Huddersfield Town digest: Danny Ward out for season, January transfer priorities
The centre-forward has suffered a cruciate ligament injury and will be out for the rest of the season. Plus, Michael Duff's updates on the transfer window
What’s been said
— Michael Duff, on whether any more signings are imminent following Ruben Roosken’s arrival:
“We’re no closer at the minute. Until they walk in the door and sign on the dotted line there’s no point talking. We missed out on a couple early in the last window that were in the door but hadn’t signed on the dotted line.
“There’s plates spinning constantly and conversations happening. We’ve known what we’ve been looking for for quite a long time, so we have pretty definitive lists, whether they’re permanents or loans, and those conversations are ongoing.
“It’s not just all down to us: you’re relying on other clubs, whether it’s parent clubs or other clubs looking to sell. There need to be lots of agreements made all along the line.
“… I don’t want to be having a pizza on deadline day at 10 o’clock at night still sat and hanging around here. Hopefully it’ll all be done by then.“
— Michael Duff, on what Town are looking for, especially after losing Danny Ward to a season-ending injury:
“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist. People have known what we’ve been looking for since the summer. It’s been pretty clear.
“Ruben came in off the back of Mickel [Miller]’s injury, but the rest of the squad is pretty balanced, pretty full. We’ll be looking to add in that area of the pitch (up front), definitely — but that hasn’t changed since August.”
January transfer so far
Ruben Roosken’s arrival from Heracles had already been announced before the window opened. Duff has indicated he is unlikely to start as he has been unable to train with his new teammates while his work permit was pending, but that has now been approved and he is likely to be in the matchday squad.
Jaheim Headley has departed for League Two promotion hopefuls Port Vale on a permanent transfer.
Kyle Hudlin’s loan move to Newport County has been extended until the end of the season. The striker has scored four goals in 18 appearance so far this season.
Coming up next
Rotherham are familiar opposition having come down to League One alongside Town, but have struggled to pull off their usual trend more making an immediate return back to the Championship following a relegation.
The Millers ran out 2-1 winners in the reverse fixture, but have won just six more league games besides that and find themselves 17th in the table.
Creating chances has not been a major issue for Steve Evans’ side: only six sides have had more shots on goal this season. But putting them away has been a notable weakness: they have scored just 21 goals this season with Rotherham’s shot conversion rate of just 7.6% standing as the worst in the division.
Rotherham’s win away to Lincoln on New Year’s Day was just their second victory on the road this season, with the other coming away to Cambridge back in October.
Huddersfield Town injuries and absences
Danny Ward’s season is over after it was confirmed he suffered a cruciate ligament injury in the second minute against Burton. With the centre-forward out of contract at the end of the season, it is possible he has now played his last game for Town.
Joe Hodge returned from injury to play the closing stages of the draw against Burton, but still needs to build up his minutes from the bench before he is able to start games again.
Michael Duff will face no further action follotmwing his red card against Burton and can be in the dugout on Saturday.
Antony Evans is back in full training following his toe injury, which has kept him out of action since the end of October.
Lasse Sorensen is still struggling with some irritation from his previous hamstring injury. There is no new injury to speak of, but the right-back seeing a specialist to aid his recovery as the club err on the side of caution.
Radinio Balker is still building back up from the fractured ankle he suffered in pre-season. The centre-back has been in full training and needs to build his fitness back up on the training pitch and for the B team before he can be considered for the first team.
Jonathan Hogg is expected to be out until mid-late January with his calf injury.
Lee Nicholls has been back in limited training after suffering a setback in his recovery from an elbow injury last month.
Rhys Healey remains with the physios following his calf injury and still has no timescale on his return.
Mickel Miller is ruled out until around March-April with an MCL injury.
Predicted line-up to face Rotherham
3-4-1-2: Jacob Chapman; Tom Lees, Michal Helik, Nigel Lonwijk; Ollie Turton, Herbie Kane, David Kasumu, Brodie Spencer; Ben Wiles; Callum Marshall, Josh Koroma.
Substitutes: Chris Maxwell, Matty Pearson, Ruben Roosken, Joe Hodge, Tom Iorpenda, Freddie Ladapo, Bojan Radulovic.
Huddersfield Town Women
Town Women return to action after their Christmas break with a trip to Teesside to face Norton & Stockton Ancients on Sunday afternoon.
Town sit just four points away from top spot with a game in hand over league leaders Chorley, while Norton & Stockton will be hoping to increase their distance from the relegation zone. Just one point currently separates them from the bottom two.
Our schedule
The usual from us again this week as we will bring you coverage of the Rotherham game in the form of player ratings on the final whistle for all readers, followed by five conclusions first thing the next morning for our paying backers.
We’ll have full coverage on the Women’s game on Sunday, too, followed by the podcast on Monday.
We’ll then be down at Wycombe on Tuesday for the same routine. Get yourself a free trial if you want access to the conclusions and aren’t yet one of our brilliant backers.
If there’s any news in the transfer window we’ll of course keep you fully up to date on that too as and when deals are completed.