halfaperson
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Huddersfield (H) 8th Dec 2007The big day was finally here. I say big game but to most of us its just another league game. But if you live here you will have been by now sick of the local hype and gradual rising into a frenzy of Terry Terrier  . I am completely ambivalent about Huddersfield Town and in fact wish them well if anything if only for my mates sake. The bleeding mouthing off some of them have been doing though made this a must win game.
So it was that my mates wife drove us along the M62 in the driving rain for the short journey to the ground. Noon kick offs do nothing for the games atmosphere but both sets of fans were doing their best as the teams came out. There was a minutes remembrance of Billy of course observed by only pockets of the Town fans as expected  . Something obviously provoked a reaction from the south stand but I don’t know what.
We looked very narrow with Westlake being preferred to Carole and a stand in Left back (Hughsey). Huddersfield local hero Andy Booth was spearheading their attack. The twat has done some damage to us over the years especially with the wendies but his zimmer frame restricts his mobility these days.
I thought Town would be at us like tigers in traditional derby style. I thought we would get the measure of them, tire them out and hit them with power breaks as the game went on. Nothing of the sort I’m afraid. They played neat composed and restrained football. Immediately they were causing us problems down their right around our left back position. Three times their winger camara easily got round Hughsey who was receiving no support at all from Westlake. Within the first few minutes he pulled a great ball back from the dead ball line only for the striker to blaze it high and wide. Camara and Jevons were linking up very well and he was getting plenty of ball. Huddersfield knew this was our Achilles heel and they were concentrating all their pressure down that wing. When they weren’t they were finding Booth who was cleverly winning all the headers in the position sometimes called the hole. Thankfully there was no Town player able to get on the end of his knock downs and we were able to comfortably deal with them.
Otherwise we were far from comfortable. Some really desperate defending was called for as the ball bounced around our penalty area. Time and again we were getting bodies in the way but the ball kept breaking to their midfield. Jevons in particular was picking everything up and playing some good passes. We just seemed once again incapable of passing our way out of trouble. Westlake in particular was covering a lot of ground but his distribution was awful. Three times in succession we tried ridiculous clearances from a deep left position and three times we put ourselves under extreme pressure. Rui was immense though.
Particularly disappointing was our inability to test the very young keeper of theirs. It was 20 odd minutes before we tested him. Dougy picked the ball up about 25 yards out and sent a bit of a lame shot skidding harmlessly towards goal. Incredibly the goalie fluffed it and in it went for a very fluky undeserved goal.
Huddersfield continued to play their unhurried football and still looked the better passing team. However as the game went on their chances became less clear. We began to get into more forward positions ourselves. Frazer went on a couple of runs but his crosses once again let him down. In fact it was us that nearly got the next goal despite Towns neat possession. Beckford twice went close but he was denied by the post I think and a good stop. He must have been getting frustrated but hi petulance is getting embarrassing now. He gesticulated to the away fans and got s peaking to from the ref. Incredibly just afterwards he did it again. He also thre his arms in a floppy tantrum when he ran wide right to get a throw from Casper that never came. It was a silly kicked clearance from Casper that went nowhere but Beckford really needs to get a grip of this part of his game.
Overalll I though the ref was very good. He let the game flow well And was very lenient to both team. He did book a town player for a very late challenge in front of the dugouts and them thought hed even things up for very harsh booking of Kish just after. He may well have thought the same when he could have give the weighty Kish a second yellow minutes after for a rash challenge worse than the first. Instead he showed restraint and gave him a final talking to. Common sense again prevailed when he just talked to one of our players and a town player when they had a bit of a pushing match. I wish all refs were like him.
So the game continued in much the same vein to the end of the half. The ubiquitous Jevons gave us all a final scare when he put a dipping volley just wide that we were all convinced was goal bound.
Half time produced a flurry of Text Messages to and from my town fan mates. Ranging from the fair assessments to the not so polite  . Got one from a Barnsley fan who was delighted.
