Matty Pearson praises “brilliant” Huddersfield Town teammate as he talks tactical flexibility

Huddersfield Town are one of the most tactically flexible sides in the Championship this season, switching from one system to another seamlessly in games. 

One very underrated individual in their ability to do that is Ollie Turton, a summer signing that arrived with little fanfare from Blackpool.

Turton has emerged as Carlos Corberan’s go-to right-back ahead of the flair of Pipa, providing a reliable presence in the channel behind Sorba Thomas and also showing flexibility to create a three-man defence when Harry Toffolo bombs forward on the opposite side.

“Ollie has been brilliant,” Matty Pearson, Huddersfield’s right-sided centre-back, told this morning’s press conference.

“It’s always nice to have a right-back like Ollie, who you don’t even have to speak to him, you just know he’s got your back and he’s behind you when crosses are coming in.

“That’s what you want as a centre-back.

“He’s professional, he brings a lot to the team, and he probably doesn’t realise it.”

Turton missed out on the starting line-up in the midweek defeat to Millwall, as Huddersfield produced one of their most disappointing performances of what’s been a pretty memorable season.

Corberan, instead, opted for a 3-4-3 system, with Pearson, Tom Lees and Levi Colwill in defence and Thomas with licence to get forward from wing-back. As it was, the space between Pearson and Thomas, where Turton usually would be, was an area Millwall had a lot of joy.

That fluidity between systems, which Turton is crucial to, was something else Pearson discussed ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with Bournemouth.

“It’s difficult,” Pearson explained. “It depends on who you are playing.

“When they play two strikers up-front, three defenders gives you an extra man when you’re