Premier League titles: 0 (Three top tier titles from 1923-26)
FA Cups: 1 (1922)
League Cups: 0
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Top Three after three match days and when the calendar hit 2018, Huddersfield Town’s first season in the Premier League took a dramatic downturn the rest of the way. The Terriers’ 16th place finish was just four points clear of the drop zone, and Town’s minus-30 goal differential was worse than all but one team in top flight (Stoke City).
There were bright spots for German-American manager David Wagner, though, and he’s bringing all of them back including outstanding goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. He’ll have to find more goals, though, as Town’s 28-goal season was the joint-worst in the Premier League (Swansea City). What’s worse? Eleven of those 28 goals came in three matches, and there is no real significant transfer yet to expect a major growth in output.
Huddersfield Town will finish top-half because… Consistency and familiarity from its defenders and goalkeeper, now full-time members of Town, allow the group to Burnley its way up the table. Erik Durm and Juninho Bacuna will have to be big hits
Huddersfield Town will be relegated because… The goals don’t come, and the reliance on too few difference makers in the midfield wears down its corps. Opening with Chelsea and Man City sink the Terriers after two weeks, and three Top Four contenders in its final five matches hamper their chances to finish strong.
Best possible XI:
Lossl
Hadergjonaj — Schindler — Kongolo — Jorgensen — Durm
Hogg — Mooy — Williams
Pritchard — Mounie
Transfers In: Terrence Kongolo ($22 million, Monaco), Adama Diakhaby ($11 million, Monaco), Ramadan Sobhi ($7 million, Stoke City), Florent Hadergjonaj ($6 million, Ingolstadt), Jonas Lossl ($3 million, Mainz), Ben Hamer (free, Leicester City), Juninho Bacuna ($3 million, Groningen), Erik Durm (free, Borussia Dortmund)
Transfers Out: Tom Ince ($12.5 million, Stoke City), Rob Green (free, Chelsea).
Ranking their offseason: B+
Town was fortunate to survive the drop last season by any number of metrics, and aren’t taking too many risks in addressing their holes. Kongolo and Lossl were two of their best players last season, and making loans permanent was a necessary move. Versatile Erik Durm is a World Cup winner who could prove to be an all-timer of a move. Two interesting bets come in the form of Bacuna, Diakhaby and Sobhi, who could succeed with more consistent roles than they had in their past clubs.
Star player: Aaron Mooy — The baldheaded midfielder has risen with a rocket since signing with Manchester City a few years ago, and his four-goal, three-assist campaign saw Town go 5W-1L in matches he registered a goal or assist.
Coach’s Corner: Wagner won the UEFA Cup as a player with Schalke before scrapping his way through to promotion with Town. He’s liked by his players and adept at tactics. The questions are whether he’s added enough players to compete should no more help arrived by Thursday’s transfer deadline.
PST Predicts: Another season of ups and downs which sees Town mostly struggling to stay above the drop zone.
