Town 1 Ipswich 1
Picture from HTAFC.com
Mark Harrison, Writer.
Twitter: @MarkHarrison15
Having watched the Coventry game on Sky, I dragged myself off the sofa and did the hard yards from Cullompton to Huddersfield (455840 of them) to be there in person to watch Town v Ipswich.
Firstly, I am very glad I made the trip, because it was the best game I have seen at the JSS for a long time. Both teams playing attacking football and a share of the spoils was about right, I think.
I thought that rather than describing what happened verbatim in the match, I would come up with something quite sexy and original. I would summarise it in bite size sections. I have called it the 5 conclusions.
Change of ends, eh?
My sense of order and the need for a level of certainty and familiarity was immediately knocked sideways on entering the stand. The teams were warming up in the wrong half of the pitch! I think it is written in law that Town warm up at the North end of the ground in the snow, whilst the visitors bask in the south side. Anyway, I know quite a few fans in the Cowshed have wanted Town to attack towards them in the second half, so that now appears to be a thing. Bravo! The game can be won by a collection of small wins, and I think this is one.
Darren Moore – a good first bow
As a first impression for most Town fans, I think we can say Mr Moore did very well. His tactics had Ipswich struggling for rhythm, pinning them effectively, as they tried to play out from the back. This pressing also led to our better chances, particularly in the first half. The team were on the front foot for much of the game. Although the final 20 minutes did reveal our lack of squad depth (see below) due to enforced changes and the dynamic, a Moore buzz word, changed.
I think you could see that he was able to get the balance right between attack and defence and he has made some small changes which enhanced the team rather than ripping up everything Warnock had instilled. Eg. Using Nakayama as a wing back. I hope the injury he sustained is not a bad one, because he adds a touch of class to the team.
The singing and chanting in the stands showed that Moore passed his first test.
Hoggy and Sorba-we love a bit of roughing (ice hockey term for fisty cuffs)
As a crowd, we love a good tackle and Jonny Hogg put in a few including a ferocious first half “reducer” on Lee Evans, the Ipswich captain, that was no laughing matter. Evans hobbled off later in the game and this tackle may well have been a route cause. There’s still room in the game for a hard, well-timed challenge and Hoggy is your man still. He rolled back the years and showed just how important he remains in the engine room, particularly with the likes of Rudoni and Wiles around him. We are no nearer finding an adequate deputy for him.
Sorba Thomas has found his mojo again, but it was his fracas with Hutchinson and Burns that seemed to be the moment to re-engage him with the fans. He worked his socks off and was cramping up near the end. He was exposed for the equaliser by being left to deal with two men at the back post and was a bit unlucky to deflect the ball right into the path of Williams. I am happier when he plays as a forward rather than a wing back, but I can see why he's deployed there, particularly at home.
Delightful Delano
The Zorgmeister has added flare, excitement and a bit of comedy value. He has some qualities required of a central striker in terms of strength, pace and trickery, as well as high confidence, plus a rocket of a right foot. He has added these dimensions to the side which we have been lacking for a long time. I’ll get even more excited if he can add some, in the box nous and find space for a tap in or two. Is he a wide player doing a job, or can he be a number 9? The jury is out.
Wearing a helmet at the end of a game, standing on the ball and diving into the crowd are elements that will make him a bit of a cult hero!
Squad depth?
A 3-game week presents a challenge for all teams, but particularly one with a limited squad in terms of size and experience. It will be very interesting to see the selection for the Birmingham game. What is left in the tank after Ipswich and who does Moore trust to start? Surely some rotation is required, as I think it will if we are to be successful points wise in the next two. But do we have the personnel? Our changes against Ipswich showed that we’ve a long way to go yet.
Matt’s ratings
In this section Matt will rate the players on a scale of 1-10 with 6 being used as an average to passable performance. TRIGGER WARNING! half marks will also be used if a player is between scores.
Lee Nicholls -7.5- Nicholls is starting to get into his stride after a poor start to the season by his high standards. A fantastic save to deny Ladappo in the 2nd half coming sharply off of the back of another great save on Monday against Coventry City. Faultless on the goal. The Big man is back!
Matty Pearson -7- Solid and dependable. Had a few early issues with Hirst and Hutchison but got to grips with both and communicated effectively.
Michal Helik -6.5- Struggled early on with George Hirst aerially, but got better as the game wore on and made a great last ditch tackle to deny Freddie Ladappo as Ipswich turned the screw.
Josh Ruffels -7- Intelligently linked with Yuta Nakayama and didn’t put a foot wrong in defence.
Sorba Thomas -6.5- A very silly moment in the penalty flashpoint could have cost his side but overall he did his job with hard work and determination.
Jack Rudoni -7.5- Rudoni’s early season form continues. He linked well with Nakayama and made a number of intelligent breaks forward and covered a lot of ground as usual. Unlucky when denied by an outstanding save from Hladky.
Jonathan Hogg -8- I expected Hoggy to be chasing shadows all afternoon against an enterprising midfield but not a moment of it! Hogg set the tone through his ball recoveries and 2nd ball wins whilst looking to play forward instead of sideways to set the side on their way.
Ben Wiles -7- Another efficient and quietly impressive performance for Wiles who looks like he’s now finding his feet in blue and white.
Yuta Nakayama -8- Nakayama was a breath of fresh air on the left. A focal point of attack through his intelligent passing and link play whilst also wrapping around Ruffels to defend the back post if Ipswich attacked. One of Yuta’s best games in a Town shirt but he seems cursed with that achilles.
Dr Burgzorg -8- For years I’ve lamented that we don’t have anyone exciting to come watch at Huddersfield Town. Now we have someone who’ll make Town fans get there pants off their seats whilst making the opposition soil theirs. A maverick.
Josh Koroma -7.5- Unlucky to not score which would have capped a very hardworking display where Koroma stretched the Ipswich backline and pressed them persistenly causing the Tractor Boys to continuously turn the ball over.
Rarmani Edmonds-Green -5- It’s very difficult to come on to the field and get an immediate feel for the pace of the game but REG unfortunately didn’t really seem to adapt to his role or the speed of which the game was played at. I still think he needs to play with more responsibility than he does.
Kyle Hudlin -5- This wasn’t the right sub to make in my opinion. The high press caused Ipswich alsorts of issues and Hudlin wasn’t capable of continuing the hard work of Josh Koroma. Once Ipswich were allowed to play out from the back they came back into the game.
Ben Jackson -5.5- Did ok, no frills but knocked down half a mark for failing to block the cross on the equaliser.
Kian Harratt -NA- Not on long enough for a score, should have been used instead of Hudlin in my opinion.
Tom Lees -NA- Great to see Tom Lees back in action.
