Huddersfield Town have made a dream start to life in the Premier League, securing back-to-back wins and clean sheets against Crystal Palace and Newcastle. Not much was expected of the club who had only just been promoted from the Championship after winning the Playoffs on penalties, but they have proven all of their doubters wrong in a flash with their performances.
The entire squad looks up to the task of competing in the Premier League and even despite being the youngest side in the league, they have so much experience from other leagues around Europe. The signings of Mathias Jorgensen at the back, Steve Mounie up front and Jonas Lossl in goal have been instrumental to their success, while neither of their two wins would have been made possible without former Man City man Aaron Mooy.
Mooy Is The Man
After just two games, Aaron Mooy looks like just about one of the best midfielders in the league. He has so much quality in all areas of the game and what he does in attack for The Terriers is equally impressive to what he has managed in defense. The box-to-box midfielder is a constant source of chance creation and also a constant defensive presence, always breaking up play and stopping attacks high up the field. The Australian’s precision in making tackles is commendable while his pass accuracy is at a different level. The chemistry he has with his central midfield partner Philip Billing has also been incredible and with a goal and an assist inside two matches, he could prove to be Huddersfield’s key man this season, just as expected.
Philip Billing’s Midfield Dominance
Another key aspect to Huddersfield’s play thus far has been Aaron Mooy’s midfield partner Philip Billing. The German midfielder has instantly stepped up to the pressure of the Premier League and has impressed with his ability on the ball and self-discipline. Almost Bakayoko-like in style, he plays with a significant amount of self-restraint and calmness both in possession and without possession. He never appears ready to make a rash tackle and always seemingly times them to perfection just like his midfield partner. He’s also a commanding presence in the air and always intelligently holds up play or stays back when Mooy goes on an adventure. The 21-year old can only improve from here and the way he has played in the opening two matches has to be commended.
Schindler’s Strength and Leadership
Of course every single player has played a massive part in the opening two victories for The Terriers, but their key man in defense has undoubtedly been 27-year old Christopher Schindler. A former 1860 Munich player, Schindler has plenty of experiences playing in a number of different leagues and now looks like one of the top defenders in the biggest league of all. The German centre-back is everything you could want in a defender. He’s calm and composed in possession of the ball, big, strong, athletic and his defensive awareness is top notch. One of the key reasons why they have kept two clean sheets in a row has been the form of the big German and if Tommy Smith wasn’t captain, he would likely be next in line.
Jonas Lossl’s Shot-Stopping Antics
David Wagner made a number of signings this summer off-season and they’ve all responded to the pressure of the league magnificently well. But the best one of all has probably been goalkeeper Jonas Lossl who joined the club on loan from FSV Mainz 05 back in June. It actually isn’t surprising at all that he has been so key for Huddersfield Town this month; he was before this Mainz’s best player and before that probably Guignamp’s best player as well. The Danish goalkeeper has made 8 saves so far to start this campaign without conceding a single goal. He’s also claimed every single cross that has come for and his distribution up the field has been equally excellent. Lossl looks like one of the most underrated goalkeepers in the world at the moment and could be one of Huddersfield’s key men the entire year.
David Wagner’s Gegen-Pressen
Clubs like Liverpool and Southampton have perfected the German tactic called Gegen-pressen in the Premier League and now Huddersfield Town are beginning to follow in their footsteps. To make it work, every single player plays very narrow and pressures the ball the second they lose it. Man-marking is one key aspect and defending from the front is another. Huddersfield Town under David Wagner this season also appear to be perfecting the Gegen-Pressen tactics and it has worked so very well in both of their opening two victories. Crystal Palace and Newcastle United alike could hardly find their footing because of Wagner’s tactics and given that every single player seems to be working so hard for him, they could be set to be this season’s underdog team.
Conclusion
Huddersfield Town have made a magnificent start to the 2017-18 campaign. Under the leadership of David Wagner and with all the new signings that the club have made they look destined not only to stay up with ease this season but possibly even challenge for the top ten as well. The club do have a few stars in their team like Aaron Mooy and Steve Mounie, but the rest of the club are just hard-working players doing a job for their team and manager and making this league look easy. Whatever happens the rest of the season, it is clear that Huddersfield Town are certainly a team to keep an eye on.
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