Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town Manager Chris Powell is looking to put things right when Millwall visit the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday.

Town come into the game on the back of last weekend’s derby defeat at Leeds and Chris has been grateful of the full week on the pitch with his players at PPG Canalside ahead of this weekend’s Sky Bet Championship clash.

“Obviously it wasn’t the best weekend for us with regards to the way we played and the result, but we’ve got to move on. We’ve quickly looked at the areas I didn’t like and what we didn’t like as a team, and you have to rectify it. 

“Sitting here now, I’ve had two good weeks with the players with regards to training and games and it’s now about me assessing them as we go forward and trying to get them in a place where we’re all happy. I need to think about the areas we need to improve on and what areas we’re okay in, and there’s a lot of work that lies ahead, for me, the players and this football club.

“There are areas to address. Some are more obvious than others; the goals against column is not great even at this early stage of the season and we do have to strike a balance. Like I said after Wigan, the first clean sheet in 20 games kind of tells the story, so that has to improve. We have to defend properly as a team and individually. 

“But also we can’t negate winning games. We need to be on the front foot and be positive. That’s never easy when you are down there and confidence can ebb away when results aren’t great, but we have good players here who I feel have to start doing themselves justice. 

“We have to give our fans something to shout about. It’s never easy, but I recognise our home form hasn’t been great since March last season so we have some issues we have to rectify as quickly as we can.

 

“We’ve had time on the training field and that’s been beneficial. All you can do is plan, organise and get them in the shape that is right for us on a Saturday, go from there and impose ourselves on the opposition whoever it may be, and it’s Millwall this Saturday. 

“It’s the start of another three game week, but Millwall are our focus and I’d take a really ugly, dour 1-0 win. It would give us the right mind-set and would give our home fans something to shout about. With the position we’re in we need to pick up points, especially at home.”

Powell and Town’s hierarchy are on the lookout in the loan market, but the Manager is also grateful to have a couple of players returning from injury. 

“I’m looking at the players all the time. I’m looking at how we can get better. I never settle for areas being fine; you can always improve and get better. 

“It’s no secret I feel we’re light in the striking area, but I’ve got to recognise we’ve got a few players coming back. It’s easy for me to say we’re short, but Martin Paterson is on his way back and he’ll be looking to try and impress me. 

“However, I do feel we may need something up there. We’ve got to see who is available and they’ve got to be the right type of person for this football club. I may have to bolster in another one or two areas, but Anthony Gerrard is also coming back and it’s looking at who can make us better - not just bringing in any player.”

Saturday’s opponents Millwall had a good start to the 2014/15 campaign under Ian Holloway and Powell knows his side is in for another stern test on Saturday afternoon. 

“I know Ian Holloway and Millwall well with it being so close to my previous club. We have to be wary as he’s built a decent squad; he’s managed to bring in a number of players during the summer and he does have options. 

“He’s had some success and he’s also been man enough when it hasn’t happened to go again and regroup like he did at Crystal Palace, so he’s a good character and good man who should be in the game and I’m pleased he is. We’ve got on well and he spoke highly of me when things happened at Charlton. We’re foes on Saturday, but of course we’ve got Steve Thompson who worked with him at Blackpool and he’s also told me how he works and how he thinks. We’ll be opposite one another on Saturday and I’m looking forwards to it. 

“I want us to play our football, be diligent and do the right things and make a real game of it where we can come out on top.

“There’s no two ways about it, our players will have to battle; that’s the only way out of it, alongside playing your football. When things are going against you, that’s when you have to puff your chest out and show a bit of pride. It’s about getting yourself out of a position you don’t want to be in.  You have to try and make yourselves better and turn things around. I know I’ve only been in charge for three games - a draw and two losses - but we don’t want that to continue and that has to be how we move forwards. 

“You get runs like this all the time in the Championship. I know it’s happened at other clubs and I think it’s happened here where you have a couple of poor games and all of a sudden it turns round. It’s about not panicking; it’s about keeping your composure and making sure you can come through it, because we certainly can and we haven’t done enough in the games. 

“I’ve been through this as a player and as a manager and we’re going through it right now. We just have to get through it because sometimes, when you least expect it, it goes for you and snowballs on. We know now we’ve got Millwall and then two tough away games, but again it can go your way when you least expect it.”