Huddersfield Town digest: Injury woes continue as Joe Taylor set to miss short spell
Michael Duff aims to get back to winning ways at Northampton, Radinio Balker on his return from injury, and Town's unfortunate luck with injuries continues
What’s been said
— Michael Duff, on Joe Taylor’s injury, at his Thursday afternoon press conference:
“Joe came in Sunday and felt okay, he didn’t report anything. Then on Monday he felt what he described as a cramp sensation that didn’t quite feel right, so we x-rayed it as a precaution and it’s popped up with a semi-significant hamstring injury.
“It’s a blow. It’s disappointing for him, and disappointing for us. Bad luck strikes again.
“We think, with every scan there is a number and a letter, and we are looking at four to six weeks.”
— Michael Duff, on working on improvements for Saturday’s trip to Northampton, at his Thursday afternoon press conference:
“We say it every week because it is true, we are expecting a tough game, and it is up to us to be better in possession. The out of possession stuff doesn’t worry me too much because we have been pretty consistent at that, other than a half against Blackpool.
“The shape of team, the energy of the team, the organisation, the attitude has been really good. It is just that in possession stuff, but we have got to make sure it is not just that which we improve.
“You have always got to respect the opposition, I don’t think you can just go ‘Well we are Huddersfield, and we are just going to do that’, without even looking at the opposition.
“It’s knowing their strengths, finding their weaknesses, and executing the game plan better.”
— Radinio Balker, on his return to the team and the impact he hopes to have, at his press conference on Thursday afternoon.
“I have been smiling ever since I have been back. Sometimes you lose a little bit of joy when you are always playing, and I definitely have that back now.
”I think we can use some quality on the ball, so hopefully I can bring that and stability as well.
“It doesn’t really matter to me (playing on the side of a back three), I can do everything as long as I stay fit, I think I have the qualities for it.
“We already had everything we needed in my eyes, we already had the quality, so it is good to have more quality in the squad now. I am just curious as to how everything is coming together when everybody is fit, and players are coming back from injury, and the players who are new are fitting into the squad.
“Every game is very important, but especially now when we have lost two games. You don’t want to make the narrative that we are on a losing streak. Of course, we want to break that and that is very important on its own.”
Coming up next
Michael Duff’s side travel to Northampton Town seeking to avenge Town’s 3-1 home defeat earlier in the season, and get back to winning ways.
Jon Brady was the man in charge when Northampton took three points at the John Smith’s Stadium, but there has been a change in the dugout, as Kevin Nolan took the reigns in late December.
The Cobblers have only one win in their last ten, and haven’t seen victory at home since 9th December.
Town will be hoping to get themselves back in the win column, after back-to-back losses, and put right what went wrong in the reverse fixture.
Huddersfield Town injuries and absences
Joe Taylor is set to miss four to six weeks with a hamstring injury.
Tom Lees should be available for the Northampton fixture, after breaking his nose he needs to wear a protective mask.
David Kasumu is expected to remain unavailable for a couple more weeks with a hamstring injury.
Nigel Lonwijk is set to be out until February-March with a hamstring injury.
Mickel Miller remains sidelined until spring with an MCL injury.
Danny Ward is out for the season with a knee ligament injury.
Predicted line-up to face Northampton Town
3-4-1-2: Jacob Chapman; Matty Pearson, Tom Lees, Radinio Balker; Brodie Spencer, Jonathon Hogg, Joe Hodge, Ruben Roosken; Anthony Evans; Callum Marshall, Dion Charles
Substitutes: Lee Nicholls, Lasse Sorensen, Josh Koroma, Ben Wiles, Herbie Kane, Rhys Healey, Bojan Radulovic.
Rearranged Fixture
One for the diary - Town’s previously postponed visit to Shrewsbury Town will now take place on Tuesday 18th February in a 7.45pm kick-off.
The Terriers haven’t played at Crowd Meadow since 2-1 League Cup defeat back in August 2016, with Elias Kachunga on the scoresheet that evening.
Club Online Fan Forum
Huddersfield Town have announced that they are holding an online fan forum as part of their wider commitment to the club’s Supporter Engagement Plan.
The event will be hosted by We Are Terriers own Steven Chicken, who will be joined by Huddersfield Town CEO Jake Edwards, Sporting Director Mark Cartwright and Chief Revenue Officer Paul Reeves to discuss all club matters with questions coming directly from supporters.
All questions shall be submitted, gathered and processed by We Are Terriers, with the panel answering live on a free-to-view broadcast to everyone across HTTV on YouTube and social media.
Taking place on the evening of Tuesday 11 February 2025 between 6.30pm and 7.30pm, full details of how to watch along will be shared in due course.
If you would like to submit a question for the Fan Forum then please CLICK HERE. The deadline for submitting questions is Friday 7 February.
Huddersfield Town Women
Town Women are back in action after their game was called off against Leeds United last weekend. With only one game played so far in 2025, Glen Preston’s side host Durham Cestria at Storthes Hall Park.
New striker, Katie Astle may be in line for her first start for the club, after getting on the scoresheet off the bench in her debut against Rotherham United two weeks ago.
Our schedule
We’ll have full coverage of the Northampton fixture as usual: player ratings just after the full-time whistle, then five conclusions will be out on Sunday for our paying backers. The same goes for Town Women’s match.
Steven Chicken is getting some well earned rest, so it is myself and David Hartrick in the podcast booth, discussing the Birmingham City and Northampton Town fixtures, that will be out on Monday.