Post Transfer Window Predictions
Finally, the transfer window is closed and we can crack on…
The starting point for attempting to predict the outcome of another new season has to be to use the previous season as a datum point. So, this season's attempted forecasting of Huddersfield Town in the Championship begins with the rather harrowing reminder of what went down last time around.
Championship Season 20-21 Pos20 Pts49 Goals50 . 70 Goal Diff -21
1.06 pts per game 1.08 goals scored per game. Just 2 wins in the last 15 games of the season.
Like a team of intrepid explorers venturing out on a journey of discovery these points are logged as being that of Base Camp. A new season much like an expedition has to have targets, a positive in the goal difference column is where we should aim to put the first flag in the ground as a mark of progress. Achieving this would most likely but not certainly equate to a least finishing the season in about twelfth position. If achieved that would be about a 33% upturn, which would/could be viewed as hearty progress, whether that be climbing a mountain, sailing the ocean or just scaling the Championship table .
Reasons for optimism: Carlos and the gang have emerged from their near traumatic maiden season, still intact, older, wiser and no doubt primed to prove the doubters wrong, and more importantly having been close enough to be able to smell what failure smells like, now to prove to himself that he can succeed as a coach at Championship level. The squad of players that he has to select from this time around is richer in depth, having drafted in individuals of significant experience over the summer to replace departing players who weren't deemed to fit the expedition template. In addition to experience, he has the youthful emerging talent of Colwell at Centre Half and the largely untried on these shores, recently discovered emerging maverick Danel Sinani, who may crop up in any attacking position.
The soaring early season emergence of Sorba gives rise to the possibility of a star being born, mighty potential for someone still very inexperienced at this level. Players that are capable of giving fans that fizzy feeling, surely succeed in giving teammates around them a little lift as well, and lifts usually mean that you perform better. Who the heck knows what he can achieve this season, no doubts he'll stumble and maybe even fall a couple of times, but he has displayed a positive mental attitude PMA that may prove to be his best attribute and this will help dust himself down in preparation for trying again. With Josh Koroma operating on the opposite wing, opposition defences are going to be stretched to keep a focus on the both of them. And another potential fleet footed trickster who could be part of a dynamic triumvirate is Sinani. When Grant was on song 19/20 and Toffs first and then Josh in 20/21, teams were able to focus defensively on these individuals and gradually blunt Town's threat. If Carlos can formulate a system that the three of them can regularly perform in, then that could cause most teams enough problems to suggest an advantage to Town.
Goalkeeping last season was.......well, let's not dwell on too long on that. Hamer and Joel will only live in the memory for all of the wrong reasons, and as much as we want Ryan to succeed, he just ain't ready yet. So, I'm super stoked by the arrival of Nicholls, because he just looks like a professional goalkeeper, seems competent, looks assured and has a physical presence, how about that, a square peg in a square shaped hole. #1. As certain as I can be about owt, is that he'll help reduce the number of goals that appear in the against column.
We now have four Centre Halves that the club has brought in within the last 13 months who are a huge upgrade on the personal from the beginning of last season, remembering that Sarr had only just arrived and was isolating when the season began. Schindler and Stearman, I rate them both as professionals, but top half Championship players they ain't no more-best wishes to both. Carlos can mix and match and select whom he deems suitable for each opposition and the competition for a place in the starting line should spur each of them on to perform to their best. This is an element that wasn't tangible last season and so is another reason to believe that the goals against can be reduced.
The midfield door is wide open to any aspiring young academy graduate who has the skillset to step up. The midfield is a big department, from the front to back and across the middle, but I don't think that any current members of these positions should be confident of making 30 plus starts this season. More than likely a number of them will as I don't hear many positive sounds emanating from the B team. But I felt last season that all over the pitch that a lot of selections were made because they were the least worse option, Duane arriving in January and the emergence of High has definitely improved matters from 12 months prior, but still, I feel like we are a little short of that fizzy sensation in midfield.
I'm moderately content with the striking options that Carlos has to work with. Again, there's a greater choice available to the coach than there was a year ago. So it's down to the three amigos and Danny Schofield to fit the pieces at the top of the jigsaw together .
Final Predicted Standing: 12th Position (goal diff - Positive, single digit )
Young Player of the Season: (21 or under at the start of the season) Levi Colwill
Top Scorer: Danny Ward
Disappeared without a trace: Aarons
Player of the Year: Sorba Thomas
Emerging talent: Scott High
Best wishes all,
Sundance
