Huddersfield Town head coach Michael Duff has admitted his team has not done enough to help Dion Charles settle in following his move from Bolton Wanderers in the January transfer window.
The striker, who arrived as one of the club’s high-profile winter signings, has started all five matches since joining but is yet to register a goal. His struggles in front of goal have coincided with Huddersfield’s drop in form, with the team failing to win any of those matches.
Duff: “We’ve Not Helped Him”
Speaking in a press conference, Duff explained that while Charles is working hard, the team’s dip in creativity has contributed to his slow start.
“It’s a little bit of that. We’ve had a conversation with him this week, don’t go chasing it.
“We’ve not helped him, we’ve gone from creating the most chances in the league to hardly creating a chance in a week, for different reasons.”
Huddersfield’s attacking struggles have been evident, with the team failing to score in three of their last five games—including against Charles’ former club Bolton, as well as Birmingham City and Reading.
Patience Needed for Charles’ First Goal
Duff emphasised that Charles remains a quality striker but needs time to build relationships within the squad.
“He’s a centre-forward, he wants to do well. He’s got a real hunger, and his appetite is definitely still there.
“Sometimes he’s doing his second thing first. Rather than taking the ball in, setting and then passing it, he’s looking to set it to get off to make a run.
“We’ve just tried to calm him down, he’s not become a bad player in three weeks.”
The Huddersfield boss admitted the transition has been tough for Charles, especially given the team’s recent struggles.
“He’s a good player, he’s proven, so we need to find out what his strengths are, in terms of intrinsic movements, relationship building.
“We haven’t helped him settle in, because he’s walked into a team that’s been doing well, and we’ve had a difficult couple of weeks.
“He’s been part of that, but that’s not on him, that’s on us.”
Writer’s View
Dion Charles’ early struggles at Huddersfield are understandable, but they highlight a wider issue—the team’s lack of attacking fluidity. While his work rate is commendable, Charles needs better service and time to build chemistry with his new teammates. If Huddersfield can rediscover their creative spark, there’s little doubt that the goals will soon follow for the former Bolton man.
