can’t say I’m that excited for the 5th round against Manchester United despite having wanted that tie to be drawn every year since I started following Town. I would’ve sooner we played another lower-league team but I’d rather be in the competition than out of it and ‘concentrating on the league’.
CC: You have some massive matches in March and April - are you ready for the intensity and nerves these matches will bring?
HTFCW: It’s odd because I’m really not that nervous. I don’t fear relegation. I’m concerned that I’m not enjoying some of the performances as much as I’d hoped I would and the early season excitement at everything ‘Premier’ has worn off somewhat now. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t swap this season for anything but I said it at the time that last May in Wembley would be as good as it ever got for me watching Town. Beating Palace to go top on the opening day and beating Man Utd at home was special. I hope we get plenty more of those sorts of memories but nothing this season has matched the intensity and nerves of last. I’ve come away from thrashings at Arsenal and Liverpool and just thought ‘meh’. I don’t want to feel like that, I want to be emotionally involved in the games. I was p***ed off with the manner in which we lost to Stoke in a relegation 6 pointer so maybe I’ll rediscover my emotional investment in the upcoming games.
CC: What have you made of Alex Pritchard since his arrival?
HTFCW: He hasn’t featured much on account of him being cup-tied for the Birmingham games and left out against Liverpool and Manchester United as we went on the back foot with 3 central midfielders all looking to tackle and defend rather than create and score goals. Hopefully, he’ll get a chance against yourselves as having seen him previously with other clubs, he’s always impressed me. I do worry that we don’t have the sort of movement that his game benefits from so he may have to score a few goals himself.
CC: Do you expect Terence Kongolo to get a good run of games at centre-back?
HTFCW: Christopher Schindler, who’s been by far our best player this season, went off injured against Manchester United so Kongolo may well fill in for him. He’s looked great so far and has featured on the left side of a back 3 (FIVE). He’s offered some versatility to our set-up so Eddie Howe may be left guessing as to whether Town will go on the defensive with a flat back 5 or a flat back 4. If Schindler’s fit then Kongolo could see himself at left-back as, unlike Malone, he looks like he can defend. And mark. And flatten kids from Manchester United like a pancake.
CC: Are there any major injuries for your team?
HTFCW: Schindler would be the big doubt but other than that we should be ok. He was a big miss for the game at Dean Court though not sure he would’ve made much of a difference to the result.
CC: Is there a player in Bournemouth's team that you could see fitting in well at Huddersfield Town?
HTFCW: Nathan Ake seems to get good write-ups. I’m not really clued up on that many opposition players these days to be honest, and I haven’t watched Match of the Day since the 16th December. Marc Pugh and Harry Arter always looked good against us in the lower leagues, I like that you still have players from that era. But I’d much prefer to take one of your strikers either Defoe or Wilson to give us something different. I like both our strikers but they don’t really complement one another as a partnership or offer much of an alternative from the bench when the other isn’t getting much from the opposition. I would still rather we’d been able to keep hold of Nahki Wells to offer that outlet, given we didn’t replace him like for like when he left for Burnley.
CC: How do you expect Huddersfield to line up against AFC Bournemouth?
HTFCW: I’m hoping it’s four at the back with two defensive midfielders (Hogg/Mooy) then Ince/Van La Parra on the wings, Pritchard in the 10 role and either of our strikers up front would do for me... so long as we give them some service.
CC: A big thank you to Danny Gee who clearly has a great affection for his team and has given us a good glimpse into how Huddersfield fans are feeling at the moment. I wonder if their rollercoaster start led David Wagner into a false sense of security but they have to pick up points now. Whether an inform Bournemouth side is the best kind of opposition for them to be up against we will see and the midday kick off might make it feel a bit of a strange game for both teams. All I can say is I don't fancy a nil-nil for this one.
Do cast your eyes over the HTFC-World website as it will make your day if you have never been on it before. Hopefully, Danny will do a match report after the Bournemouth game as well so don't forget to check back on the site in a week or so after the game to see what he might have written about AFCB players!
T-shirt competition
To win a Cherry Chimes T-Shirt this week you have to tweet @CherryChimes the correct number of yellow cards issued by Michael Oliver in the game between Huddersfield and AFCB. If we have more than one correct entry we will draw a winner out of the hat. If you want to know how many cards Michael Oliver has already awarded this season check out AFCB's official website. Good luck!
I've also been a bit busy this week!
