Match Report: City dominate but almost fall to Warnock percentages in injury time

[Olé]

In what is supposed to be his one final hurrah with former team Huddersfield, Neil Warnock has recently repeatedly rolled out his well worn joke about City fans booing at his funeral. The truth behind his cliche is that for many of their encounters City has tried to play football and Warnock hasn’t. The fact he’s been so successful despite this is testament to percentages over purpose - which is exactly what neutralised Nigel Pearson’s side tonight.

City dominated a one-sided game at the John Smith’s Stadium and against an unprecedentedly poor Championship side that struggled to move the ball without giving it back to City or putting it out of play. And yet for all the contrast between the two sets of players, a struggling and limited Terriers side broke up play throughout and should have earned a penalty in first half injury time, before forcing the chances of the match in second half injury time.

In sub-zero temperatures on the road, that may or may not reflect poorly on a largely rejuvenated City side who came so close to surrendering a smash and grab win to largely basic opponents. But the truth is that despite plenty of intent from star man Alex Scott, the visitors lacked a cutting edge and far from being galvanised by the second half introduction of Anis Mehmeti and Harry Cornick, became more one dimensional and more predictable.

Warnock’s men were clearly determined to sit in, and it took until 10 minutes for City to fashion their first chance, Sam Bell creating space in midfield before feeding Scott who tried to release Wells behind the lines but keeper Tomas Vaclik was first to the through ball. On 15 minutes City broke again and Bell tore away down the left only to be pulled down by Ben Jackson. In response the Terriers fell to the floor claiming head injuries, looking to burn time.

At the midway point of the half, full back George Tanner marauded forward from the right and with multiple players making runs for him, he swept a ball into the near post where Bell met it only to lift a first time shot just over the bar. Next Mark Sykes went storming onto a Nahki Wells back from the right hand side with a chance to go clear in on goal, but keeper Vaclik was out quickly to make a desperate claim - another City break of defensive lines denied.

The visitors difficulty producing the final ball was in evidence after the half hour as Sykes won a corner and City twice tried to get in behind the hosts from the right. First from a clearance from the flag kick Scott sent a deep pinpoint ball across to the back post where Sykes had just keeper to beat but Vaclik pushed it wide. Then from the opposite flank another corner saw Cam Pring unmarked dead centre force a brilliant save before Andy King was offside.

Before halftime the influential Scott found himself at the far post from another right wing ball but volleyed well over with midfield teammate Matty James nursing an injury. And then typical of Warnock’s sides, heading into injury time the hosts sprung a rare break with City over committing and the ball was worked to Brahima Diarra central in the penalty area who appeared to be upended by Jay DaSilva’s own tumbling block, blatant despite the one sided half.

The second period was a closer run thing although within ten minutes Scott headed smartly inside his marker on the right wing and Sykes went off on a run that took him central and into the box before turning to hook a reverse shot past defenders but easily into the keepers hands. On the hour and at closer range Scott slipped Pring into the box and to the byline to slash a ball across the box that look destined to be diverted in but no one was there to finish.

With no return from absolute dominance and away fans getting restless for changes, on came Anis Mehmeti (after disappointing at Cardiff) and Harry Cornick for Sam Bell and Nahki Wells. But at the midway point of the second half the otherwise stylish Zak Vyner gave it away with a loose touch on the right, and the hosts broke through the middle to tee up halftime substitute Joshua Koroma unmarked to drag a shot beyond the far post and well wide.

At the other end Sykes lifted the ball inside for Mehmeti whose volley was deflected and turned wide by man of the match goalkeeper Vaclik. And inside 70 minutes fellow substitute Cornick for once did well to hold the ball up out on the left channel before feeding star man Scott who not for the first time resisted the pace and power of an early shot and choose a tame low shot through a crowd which rolled slowly and comfortably into the hands of keeper Vaclik.

The game by now had lost its spark and playing percentages, Huddersfield knew they just needed a set piece or two to steal an improbable winner. Inside 80 minutes James did sensationally to wrestle Diarra off the ball from his own mazy run before playing a direct ball that sent Mehmeti running at the home defence, producing a curling and dipping shot over the backline which Jonathan Hogg was forced to head just over his own bar to keep the scores blank.

City had And Weimann on for Sykes and had lost all shape - with Cornick struggling to impose himself and Mehmeti looking as one dimensional as Saturday. From a quick break Diarra teed up Jack Rudoni who forced Max O’Leary to hold down low. Minutes later from a right wing corner the ball broke to Rudoni again whose rising shot flashed just past the angle of post and bar and left travelling supporters sinking in the away end fearing the smash and grab.

That was never more apparent than heading into a short three minutes of injury time, the perfect scenario for a struggling Warnock side that broke up play and wasted time knowing where they could win the game. First sub Martyn Waghorn’s made Weimann head clear off the line and Ben Jackson forced O’Leary to save at his near post from the rebound. Before the end Rudoni unleashed a stinging low shot from range which O’Leary again had to hold.

In the end and on the balance of possession City should be apoplectic that they got no more from a game they dominated for long periods, but the truth is that Warnock’s limited side also applied his style of percentage football and so nearly at the end of both halves got the unlikely rewards, first with a penalty shout on the stroke of half time, then with a rare bombardment on full time after dominant City - subs and all - had clearly run out of attacking ideas.

