Duane Holmes picked the best time to score his first goals in his second stint for Huddersfield Town, leading the Terriers to a shocking home win over a promotion hopeful.
Holmes scored a second half brace in a 4-1 victory at the John Smith Stadium over Swansea City on Saturday. It was the U.S. Men’s National Team winger’s first goals since his return to the club from Derby County.
After Lewis O’Brien put the Terriers up 2-1 early in the second half, Holmes delivered the insurance strikers to earn Carlos Corberan’s side an important three points at home. Holmes’ first goal came in the 52nd minute after a superb through ball assist from Aaron Rowe into the middle of the box.
Holmes made no mistake, roofing a shot into the top corner for his first goal of the season.
The Georgia native added his second goal in as many minutes, with this being the pick of the litter of the five goals scored in Yorkshire. Holmes picked up the ball on the left wing, before cutting inside and unleashing a right-footed shot into the top-right corner.
What a strike from @DuaneHolmes to make it 4-1 #htafc pic.twitter.com/Qc8LatElq0
— Calum (@TerrierMulac) February 20, 2021
Holmes also finished the match with an 86% passing completion rate, four individual duels won, one dribble, and three recoveries. It was his best performance of the EFL Championship season which moves the Terriers into 16th place and seven points clear of the relegation zone.
“I’d like to say I’ve got it in my locker, I’ve been trying for 10 years and that’s the first one that’s gone in,” Holmes said jokingly at the final whistle. “Like you say it’s a great win, a massive win; we needed that.”
“I think we’ve been playing really well and not getting results, so it’s good to finally play well and win. It’s about the team and we desperately needed to win today. I feel like we hadn’t been getting the rub of the green but today we put our chances away and played really well.”
“If we keep playing to our ability and let teams worry about us, we’ll get results. We’ve shown today we’re a great side.”
Up next for Holmes and his teammates is a trip to Derby County on Tuesday.
now in the silly club form world a player who looked good when capped is suddenly “in play” again. maybe he was pretty good all along.
worth noting the snobs get all excited morris and arriola went to swansea and then holmes scores a pair for a team that beat swansea. by the transitive property….
Or maybe it’s a sign he’s inconsistent and when you only get 10 days at a time with NT you can’t count on Duane to be good Duane because bad Duane is really bad. I think this is more a situation that Holmes thrived under Lampard for whatever reason and didn’t fit with Rooney or Cocu now back at Huddersfield he likes how they play. That then begs the question does he fit into the NT style because he certainly is talented enough to start moving other pieces for. We’ve got RW and LW pretty solid, and two CMs locked in so if he doesn’t fit in with Adams and McKennie he’s not worth it. I’m going to go with 3G and his staff who are able to watch every match he plays than fans takes based on highlight comps and a friendly two years ago.
we will likely roster 6-8 mids for the 23 man rosters. he doesn’t have to be better than the starters to make a roster. the comparison is more to players like trapp yeuill roldan etc., the GB ensemble. one international is a small sample size but he made an impression and there are GB favorites in double digit caps who haven’t done that. i also think based on GB’s odd selections and meh results that i have no call to defer to his scouting or coaching genius. when you come up with Morris or green and win games then maybe i buy “he watches the tape” or “he watches the practices.” the sheer list GB has forgotten or omitted suggests instead massive blindspots. and for what would be a bench player i don’t know how you watch that highlight and shrug.
how is a single cap player who played well “inconsistent?” and if you applied that standard to the current crop of players everyone but adams isn’t consistent. particularly the “touch 6s” — a contradiction in terms — you want to defend. they have one nice pass in a blowout and you want me to forget some nightmare they had with mexico.
Yeuill and Trapp don’t even play the same position as Holmes and Trapp hasn’t even been called the last three US based camps please that horse is dead stop beating it. Roldan wasn’t called in Jan 2020 and didn’t start in Jan 2021. Zardes is our best CF and should start if we had a qualifier tomorrow, get on board the Gyasi train. Yes he scores with his butt and his nose but you have to those in the right place for that to happen. His off ball movement and counter pressing make Sargent and Soto look like inexperienced kids.
what off the ball movement? IMO zardes plays like a schoolboy. doesn’t show to the ball. runs straight up the middle rather than curving into open space. what are you talking about. wood is the best striker we have — has scored on very good opponents — and then i think your best bets after that would be either the best and most matured of the 2026 kids or AJ. zardes and jozy are literally the dumbest choices you could make.
you’re confused re Holmes. where did GB play him? central. and he looked lively and impactful. where does he play half the time this year? central. TM does call him a “RM” but he only plays there half the time in club. you’re trying to make a lame argument where you narrowly define the player at a position we then don’t offer. personally i am deeply confused how someone watches that highlight and then goes to great lengths to justify his exclusion and/or create some sort of systemic excuse for same. if i have someone making plays like that i am trying to figure out ways to get them on the field, not excuses to leave them out. absurd. do you get bored being berhalter’s xerox machine? i am sure he has one already at his chicago office.
With love from the Peach State! I hope he goes for a “blinder” against Derby City… play ‘em off the pitch next weekend.