22/23 Squad building - The Centre Backs
(Image: HTAFC)
Matt Shaw, Founder.
Twitter: @TTCMatt
Finally, a position where there’s some action! Roll back Asda style to 12 months ago and the memories of Richard Keogh trying Cruyff turns on the edge of his own box, Rarmani Edmonds-Green before he found whey protein, Richard Stearman getting caught in a foot race half way up the right side of the pitch and Town’s man to man marking system in front of a nervous Ryan Schofield were burning into our minds. This was happening whilst Town legend Christopher Schindler forlornly looked on with a knee injury, as Town conceded 41 goals in the 2nd half of the season (23 games) rubbing much salt into a wound which was turning into more of an open gash week on week. Defensively, and let’s not beat around the bush here. We were shit.
Head of Football Operations Leigh Bromby got to work and brought in players of a certain age and experience who would provide a certain ruggedness. On the outside looking in, it all felt a little bit ‘cloggy’ until they brought in the silk of Levi Colwill to match the steel. The turnaround was tremendous, as was the balance between them with Tom Lees in particular playing a starring role. The 41 goals conceded in the 2nd half of the 20/21 season was more than halved in the equivalent part of the 21/22 season as Town conceded only 20 in the final 23 games. There were changes which also assisted this defensive process. Out went the man to man marking and Town’s expansive system playing out from the back became a deep counter attacking style where defending with every man truly mattered.
The systems of Carlos Corberan
On the experience matrix above Town have quite a good spread of youth and experience indicating that like with both fullback positions, there is not a lot broken here to fix. However, of the 9 defensive options listed above only 2 of them are left footed and of them Romoney Crichlow is spending the season out on loan.
OUTS
Naby Sarr - Released
Levi Colwill - Returned to parent club
Nassim Kherbouche - Released
Josh Okpolokpo - Released
Jeremy Stewart - Released
It was naturally disappointing but understandable to see Levi Colwill return to Chelsea and a little saddening to also see Naby Sarr to depart. Both left a little bit of a hole on the left-hand side of Town’s defence. Naby’s redemption arc over the 2nd half of last season was a particular highlight and I’m sure all Town fans would wish both players the very best.
INS
Will Boyle - Free from Cheltenham Town,
Ok let’s have a look at our options.
Tom Lees
Age: 31
Contract: Expiring 2023 (1 year option)
Verdict: Carry on!
We’d heard from Sheffield Wednesday fans last summer that Tom Lees was done. Past it. Finished. Acabado. Nonsense! Tom Lees was SUPERB last season. I could dig out the stats to show you how great he was with defensive and aerial duels or that he cleared more balls than Ronnie O’Sullivan but you all saw it, you all know. He’s the don. If ‘The Knaresborough Nesta’ carries on last season’s form he will be first pick in defence and the cornerstone of the 22/23 defensive structure and deservedly so.
Matty Pearson
Age: 28
Contract: Expiring 2024
Verdict: Carry on!
On our podcast end of season review ex Town keeper Phil Senior told us that when at Halifax he effectively told Matty Pearson to not give up the day job. It’s a good job Pearson didn’t listen as he’s gone from strength to strength and ‘The Keighley Cannavaro’ is a very popular figure in Town’s defence. Pearson whilst not the quickest has proved incredibly reliable in the air and his passing for what he was questioned over when he arrived has also improved tenfold. Another who I hope can carry on last season’s form. Solid.
Jonathan Hogg
Age: 33
Contract: Expiring 2023
Verdict: Useful in the right system
Jonathan Hogg is currently spending his summer catching whoppers. In fairness, Town fans have known him to do this for years - Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury exhibit A and B is Harry Arter. I’ve given Hoggy the verdict of useful in the right system and that’s because Carlos Corberan has taken a liking to Hoggy as a spare centre back in a back 3. It’s felt that with Hoggy’s ability to pick up 2nd balls and his preference to receive the ball looking forward that the spare centre back or the “Javier Hoggscherano role” suits the skipper to a tee. If Town were to line up in a back 4, I would hazard a guess that he would revert back to the DM role thus the reason for the verdict.
