Huddersfield Town player ratings from their 3-1 defeat to Barnsley
Player ratings from a difficult afternoon at Oakwell where the Terriers suffered a 3-1 defeat and saw Owen Goodman red-carded.
Owen Goodman - 2
Quite the 36 minutes. It started well with a terrific double save, then came the goal in which he spilled a simple cross out to the feet of a grateful Davis Keillor-Dunn. After the error he looked nervous, then settled, then regardless of what you think of the challenge he was sent off for in the 36th minute, his decision to charge out to win the ball in that area of the pitch was mystifying. A young goalkeeper who today looked exactly that.
Lynden Gooch - 5
Did not really do much wrong, but also could not affect the game either way. Full of industry as ever but substituted for Lasse Sorensen at half-time as Grant looked to adjust his midfield into more of a 4-4-1 to cope with being a man down. Not his fault, but also not his best day.
Josh Feeney - 5
Had his toughest afternoon in a Town shirt to date and defended okay but just couldn’t do anything with the ball at his feet as his midfield retreated to almost being playing alongside him at times. Some will argue Whatmough should have played after his performance midweek, tough to argue against that after a 3-1 defeat.
Joe Low - 4
Looked uncharacteristically worried at times by fairly simple balls through the middle. Seemed to feed off the nervous energy of others but not in a good way. Dealt with anything swung into the box as you would expect but got caught square against runners twice in each half.
Sean Roughan - 4
Looked really rusty, a man in need for a few games to sharpen his touch. The stop/start nature of his Town career to date was really evident - some lovely touches, couple of great balls, but then a few fouls needlessly given away and a couple of simple balls that went astray. He’s going to be a big player for Town this season in at least on the WAT Team’s eyes, but not today.
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Ryan Ledson - 6
A very typical Ledson performance in that he worked tirelessly off the ball, did simple things on it, and you will notice him far more when he doesn’t play than when he does. Absolutely vital part of the Town team already, took the right kind of yellow second half by speaking up for his team mates in the light of a couple of what we’ll charitably call ‘unusual’ decisions from the referee.
Herbie Kane - 4
Not the day he wanted back at his former employers. Was never given the chance to get into his stride by a team who never gave him space to. The tactical shift second half into something approaching a midfield four was never going to suit him and it was no surprise to see him sub off for David Kasumu in the 71st minute.
Marcus Harness - 6
Town’s best attacking player by a mile. Some gorgeous diagonals first half were wasted by team mates, constantly ran at his man and tried to get crosses in early. Ran out of steam second half when trying to help Taylor in the press - a thankless task a man down.
Ben Wiles - 5
Just could not influence the game. Nothing wrong with his effort as per usual, but after missing a very presentable opportunity first half by taking too long to shoot when going early across the keeper was the option he struggled to make things happen on or off the ball. Switched into a central midfield role in the second half and never stopped running, just not quite enough on the ball to change things in any meaningful way.
Ruben Roosken - 3
Sacrificed for Lee Nicholls after Goodman’s red card but, in truth, he was likely to be the first sub anyway playing as he was. Wasteful on the ball and twice taking a poor touch when under very little pressure in a good area, it was not his day. Also one of several Town players to give away a really silly free-kick in a dangerous area when there were several other options he could have taken.
Alfie May - 5
Full of running, created a couple of half chances for himself, but never really recovered from an injury in the first few minutes that seemed to hamper him to the point where he looked like he couldn’t quite get into top gear. Subbed at half-time for Joe Taylor and fairly understandably so if he was carrying a knock.
Substitutes
Lee Nicholls (for Ruben Roosken, 38 mins) - If you have a goalkeeper sent off after 36 minutes it is fair to say things are not ideal, and yet Town had the ideal man to bring on. could not do anything about the second goal but the third should have been pushed away rather than back into danger - 5
Leo Castledine (for Ben Wiles, 74 mins) - Tried to make things happen but very little chance on the ball to do so - 5
Lasse Sorensen (for Lynden Gooch, 45 mins) - Had a whole half to make a difference and didn’t really do anything of note as he was pushed deep by Barnsley - not where he likes to play. Defended fine, just a difficult game for his natural abilities to work in - 4
Joe Taylor (for Alfie May, 45 mins) - Whether May was injured or not it was the right thing to do to bring on Taylor to run into spaces behind whenever given the chance. Pounced on an error for his goal, gave everything he had, but very difficult to lead a line a man behind - 6
David Kasumu (for Herbie Kane, 72 mins) - Saw the game out to make it more a natural midfield four and did nothing really wrong or notable - 5
Unused substitutes: Murray Wallace, Cameron Ashia
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