Big-match verdict: Plan B is spot on as Huddersfield Town adapt to challenge

HUDDERSFIELD Town had grown so accustomed to not having penalties awarded in their favour that no one had been designated for the job when one finally arrived at Spotland.
Huddersfield Town's penalty-taker Izzy Brown is hugged by Michael Hefele, who went on to score twice in the 4-0 win over Rochdale (Picture: Simon Hulme).Huddersfield Town's penalty-taker Izzy Brown is hugged by Michael Hefele, who went on to score twice in the 4-0 win over Rochdale (Picture: Simon Hulme).
Huddersfield Town's penalty-taker Izzy Brown is hugged by Michael Hefele, who went on to score twice in the 4-0 win over Rochdale (Picture: Simon Hulme).

Izzy Brown took matters into his own hands, however, and calmly sent Conrad Logan the wrong way to give Town an important 2-0 buffer in the 67th minute.

As Tareiq Holmes-Dennis swung in a deep corner, referee Oliver Langford spotted captain Mark Hudson being shoved to the ground and awarded Town their first penalty since they beat Leeds 4-1 at Elland Road in March last year when Marco Silvestri saved Nahki Wells’s effort.

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The last time Town had actually scored from the spot was just over 12 months ago when Wells netted to make it 2-2 at the finish against Reading in the third round of the FA Cup.

Wells was on the bench this time as Town reached the fifth round for the first time in four years, giving way to new German £500,000 signing Collin Quaner, who scored a debut goal, a ‘tin opener’ as head coach David Wagner put it.

“He’s better than Klopp,” sang the 3,500 Town followers in the Willbutts Lane Stand in reference to Wagner’s great friend and Liverpool manager Jurgen, but they must have queried his plan when the team emerged for the second half.

Leading 1-0 after Dale had spurned two great chances before Brown punctured the heart of the defence to set up a tap-in for Quaner in the 42nd minute, Wagner made two changes.

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With the saturated, bobbly pitch making it difficult for Town to play their normal quick, inter-passing game, he sent on the combative Jonathan Hogg for Harry Bunn and, more importantly, threw powerful central defender Michael Hefele up front in place of Elias Kachunga.

It worked a treat with Hefele heading home the third after Aaron Mooy had come on to provide the free-kick before being laid on for a second by fellow German Quaner.

With Championship leaders Brighton arriving on Thursday ahead of Sunday’s visit of fellow play-off chasing side Leeds, Wagner’s decision to make eight changes for the Cup had come as no surprise.

“Our squad has the quality to rotate and this is one reason why we are still fresh and why we are able to influence the game from the bench,” said Wagner.

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Of the penalty incident, he added: “To be fair, there was so much traffic in front of me I could not see the situation. When the referee whistled, I was unsure if he had given a foul against us, but I was very happy when he awarded the penalty. Yes, I had left it to the players to decide and Izzy was confident enough to take the ball and put it in.”

Quaner was also happy for the Chelsea loanee to accept responsibility. “Whoever has the confidence to take the ball and score a penalty is what’s important, it doesn’t matter who. If I am given a penalty to take, I will do but Izzy took it on himself and I didn’t want to wrestle it off him,” he said.

The former Union Berlin forward agreed he could not have enjoyed a better debut, continuing: “This was the FA Cup at its finest so it was quite a good game for me to come into. I have watched the FA Cup in Germany and knew this was what it was all about. The goal gave me a boost. It was a real physical game and I will have to get used to it.

“We are not thinking about Wembley. It’s important to recover and plan for the two important games ahead. That is what we are concentrating on.”

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After his double, Hefele admitted: “I like this position, but I have to learn a bit more about how the strikers play though I do know how the defenders will defend and that perhaps gives me an advantage.

“We have no limits. We are in a revolution and I am just happy to be part of it. We have a big squad and you have seen the boss rotate a lot. It doesn’t matter who plays because we have a great team spirit and that’s the most important thing, along with being greedy for success.”

Wagner was most impressed by the adaptability of his players.

“At half-time we found the right solutions, how to be successful in these conditons. We totally changed the idea of our game. We didn’t play as we normally do, but we had the FA Cup attitude, which is to work and fight and go against hurdles. It was a very tough game.

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“We had to work like terriers, play long balls and play for set pieces. It is a big credit that our players were immediately able to change the idea of the game.

“This was a proper British football match, nothing to do with what we usually do. It was not the style I like, but I loved the result.”

Of Quaner’s display, he added: “It was a fantastic performance. This was a tin opener, as we say in Germany about a player’s first goal, and he also gave a great assist so you cannot ask for more.

“I don’t like the sentence that you have to have a plan B, but this was plan B which is something I don’t like to use. They now know they can play this ugly, tough style.

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“The only surprise was how quick they were able to change from our identity and our style of game to plan B, the British way. This was extraordinary.”

Rochdale: Logan, McGahey, Keane, McNulty, Rafferty; Camps; Vincenti, Allen (Redshaw 68), Noble-Lazarus (Mendez-Laing 67), Andrew (Kitching 12); Henderson. Unused substitutes: Canavan, McDermott, Musangu, Taylor.

Huddersfield Town: Coleman, Cranie, Hudson, Stankovic, Holmes-Dennis; Whitehead (Mooy 69), Billing; Kachunga (Hefele 46), Brown, Bunn (Hogg 46); Quaner. Unused substitutes: Ward, Smith, Van La Parra, Wells.

Referee: O Langford (W Midlands).

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