WAGNER: I’LL HIT ALL RIGHT NOTES
Loss, but Terriers’ new man is happy
DAVID WAGNER insists his first game in charge of Huddersfield was a step in the right direction for the club, despite Sheffield Wednesday coming from behind to win.
Sean Scannell had headed the Terriers in front but two goals from new Portugal international Lucas Joao, either side of Kieran Lee’s goal, ensured Wagner’s managerial debut ended in defeat.
But he remained positive, praising the way his players had adapted to the new style of play he wishes to impose at Huddersfield.
“The result is disappointing, but we are not disappointed with the style of football we played in the first 70 minutes,” he said.
“There were a lot of good moments in this game. This was a very good game for us and has given us a lot of information on what we need to work on.
“We have to bring a higher level of fitness, we have to bring a few players back into the set-up for sure, and always play our style – don’t be affected by the crowd or the score.
“The players have made it very easy for us in training.We all have the feeling they are open to trying to something new.”
Opposite number Carlos Carvalhal was also pleased with his side’s fresh start of sorts as, reinvigorated by the international break, the Owls bounced back to winning ways.
Carvalhal had admitted the international break had come just a week too late as an 11-match unbeaten run was ended by Charlton, but he insists Wednesday are back on form.
“We showed that we are a strong team, not just 11 players that started but the three players that came on,” he said, after Joao came off the bench to inspire the comeback. “We deserved this win. In the second half we played better and we showed much more energy.
“You can get nervous when you’re losing, but we showed a lot of heart and everybody felt we would win the match.
“We don’t talk too much about the Charlton game. We understand what happened.We played a lot of games at a high intensity.
“But our team is back again.We could feel it with the way we were training and we got the win.”
Chances had been few and far between in the first half, though Fernando Forestieri’s diving header went just wide on 16 minutes for the Owls.
The hosts came out strong after the break, and Joao shot into the side-netting on 48 minutes from Ross Wallace’s hanging cross.
Huddersfield broke the deadlock on 53 minutes though, as Scannell ghosted into the area to meet Kyle Dempsey’s cross and head in at the back post.
Wallace almost responded immediately for the Owls, beating Joe Murphy with a curling shot across goal two minutes later, but Dean Whitehead got back to block on the line.
Emyr Huws could have doubled the advantage on 73 minutes, turning well in the area, but Westwood did well to spread himself and block the Welshman’s left-footed shot.
Joao levelled five minutes later, firing in the rebound from close range after Forestieri had danced into the area only for Dempsey to block on the line.
Forestieri was the provider again on 83 minutes, showing more clever footwork first to shoot at Murphy and then pick out Lee from the rebound, who slid in from close range.
And Joao sealed the points in stoppage time, curling superbly into the corner after receiving the ball from Forestieri on the left of the area.