PREVIEW: COVENTRY CITY (H)

25 March 2024

An in-depth look at Friday's return to the Sky Bet Championship as Town face Coventry City

- Huddersfield Town vs Coventry City
- Friday 29 March 2024; 3pm
- Preview ahead of our Good Friday fixture

Huddersfield Town kick off their final block of Sky Bet Championship fixtures – and a busy Easter weekend – when they host Coventry City on Good Friday.

With Coventry pushing for a play-off place and André Breitenreiter’s Terriers hoping to move out of the bottom three, this head-to-head encounter will make for a fascinating encounter.

THE OPPOSITION

After suffering the heartbreak of a play-off final penalty shootout defeat to Luton Town last year, Coventry initially struggled to keep their fine form going into the new season.

Going into the November international break with 16 games played and just three wins to their name, they sat down in 20th place, just one point ahead of Town, and five clear of the bottom three.

Coventry have pulled off a dramatic improvement since returning to action later that month, though, claiming 41 points from their past 21 league games as well as booking themselves another trip to Wembley to take on Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals.

That has put the eighth-placed Sky Blues just four points and a game in hand away from claiming a play-off spot once again.

THEIR MANAGER

Mark Robins would need no introduction even if he weren’t a familiar face at the John Smith’s Stadium from his time as Town boss between 2013 and 2014.

The Coventry boss was something of a household name during his playing career too. A striker by trade, Robins came through the youth system at Manchester United and became forever known as the man who saved Sir Alex Ferguson’s job in 1990 by scoring the winning goal against Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup.

Robins’ journeyman career took him to a variety of English clubs including Norwich, Leicester, and Rotherham United, as well as brief spells playing in Denmark, Spain, and Greece.

After hanging up his boots with Burton Albion in 2005, Robins returned to Rotherham as assistant manager to Alan Knill and got his first break in management as a successful caretaker boss who ended up taking over full time and staying in the post for two-and-a-half years.

After two unhappy years at Barnsley, Robins took the reins at then-League One Coventry in September 2012. His immediate impact quickly caught the attention of the Terriers, who appointed him as Simon Grayson’s successor just five months later.

Robins was twice able to steer Town away from the drop, but left by mutual consent after a 4-0 defeat to Bournemouth on the opening day of the 2014-15 season.

After a spell with Scunthorpe United, Robins returned to Coventry in March 2017 – too late to steer them away from relegation to League Two, but just in time to immediately lead the side to EFL Trophy glory at Wembley.

It’s been almost non-stop success for Robins and Coventry since then as they have risen back up from the depths of League Two to the brink of returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2001.

Now over seven years into the job, Robins is the fourth longest-serving manager in the top four divisions of English football behind Harrogate’s Simon Weaver, Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp, and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.

LAST TIME OUT

Coventry were in FA Cup quarter-final action last time out and pulled off a sensational late shock against in-form Premier League side Wolves.

Ellis Simms opened the scoring for Coventry at Molineux eight minutes after half-time, but Wolves thought they had won it in the last seven minutes of the game with a quick-fire double from Rayan Ait-Nouri and Hugo-Bueno.

There was another twist in the tale, though, with Simms scoring again in the 97th minute before Haji Wright won it for Coventry three minutes later.

Coventry were drawn against Manchester United in the semis, with Robins saying: "To draw United is certainly special, but to draw any one of those teams would have been special.

"I was there as a kid and came through there at United, but my loyalties are certainly now with Coventry City.

"It's at Wembley. It's a brilliant occasion. We've got to come up with a plan that's going to give us an opportunity to compete in the game and see where it takes us."

Previous Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Collins; Latibeaudiere, Thomas, Kitching, Bidwell; Sheaf, Eccles; van Ewijk, Palmer, Wright; Simms.

FORMATION

Coventry have generally lined up in one of two formations this season - either a 3-4-1-2 or a 4-2-3-1.

That means Ellis Simms usually plays either as a lone striker or alongside Matty Godden or Haji Wright, with Callum O’Hare or Kasey Palmer just behind them while Josh Eccles and Ben Sheaf hold the fort in deeper midfield roles.

WHO TO WATCH

Haji Wright

The nine-cap United States international tops Coventry’s charts for both goals (13) and assists (6) in the Championship this season and comes into this game hot on the heels of grabbing the headlines with that late goal against Wolves.

Capable of playing anywhere across the front line, well-travelled Wright came through the youth system at LA Galaxy and Schalke and has since had spells in the Netherlands, Sweden, and Turkey.

Wright arrived at Coventry last summer from Antalyaspor for a club-record transfer fee.

Ellis Simms

Simms can count Blackburn, Manchester City, and Everton among his youth clubs, eventually settling in Merseyside and making a dozen Premier League appearances for the club.

The centre-forward had three loan spells away from Goodison Park, helping Blackpool earn promotion from League One in 2020/21 and then - after a spell in Scotland with Hearts - repeating the feat with Sunderland two seasons later – though he was recalled to Everton midway through his season in the north-east.

Simms joined Coventry in a permanent move last summer and has enjoyed a positive start to life at the club with 14 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions.

Callum O’Hare

One of the leading lights in Coventry’s gradual rise from League One to Championship promotion contenders, playmaker O’Hare was forced to watch the side’s run to Wembley from the sidelines last season after suffering a ruptured ACL on Boxing Day in 2022.

O’Hare soon hit his stride again after his ten-month lay-off, though, gradually working his way back into the starting line-up.