Cherry Chimes match preview for Huddersfield v AFCB on Ask Fans
Catch my preview piece with the Huddersfield Daily Examiner
Cherry Chimes also gives an opinion on Lewis Grabban for the Express and Star
Match Preview
Huddersfield Town v AFCB
Blogger Interview: HTFC-World
Twitter: @htfcworld
CC: Do you share David Wagner's continued optimism about Huddersfield being better off as a chaser than being just outside the bottom three?
HTFCW: Not really, I’d sooner be outside of the bottom 3 though it hasn’t really affected my optimism one way or the other as I’ve always felt like we’re in a relegation scrap and still do.
CC: David Wagner seems to say you have to accept the situation Huddersfield are in after every press conference. Is battling enough for the fans or do you want to hear something else from your manager now?
HTFCW: I accept the situation. Many fans don’t – they want to see us having more of a go at other teams and while I fully understand this point of view, it’s much easier said than done. We’ve tried setting up with a seemingly more attacking mindset (2 strikers against Liverpool) but if we can’t get out of our own half then it still looks defensive. Plenty of fans look on teams around us such as yourselves and Watford beating Chelsea and ask ‘why can’t we do that, why aren’t we attacking top 6 teams?’ To be honest, the tactical master-classes from Town fans on social media and online forums are one of the worst things to endure this season, every bit as tedious as some of the defensive performances we’ve put on and I’ve found myself withdrawing more and more from them as the season’s progressed to the point where I hardly look online now after a defeat.
CC: With the performances that the team is putting in at the moment and recognising that Huddersfield not having won in the league since before Christmas, are you being unlucky or is it much worse than that?
HTFCW: I don’t think luck has played a significant part in where we are. We’ve had good luck and bad luck this season. There aren’t many games which I can look back on and think we didn’t get what we deserved, whether it be wins, draws or defeats. Our home form kept our heads above water in the first half of the season and we need to rediscover that form starting with Bournemouth on Sunday if we’re to have any chance of survival. Lose that and many fans may well throw the towel in. Some already seemingly have done after January’s results and will simply jump up and down on it screaming about having a go and going down without a fight. If we lose while playing well then they may be a bit more forgiving but that’s been a rare occurrence this season, once we go a goal behind we never really look like getting back into games.
HTFCW: I’ve missed two games this season – Bournemouth and Leicester away, so can’t really comment on those but I’ve found the atmospheres at Premier League games to be woeful. Swansea was about as close to a ‘normal’ atmosphere as I’ve seen despite them having struggled before and after their win against us. Liverpool, West Ham, Manchester United, Arsenal and Everton didn’t feel like the home fans really cared much. They all beat us by two or more goals but the home fans were the ones leaving with 10 minutes left and most of them looked miserable. I don’t really understand it, I’d be staying at home and watching on TV if I was so disconnected from the game going on in front of me. Burnley at Turf Moor is probably the best atmosphere I’ve experienced this season but it still wouldn’t even get in the top 10 of those from last season.
CC: Has Scott Malone (ex-Bournemouth of course) been a good buy?
HTFCW: No. [Ed- a lot of AFCB fans will agree with you there!] Fans have recently targeted him for ridicule, particularly on Twitter. Twice for Fulham last season he had a field day down our right hand side which not many teams/players did, to be fair. I think we were expecting far more attacking threat from him but that was always going to be difficult with our set up. Our own right back, Tommy Smith, who was contributing goals and assists throughout last season has struggled this term, too, so it may be harsh to judge Malone on that criteria. However, he really has struggled to cope so far. The problem is that we paid several million for him which we never would’ve done previously for a ‘squad’ player and having the price tag on his head hasn’t helped his cause. We’ve rarely paid seven figure fees before this campaign and when we have, they’ve been a cut above the rest of the team – Marcus Stewart and Christopher Schindler. I guess if we do stick around at this level, it’s something we’d have to get our heads around.
CC: Has the FA Cup been a bit of a good breather from the premier League or has it been a hindrance with a replay against Birmingham?
HTFCW: Well, I can answer this one with hindsight thanks to it being just after our extra time 4-1 victory; it’s probably been a help. We played fringe players in the 3rd round against Bolton and the 1st game against Birmingham and looked almost as toothless as we had done in the league. However the team for the replay was almost a full strength line-up and it will probably have done them some good to get some goals (eventually) despite having to play 120 minutes. I can’t say I’m that excited for the 5th round against Manchester United despite having wanted that tie to be drawn every year since I started following Town. I would’ve sooner we played another lower-league team but I’d rather be in the competition than out of it and ‘concentrating on the league’.
