The Terriers squad was already quite thin, and with the growing injury list, the situation has become even more challenging for the manager. However, this doesn’t completely excuse the manager’s performance. Even though it was expected that they would lose to Leeds United, the result could have been even worse due to the outcomes of other matches in the lower ranks of the Championship.
Out of the teams positioned from 14th place downwards, only Watford, Millwall, and Sheffield Wednesday managed to secure points. These results were somewhat favorable for Huddersfield Town, especially considering that Watford and Millwall faced each other, and Sheffield Wednesday prevented Rotherham from closing in on Town’s 21st place with a game in hand. For now, Huddersfield Town’s position outside the bottom three is within their control.
However, the fact that we are discussing their position in this manner at this stage of the season is concerning. It’s unusually early in October to be anxiously watching other teams’ results, but the poor quality of Town’s recent performances justifies the worry. They have conceded four goals in three of their last five games, and even though they earned four points in the other two matches, they were far from convincing, especially against the weakest teams in the division.
One could almost dismiss these struggles as a result of facing two of the top five teams and having an off day against Birmingham if they were exceptionally optimistic. Unfortunately, even the most hopeful outlook for Town’s prospects was shattered by the news that Jack Rudoni, a key player, is not only injured but will be sidelined for weeks. This is a significant blow to a team that was already struggling and trying to make it to the January transfer window. Doing so without their best player, Rudoni, makes the task feel nearly impossible, particularly considering several other important injuries in the squad.
It’s important not to exaggerate the situation, though. It’s crucial to remember that Town will eventually have Josh Ruffels, David Kasumu, Josh Koroma, and Danny Ward back in the lineup. All of them would be starters, so having them available could be a game-changer.
Currently, the situation looks quite bleak. Such circumstances would challenge any manager, and the board of Huddersfield Town will need to weigh the pressure on the current manager, Moore. They must consider whether a different manager could do better with the available resources and whether they had reasonable expectations for Moore to deliver results with this injury list when they appointed him. They also need to think about whether it’s wise to make a change and hire a sixth permanent manager in just 18 months, as such disruptions have contributed to the players’ struggles in the first place.
However, they should remember from last season that waiting too long can have its own risks. They held onto Mark Fotheringham for too many games despite their failures, relying on favorable results elsewhere. Fortunately, it didn’t turn out to be a disaster.
In the end, even if they acknowledge that the perfect manager would greatly benefit from the January transfer window, Town needs Moore to establish a foundation for future success with the right signings. While it’s expected that the current players will often lose, they don’t have to make it easy, and unfortunately, they are doing just that at the moment. Both the results and performances confirm this.
Moore and his players have been talking about learning from their defeats. He has experienced enough of them to know what doesn’t work. Now he needs to find a strategy that at least has a fighting chance of success.
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