Hoggy’s had another decent season, he’s 34 next season and whilst he may not be Usain Bolt around the midfield his experience, leadership and calmness influence the other players greatly. Long may it continue.
Rarmani Edmonds-Green
Age: 23
Contract: Expiring 2024 (1 year option)
Verdict: Challenge Pearson
Ok this is more like it, REG back in his correct slot in the picture. It’s funny how COVID has impacted the path of some Huddersfield players, if Rarmani Edmonds-Green hadn’t been struck down last summer then Town may never have signed Tom Lees and REG wouldn’t have ended up at Rotherham - a rejuvenating move. Edmonds-Green’s loan to the New York stadium has been pivotal in his development and if he can make it there, he can make it… Anywhere, so it’s up to you now Rarmani to push the starters at Huddersfield Town and should Carlos employ a back 3 there are a lot of arguments in his favour to start as the right sided centre back over Matty Pearson. Yes, I’ve done the Swiss army analogy to death but REG offers that flexibility of being able to play comfortably across the right side of defence, he can step out into midfield to play like Levi Colwill did and he has pace and the ability to overlap the right wing back. This season should be very interesting at the starboard side of Town’s defence and that competition should push better improvements out of the positional contenders.
Will Boyle
Age: 26
Contract: Expiring 2024 (1 year option)
Verdict: Push to start
I’ve got to be honest, when I heard originally that we were after Will Boyle I was a little unsure, so looked into this further. From his previous time in the academy, I understood Will Boyle to be good in the air and of decent character. It was the character that interested me the most so I watched his final interview as a Cheltenham player and I got it. Boyle is a very professional, focussed and driven defender who won’t shirk responsibility and will fight to compete for every ball. As Town build a squad of determined characters, I can see how Boyle fits into the picture.
Boyle is the only senior left footed centre back in the squad. so, I expect he will be given plenty of opportunity to force his way into Carlos’s early selections.
Best of the rest
Romoney Crichlow heads out to Bradford City on loan and with his contract expiring next summer it is unclear whether we will see him in a Town shirt again. Romoney will be 24 upon his return (unless it’s cut short) and whilst 24 is far from over the hill you do have to wonder whether the club see his long-term future in HD1.
Mustapha Olagunju had a frustrating season with injury so will be looking to make up for lost time. The skilful centre back may be looking to head out on loan to supplement the 2 starts he got on loan at Port Vale in 2021. Another spell in League 2 or the Vanarama National League would help get the Londoner’s career back on track.
Loick Ayina comes highly regarded in the academy and having just turned 19 will be looking to increase his first team minutes. Last October, Ayina headed out on loan to Boston Utd in the Vanarama North and a step up in class this year should be on the cards.
David Adewoju has shown great improvement over the last 6 months but his first team debut will still be some way off. B team minutes and a short work experience loan should help keep Adewoju going in the right direction.
Centre Back’s Verdict
As mentioned underneath the scatter diagram, Town have quite a good blend of defensive youth and experience throughout the squad and in particular have a lot of depth on the right-hand side of the central defence. Tom Lees, Matty Pearson and Jonathan Hogg (when required) will hopefully carry on the great form of last season and provide the defensive continuity which will be important to get over their playoff heartache. Rarmani Edmonds-Green returns after a good season with Rotherham and adds a dimension to the defence lost due to Levi Colwill’s return to Chelsea. Will Boyle will be akin to a left sided Matty Pearson in his replacement of Naby Sarr and rather boorishly this is mostly turning into a cheerleading paragraph asking the team to just carry on doing what they do best.
But I’m not finished he shouts as you’re about to click off the article and go look at something more interesting. Just one more thing I hail in the style of Columbo. Town ARE a little short of left sided central defenders with Boyle effectively being the only one at the club so we could ideally do with someone to challenge Boyle and in effect replace Levi Colwill. Yes, Rarmani Edmonds-Green can do facets of Colwill’s play from the right but in an ideal world you would have 2 players for each position and as such Town are a touch short. Tom Lees could step over onto the left but we know how Carlos does like to keep dominant footed players on their dominant side.