CC: You have some massive matches in March and April - are you ready for the intensity and nerves these matches will bring?
HTFCW: It’s odd because I’m really not that nervous. I don’t fear relegation. I’m concerned that I’m not enjoying some of the performances as much as I’d hoped I would and the early season excitement at everything ‘Premier’ has worn off somewhat now. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t swap this season for anything but I said it at the time that last May in Wembley would be as good as it ever got for me watching Town. Beating Palace to go top on the opening day and beating Man Utd at home was special. I hope we get plenty more of those sorts of memories but nothing this season has matched the intensity and nerves of last. I’ve come away from thrashings at Arsenal and Liverpool and just thought ‘meh’. I don’t want to feel like that, I want to be emotionally involved in the games. I was p***ed off with the manner in which we lost to Stoke in a relegation 6 pointer so maybe I’ll rediscover my emotional investment in the upcoming games.
CC: What have you made of Alex Pritchard since his arrival?
HTFCW: He hasn’t featured much on account of him being cup-tied for the Birmingham games and left out against Liverpool and Manchester United as we went on the back foot with 3 central midfielders all looking to tackle and defend rather than create and score goals. Hopefully, he’ll get a chance against yourselves as having seen him previously with other clubs, he’s always impressed me. I do worry that we don’t have the sort of movement that his game benefits from so he may have to score a few goals himself.
CC: Do you expect Terence Kongolo to get a good run of games at centre-back?
HTFCW: Christopher Schindler, who’s been by far our best player this season, went off injured against Manchester United so Kongolo may well fill in for him. He’s looked great so far and has featured on the left side of a back 3 (FIVE). He’s offered some versatility to our set-up so Eddie Howe may be left guessing as to whether Town will go on the defensive with a flat back 5 or a flat back 4. If Schindler’s fit then Kongolo could see himself at left-back as, unlike Malone, he looks like he can defend. And mark. And flatten kids from Manchester United like a pancake.
CC: Are there any major injuries for your team?
HTFCW: Schindler would be the big doubt but other than that we should be ok. He was a big miss for the game at Dean Court though not sure he would’ve made much of a difference to the result.
CC: Is there a player in Bournemouth's team that you could see fitting in well at Huddersfield Town?
HTFCW: Nathan Ake seems to get good write-ups. I’m not really clued up on that many opposition players these days to be honest, and I haven’t watched Match of the Day since the 16th December. Marc Pugh and Harry Arter always looked good against us in the lower leagues, I like that you still have players from that era. But I’d much prefer to take one of your strikers either Defoe or Wilson to give us something different. I like both our strikers but they don’t really complement one another as a partnership or offer much of an alternative from the bench when the other isn’t getting much from the opposition. I would still rather we’d been able to keep hold of Nahki Wells to offer that outlet, given we didn’t replace him like for like when he left for Burnley.
CC: How do you expect Huddersfield to line up against AFC Bournemouth?
HTFCW: I’m hoping it’s four at the back with two defensive midfielders (Hogg/Mooy) then Ince/Van La Parra on the wings, Pritchard in the 10 role and either of our strikers up front would do for me... so long as we give them some service.
CC: A big thank you to Danny Gee who clearly has a great affection for his team and has given us a good glimpse into how Huddersfield fans are feeling at the moment. I wonder if their rollercoaster start led David Wagner into a false sense of security but they have to pick up points now. Whether an inform Bournemouth side is the best kind of opposition for them to be up against we will see and the midday kick off might make it feel a bit of a strange game for both teams. All I can say is I don't fancy a nil-nil for this one.
Do cast your eyes over the HTFC-World website as it will make your day if you have never been on it before. Hopefully, Danny will do a match report after the Bournemouth game as well so don't forget to check back on the site in a week or so after the game to see what he might have written about AFCB players!
T-shirt competition
To win a Cherry Chimes T-Shirt this week you have to tweet @CherryChimes the correct number of yellow cards issued by Michael Oliver in the game between Huddersfield and AFCB. If we have more than one correct entry we will draw a winner out of the hat. If you want to know how many cards Michael Oliver has already awarded this season check out AFCB's official website. Good luck!
Cherry Chimes match preview for Huddersfield v AFCB on Ask Fans
Catch my preview piece with the Huddersfield Daily Examiner
Cherry Chimes also gives an opinion on Lewis Grabban for the Express and Star
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