Huddersfield Town v Bristol City – Sharing the load is best way forward for Terriers

Those valued qualities were defining features of Huddersfield Town’s feted class of 2016-17 – a side who will forever be recalled fondly by those of a blue and white persuasion.

Just two players in Nahki Wells and Elias Kachunga reached double figures in terms of league goals scored in that epic season.

Much was made of the fact that Town became the first side to be promoted with a negative goals difference. A team greater than the sum of its parts, for sure.

Less was said about the fact that 15 different goalscorers netted Championship goals for the club in that historic campaign – a season when the Terriers’ never-say-die characteristics were displayed in famous last-gasp wins against the likes of Leeds United and Rotherham United.

No-one is foolish enough to suggest that the present-day Terriers side will emulate those feats this term.

Far from it at a time when the club are plainly in transitional mode under Carlos Corberan, just nine league games into his first season as a head coach.

But there is cause for encouragement.

Already, seven different scorers have struck so far in the league in 2020-21 for Town.

The potential issue of not having Karlan Grant around to provide a regular supply of goals has not become the millstone that many feared it would either.

Character has been shown in coming from behind late on against the likes of the Millers and in hitting back at the first available juncture after last Wednesday’s bitter late loss at Birmingham.

That was delivered in Saturday’s excellent 3-0 victory at Millwall, when Town were rewarded with two late goals to crown a resounding team performance where three different players found the net.

The New Den may be empty, but the fact remains that not many teams win by three goals in that particular corner of South East London.

That sense of team collective was exemplified by the fact that every Town player was involved in the visitors’ first goal, in particular.

Amid the technical prowess that Town are starting to show under their go-ahead young coach – and which is beginning to earn respect and acknowledgement from further afield – it is good old-fashioned team togetherness which is the biggest tick in the box so far for Corberan.

It is a welcome throwback to the peak years of David Wagner in that regard.

The Spaniard, whose side will be without Alex Pritchard (ankle) this evening, commented: “We are a team who do not have any (individual) player who can give us the game. Our strength as a team is everyone giving their best for the team.

“Our attack starts with the goalkeeper and our defence starts with our strikers. It means that every player can be involved with a goal and every player is involved in the defence.

“A lot of the time, we have watched – for example – Fraizer Campbell defending very close to our keeper and helping the team in some moments. He has been key for the team.

“For me, our spirit is that we are a team and need to help each other a lot.

“The most important thing is to have the spirit and all team-mates have to feel that one team-mate will support the other if they make a mistake and that every player finds motivation to help the other ones.

“In the moment, you feel more motivation to help your team-mates, then you are stronger as a team.

“The involvement of all of our players is one of our strengths in attack and defence.

“(Karlan) Grant was one of the most important scorers (last season), but now we need to find strength in the collective behaviour of our team.”

Early days, maybe. But the fact that Town have taken some early adversity on the chin and come out fighting is a positive sign.

Late goals fortify that belief with the fact that Huddersfield instantly cast aside the last-gasp hurt at St Andrew’s to telling effect three days later being particularly praiseworthy.

“It is also positive to have the mentality of being able to score at the end of the game,” Corberan added.

“We need to have good physical values and conditions to play the game until the last moment and it is positive to see the team having that mentality until the end.

“When the situation is complicated, it is important that the team do not give up. But it is positive to score in any minute of the game.”

Last six games: Huddersfield DWWLLW; Bristol City WDLDLL.

Referee: P Bankes (Merseyside).

Last time: Huddersfield 2 Bristol City 1, February 25, 2020; Championship.

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