Five conclusions: Huddersfield Town answer doubts with AFC Wimbledon showing

There was plenty to like about the Terriers with 11 men, and even more to admire about their efforts with ten, as they sailed to a comfortable 3-0 win on the opening day of the season

1. Lift-off

Ah, there it is.

Up until now, everything about Huddersfield Town’s preparations for this season had felt conditional. This signing is good on paper, but will they do well in reality? The head coach impressed in his audition at the end of last season, but can he step up to the role full time? Some of the squad issues look to have been resolved, but will things click on the field?

One game does not and cannot answer all of these questions definitively. However, this was a very encouraging start.

Drury was reluctant to take credit for it, but his tactical approach to the game was spot on. The changes he made to the team’s shape and setup from the last game worked instantly and looked impressive.

The players executed the initial game-plan near perfectly. Then, when the situation changed thanks to Bali Mumba’s red card, the bench and the squad succeeded in finding the right solutions to a new set of problems.

Still, forget all that for a moment, because something more important happened: the home fans at the Accu Stadium had a good time watching their side play football.

That has been all too rare over the past three years, and after last week’s false start, expectations weren’t especially high. There was hope, sure, but it was contingent. You must first show us what you can do before we start to believe.

There’s still a way to go before they reach that point, but this first indication of what Town can do has us more excited about what lies ahead than felt reasonable just a couple of days ago.