Why Campbell is crucial to Carlos’ plans

WHEN Huddersfield Town signed Fraizer Campbell in 2019, it was hoped the one-time United striker would play a significant role in guiding the Terriers back to the Premier League.

However, having spent the summer as a free agent after leaving Hull City, Campbell’s debut season for his hometown club was stopstart.

He managed three goals in 33 Championship games - 21 of which were starts - as Huddersfield finished 18th.

This season, however, Campbell has made impressive strides.

With Danny Ward unable to make a swift impact following his return to the club from Cardiff City due to injury, Campbell has stepped in to lead the line for Carlos Corberan’s side.

And the 33-year-old made an instant impact, netting the winner against Nottingham Forest with a stunning volley in his first start of the season.

While Campbell has added just one goal to his tally since then netting the opener in the home defeat by Preston North End in October - he has found other ways to serve his team.

Huddersfield have experienced dramatic tactical changes since Corberan’s appointment.

Having worked under Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United, the 37-yearold has implemented a more possession-based brand of football while showing versatility by experimenting with different systems, with 4-3-3, 4-1-4-1 and 3-4-1-2 all having been used since the Spaniard’s arrival.

Having seen off Swansea City on October 17 using a three-man defence and Isaac Mbenza and Josh Koroma in a two-pronged attack, Corberan switched to a 4-1-4-1 for the visit of Derby County to the John Smith’s Stadium three days later.

The system may have been different, but the result was again thoroughly satisfying as Juninho Bacuna’s second-half goal lifted the Terriers to three points.

And while Campbell featured only as a late substitute against Swansea, he returned to the starting line-up for the Derby clash. Corberan started with Campbell being supported by Mbenza, Koroma and Carel Eiting.

Depending on how their team is performing, some strikers would end up isolated in such a role, but not Campbell, who repeatedly showed his willingness to drop deep and play a part in his side’s build-up.

Having spun away from his man, Campbell immediately gets his head up to spot Koroma’s run.

Campbell’s pass over the top of the Rams defence is expertly judged and Koroma would have had a great chance to score had he controlled the ball with his first touch and not allowed it to bounce through to David Marshall.

This has been a regular feature of Huddersfield’s attacks under Corberan. With Campbell able to