A look ahead to Huddersfield Town’s next Sky Bet Championship opponent
- West Bromwich Albion vs Huddersfield Town
- Town travel to the Hawthorns on 2 September 2023
- Full preview of what to expect from our next opponents
With the September international break just around the corner, Town’s final fixture of this opening period of the season comes at the Hawthorns against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Beaten at home by Norwich City last time out, the Terriers will be looking to get their first three points of the season in the Midlands, where they narrowly missed out by a goal to nil at the tail end of last season thanks to a penalty for the home side.
THE OPPOSITION
Currently sat in 7th place in the Sky Bet Championship, the Baggies will be looking to improve on their 9th place finish last season. A summer of change, West Brom have brought three new players in with Josh Maja and Ruben Shakpoke arriving on free transfers, with Jeremy Sarimento joining them from Brighton & Hove Albion on a season-long loan.
Outgoings have been much busier, however, with 23 players departing either permanently or on loan, including Dara O’Shea who has signed for Burnley and Karlan Grant, who has moved to Cardiff City on loan.
A return to the Premier League is clearly the ambition of the club, and the Baggies will be hoping the changes made in the summer will result in a stronger showing this season.
HEAD COACH
Carlos Corberán remains at the helm for West Brom having joined the Baggies in October 2022, with familiar faces in Jorge Alarcón and Michael Hefele in his backroom staff. Since arriving, the Spanish coach has won 50% of his fixtures in charge, with six draws and 13 losses making up the rest of his 38 game reign.
The fifth club of his managerial career, the now 40-year-old has also spent a short time in charge of both Doxa and Ermis in Cyprus, Huddersfield Town and most recently Olympiacos in Greece.
LAST TIME OUT
Losing on the opening day to Blackburn Rovers, the Baggies form has since improved with two home wins against Swansea City and Middlesbrough coming either side of an away draw with Leeds United.
In that last home win against Middlesbrough, goals from Cedric Kipre, John Swift, Brandon Thomas-Asante and Jeremy Sarmiento were the difference in a 4-2 victory. Middlesbrough did play much of the second half with 10 men, but by this point the home side already led 3-1.
West Brom lined-up as follows: Palmer; Ajayi, Kipre, Pieters; Furlong, Yokuslu (Mowatt 65), Molumby, Phillips (Townsend 64); Wallace (Sarmiento 69), Thomas-Asante (Maja 65), Swift (Chalobah 81)
FORMATION
Losing on the opening day to Blackburn Rovers playing four at the back in a 4-2-3-1, West Brom have since adjusted and moved to a three-man defence.
Fluid between a 3-4-3 and 3-4-2-1, there is a reliance on their wing backs to provide width going forward, with two attacking midfielders – usually Swift and Wallace – playing in the space behind a lone striker, which is most often Brandon Thomas-Asante.
Pressing aggressively, looking to play wide early and already settling on what appears to be their favoured starting side, West Brom are well organised and potentially difficult to play against.
WHO TO WATCH
Alex Palmer
Looking to once again secure his place between the sticks for West Brom this season, Palmer was in and out of the team across the 2022/23 campaign as the side tried to settle on who would be their starting goalkeeper.
Not playing in the Sky Bet Championship until October, he remained in goal until January but lost his place for three months until April, but finished the season starting.
Palmer has started all four of West Brom’s fixtures this season, but is yet to keep a clean sheet.
Cedric Kipre
Central defender Cedric Kipre is decisive in both boxes, with his physicality and aggression giving him a real advantage in the air. A goal threat with one to his name already this season, he is a difficult obstacle to overcome at the back.
An ever-present for the Baggies, he has taken to sitting in the middle of the back three with Semi Ajayi and Erik Pieters usually at either side of him.
John Swift
A product of the Chelsea academy, attacking midfielder Swift ended a series of loans by joining Reading in 2016, staying and captaining the Royals until his departure to West Brom in the summer of 2022.
Since signing for the Baggies, Swift has made 53 appearances in all competitions, scoring nine times and assisting a further 10 as he continues to make himself a focal point of the attack. Making a bright start to the current campaign, he already has two goals to his name in four outings.
TOWN TEAM NEWS
As usual, Town Manager Neil Warnock provided a full insight into his squad availability in his latest press conference on Thursday 31 August 2023.
KIT
With the home side in their own variation of blue and white, the Terriers will wear their Acid Lime away kit for the first time in competitive action this season at the Hawthorns!
Worn on tour in pre-season as we visited Cornwall and Devon, you can make one your own by CLICKING HERE!
TICKET NEWS
We kick-off at 3pm on Saturday 2 September at the Hawthorns, with tickets on general sale until 2pm on Friday 1 September.
CLICK HERE to read our full ticket information.
iFOLLOW HTAFC
Saturday’s match will be available to listen to on iFollow HTAFC.
Town fans will be able to listen to Saturday’s game through our live audio commentary by purchasing either a Season, Monthly or Audio Match Pass to tune in. You can purchase a Season Pass for £45, a Monthly Pass for £4.49 or an Audio Match Pass for £2.50.
CLICK HERE to sign up to iFollow HTAFC!