 

O’Leary 7

Tanner 7

DaSilva 6

Vyner 7

Pring 8

James 7

Scott 7

King 6

Sykes 7

Wells 6

Bell 5

 

Mehmeti 6

Cornick 5

Weimann 5

[pillred]

How in hell we never won that game I will never know as a more one sided game from two teams supposedly in the same division it would be hard to find.

[Super]

Not sure Vyner was a 7 he was pretty poor. James an 8 or 9 for me.

 

[AshtonGreat]

Nice stadium they have

[Edgy Red]

18 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

Not having that, he miscontrolled one in the first half and got caught out of position maybe twice second half. Both of those were when our midfield had completely ran itself into the ground and he was exposed to more than is tolerable.

He won everything in the air against a long ball team, he progressed the ball excellently all game and showed good leadership with Pring next to him. 

It wasn't a 10/10 by any stretch, but he was far from poor.

Agree on James though, he was utterly majestic in there. Covered every blade despite being booted about by that thug Hogg. Won every header, retained possession, moved it fast and is fast becoming our most important player. 

 

I agree with this... i'll admit that i've still got question marks regarding Zak, but i thought him and Cam did well last night (against a very poor side).

I said on another thread recently that for all his improvement this season, it is still an area that i think we need to bring in someone better if we want to push for the play offs next season.

[GrahamC]

38 minutes ago, Super said:

Not sure Vyner was a 7 he was pretty poor. James an 8 or 9 for me.

 

Strange how we see it differently, one poor pass aside I thought he was excellent.

Won a lot in the air, always available to receive the ball & so obviously the defensive organiser in a young back line.

All about opinions but James was clear MoM for me, 9/10 especially after being trodden on first half & looking to battle through it. Still underrated.

[BigAl&Toby]

1 hour ago, Super said:

Not sure Vyner was a 7 he was pretty poor. James an 8 or 9 for me.

 

I guess it’s all relative. Relative to the rest of them. To me, and apart from Max, no one really looked that good.

If they’d been good then we’d have collectively done better.

Dare I say it but I thought Alex Scott looked as though his mind was somewhere else. Several times he could have played a ball but decided to keep it.

Vyner was ok but again not at his best.  Fair bit of possession but rarely made anything of it.

We’ve come away with a point. We came back from Cardiff with nothing. Both were games where we were poor.

And to think I was dreaming of Top 6. ******* deluded!

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, Percy Pig said:

Not having that, he miscontrolled one in the first half and got caught out of position maybe twice second half. Both of those were when our midfield had completely ran itself into the ground and he was exposed to more than is tolerable.

He won everything in the air against a long ball team, he progressed the ball excellently all game and showed good leadership with Pring next to him. 

It wasn't a 10/10 by any stretch, but he was far from poor.

Agree on James though, he was utterly majestic in there. Covered every blade despite being booted about by that thug Hogg. Won every header, retained possession, moved it fast and is fast becoming our most important player. 

 

Yep, a sloppy / shaky first ten mins…other than that excellent.  Leading a defence (Pring’s mentioned Zak post-match) that has barely played together needs a mention too.

I’m sure people see a player have one or two “ill-judged” moments or mis-control a ball or make a bad pass…and then put their blinkers on for any good stuff that might even it out, or in fact completely override it.

Zak’s passing after that ten mins, in particular getting the ball out to Tanner quickly was very good.

[Kolsch]

24 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Yep, a sloppy / shaky first ten mins…other than that excellent.  Leading a defence (Pring’s mentioned Zak post-match) that has barely played together needs a mention too.

I’m sure people see a player have one or two “ill-judged” moments or mis-control a ball or make a bad pass…and then put their blinkers on for any good stuff that might even it out, or in fact completely override it.

Zak’s passing after that ten mins, in particular getting the ball out to Tanner quickly was very good.

Zak played well and his leading of the defense goes underrated, as you say.

I found it frustrating last night though how he didn’t carry the ball forward a lot more though when Huddersfield were sitting back. Every time he did that it created space and some of our best moves came as a result of it.

For teams willing to sit back and remain in shape, things like that are essential. I don’t know why Nige and the coaches weren’t getting him to do that more often.

[Davefevs]

1 minute ago, Kolsch said:

Zak played well and his leading of the defense goes underrated, as you say.

I found it frustrating last night though how he didn’t carry the ball forward a lot more though when Huddersfield were sitting back. Every time he did that it created space and some of our best moves came as a result of it.

For teams willing to sit back and remain in shape, things like that are essential. I don’t know why Nige and the coaches weren’t getting him to do that more often.

I think some of that is that he knew his role last night…and would’ve preferred to be the sitter, and let Pring be the risk taker dribbling forward.  Both did it v.well though.

[Kolsch]

2 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I think some of that is that he knew his role last night…and would’ve preferred to be the sitter, and let Pring be the risk taker dribbling forward.  Both did it v.well though.

I agree but early on he should have realised there was little risk doing that. Even if he carried it 15-20 yards he could still have easily found a red shirt but it would have left us in better positions on the pitch, potentially drawing opposition players in and creating space.

Just giving it easy when in 20 yards of free space does nothing most of the time. At times he was giving it Tanner or Jay and they had players closer to them.

I think it’s just a confidence thing but he can do it, he showed it in the times where he did take it on.

He did great though defensively, once again.