Town’s wishlist centres around returning Pipa
WITH the January transfer window around six weeks away, the Terriers will know where they want to strengthen.
Huddersfield Town have got off to a good start to the Championship season and will be keen to keep that up between now and Christmas, and their fortunes in that period both on and off the pitch could dictate how their planning unfolds for the New Year sales.
However, here’s a rough idea of what Carlos Corberan might need as it stands...
A POSITION Phil Hodgkinson confirmed Town were keen to recruit for in the summer, with the chairman claiming they were close to agreeing a deal to bringing in Tommy Doyle from Manchester City on deadline day before he went to Hamburg instead.
It had been hoped Danel Sinani might prove capable of filling the gap, but he has generally been preferred playing off the right wing in the 3-4-3 that Carlos Corberan has used all season long, and has been out of form for a few games now.
Perhaps Sinani might get another go in central midfield should Town switch to 4-3-3 after Pipa returns from injury to facilitate that change. There have, after all, been games this season where Town have effectively adopted that formation when on the ball, with Sinani dropping in behind Sorba Thomas.
Nonetheless, a true specialist for the ballplaying No.8 role in the vein of Carel Eiting or Trevoh Chalobah could go a very long way to helping Town solve their creativity issues.
THIS entry on the wishlist could drop off the docket altogether over the next few weeks. Town actually have a lot of options in this position on paper, but Danny Grant and Aaron Rowe have not been fit, Rolando Aarons does not appear to be in Corberan’s plans, Thomas has been required at wing-back and Koroma has been out of form in front of goal.
As such, Corberan has recently opted to play two quasi No.10s rather than out-and-out wingers, with Duane Holmes brought in on the left to mirror Sinani’s role between the lines.
Pipa’s impending return is again the critical factor in whether or not Town need to recruit for a winger. Bringing the Spaniard back into the side would allow Sorba Thomas to be moved further forward into an out-and-out winger role, and it’s quite possible that new duo up that wing, as well as solving that creative midfield issue, proves enough to render the need for a new signing redundant.
As it stands, though, Town have had more goals out of their centrebacks than they’ve had from their wingers this season, which is a real sticking point for a side that has had Koroma and Karlan Grant as their top scorers playing off the left over the past two seasons.
We’re just not sure what Town need more – a winger who can put the ball in the net consistently, or someone who can bring better quality to that final ball that has proved frustratingly elusive.
Town have had more goals out of their centrebacks than they’ve had from their wingers this season