[jjamez]

Friday sees town return to the sky cameras for another home game, this time coming against promotion chasing West Brom, the last time town appeared on the sky box, we would rather forget what happened...

The West Brom game will be the last time we see football being played on the John Smiths Turf this season, but hopefully it wont be the last time we see championship football being played on it, not that we have produced any championship quality football on it for a while or prolonged periods anyway. Our visitors on the other hand will be hoping it is the last time they play championship football in Huddersfield for a while, but more due to them leaving the league behind rather than us. It seems likely that WBA will be fighting it out with Brentford for the 2nd spot, with Leeds seemingly set for a return to the top flight, although I'm sure a lot of fans up and down the country would far rather see WBA and Brentford take the top spots, but I wouldn't bet on it.



Last time out both Huddersfield and WBA played out similar outcomes, goalless draws, the word goalless seems to sum Town up pretty aptly at the present moment, with the last goal coming in the win away at Birmingham, whilst the last goal from open play came against Charlton in the last home game before lockdown, or in other words, months ago. They say when defining players personalities as someone you'd want alongside you in the trenches, if i was a WBA player/fan I wouldn't be worried about sticking my head up to have a look, as with Town, none of the shots would hit.


see not even a scratch

West Brom on the other hand played out a goalless draw at home to fellow promotion chasers Fulham, and before that came a 1-1 draw away at Blackburn, although there would be a case for saying WBA should have taken more from the game, having failed to capitalise on their chances and kill the game off.

The last time the two sides met was back on the 22nd of September in what was one of the Cowley brothers first games in charge. Considering the shambles we had been served up during the early stages of the season, it came almost as a pleasant surprise when lewis O'brien gave town a 16th minute lead, but it came as little surprise when matt Phillips restored parity just minutes later. Another minor miracle occurred 10 minutes before the interval when karlan grant prodded town back ahead. The second half returned back to the town of Old, with Phillips notching his second, with furlong and ajayi sealing a 4-2 win. However, it was a battling performance that acted as a catalyst for what would be the best period of the campaign results wise for town.



As for our meetings in the Premier league, well it was town who held the bragging rights there. In the first meeting between the two sides, a rajiv van la parra wonder goal proved to be the difference at the John smiths stadium. Whilst the two sides were relegation battling when they met at the hawthorns, van la parra again scored for Town, with mounie notching the second, whilst Craig Dawson replied for the hosts, but it was town who left with the 3 points that day.



Manager speak

Cowley chat

bilic babble




Team news for Town seems to suggest that we have the full allotment of players to pick from minus the one long term absentee in Tommy elphick who is working alongside some of the younger players, offering advice as he arguably looks ahead to moving into coaching in the future.

For me the back 5 should be as you were from the Sheffield Wednesday game. I'm of the opinion that hogg and O'brien have to be the 2 holding midfielders at that this moment in time, I know a lot of fans don't like the idea but I dont see bacuna being disciplined enough to do it in a big game.

That being said, bacuna would be out on the right wing for me for his possible creativity, with Smith rowe and grant being the other two behind Campbell, who I think will be more useful up against the likes of hegazi who I feel might make mounie a bit redundant.

Last time out West brom lined up as follows

1 Johnstone
27 O'Shea
6 Ajayi
26 Hegazi
14 Townshend Booked at 86 mins
8 Livermore Booked at 55 mins
19 Sawyers
29 Diangana Substituted for Robinson at 85 minutes
12 Costa Pereira Booked at 50 mins Substituted for Krovinovic at 90+3 minutes
13 Grosicki Substituted for Phillip sat 45 minutes
15 Austin Substituted for Robson-Kanu at 66 minutes
Substitutes

2 Furlong
4 Robson-Kanu
5 Bartley
7 Krovinovic
10 Phillips
11 Brunt
16 Harper
23 Bond
47 Robinson

So it could see the return of huddersfields best friend Charlie austin, who always seems to either score or get up to mischief when he plays against us.



Players to watch

The highly rated grady Diangana is on loan from West ham and offers pace and trickery out on the flank, whilst fellow winger kamil Grosicki offers experience and skill on the other wing.

Behind the lone striker will be pereira who will need to be watched closely by hogg as he will unlock a defence in a moments notice, much like we thought Pritchard would.



West brom stats


• Slaven Bilić’s men have kept 14 clean sheets in the league this season, half of which have come in their last 11 league games.

• Albion have the best away record in the Championship, picking up 43 points on the road this season (P22, W12, D7, L3).

• The Baggies are unbeaten in five games (W3, D2, L0).

I'm sure our WBA following friends will be able to give their views on this afternoons games