Chris comments on a 'chalk and cheese' performance
- Chris Powell comments on Rochdale 4-3 Huddersfield Town
- Manager unhappy with first-half; happier with second
- Chris wants to see progression in the next two games
Huddersfield Town Manager Chris Powell described today’s 4-3 pre-season friendly defeat at Rochdale as a ‘chalk and cheese’ performance.
The Terriers were poor out of possession in the opening 45 minutes and trailed 4-2 to their League 1 hosts at the interval. Although Powell was pleased the performance level improved greatly in the second-half, he wasn’t pleased it took some stern half-time words to produce it.
“I wanted the players to show me why they should be in the team and as a collective it didn’t happen in the first-half. Some of the goals we conceded were poor,” Chris told htafc.com.
“We didn’t get going as a unit, which was tough. We need to play a bit smarter and organise a bit quicker to get to grips with games.
“It may be pre-season, but nobody should think that winning games doesn’t matter because it does to me. There may be no points at stake, but there soon will be and we must have that mentality.
“We had a poor start and although Nahki got us back in it, they then scored again. It is those moments that we have spoken about; when you have had a bad period and come under pressure, only to get yourself back in it. You need to take advantage of that.
“These things sometimes need to happen to you so you can work on it on the training field. There are areas for me and the technical staff to look into and arrest as soon as we can so that when the season starts, we know how to handle it.”
On the improved second-half, Chris continued:
“I thought it was a chalk and cheese performance. I certainly didn’t see what I wanted to in the first-half, but I did in the second after a few choice words, which I don’t really want to be having in pre-season. They showed the mind-set they should have had in the second period.
“In the second-half we limited them to one chance, whereas in the first-half they had five or six. It was more of what I want to see from the players; we looked fitter and stronger. That was more like it and after the game I’ve told them we now need to replicate that for a longer period than 45 minutes.
“If there are any positives from today, I will take away the good response from the group. I also thought Nahki was almost unplayable in the second-half, plus it’s good that some of the players got 90 minutes and Jon Hogg is back.”
The First Team is back in action on Wednesday night when La Liga side Deportivo de La Coruna visits the John Smith’s Stadium and the Manager is keen to see progression.
“I will always do my best to get the right players out on the pitch in the right areas in order to win us games. I want to see us playing like a team and doing the things we’re good at, like we did in the second-half today.
“There’s a lot of ability in this squad, but if you want to do well as a team you have to show that on a consistent basis. That will be our aim this year. The Sky Bet Championship is a tough league and, more often than not, the consistent teams get to where they want to be.
“Come the Barnsley game next weekend, we need to show exactly what we’re about and what we can do. There’s always an opportunity for players to impress in training and in the games; nothing is ever set in stone and I will look at all angles.”
