Stoke City vs Huddersfield Town

Competition: EFL Championship Matchday 12

Date: 21/11/2020

Score: 3-2

Ground: Bet365 Stadium

5 Conclusions from the Game

1. 9 points dropped from winning positions

Preston, Bristol and now Stoke, three games where Town have taken the lead and in all three games they have lost. Town never seems to assert their dominance that they show for 60-70% of the game, whereas when Town aren't in control they roll over for the opposition. Town conceded twice in two minutes against Preston and Stoke and conceded twice in six minutes against Bristol. It seems a running theme that when Town concede they stick their heads in the sand for the next 10 minutes and only when they concede for a second time that they ultimately react.
While I like that Town are starting to have more a go at teams and have now scored in each of their last 10 games, I think they need to have better game management. Today was another example of their inability to manage a game when in the lead.

2. Eiting and Mbenza were nothing short of outstanding

The knock that Carel Eiting took against Birmingham seems to have given him a Championship baptism and he hasn't looked back since. He got his first goal last time out against Luton and then added to that again today with a goal and an assist. Mbenza, on the other hand, looked like he was nailed on to be sold in the summer, but he now has 2 goals and 2 assists. He is the only Town player to register multiple goals and multiple assists this season. In my opinion today he was excellent and shows why he deserves to be in the side.

3. Senior Pros leading by example...

With the introduction of 19 man matchday squads and a maximum of 5 substitutes per game, you would have thought that the senior pros would be wanting to give a good example to the influx of younger players, this was not the case today. Stearman and Hogg both being at fault for goals, while it wasn't exactly a brilliant display from Campbell upfront today. We really should have won the game today and I think the senior pros are the ones who let the rest of the team down!

4. Play some of the B team

Matty Daly did make a very late cameo today and Demeaco Duhaney was used today to cover for the injured Pipa, but I would like to see more B team players used. Ben Jackson, Aaron Rowe, Josh Austerfield and Kieren Phillips all have claims for places in the first team and after the performance today by some of the team, I would be very disappointed to not see any B team players in the starting lineup on Tuesday night.

5. We missed Ben Hamer today!

I never thought I would say this, but Town actually missed Ben Hamer today. Town had only conceded more than twice on one occasion this season before today and that was against Brentford. So, it was no surprise that the introduction of a new 'keeper would result in our worst defensive performance of the season. One thing I do not understand though is that Town chooses to play and develop a 24-year-old Manchester United goalkeeper rather than develop one of our - Ryan Schofield. I would not mind if Schofield made those mistakes today, but for someone that has played for Manchester United to make them is truly unforgivable. To slightly defend Joel, the defence didn't help him either and he did make a few claims, but he has to be doing better for the goals today. If Ben Hamer was playing today I doubt we would have lost.

Town Team:

Starting 11: Joel Pereira, Demeaco Duhaney, Naby Sarr, Richard Stearman, Harry Toffolo, Jonathon Hogg, Lewis O'Brien, Carel Eiting, Josh Koroma, Fraizer Campbell, Isaac Mbenza
Subs: Ryan Schofield, Christopher Schindler, Juninho Bacuna, Adama Diakhaby, Jaden Brown, Danny Ward, Aaron Rowe, Matty Daly, Rarmani Edmonds-Green
Formation: 352