Huddersfield Town need defensive platform ahead of crucial week against Reading and Luton Town

IT has been eight years since Huddersfield Town last played in the third tier of English football and the next five days are likely to prove pivotal in their bid to continue that run into a ninth season.
Huddersfield's Trevoh Chalobah  grapples with  Norh End's Andrew Hughes. (Picture: Tony Johnson)Huddersfield's Trevoh Chalobah  grapples with  Norh End's Andrew Hughes. (Picture: Tony Johnson)
Huddersfield's Trevoh Chalobah grapples with Norh End's Andrew Hughes. (Picture: Tony Johnson)

Tomorrow night, the Terriers travel to Reading before hosting Luton Town at the John Smith’s Stadium on Friday and, with just five games remaining, their next two outings are their best opportunity to put points on the board ahead trips to Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall coming either side of the visit of promotion-chasing West Bromwich Albion.

The Royals are six points ahead of Town in the Championship ladder, after they enjoyed a thumping 5-0 victory over Luton as Town were playing out a goalless draw with Preston North End.

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Saturday’s stalemate with the Lilywhites gave Danny Cowley plenty to be encouraged about with Huddersfield keeping consecutive clean sheets for the first time since October.

Jonathan Hogg made his 200th town appearance against Preston (Picture: Tony Johnson)Jonathan Hogg made his 200th town appearance against Preston (Picture: Tony Johnson)
Jonathan Hogg made his 200th town appearance against Preston (Picture: Tony Johnson)

By the conclusion of Friday night’s fixture with Luton, the Terriers will have played three games in the space of six days.

It is something, after a three-month lay-off, which not only takes a physical toll but a mental one on the players.

“It has been really tough, not playing for a few months and then going to playing every three days,” said midfielder Trevoh Chalobah of the challenge facing the Huddersfield squad.

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“Physically, it is tough, and mentally as well but we have just got to play the games in front of us. It is all about recovery, resting and making sure we get ready for the next game.”

Huddersfield's Lewis O'Brien goes down from the challenge from Norh End's Ryan Ledson as Alan Browne closes. (Picture: Tony Johnson)Huddersfield's Lewis O'Brien goes down from the challenge from Norh End's Ryan Ledson as Alan Browne closes. (Picture: Tony Johnson)
Huddersfield's Lewis O'Brien goes down from the challenge from Norh End's Ryan Ledson as Alan Browne closes. (Picture: Tony Johnson)

Recovering well is just as key as the preparing well as Chalobah continued: “We are used to playing two games a week but now the games have been squashed together so it is important we get the recovery in.

“We have got another game on Tuesday and then another on Friday, it is high demand.

“We have to be mentally prepared, that is as important as being physically prepared.

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“You need to have the mind-set, get the mental side right and dig in deep.”

Getting stuck in: Christopher Schindler battles with Preston’s Jaydon Stockley (Picture: Tony Johnson)Getting stuck in: Christopher Schindler battles with Preston’s Jaydon Stockley (Picture: Tony Johnson)
Getting stuck in: Christopher Schindler battles with Preston’s Jaydon Stockley (Picture: Tony Johnson)

After conceding five goals in the opening two matches of the Championship’s restart, Huddersfield have shorn up their defence in recent outings.

Chalobah was part of the back four on Saturday as the Terriers held their Lancashire rivals at bay. The midfielder was deployed at right-back and feels the point will prove an important one but only if Huddersfield build on it against Reading and Luton.

“I think it’s a very important point but it is important we get as many as we can,” he added.

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“It has set us up for two the games this week, which are both very important as well.

“It is very tight, there are a lot of games coming up and it is about moving onto the next one now.

“In the past two games we have got four points which is a big plus for us, we just need to approach it game by game.

“The first two results since coming back didn’t go our way but in the last two games we have been at it and got two clean sheets, which is the main thing.

“If we keep the clean sheets, we will pick up more points.”

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Last week it was announced that a 12-point deduction was looming for Wigan Athletic after the club entered administration. It could result in the Latics being plunged into the relegation zone, despite Wigan winning six of their last eight games.

Huddersfield manager Danny Cowley admitted he would take “no pride or contentment” if his side stayed up by virtue of another club’s points deduction and wants the Terriers to survive on their own merit.

That feeling has been transferred to the Terriers dressing room, with Huddersfield keen to grasp control of their own fate.

“We are just taking it game by game,” added Chalobah.

“If we focus on our results and do what we need to do, then we are good.

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“At the beginning of the restart, we had two disappointing results but there wasn’t enough time to dwell on them because the games are coming really fast.

“We reviewed both of the games with the manager, sat down and spoke about what we needed to do to go into games ready and we have responded well as a team.”

Saturday’s contest with Preston had just one shot on target which came when Lewis O’Brien fired from outside the area in the final minute of the first half.

Despite failing to test Jonas Lossl, Preston could have won the game in stoppage time when Scott Sinclair and Sean Maguire both found themselves free inside the area in the final minutes but both players fluffed their lines.

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“We knew it was going to be a tough game and from the last time we played, we knew they were going to come all guns blazing,” added Chalobah.

“I thought we dealt with the pressure well today. We took a lot from past experience, when we played them away.

“We came into this fixture more prepared because we knew what they were all about.”

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