Huddersfield 3-1 Brighton: Seven Things We Learnt

Terriers celebrate – mirror.co.uk

An impressive performance helped Huddersfield to a 3-1 win over Championship leaders Brighton on Thursday evening – but what have we learnt from the game?

Contrasting intentions

Right from the first 60 seconds, in which Rajiv Van La Parra flew past the rash Bruno at speed and Huddersfield piled five men in the box, it was clear what the host’s intentions were. Under David Wagner, such audacity is now ingrained into the club’s DNA. Brighton’s more pragmatic approach under Chris Hughton has worked for them, but on this occasion it held them back. They came into the game so willing to accept a point, that they had no handle on the midfield and invited pressure.

Brighton missed Baldock

The two qualities Brighton were missing were aggression in midfield and mobility up top. The latter might have been provided by Sam Baldock, normally an outlet against high-pressing teams. Neither Glenn Murray nor Tomer Hemed naturally instigate breakaways, so Huddersfield could push full-backs up without risking isolating centre-back Michael Hefele and Christopher Schindler one-on-one.

Huddersfield’s pace and tenacity

Right-back Tommy Smith was a threat and fired home after some excellent play from Elias Kachunga, who along with Nahki Wells and others provided the pace and tenacity that Brighton lacked. Hemed latched onto Aaron Mooy’s misplaced back-pass to equalize, but that moment from both players was an anomaly in the pattern of play.

Mooy ran the show

Bar the above blip, Mooy was excellent in central midfield, dictating the tempo and playing inch-perfect passes into the final third. One reverse ball found Van La Parra cutting inside before a hint of fortune saw the ball fall to Wells, who smashed the ball past David Stockdale for his 100th goal in England.

Brighton missed Stephens

Just as Huddersfield benefited from Mooy’s return to fitness, Chris Hughton will hope Dale Stephens’ time out is similarly brief. Beram Kayal’s lack of game time at Brighton meant he looked a shadow of the midfield gladiator we saw last season, while Oliver Norwood was too passive alongside the Israeli. Stephens, arguably the most consistent ball-winner in the Championship, has played just 21 minutes of the Seagulls’ five defeats since February.

Dunk’s dismissal

Elias Kachunga nodded in a third for Huddersfield just before half-time, after Stockdale parried Wells’ cross. Only a string of saves from the stopper and the woodwork prevented the rampant Terriers from scoring more. Lewis Dunk’s sending off saw Bruno move to centre-back, which meant Steve Sidwell had to fill in at right-back and halt Van La Parra’s second half escapades. Brighton recently beat Sheffield Wednesday with 10 men, but their performance with 11 inspired no belief that a turnaround was possible.

Wagner’s positive substitutions

When a team is winning, it is surprisingly common for a coach to bring on a defensive midfielder and look to close the game out. Instead, Wagner added other energetic forwards. Kasey Palmer, who had a drive from range tipped over, Joe Lolley, who instigated breakaways and Collin Quaner, who offered power all ensured the performance level did not drop. Huddersfield defended from the front throughout and against the league leaders, they put in one of the most impressive performances of the Championship season to date.