HUDDERSFIELD TOWN’S midfield marvels have been challenged to produce another “fantastic shift” against Watford tomorrow.
Simon Grayson’s side are looking for a fourth straight win to maintain second place in the Championship, and the boss has already detailed his game plan to the squad.
It’s highly likely he’ll field an unchanged line-up from the one which so efficiently dismantled Blackpool’s 100% home record with a 3-1 win at Bloomfield Road on Monday night.
And, while Grayson praised his frontmen and Anthony Gerrard’s contribution to the second-best defence in the division (after Brighton), he knows the driving force at the John Smith’s Stadium will come from his talented central quartet – Oliver Norwood, Keith Southern, Adam Clayton and Danny Ward.
“As a manager, you always look to put something together on the training ground which will work well against your opposition and, when the lads are carrying it out like they are at the moment, it speaks volumes for the sort of players we have and their understanding,” said Grayson.
“I’m immensely proud of what we did the other night at Blackpool both with and without the ball and we need to maintain that standard against Watford, because if we don’t we could easily get punished – that’s what sort of division the Championship is.
“We looked at threat at Blackpool, and that was very pleasing.
“A lot of teams will go there and play one up front and let them settle into their rhythm, but we wanted to make sure we got at them and cause them problems and it worked.
“It was nice to get Keith off in the final minute, and it was nice he got due respect from the supporters at a club which he served so well for 10 years.
“I thought he was outstanding, along with the rest of them in that midfield area.
“They knew they would have to put in a fantastic shift, playing from a narrow shape to combat their three in the centre, and I was delighted with them.”
Gianfranco Zola’s Watford are fifth from bottom and head up the M1 looking to avoid a fifth league defeat of the campaign.
Grayson has already warned his team and the supporters not to take anything for granted – and those are wise words at this stage.
