“We need to get back to where we were,” says Mark
Mark Robins admitted that his side were not at the races on a night when Nottingham Forest hit three past them.
He said: “It was like men against boys. They seemed to run faster, further and harder. It’s disappointing to say that because it doesn’t happen often, but we were outplayed and outfought in every department.”
The game remained goalless until half time, but Forest gained the initiative through Jamie Paterson on 63 minutes and never looked back.
“We were poor in the second half but from our perspective we need to galvanise and get back passing the ball like we know we are capable of doing. For some reason, that’s not the way that one or two of the players have decided to go, but that will be to the detriment of them and their careers at Huddersfield Town. We need to get back to where we were.
“If we need to work harder to make that happen because the opposition are closing us down and we feel a bit uncomfortable, then that is football. We have to be braver. We need to get our slippers off and our boots back on and start fighting, playing and passing the ball. That’s the prerequisite.”
The defeat was Town’s first in four games on home soil in the league, meaning they slip down to 14th in the table.
“The players have embraced everything we have done and they have responded well and performed in a really good way for most of the season. February is a funny month for us and we don’t want to be in a mid-table, feeling comfortable. Some of them need a kick up the backside because we need to get back to winning ways. Tonight was unacceptable.
“We have to move on and be better than that. Too many passes went astray and I thought we looked anxious and nervy.
“In a handful of games this season we have not been at it, but in the second half we were not at it. Having said that, it looked like a 0-0 all day apart from the poor goals we have given away where we have shot ourselves in the foot.”
Town had lost three games in a row before the 1-0 victory over Wigan Athletic on Saturday, but this latest defeat means their league form has faltered of late.
“If we win we don’t get too high and if we lose we don’t get too low. That rings true and will stay the same, but we certainly have to work very hard and there’s still a long way to go.”
James Vaughan was substituted midway through the first half with a calf injury, but Robins said it was too earlier to tell of the severity.
“He’s felt his calf pop. How severe, we won’t know for 24 hours or so. But he looks a doubt for the weekend. It’s not ideal, but it looks like he will be out for a period of time. It’s a chance for someone to come in and make their mark.”
