WAGNER’S BAND CALL THE TUNE
Hungry Huddersfield blow away United as Mooy leads Mourinho a merry dance
THE occasion was so momentous for Huddersfield and the club are so hospitable that they had arranged a brass band to play Manchester United in when they arrived at the John Smith’s Stadium. That done and pleasantries completed, they then proceeded to drum them out of town.
David Wagner’s team are like that: they inflict defeat with bundles of charm and the sweetest of smiles. And on a stormy, autumnal afternoon when the weather and location at least seemed to epitomise the roots of English football, Jose Mourinho could only stand and scowl in his elegant raincoat, bedraggled and soaked to the skin by the end and embarrassed by his players.
Not so David Wagner, of course. This wasn’t really on the agenda a couple of years ago when an eccentric, unknown German turned up in town. ‘This is very proud moment,’ he said afterwards. ‘I live in Huddersfield so I know a little bit about how huge this is for this town, the supporters, the chairman, the board. I’m totally aware that this is a very special moment.’
Nothing says you have recovered your former glory more than a visit from Manchester United in the Premier League; nothing except running them ragged and beating them. At the end they played ‘Those were the Days’ and cavorted with Wagner leading the celebrations. You have to go back to March 1952 for the last time a Huddersfield team beat United. So this really was a small slice of local modern history.
In fact, all around were echoes of a previous era. Denis Law, an esteemed player for both these clubs, sat and watched with his grandson. He scored the last time United played in these parts in 1971, as did Sir Bobby Charlton, also present yesterday. Frank Worthington, part of that last Huddersfield side to be in the top flight, was there, too.
United won 3-0 that day, with George Best also scoring. Since then they have endured much at Huddersfield: periods of administration, the threat of liquidation, play-off defeats and long, hopeless years in the lower tiers of English football. And the optimism which had carried them in the early weeks of this season seemed to have been punctured of late. Not so now.
The questions were all directed at Mourinho. Last weekend he had a style problem, his biggest worry was being overshadowed by the cooler team across town. This weekend his issues are more substantial. His team looked as though they had been ambushed by marauding hordes, with Aaron Mooy the leader and Danny Williams, Tom Ince and Jonathan Hogg as able co-conspirators and Christopher Schindler and Mathias Zanka providing defensive cover.
Anthony Martial lost his head, Juan Mata and Ander Herrera wilted and Victor Lindelof was a nervous implosion. That said, no one played well and Mourinho was distinctly unimpressed.
‘I heard Ander Herrera in interviews saying that the attitude and desire was really poor. Oh my God! When a player says that and a player feels that, I think they should all go to the press conference and explain why because I can’t explain why.
‘If I was a Man United supporter, traditional supporter, I would feel really disappointed. I think you can play and lose because the opponent had more quality than you. But you cannot lose football matches because the opponent had a better attitude than you. I don’t even remember a friendly match where the attitude was so poor.
‘They [Huddersfield] played like I like. They played with everything they have. Like it has to be. With everything: aggression, desire, motivation, sacrifice. And we didn’t. So the team which deserved to win, won. Simple.’
There was very little quality of which to speak in the opening 23 minutes. However, the turning point of the game then came when Phil Jones limped uneasily out of a tackle and slumped to the floor. When he punched the ground in frustration, it suggested something serious. He was replaced by Lindelof and from thereon in, United lost their way.
The first goal they conceded after 28 minutes was a collection of errors. Ashley Young’s ball for Mata wasn’t precise but the Spaniard’s control was even worse. Mooy pounced and ran, and Lindelof’s failure to engage him seemed inexplicable. Mooy fed Ince, who cut inside to see his shot saved by David de Gea. But the rebound fell nicely for Mooy, who prompted ecstatic celebrations by calmly steering it home.
And as Huddersfield fed off the growing euphoria and energy, United seemed cowed. The second goal on 33 minutes was Sunday League. Goalkeeper Jonas Lossl launched a long kick and Lindelof came and somehow ducked the header, allowing the ball to bounce into the path of Laurent Depoitre. He touched it past De Gea and passed it into an empty net. Huddersfield were incredulous, Wagner exultant.
Mourinho knows what it is like to be flavour of the month, the coming man. More recently he’s been playing the role of the wicked witch, tactically at least. His problem is that cautious displays against Liverpool will be tolerated if he’s within touching distance of Manchester City and rebuilding a title challenge, but not if losing games like this becomes a habit.
Mata and Martial were withdrawn at half -time for Marcus Rashford and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. As the storm gathered strength, United at least toiled more dutifully.
On 78 minutes, they glimpsed sunnier climes when Romelu Lukaku made a run down the right, crossed and Rashford headed home.
You sensed more, perhaps a late finale, but it never came. Huddersfield had their slice of history.