Corberan now has to find a place he can call Holmes’
midfield, wide on the right, wide on the left, and as a No.10. He even ended a couple of games as an auxiliary striker.
Always willing, the effort was never in doubt. What the movement around various systems and positions did cost him was any sort of consistency.
Whatever your line of work, I would wager if you were asked to do a different role over each day of a working week you might end up falling in line with a cliche about being a jack of all trades, but master of none.
We’re not offering excuses then, but we are perhaps giving reasons. Throughout the rotation there were flashes of what the real Duane Holmes could offer, but they only served to make the frustration at the version fans were witnessing most of the time worse.
That form has carried into this season too and while there are contrasting stories around his own fans booing him earlier in the campaign, it would be fair to say his own frustrations far outweighed the supporters’ anyway.
Happily, there is evidence he is now turning a corner both with the fans, and his manager’s mind. He seems to have a defined role in the squad now, and that alone is a huge help going forward.
Holmes spent a chunk of Town’s pre-season playing on the right of a front three and also as a false 10, predictably among other positions. No one was quite sure what was happening with Pipa’s return, or what system was going to suit the team this year.
Then Covid happened and forced Carlos Corberan into a 3-4-3 and a flirt with a 3-5-2, neither of which really had a natural fit for Holmes.
Then Sorba Thomas happened and Town’s right side was taken care of so that was gone too.
Then Lewis O’Brien’s return to form happened and there was no place in midfield either.
Then a really good run of results happened without Holmes starting and the first XI looked set in stone.
Holmes appeared in cameos and put in an excellent display when handed the chance against Everton in the Carabao Cup but felt further from starting than at any other point.
Those cameos began to get longer, and then a slight trust issue emerged.
Josh Koroma is still, by far, the Terriers’ most attacking option. He still leads everyone in the squad for shots taken and shots on target. He is also the one everyone would and will look to in the hope of making something happen.
That does come at a small cost, however. Defensively, when you need to shut that side of the pitch down Koroma’s tendency to face goal and want to come inside can leave you a little exposed.
There are games where that is fine, and games where Harry Toffolo can help out. There are others where you need something else though.
Holmes has come in to play on the left of that front three and two things have happened. One, there has been next to nothing created against Town down that side, and two, O’Brien has had a pocket of space to run into.
What the movement around various systems and positions did cost Holmes was any sort of consistency