Leigh Bromby has already stated that the brief for this summer is to improve the attack. If the budget is being thrown into the midfield and attack then it makes sense that if defence isn’t a priority (which it isn’t) then we could possibly see a young player in on loan or a short-term free transfer. As always, I have a few suggestions ranging from high end market to the more likely youth end. Yes, I know I’m late with this so a couple of suggestions that I originally had such as Luke McNally have gone elsewhere but que sera.
Free transfer options
Alfie Mawson - I’ve only really got Mawson on this list to rather debunk the name as it floats around Town’s rumour mill. Apparently, Mawson is to take a surprising step down to Wycombe Wanderers so I guess we can scratch that one off.
Michael Hector - The Jamaican international has just been released by Fulham. With Town looking to decrease the wage bill from last season, an experienced player like Hector who can play on the left side of defence starts to look unlikely. Town are probably not going to want to overload the defence with players entering their 30’s but if Town wanted someone with a little bit of pace and the ability to play out from the back there is a solid free option in Hector.
Transfer options
Jessie Debrah - I’d really like Town to sign Jessie Debrah if only for the attempts by Pozza and The Cowshed Loyal to start a song based on Sheffield natives Pulp. Ah, I can hear them now… BUT DEBRAH DO YOU RECALL, AT HALIFAX YOU WON **** ALL, SO WHEN TOWN CAME ROUND TO CALL, YOU DIDN'T HESITATE AT AAALLLLLLLLL….. Ok I’ll stop there. Debrah has been strongly linked with Town throughout the summer and whereas the interest on Town’s side is genuine there doesn’t appear to be any sort of progress on a deal. Debrah in all likelihood would be a B Team signing with the potential to be fast tracked forward and potentially loaned out to a league club so I doubt Town are overly hurrying to complete this as a priority. Also, Debrah tends to play on the right for Halifax but can play on the left as a right footed defender. So, I guess scratch this one off as a Levi replacement.
Matt stop debunking Levi replacements you’re worse than Steven Chicken! Ok sorry. In truth if Town are to replace Levi, then I think this will be via the loan market. There are a number of up-and-coming centre backs in the Premier League that would be willing to loan to a club like Huddersfield whose intense focus on development has seen the likes of Ben Chilwell, Emile Smith Rowe and Trevoh Chalobah go on to have further success after using the springboard of the John Smith’s Stadium. Town have a long-standing relationship with Chelsea so don’t be surprised to see that continue this summer but in truth having scoured the Chelsea development squad I’m not sure if there is a player that is ready for a leap to The Championship who is realistically attainable - Malang Sarr as mentioned by some on Twitter doesn’t seem the attainable type to me. So, then Matt, who could we maybe get?
Loan options
Town have already been to Man City to ask about James McAtee and having an existing relationship going back to 2016 and Pep’s knowledge of Carlos could potentially open the door to a club with rich talents bursting out of their seams.
Callum Doyle - 18-year-old Callum Doyle is currently with the England u19’s who have reached the u19 Euro final. The talented left footer played 44 games for Sunderland last season and largely impressed. City will want to run the rule over him no doubt in preseason like they always do but I wouldn’t rule out them wanting Doyle to make a step up from League 1 to The Championship,
Luke Mbete - Mbete is a flexible centre back with strength and pace belying his 18 years. Mbete also exudes leadership qualities and has captained Man City’s Elite Development Squad on a couple of occasions last season. Mbete is another left footer and is similar to Colwill in style.
Jarrad Branthwaite - Branthwaite has been linked with The Terriers but it is likely there will be a bit of a queue for him. A big, talented left footer it looked like he had forced his way into the Everton side at the end of last season and but for a red card his availability may be different. Branthwaite made 10 appearances on loan at Blackburn Rovers in 2020/21.
Nathan Ferguson - Ferguson is possibly the most fanciful loanee on the list. A highly rated England u20 international he has yet to really settle in at Crystal Palace (partly due to injury) so may be open to some game time outside of London. As always, if he was to be available a lengthy queue is likely to form.
