Football League World
·15 September 2023
Football League World
·15 September 2023
Neil Warnock's Huddersfield Town side went into the international break having won their first game of the season.
Goals from summer signing Delano Burgzorg and Jack Rudoni helped the team to a 2-1 away win against West Bromwich Albion.
Warnock will be hoping to build off the back of this victory and start to gather some momentum. Usually, if you'd won your first game of the season, you'd expect the squad to remain the same as it was for that winning performance.
But we think that there's going to be some reshuffling in the Huddersfield starting XI.
Other than his performance against Norwich City, Nichols have been very solid between the posts this season.
He's been Huddersfield's clear number one for the last couple of seasons. Only injury has kept him out of the starting lineup.
The 23-year-old made a surprise return to the squad against the Baggies. He had been kept out of action by an injury he picked dup in pre-season. The win was his first game back, and he was on the pitch for the full 90.
Warnock showed lots of faith in him to stick him in the deep end, from the get-go, so he's likely to start again.
Since the turn of the year, he has been another mainstay in Town's team. Pearson brings experience and physicality, which will be needed on the weekend.
Surprisingly, the central defender is one of three players to have scored for the club, in the league, this season.
Huddersfield have had a leaky defence, this year, but he and his partner at the back shouldn't hold all the responsibility.
The 29-year-old was brought off late in the game, against West Brom, but it was revealed to be an issue of cramp, rather than anything serious.
He's a well-established Championship full back, and he can pose a threat going forward.
Another one of the Huddersfield scorers. It is sad to think that the only person to find the back of the net for Huddersfield, before the 2nd September, was Helik.
He was very good against Albion, completing two key passes, on top of his goal.
Like his midfield partner, he put in a stellar performance last time out. Sofascore gave him a match rating of 7.5.
He's also the club captain so it's very likely he is going to play.
Another solid midfield performance from Wiles two weekends ago.
He didn't get many opportunities to get on the ball; he only had 28 touches in 90 minutes, but he was tidy when on the ball, completing 90% of his passes.
The summer arrival will be facing his former club in Rotherham.
Here's where the first slight change comes in. Burgzorg did score from playing on the right wing. But he has predominantly played on the left in his career.
Thomas missed the last game with a slight knock, according to Yorkshire Live, so he's likely to make a return to the starting XI.
He's probably the club's best option at this position, and there are ways to fit the rest of the personnel into this system with him on the right wing.
As mentioned, in his Bundesliga career, he mainly played off of the left wing.
It just makes sense to play him and the Welshman on the wings, if you can, and they can.
The striker does need to improve his finishing if he wants to remain in the squad. His xG numbers suggest that he should have scored at least one goal this season, but he's yet to get off the mark.
But Town don't have many options to turn to upfront. There are question marks over the likes of Kian Harratt and Kyle Hudlin at Championship level so Ward will, likely, keep his place.