MX23RW : Monday, November 25 16:43:26| >> :120:25156:25156:

Huddersfield Town relegated - where did it all go wrong?

Huddersfield Town relegated - where did it all go wrong?
© Reuters
After an amazing first season in the Premier League for Town, the second season was a disaster.

Huddersfield have become the first side since Derby in 2008 to be relegated from the Premier League in March.

The Terriers' fate after two seasons in the top flight was sealed with a 2-0 defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday, and Burnley and Southampton both winning their games.

Here, Press Association looks at five things which contributed to their return to the Sky Bet Championship.

Summer signings' wings clipped

Adama Diakhaby failed to hit the ground running this season
Adama Diakhaby failed to hit the ground running this season (Nigel French/PA)

Huddersfield's former boss David Wagner opted to add pacey wingers to his squad in the summer rather than a proven goalscorer after his side had survived their first season in the Premier League by the skin of their teeth. But the likes of Ramadan Sobhi, Adama Diakhaby and Isaac Mbenza failed to make an impact and Wagner abandoned his 4-2-3-1 system. Without added firepower Town's struggles in front of goal continued and the arrival of £2million January signing Karlan Grant from Charlton came too late.

Strikers fire blanks

Steve Mounie, right, scored his first goal of the season in January
Steve Mounie, right, scored his first goal of the season in January (Richard Sellers/PA)

Strikers Steve Mounie and Laurent Depoitre were signed in the summer of 2017 in readiness for Town's first season back in the top flight since 1972 and scored 13 goals between them. It proved just enough to help keep their side up as others chipped in with vital goals, but the warning signs were there. The Terriers have mustered just 18 goals in 32 Premier League matches, only seven at home, and failed to score in 17. It is those statistics which ultimately led to their downfall.

Slow out of the blocks

Huddersfield celebrate back-to-back wins after beating Newcastle in their second game last season
Huddersfield celebrate back-to-back wins after beating Newcastle in their second game last season (Danny Lawson/PA)

Town made a sensational start to their first season in the Premier League by winning their first two matches and by early November had gathered some momentum by chalking up 15 points, with another nine on the board before the turn of the year. This time round it was early November before they clinched their first win and it has been an uphill struggle since. The Terriers have won only three of their 32 league games and set a new club record of nine straight defeats – eight in the league and one in the FA Cup – in December and January.

Terriers lacked bite without Mooy

Aaron Mooy missed seven league games due to knee ligament damage
Aaron Mooy missed seven league games due to knee ligament damage (Nick Potts/PA)

Aaron Mooy has been instrumental to Huddersfield's success and his knee injury in December proved a hammer blow to their survival chances. Town's midfield dynamo and main creative threat was sorely missed. His absence coincided with that unwanted club record – plus the long-term injury to fellow midfielder Danny Williams – as the Terriers took one point from seven games during his absence until late January.

Lady Luck turns back on Wagner

Referee Lee Mason, centre left, overturned a penalty decision at Cardiff in January
Referee Lee Mason, centre left, overturned a penalty decision at Cardiff in January (Nick Potts/PA)

Wagner enjoyed no luck in his last few months in charge before his departure by mutual consent in January as a string of crucial refereeing decisions went against his side. Mounie's controversial and game-changing dismissal in the home defeat to Brighton in December and referee Lee Mason's decision to change his mind after awarding Town a penalty at Cardiff in January were two of several big decisions that left the German coach perplexed. Town fans will vehemently argue they have had the thin end of the wedge.

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Mark Walker, Press Association Sport');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', 'c642e38d-0d28-48f6-b528-675cda7a9af0');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'As Huddersfield fans stick together, where did it all go wrong for the Terriers?'});

ID:354819: cacheID:354819:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:10539:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Juninho Bacuna in action for Huddersfield Town on February 9, 2019
Read Next:
Juninho Bacuna: "Anything is possible" in Huddersfield relegation fight
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Wycombe WanderersWycombe15112235181735
2Wrexham1694325111431
3Stockport CountyStockport1786329171230
4Birmingham CityBirmingham1493226151130
5Huddersfield TownHuddersfield158252315826
6Barnsley167542420426
7Lincoln CityLincoln167542320326
8Reading158252422226
9Bolton WanderersBolton158252425-126
10Mansfield TownMansfield147342016424
11Exeter CityExeter157261413123
12Peterborough UnitedPeterborough166373229321
13Bristol Rovers166371721-421
14Charlton AthleticCharlton155461617-119
15Stevenage165471116-519
16Northampton TownNorthampton164661821-318
17Wigan AthleticWigan154561312117
18Rotherham UnitedRotherham164571419-517
19Blackpool164572230-817
20Crawley TownCrawley174491527-1216
21Leyton Orient154381418-415
22Cambridge UnitedCambridge153391324-1112
23Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury1632111629-1311
24Burton Albion151591528-138


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!