PREVIEW: NOTTINGHAM FOREST (H)

22 September 2020

All the info you need ahead of Friday night’s game

- Town vs Forest preview
- A look at Sabri Lamouchi’s side
- Watch the match live on Sky Sports

Huddersfield Town return to the John Smith’s Stadium to host Nottingham Forest in the Sky Bet Championship on Friday 25 September 2020; 7.45pm kick-off.

The Terriers go into Friday night’s clash in search of their first victory of the campaign at the third attempt, following prior defeats to Brentford and Norwich City in the opening two games.

A victory on Friday evening would also be the first for Town under Head Coach Carlos Corberán, as the Terriers look to bring September to a close with three points.

THE OPPOSITION

Friday night’s encounter will be the third game of a campaign that will be Head Coach Sabri Lamouchi’s second season at the City Ground, having been appointed back in June 2019.

In his first season, the Frenchman helped to deliver the Club’s highest finish in almost a decade but it was bittersweet, as a seventh place finish that saw them miss out on a play-off position in the final few minutes of the season.

With a view to going one step further this time around, the Club have notably recruited a wealth of Sky Bet Championship experience and talent amongst other signings over the summer months.

Tyler Blackett, Jack Colback and Lyle Taylor who all have knowledge of the division joined on free transfers whilst Luke Freeman and Cyrus Christie were brought in on loan from Sheffield United and Fulham respectively.

The latter is the latest of those domestic recruits and could make his debut when the Reds make the trip up to West Yorkshire on Friday evening.

FORM GUIDE

Both sides go into the encounter at the John Smith’s Stadium looking for their first points and goals of the 2020/21 Sky Bet Championship season.

The Terriers return to West Yorkshire off the back of a 3-0 loss in the capital on Saturday at the hands of Brentford, a week on from a narrow 1-0 defeat to Norwich City on the opening weekend.

As for Forest, they too will be looking to kickstart their season on Friday evening in both the win and goal columns. The Tricky Trees have suffered two-goal defeats to Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City from their opening fixtures to date.

ONES TO WATCH

Ryan Yates

The 22-year-old spent over a decade at the Club’s youth ranks before loan spells at Barrow, Shrewsbury Town, Notts County, and Scunthorpe United preceded a breakout season at Forest in 2018/19.

The midfielder who is known for his battling performances in the middle of the pitch, followed up his breakout campaign with a personal high 28 appearances for Forest last season, as well as signing a new long-term contract with the Club in December 2019.

In the opening two league games of this campaign, Yates has been one of five Forest players to play every minute, being deployed as part of a holding midfield two alongside the experienced Jack Colback.

Forest Yates.jpg

Jack Colback

After two spells on loan at the Club in recent years, the midfielder made his move to the City Ground for 2020/21 a permanent one after signing on a free transfer following his release from Newcastle United.

Colback made over 200 appearances in the North East for both the Magpies and Sunderland including in the Premier League before making the permanent move to Nottingham this summer.

The midfielder has played every minute of Forest’s Sky Bet Championship campaign so far, his first senior minutes on the pitch since the conclusion of his second loan spell at the Club back in May 2019.

Forest Colback.jpg

Lewis Grabban

Forest are yet to find their net in their opening Sky Bet Championship matches, but one player that will be looking to change that is forward Lewis Grabban.

The 32-year-old has been the Club’s top scorer in both seasons that he’s been at the City Ground since his move from Bournemouth in 2018 but is yet to get on the board so far in 2020/21.

The forward was at the double when Town last met Forest in a game played following the restart, as the Tricky Trees ran out 3-1 winners on home soil.

Forest Grabban.jpg

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS

The Terriers just about have the edge in the fixture’s record books, winning 22 of the 57 meetings, compared to Forest’s 18 wins, with the other 17 played out between the sides drawn.

That gap in the win column may have been built up in recent years in particular, with Town winning in five of the last eight encounters played out between the teams.

Most recently, it was Friday’s opponents who were victors however, winning 3-1 win a post-restart meeting at the City Ground back in June 2019.

ACTION ELSEWHERE

Our meeting with Forest is the first of 12 games to be played across the Sky Bet Championship this weekend.

On Saturday, Luton Town visit Watford, and Wycombe Wanderers face Swansea City in the day’s early kick-offs before a London derby between Millwall and Brentford at The Den precedes a double header on Sunday to complete the third round of fixtures. Here’s all of this weekend’s games (all kick-offs are 3pm unless stated)…

Friday 25 September 2020

Huddersfield Town vs Nottingham Forest (7.45pm KO)

Saturday 26 September 2020

Watford vs Luton Town (12.30pm KO)
Wycombe Wanderers vs Swansea City (12.30pm KO)
Barnsley vs Coventry City
Birmingham City vs Rotherham United
Cardiff City vs Reading
Derby County vs Blackburn Rovers
Millwall vs Brentford
Preston North End vs Stoke City
Queens Park Rangers vs Middlesbrough
Sunday 27 September 2020
Bristol City vs Sheffield Wednesday (1pm KO)
AFC Bournemouth vs Norwich City (4pm KO)

TEAM NEWS

Town Head Coach Carlos Corberán will provide an update on his side ahead of Friday’s game during his virtual press conference on Thursday 24 September 2020.

