Journalist shares Huddersfield team news, claims Cowley has two ‘massive decisions’ v Leeds
Yorkshire Live journalist Mel Booth has claimed that Huddersfield Town manager Danny Cowley has two massive decisions to make before the Yorkshire derby against Leeds United.
Booth admitted that the Terriers’ back-five is unlikely to change after back-to-back wins against Bristol City and Charlton.
The two massive decisions come in midfield for the away side, with Emile Smith Rowe, Alex Pritchard, Juninho Bacuna and Chris Willock all pushing for a start at Elland Road.
Booth claimed that the Huddersfield boss will be scratching his head before the upcoming Yorkshire derby which has implications at both ends of the Championship table.
“There are a couple of minor injury issues to clear for manager Danny Cowley before he picks his Huddersfield Town team to face Leeds United,” she wrote.
“It’s unlikely there will be any changes in defence following successive encouraging displays since the blips at Swansea, Everton loanee Jonas Lossl continuing in goal, so Cowley has two massive decisions to make in midfield.
“Firstly, does he leave Smith Rowe on the bench and hand Alex Pritchard – who replaced him for 20 minutes against Charlton. And secondly, does he give Juninho Bacuna the chance to start again after his goalscoring, creative show as replacement for Chris Willock in the last match?”
Both Mateusz Klich and Pablo Hernandez shined in midfield in the recent 4-0 win over Hull, and a wrong decision by Huddersfield could see them punished in the heart of midfield.
Cowley will be without the defensive experience of Jonathan Hogg at Elland Road, and the 31-year-old has only been outperformed by Lewis O’Brien this season.
Hogg has averaged 2.2 tackles and one tackle per game according to WhoScored and could have been influential in attempting to blunt Leeds in attack.
Booth may suggest that the Terriers have massive decisions to make in attacking midfield, but it will be the defensive areas that could decide this upcoming game.
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