Huddersfield Town manager Michael Duff is wary of the threat a potentially rejuvenated Bolton Wanderers could pose when the two sides meet this weekend.
Bolton travel to the John Smith’s Stadium without Ian Evatt at the helm for the first time in four-and-a-half-years on Saturday. The 43-year-old departed the Greater Manchester-based side yesterday by mutual consent following a 2-1 defeat against Charlton Athletic on Tuesday night.
The Terriers will enter the game as the most in-form team in League One. They are currently in the midst of a 16-game unbeaten run having not tasted defeat since losing 1-0 against fellow promotion chasers Birmingham City on October 1st.
Sitting in fourth, Duff knows three points will keep the heat on the teams above him. Second-placed Wycombe Wanderers hold the final automatic promotion spot and are six points above Huddersfield. However, the Chairboys have played a game more.
“We Don’t Know What We Are Going To Face Now”
Speaking to the media, Duff has admitted it is difficult to prepare for the clash. Via The Yorkshire Post, the 47-year-old said:
“We don’t know what we are going to face now. Bolton were pretty structured in the way they approached the game and wanted to play.
“With Julian (Darby) taking the team – because it’s not any of the assistants, who have all gone and it’s the academy staff who are taking it – it could be a back three or four or five.
“It’s difficult, but we’ve got to focus on us now and no matter what they play, you should know. If we get the teamsheet, we might get the team wrong, but after 30 seconds, you know what formation they play, so it’s just adjustment and a couple of things.”
Writer’s View
It’s always difficult to prepare for a game against a team which has just made a managerial change. This is why we often see the ‘new manager bounce’, with tweaks in tactics and players playing for their future proving a factor. Others may argue that this is a good time to play Bolton. They are in limbo whilst they search for Evatt’s successor and the last place they will want to visit right now is Huddersfield. Still, the Terriers look almost unbeatable at the moment and it would take a huge effort for their opponents to get anything out of the game.