KIT

Town will be back in the blue-and-white striped home kit for the visit of Forest – CLICK HERE to get yours ahead of the game!

HOW TO WATCH

Supporters can watch Friday night’s game against Forest live on Sky Sports.

Season Card holders will also be able to watch the Terriers on iFollow HTAFC. To do this you must ensure that you watch the game via an iFollow account that uses the email address stored for them by the Ticket Office.

You MUST do this before noon on Wednesday 23 September 2020 to have access to watch Friday evening’s game! CLICK HERE for further information on it!

Due to the game’s selection for live coverage by Sky Sports, match passes are not available to non-Season Card holders in the UK.

CLICK HERE to find out more!

MATCH DAY PROGRAMME

CLICK HERE to purchase 'The Terrier' for the Nottingham Forest game!

Match Reports

REPORT: TOWN 1-0 FOREST

25 September 2020

A big first win under Carlos Corberán!

Fraizer Campbell’s second half strike was enough to give Huddersfield Town a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the John Smith’s Stadium!

The forward’s acrobatic 55th minute goal was enough for all three points and a first victory under Head Coach Carlos Corberán.

There were two changes to the side for the Friday night kick-off, as Campbell came in for his first start of the season to lead the line for Town.

The second switch from the side that started at Brentford last weekend came at the back, as Town Academy graduate Romoney Crichlow came in for his first career Sky Bet Championship start.

With the lights on for the first time this season at the John Smith’s Stadium, it was Town who made the brighter start on a chilly early-Autumn evening in West Yorkshire.

Moments after Alex Pritchard nearly got himself on the end of an inviting Josh Koroma cross from the left, Pipa showed some dazzling footwork on the opposite flank but after tricking his way into the area, his appeals for a penalty having gone down under a challenge were waived away by referee Oliver Langford.

Despite the better start, it was the visitors who went closest to an early opener, only for Ben Hamer to produce a fine save.

Town’s no.1 produced a superb outstretched stop to tip Sammy Ameobi’s curling effort over the crossbar.

It was one of the highlights in a half that Town continued to enjoy the ball in, whilst attempting to break the deadlock.

Koroma was nearly the man to find that way through, forcing a defensive error from Forest but his strike was deflected behind for a corner.

On his return to the side, Fraizer Campbell nearly had himself in the goals, shortly before the break. The forward connected with Isaac Mbenza’s cross from the right but couldn’t quite keep his header down from close range.

The last chance of the half went the way of the visitors, however, as Forest called Hamer into action once again.

Town’s ‘keeper leapt superbly to his left to keep out Loic Mbe Soh’s header, after the latter connected with a ball whipped in from a corner.

Before the referee could blow his whistle for half-time, Jonathan Hogg was forced off with an injury meaning a Town debut for new signing Carel Eiting, who replaced him to make his Terriers debut having joined the Club on loan from Ajax a few days earlier.

After the break, Town’s hard work was rewarded with a goal inside the opening 10 minutes of the half.

Isaac Mbenza slipped Harry Toffolo in down the left flank and he picked out Campbell unmarked inside the penalty area, who acrobatically fired past Bryce Samba in the Forest goal to give Town the lead on 55 minutes.

Carlos Corberán’s side subsequently grew further in confidence and nearly had a second late on. Koroma picked out substitute Adama Diakhaby in a central area of the box but the forward’s shot was blocked by a defender.

Town then had an opportunity to finish the game off in the closing stages. Koroma and Diakhaby were at the centre of the action again, breaking forward as Forest legs started to tire but both were somehow kept out, keeping the visitors in the encounter.

With five minutes of stoppage time added on, the Terriers continued to hold firm and their solid defensive shape produced a chance against the run of play for Bacuna after a good burst of pace from Eiting, but the midfielder dragged his shot as the seconds continued to tick away.

That effort turned out to be the last of the encounter, as Town continued to show the resistance that they had done all night to wrap up a first win of the campaign.

Next up for Town is a Yorkshire derby against Rotherham United at the New York Stadium on Saturday 3 October 2020; 3pm kick-off.

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN (4-2-3-1)
Ben Hamer; Harry Toffolo, Romoney Crichlow, Richard Stearman, Pipa; Jonathan Hogg (c) (Carel Eiting, 43’), Juninho Bacuna, Alex Pritchard; Josh Koroma, Fraizer Campbell (Jaden Brown, 81’), Isaac Mbenza (Adama Diakhaby, 66’)

Unused subs
Joel Pereira; Demeaco Duhaney, Matty Daly, Mustapha Olagunju

NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-2-3-1)
Bryce Samba; Tyler Blackett, Scott McKenna, Loic Mbe Soh, Cyrus Christie; Jack Colback (c), Harry Arter; Sammy Ameobi, Luke Freeman (Joe Lolley, 76’), Samba Sow (Alex Mighten, 57’); Lyle Taylor (Lewis Grabban, 65’)

Unused subs
Jordan Smith; Michael Dawson, Ryan Yates, Tendayi Darikwa

REFEREE
Oliver Langford