Patience the key for coach David Wagner as Huddersfield Town strive for an upturn

The Terriers head to Nottingham Forest tomorrow on the back of a four-game losing run.

After the upturn in results over Christmas and New Year that took Town clear of trouble at the wrong end of the table, the current slump in results – which has also seen 12 goals conceded in those four losses – needs arresting and soon.

Wagner is confident that will happen, though he will not be following Dougie Freedman’s lead in putting the emphasis on getting men behind the ball and counter-attacking – an approach Leeds United head coach Steve Evans last weekend labelled as like “watching paint dry” after his side’s 1-0 loss to Forest – to bring about that upturn in results.

Instead, the gegenpressing system and 4-2-3-1 formation that has characterised the German’s first three months in English football will remain the bywords for everything Huddersfield do.

“I know what you mean,” said Wagner when asked if he was tempted to follow the lead of Forest, who are unbeaten in 13 league outings.

“But, for me and for us, it is totally clear that we stand behind our philosophy and stand behind our identity. We are doing a long-term project and (bringing) long-term term ideas to this club. And everyone, including me, believes we are on the right road.

“When working on a long-term idea, one part you need is time. As there will be some up and downs along the way.

“We had some downs at the beginning. Then, some ups during Christmas and New Year. At the moment, when you look at the results, we are having a down again.

“But, again, these results have not been down to our identity or our game.

“It has depended on (games) being a little bit unfair.

“I am really sure that, from this experience, each single player in the squad will profit in the future. We have been playing well and not getting the results. But this makes our hunger bigger.

“You have to stay behind your ideas and trust in what you do.”

Wagner’s point that Town maybe haven’t had the best of fortune in recent weeks is a legitimate one. After taking the lead at Preston North End last weekend through Nahki Wells with just 10 minutes remaining, Town were pegged back when Joel Lynch put through his own goal when trying to block a cross.

Then, deep into stoppage time, Simon Grayson’s side snatched a dramatic late winner.

That said, Town’s defence has reverted to the porous nature of late autumn and early winter.

Individual errors are costing Huddersfield dear and undermining the strides that Wagner’s side have made in terms of playing a more entertaining brand of football.

“I am happy,” said the German when asked how he felt things had progressed since taking charge at the John Smith’s Stadium in early November. “But I am also impatient as well.

“Always, I think, ‘This could be faster’. It is important I have people around me, who say, ‘Slow down, you have been here just three months’.

“Most of the time we have played well and created chances. But I want more. Things have to be step by step, I tell myself that all the time. So, I am happy most of the time.

“Happy with our team, we have an exciting group and they have a good age and character. With time, we can take the next few steps.

“The summer will be good. But it is a long way to go until then. At the moment, we can think about the summer window and pre-season. But I am focused on the present and results.”

An upturn in form is very much what the present is about for Town, who will be without Jamie Paterson tomorrow due to the terms of his season-long loan switch from the City Ground. He will join Sean Scannell on the sidelines, though Wagner hopes the reigning Player of the Year can be back in early April.

Elvis Manu, the recent loan arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion, has been ill and is also a major doubt along with Karim Matmour (leg injury).

“No-one can be happy when you lose four games,” said Wagner. “But I do realise that everyone around the club, including the supporters, knows exactly how good our performances have been. And how unlucky at times we have been.

“We are up against an opponent not beaten in 13 games. We have to be the team who finishes that series of good results.

“To do that, we have to be very close to the identity we want. We have been missing something in the last few games. Not a lot, but something. We have to get back to our basics. Our identity, our style.

“Then, we have to make sure that the little things we miss are corrected. If we do that, we can be successful.”