Huddersfield v Wolves - match preview
All you need to know as Wolves travel north desperate for a win to cheer their disillusioned supporters.
PREAMBLE
Winless in five, 11 points off the play-offs, huge discontent amongst the gold and black....season over in February?
It certainly feels that way, writes Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers.
Wolves have accrued 40 points from their 31 Championship fixtures thus far.
With a third of the season to go, if they somehow (bear with me) managed to register two-points-per-game from their final 15 matches, they'd finish on 70 points - a total high enough to get into the play-offs in just two of the past six seasons.
It's the longest of long shots, not least because Kenny Jackett's side don't appear capable of putting together anywhere near that kind of consistent winning run.
What they have improved on of late in their away form. Since the 4-1 drubbing at Sheffield Wednesday in December, Wolves are unbeaten in four league games and have conceded just one goal.
They travel to the John Smith's Stadium hoping to complete the double over Huddersfield, having beaten them 3-0 at Molineux.
If they do triumph, don't expect fans to start dreaming of the top six.
Indeed, given their recent form, Wolves' main priority right now should be to banish any lingering fears of getting sucked into a relegation battle.
TEAM NEWS
Huddersfield have one-time Wolves target Jamie Paterson available again after he missed last week's victory over parent club Nottingham Forest.
One player was added to Wolves' injury list this week (James Henry, who is set to miss at least four matches with a hamstring strain) and one was taken off it, with Kortney Hause available for selection again. He's been out since October with the same injury.
Hause will likely take Sylvain Deslandes' place in the squad, and Bright Enobakhare is a decent bet to replace Henry and take a place on the bench.
Mike Williamson (hamstring), Michal Zyro (calf), David Edwards (foot), Jordan Graham (knee) and Nouha Dicko (knee) are all unavailable.
LIKELY LINE UPS
Huddersfield (4-2-3-1): Steer; Smith, Hudson, Lynch, Husband; Billing, Hogg; Bunn, Lolley, Paterson; Wells. Subs: Murphy (gk), Davidson, Whitehead, Crainie, Dempsey, Manu, Matmour.
Wolves (4-3-3): Ikeme; Doherty, Batth, Ebanks-Landell, Hause; Coady, Price, Saville; Sigurdarson, Mason, Byrne. Subs: Martinez (gk), Iorfa, McDonald, Rowe, Van La Parra, Enobakhare, Le Fondre.
OPPOSITION DANGERMAN
Nahki Wells: Thought to have long been on Wolves' radar. Consistently found the net at Bradford and has carried on that form at Huddersfield.
The 25-year-old has scored seven in his last 11 appearances for the Terriers.
FORM GUIDE
Huddersfield are five points behind Wolves in 17th, but there is a feelgood factor around the club with performances and results having improved since David Wagner took over as boss from Chris Powell in November.
A 4-2-3-1 formation, utilising the 'gegenpressing' tactic used with such success at his former club Borussia Dortmund under Jurgen Klopp has been embraced by the players.
A 5-0 thrashing of Charlton and an impressive 2-0 victory at Forest last week, ending the long unbeaten run of Dougie Freedman's team, are two results that have caught the eye.
Wolves are winless in five but have improved away from home of late.
They beat Huddersfield 3-0 at Molineux in October, one of just four home victories all season.
Of the other three teams they've beaten at home (Charlton, Fulham and Reading), Wolves have also done well on their travels against the same opposition, winning away at Charlton and Fulham and drawing 0-0 at Reading.
The sentimental punter will back Conor Coady to the hilt.
Coady has yet to break his Wolves scoring duck and would love nothing more than to do so against his former club.
The 22-year-old was devastated to be left out of the reverse fixture (he was available after a three-match suspension but Jackett left him out of the squad) and is desperate to add goals to his game.
Coady to score first and Wolves to win 1-0 is a handsome 100/1 long shot.
Or there's a more modest 5/1 on him simply finding the net at any time.
Mason has scored two in two. And if you fancy him to make it three in three by opening the scoring in a 3-0 win (repeating this season's Molineux scoreline) you'll win £175 from a £1 bet - enough for half a season ticket.
A repeat of Wolves' 4-1 win here last year is 100/1.
February 10, 2015 (Championship), Huddersfield 1 Wolves 4. After a run of three winless games Wolves got their play-off hopes back on track with a shellacking. Dicko scored two, Afobe scored one, Van La Parra ran riot and Conor Coady registered what could technically be termed his first goal for Wolves, when putting the ball through his own net.
October 20, 2012 (Championship), Huddersfield 2 Wolves 1. The above result, as you can see from the next four on this list, was an anomaly in recent years. In fact before that 4-1 win Wolves went 11 without beating Huddersfield home or away. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's goal wasn't enough to prevent them losing in 2012.
December 9, 2000 (Division One), Huddersfield 3 Wolves 0. Colin Lee's penultimate game in charge (Wolves lost at home to Blues a week later and he was sacked). Peter Ndlovu scored two, Delroy Facey the other. Not even Sami Al-Jaber's 69th-minute introduction could spark a comeback.
March 4, 2000 (Division One), Huddersfield 2 Wolves 0. Martin Smith scored both goals as Wolves' play off hopes took a hit (they would miss out on the top six by just two points). Not even Havard Flo's 80th-minute introduction could spark a comeback.
September 19, 1998 (Division One), Huddersfield 2 Wolves 1. A real heartbreaker. Robbie Keane equalised in the 90th minute, only for Ben Thornley to win it deep into injury time. Not even David Connolly's 32nd-minute...well you get the idea with that.
PRE-MATCH MANAGER THOUGHTS
David Wagner: "We have good information from our scouting and from Stuart Webber because of his time there (Webber was head of recruitment at Wolves before leaving for Huddersfield last summer).
"We are well prepared, and we aren't thinking about their recent results, more about the dangerous players they have.
Kenny Jackett: "Away from home we've been tighter, more compact and harder to beat. We've been in the games, we've been very competitive.
"We now have an opportunity against Huddersfield, quickly followed by Brentford and then Derby.
"It's a big eight days for us to put on good performances and results, and work at trying to close the gap.
"We have 15 games left, it's a third of the season. We want to finish strongly and see where it takes us."
FOR THE FANS
The John Smith's Stadium (formerly the Alfred McAlpine Stadium and then the Galpharm Stadium) is one of the country's more striking modern arenas, built in 1994 and with a 24,500 capacity.
The Boy and Barrel is the designated away pub, located in Beast Market.
THE REF
Kevin Wright (Cambridgeshire): Spent most of his time in League One and League Two this season.
Took charge of Wolves' 3-0 League Cup defeat to Middlesbrough in September and showed just one yellow card.
Wright sent off Kevin McDonald for two bookings during Wolves' 2-1 win over Brentford at Molineux last season.
PREDICTION
Huddersfield are revitalised, but inconsistent, under Wagner.
Wolves' away form is good, particularly defensively, and with Joe Mason surely in the starting XI they could begin to thrive up front too.
A 2-1 away win.