I don’t know about anyone else but I think Denis Wise is the best substituter we have had since Wilko. It makes you wonder what he could have done with Ridsdales millions  . Howson came on for the off the pace Kish. Immediately he look like he could make a difference. Our whole midfield became more fluent and balanced. Westlake was tightening up his defence and we finally snuffed out the Camara threat. Gradually we took control of the midfield particularly as Jevans tired and his influence disappeared. Dougy and Westlake were winning everything and Howson was providing the linking and passing ability we missed in the first half. Prutton was finding more and more space out right and he was getting more and more ball as Town pushed forward.
Beckford and Kandol were putting the fear of god into their defence and a second goal was inevitable. It came quickly into the re start. We were possibly assisted by a hesitant keeper but Beckford was very quick to anticipate a low near post cross from Prutton. A slight flick was all that was required to put us two up and what seemed an unassailable lead. This is Leeds though so anything could have happened.
The kop got suitably relaxed and a few fine chants were delivered, particularly to the nervy keeper.
Does you mother know you’re here,
Hes going to cry in a minute
And 2-0 it’s the keepers fault all got an airing and a laugh. Particularly funny was
You’re just a Town full of Leeds fans which made me and my mate smile.
Town didn’t realy have an answer. The impeccable Rui won and mopped everything up. Booth faded and stopped winning the headers and we really took complete control. Our mates 40-1 bet on us winning 5-0 seemed a long way off but we certainly had more goals in us.
When they did it seemed they were both walked in. Both Becks (can we call him that)and Flo finished a good move and a saved free kick from close range and we had three minutes plus injury time to make the lads day with his bet. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be but 4-0 was a great if flattering result in anyone’s book.
The customary huddle and break finished off the occasion before we headed back to Town for a celebratory slurp. Headed past Becketts that was surrounded by Police Vans, Couldn’t have been anyone coming from the game as there wasn’t time. A few pots in the Vic and a finisher in the Prince capped off a fine day. So much so I decided to have a few in Hudders  .
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nlag
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Cheers halfa'. Sounds like a good day out all round.
I wonder why is Howson not starting games now? If he is good enough he is old enough, or so they say on the telly.
Can't complain I suppose after a decent week in points and goals.
I don't get the long game, less so when I look at the players to be chosen from.
You may have missed the fact that I am not a fan of Wise (I tend to keep these personal snippets under my hat  ), and less of a fan of Bates.....Hard to knock results on the pitch this year though.... 
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halfaperson
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We are definitely a team of two halves this year. Mainly its a restrained and cautious first half with a view to opening up a bit in the second. Only at Carlisle has this let us down so we shouldn’t really complain. Think Wises’ plan was clear with the omission of Carole and Howson for the first half. He obviously wanted to keep it tight solid and narrow but to do this we need to be a bit smarter and tidier in possession. As I said in the report though his strategy, tactics and substitutions in particular have won us the games. His use of Howson on Saturday was lean but very very effective.
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weasel
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I feel the long ball game is used to tire the opposition out and push them back. With most teams being happy to take apoint from us if they'd simply defend in numbers if we passed it around. The long ball encourages the opponents to venture forward.
Our approach is sort of to try to smash down the door with the battering ram (long ball) then get someone to sneak round the back and break in to see if the back door is unlocked (ala the passing game).
The long ball will prove effective against some teams, the passing game will prove effective against some so it is good that we are able to mix it.
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cardboardbox?Youwerelucky
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| halfaperson wrote: | | We are definitely a team of two halves this year. Mainly its a restrained and cautious first half with a view to opening up a bit in the second. Only at Carlisle has this let us down so we shouldn’t really complain. Think Wises’ plan was clear with the omission of Carole and Howson for the first half. He obviously wanted to keep it tight solid and narrow but to do this we need to be a bit smarter and tidier in possession. As I said in the report though his strategy, tactics and substitutions in particular have won us the games. His use of Howson on Saturday was lean but very very effective. |
At least it is the right way around this year - last year we played well in the first half and fucked up in almost every second half
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