ste1987 Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 Interview with an Opposition Fan #15 - Huddersfield Town Welcome to this week’s edition of Interview with an Opposition Fan. Each week, myself and Razza699 scour for opposition fans to answer the questions we put toward them in the build up to the subsequent fixture. On Sunday, Latics host Huddersfield town, in what has been a highly anticipated game for fans and our ex-Huddersfield players. Ahead of the fixture, I found some friendly Town fans to answer a selection of our questions. 1) Last season, Lee Clark was appointed Huddersfield manager. What are your opinions of him and what is his general style of play? - I personally like the guy; he says all the right things and has a good backroom team behind him. Like all new managers he makes mistakes (Bristol away being one, defensive formation after scoring 7 v Brighton??) but as long as he learns from them then he has the making of a good manager. He wants us to play free-flowing passing football which is good; at times we can overdo the passing. We have the balance right at home but need to stick to our game plan away. - He has done well for the club and has brought attacking football to the club, not to mention half a dozen coaches! - Lee Clark is a highly ambitious driven manager. He has assembled a very exciting youthful attacking team (at some cost!). He is still learning and does make the odd tactical blooper but I am sure he will succeed. Our style of play is very Keeganesque! - Opposite to Ritchie, attacking and we LOVE him! - Seems A genuinely decent bloke, gets his tactics spot on most of the time, Think he could be a very successful manger in the future. 2) Have you made any signings to your squad this season so far? If so, how have they been? - Peter Clarke and Jordan Rhodes have been superb. One of them two will get player of the year I’m sure. As has Lee Peltier, filling the troublesome right back position vacated by Andy Holdsworth. Theo Robinson started well but has struggled of late; he is lightning quick but needs to improve his ball control. Antony Kay is a bit hit and miss so far, seems a bit lightweight as we were expecting a tough tackling midfielder but he has weighed in with goals. We have Danny Drinkwater on loan from Man U but he has been a disappointment. - Jordan Rhodes from Ipswich (top goal scorer) Theo Robinson from Watford, Robbie Simpson from Coventry Lee Novak from Gateshead Anthony Kay from Tranmere Lee Peltier from Yeovil and Peter Clark from Southend Great signings from Clark only slightly disappointed with Simpson but he has had his injures. - Peter Clarke CB from Southend. Excellent looks a good combo with Nathan Clarke. Our captain; Antony Kay CM free from Tranmere. Not been at his best as yet but is beginning to settle. Part of the problem has been finding a suitable defensive minded partner for him; Lee Peltier RB from Yeovil. Classy right back who is fast courageous and strong; Theo Robinson - ST from Watford. Fast, decent finisher but blows hot and cold. One game he'll be unplayable, another he'll be unplayable in a different sense; Robbie Simpson - ST from Coventry - Struggled to make an impact but will be very useful back up. Add some presence upfront; Jordan Rhodes - ST from Ipswich - 12 goals already. A true goal poacher, still can't believe Ipswich sold him. Will go far in the game; Lee Novak - ST from Gateshead. Crowd favourite. Work rate of a Tevez, young hungry and improving all the time. A perfect foil for Rhodes; Danny Drinkwater CM on loan from Man.Utd. Some glimpses of talent so far, but yet to cement a first team place. - Well we have had to seen as you have half our squad from last season! But Watch out for Jordan Rhodes he will tear you apart. - Jordan Rhodes, Peter Clarke & Lee Peltier seem to be the best amongst the signings we made, Rhodes a proper striker & knows where the goal is, Clarke & Peltier quality at the back. Let’s not forget Novak, not as experienced but works his socks off for the team, certainly one of my favourites already. 3) Last season, you finished 9th in League One. How do you think you will do in League One this season? - Playoffs is our aim, anything higher would be a bonus. 7th or below would be a disappointment. - We had a good start to the season and then hit a bit of a blip. Hopefully a play off place, if not sneak automatic. - Play offs look very realistic, automatic could be just out of our grasp. - 4th. - Hoping for at least a play-off spot this season after all the pre-season hype. 4) Are there any teams in particular you are looking forward to playing? - As always for Town its Leeds but for me living in Oldham then it is the Latics of course. - Not really, everyone says the Leeds game but it just another game that we want to win. - Leeds, apart from being a local derby we get to see how good we really are. Exeter away where hopefully we'll be celebrating automatic! - You, Leeds, Norwich, Charlton again. - Looking forward to seeing Charlton & Norwich at the Galpharm, 2 Good sides dropping down from above, should be good games. 5) What tactics are you likely to employ and have played with this season? - Who knows. Lee Clark hasn’t got it right away from home yet although he does have a settled side at the moment. Likely to be 442 with Pilkington and Roberts playing as wingers, but switching sides. We have tried 451 and 541 and didn’t really work. - ATTACK! We are the top scoring team in the country at the time of this been published! - 442 with an attack minded midfield. Sometimes too attack minded! We desperately miss a holding midfielder at times. - 4-4-2. - 4-4-2 & Attacking. 