His brilliant run after getting back to full fitness was critical in Coventry’s return to form towards the end of last year and included match-winning turns against Birmingham and Leicester. O’Hare has nine goals and four assists to his name in 16 starts this season.

TOWN TEAM NEWS

Huddersfield Town Head Coach André Breitenreiter will update the press on team news from 1pm on Wednesday 27 March - and supporters can watch along live via HTTV on YouTube.

KIT

Returning to the John Smith's Stadium on Friday, the Terriers will be back in their traditional blue and white stripes when we face Coventry City in the Sky Bet Championship.

CLICK HERE to get yours online!

Home Kit 2324 16x9.jpg

iFOLLOW HTAFC

Available to stream live on iFollow HTAFC via both match passes and audio match passes, Town supporters can CLICK HERE to watch along from home.

Match Reports

REPORT: TOWN 1-3 COVENTRY

29 March 2024

Rhys Healey’s first Town goal only a consolation.

- Huddersfield Town 1-3 Coventry City
- Town fall two goals behind in the first half
- Rhys Healey goal gives hope before added time

A first Town goal for Rhys Healey gave the home faithful hope of a late comeback against Coventry City after the visitors took a first half lead, only for an added time strike to end that possibility.

After an even opening period, the promotion-chasing visitors took a two-goal lead midway through the first half.

Head Coach André Breitenreiter responded by changing the formation and making several substitutions and the improvement heralded a late goal from Healey, but Coventry put the game to bed as Town chased the equaliser.

With Sorba Thomas suspended, Breitenreiter brought Alex Matos and Josh Koroma in for their first starts in five games, with Brodie Spencer the other player to make way following his two-game week for Northern Ireland.

Town stayed in the 3-4-1-2 shape that they deployed in the most recent game at Rotherham and although the game started fairly evenly, the visitors soon started to have some success in playing their forwards Haji Wright and Ellis Simms in down the sides of our defence.

That led to the first chance of the game in the ninth minute, when ex-Town man Kasey Palmer played Wright in behind Pearson. Thankfully Lee Nicholls came to the rescue, saving with his legs when the American shot with his left foot inside our area.

Town then enjoyed a few half chances. First a short corner worked between Rudoni and Burgzorg saw the Dutchman let fly inside the area, only for his snapshot to be deflected wide, and the following corner fell to Koroma, who couldn’t find a Town man with his pull back.

Koroma, on his 150th league start, had a clearer opportunity on the quarter hour mark. Pearson played a raking ball forward and defender van Ewijk slipped, allowing Josh to race clear down the right. He approached the Coventry goal but the angle was narrow, which allowed goalkeeper Brad Collins to block his eventual shot at the near post.

Unfortunately, Coventry then hit two goals in five minutes through former Everton striker Simms.

The first, in the 17th minute, came when the forward got the ball on the right edge of our penalty area, where he expertly found a yard on his right foot inside Helik before smashing a shot across Nicholls and inside the far post.

Coventry’s second was more of a team move and come down our left. Town felt there was a foul on Matos in the build-up, but play continued and Palmer rode two challenges before finding van Ewijk on the right; his pull-back was perfect for Simms to sweep across Nicholls and inside the far post.

Simms was only denied a hat-trick through a smart Nicholls save a few minutes later, and in response Town changed their shape on the half hour mark to a back four, with Hogg playing behind Kasumu and Matos in the middle. That shape saw the momentum swing towards Town after that tough period.

Rudoni, now on the right, soon drove infield and played a great through pass behind the away defence to put Koroma clear – only for the assistant’s flag to go up.

Kasumu then drove at the heart of the defence after Hogg intercepted a pass and the former MK Dons man was unlucky not to open his John Smith’s Stadium account, with his 25 yard piledriver smashing the outside of Collins’ right-hand post before bouncing wide.

Town also had a number of chances to deliver after getting into good positions wide on the right, but our players couldn’t find a teammate in the middle.

Breitenreiter was forced into an early second half change when Radinio Balker was seemingly hurt in being fouled by Simms in the corner. Brodie Spencer came on and Town soon hit the woodwork again when Rudoni worked his way into the middle before shooting from just on the edge of the penalty area, striking the crossbar with the goalkeeper seemingly beaten.

Our Head Coach then rang the changes just after the hour, introducing Healey, Ben Wiles and Pat Jones to the fray. All three showed their ability, with Jones in particular causing havoc with his pace and direct style down our right side.

The Town goal came with 10 minutes left. Goalkeeper Collins had looked to play out all game and, on this occasion, Healey got a foot to his pass out of the area. That deflected the ball straight to Wiles, who quickly returned passed back to Healey for the striker to sweep the ball home from 12 yards.

That gave Town some real momentum, and they pushed hard for a time. First Jones stepped inside full back Bidwell and forced Collins to tip his shot around the post, and then the Wales Under-21 international made the goalkeeper tip over another shot soon after.

With Town throwing bodies forward, and Helik operating as a late striker alongside Healey and Bojan Radulovic, Coventry added an added time third through Wright to put the game to bed.

Town’s team vs Coventry City (3-4-1-2)
Lee Nicholls; Matty Pearson, Michał Helik, Radinio Balker (Brodie Spencer, 53’); David Kasumu (Ben Wiles, 64’), Jonathan Hogg (c) (Pat Jones, 64’), Alex Matos, Jaheim Headley; Jack Rudoni; Delano Burgzorg (Rhys Healey, 64’), Josh Koroma (Bojan Radulovic, 76’)

Unused substitutes
Chris Maxwell; Tom Edwards, Ben Jackson, Tom Iorpenda

Town booking
Radinio Balker (14’)