Town must Style it out with Tykes
HUDDERSFIELD Town kick off their festive period with a clash against Yorkshire rivals Barnsley at Oakwell on Boxing Day (3pm).
The teams are locked together on 28 points - well clear of the drop zone and just five shy of the play-offs.
Doug O’Kane , reporter at the Barnsley Chronicle, gave us the lowdown the Tykes...
“The aim after last season, with a remarkable final day escape having spent 311 days in the bottom three, was to move into mid-table with a promising young squad.
“That was questioned after no wins in the first seven games - the longest wait for a first league victory in a season since 1991 - but Valerien Ismael was appointed in late October and has won eight of 13 games.
“They will be targeting at least a top-half finish this season.
“Their main issues at the moment are conceding early goals (they have fallen behind within five minutes in each of the last three games) and defending set-pieces.
“Callum Styles will return to the side after being suspended for the loss at Swansea City on Saturday.
“He is a 20-year-old who has been brought up a central midfielder but has excelled at left wing-back this season.
“He has made the most tackles in the Championship per game and has scored three goals, including late winners over Birmingham and Nottingham Forest.”
HUDDERSFIELD Town boss Carlos Corberan admits he is unable to say whether Tommy Elphick will play for the club again this season.
The centre-half suffered an ACL injury against Preston North End in November 2019.
His road to full recovery has been long and painful and he is yet to return to training 13 months after the injury occured.
The 33-year-old is out of contract at Town at the end of the current campaign, although there option of a further year.
Town boss Corberan admits he cannot give a prospective return date for the experienced defender.
He said: “Unfortunately the situation with him didn’t change.
“He’s a player that continues working with the medical staff.
“We don’t think he can help the team soon.
“He’s going to need more time to be with the medical staff.
“I don’t expect him to be working with the group right now.
“I hope that things change because he is a player with a lot of experience, but after the long-term
is an injury he has had I cannot be thinking he is going to be ready (soon) to help the team during this season.”
Whilst the news on Elphick will come as a blow, Corberan did have brighter news regarding goalkeeper Ben Hamer.
The stopper has missed the last two games against Coventry and Watford after going off at Bournemouth with a groin injury. But he is in contention for a return to the squad for the festive period, starting with the Boxing Day trip to Yorkshire rivals Barnsley.
Corberan said about Hamer: “He trained yesterday and today with the group.
I hope things change because he is a player with a lot of experience, but I can’t think he will be ready this
season