6) Huddersfield have earned 21 points so far this season, finding themselves in 7th place. What are Huddersfield’s strengths and weakness both on and off the pitch? - We have a young hungry team that is a lot fitter than last season. We at times look like scoring for fun. The weakness is in defence though, we seem to be making a lot of mistakes leading to goals. Free headers at Charlton stopped us grabbing something there. Off the field we are at the beginning of a new Era under Dean Hoyle, owner of Card Factory and big HTFC fan. There is a buzz around the place and huge expectation, although that expectation can lead to fans moaning when wins aren’t coming, we need to give the new management team time. - We have a great chairman in Dean Hoyle and he will back the manager all the way. - Strength - Attack, great coaching setup, great squad depth, ability to destroy teams. Superb chairman! Weakness - Stupid defensive mistakes at the back, inconsistency and very poor away record. - Although we have 2 quality defenders in P.Clarke & Peltier & a quality Keeper in Smithies, we still seem to be conceding too many ‘simple’ goals from Set Pieces. Our scoring record speaks for itself having scored 28 goals already this season. Our back room staff is extremely strong off the pitch with the likes of McDermott, Black, Fazackerley & Cole. 7) Who is Huddersfield’s key player who we should look out for ahead of Sunday’s fixture and for the rest of the season? - Jordan Rhodes without a doubt. 12 goals already and looking a bargain buy from Ipswich. Keep an eye out for Gary Roberts as well, had a stormer last week and on his day can torment the opposition full backs on either side. - Jordan Rhodes. - Key Player - Jordan Rhodes. The goalscorer we desperately missed last season. Ones to watch - Pilkington - when on form a class above. Smithies one of the best young English keepers around. - Rhodes, Smithies, we’ve got a full team of key players at the minute. - Rhodes – Quality Striker & knows where the goal is. 8) Who do you think will win League One this season? Any outsiders or surprises? - Unfortunately I would have to say Leeds United. - Colchester have surprised a lot of people this season with their start, but I think Charlton will probably win the league. - Leeds. No surprises this year. - Charlton. - Charlton, Leeds & Norwich are all good bets for the top spot, anyone currently in the top 9 I think could be competing for 2nd & play-offs. 9) How do you think Oldham will do this season? - Just miss out on playoffs. Think there are too many good teams in this league for you to finish in the top 6. - Mid table or just outside the playoffs. - 7th to 14th. Think lack of squad depth will put pay to any promotion chances. - Just miss out on play offs. - Good contender for a play-off spot. 10) And finally, what score do you think the game will be on Sunday? - Heart says Town win but I think it will be a 2-2 draw. - Our away form has been a bit iffy at the moment but we are taking a big following with us so I hope we can snatch a 2-0 win. - I can honestly see us running away with it if we score an early goal, but can see it being a close battle if we make simple errors, so either 3-0 or 1-1. - Oldham 1-3 Town. - Our away form isn’t great but with Oldham being very close I think we could sneak a 2-1 win. Many thanks to those Huddersfield fans who took part this week. It seems the Hudders fans are unanimous that Jordan Rhodes is their key player for the Latics defence to watch. But can Latics follow on from their three points gained last week in Brighton?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted October 30, 2009 Share Posted October 30, 2009 Surprised to see Smithies rated so highly in goal. He looked decidedly dodgy collecting crosses when I saw him play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellysheroes Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 Surprised to see Smithies rated so highly in goal. He looked decidedly dodgy collecting crosses when I saw him play. thats because he is a brill goalkepper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razza699 Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 brilliant another good set of answers Ste! role on Leeds lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSH Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 Surprised to see Smithies rated so highly in goal. He looked decidedly dodgy collecting crosses when I saw him play. He was a bit dodgy on crosses last season, but I haven't felt at all anxious about him collecting them this season. He's so highly rated because his shot stopping is first class, his reactions are ridiculously good, he commands his area, he thinks about his distribution (throwing to feet, long balls for our pacier players to run onto...) and, overall, he's 19 years old. He's the best 'keeper I've seen play for Town since Steve Harper and in a few years he'll have surpassed him if he continues to develop the way he is doing. I'm quite aware that he'll probably gift you the winning goal tomorrow now that I've built him up like that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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