Peterborough United aren't going to die wondering under this manager, but getting the best out Garbett and giving Bolu a break should be on his mind

Posh were timid and ineffective for an hour at Huddersfield Town on Tuesday night and their boss is a self-confessed risk taker so no real surprise that two substitutes arrived at half-time and two more came on, accompanied by a formation change, with just an hour gone with the game in the balance, according to the scoreboard at least.

The reality was Posh hadn’t looked like scoring. They were certainly more threatening after the switches – Harry Leonard scored and saw another close range effort well smothered by home ‘keeper Matty Young, while Danny Ormerod muffed an opportunity soon after his arrival - but they were also more wide open at the back against a team designed to create havoc on the counter attack.

The outcome was risk without reward as Huddersfield revelled in the extra space to romp away and win 4-1, but Posh should take solace from the fact they perished trying to be positive rather than meekly accepting an inevitable result. Individual errors and indecisiveness were more to blame than the boss.

TALKING POINTS FROM HUDDERSFIELD 4, POSH 1….

1) Teams sitting deep and denying attacking speedsters the space in which to thrive will be a common tactic against Posh. Huddersfield, strong automatic promotion candidates this season, were happy to pull 11 men behind the ball, especially after the boost of a third minute goal. Conceding that early strike was every bit as damaging as the late flurry of home goals because the game then played out as Huddersfield would have wanted.

The hosts knew they had the players to counter effectively and for Posh to have any chance of getting back into the game they had to pass the ball better than they did last night. It’s also true Posh probably won’t meet many teams as defensively well organised as Huddersfield, who also have multiple attacking threats, in League One this season.

2) The final quarter suggested the brave Posh substitutions, and playing two wingers as wing-backs, were suicidal against a team with an outstanding wide player in Dutchman Derensili Sanches Fernandes. Harley Mills wasn’t great last night, but once he was substituted Fernandes sparkled so perhaps it was the right move against the wrong team. I repeat I’d rather get beaten having a go as opposed to meekly lying down.

3) I’m getting James Dormelly vibes about Bolu Shofowoke. It was a mystery for much of the second half of also season why Posh didn’t change a so obviously struggling right-back when other options were available, and it’s clear Shofowoke, who has only just turned 18 remember, is struggling badly as a right winger, a position Posh could fill with one of several other players. Posh remain in no doubt Shofowoke will become a top League One forward in time, but giving him a break now wouldn’t do him, or more importantly, the team any harm. He looks as though his confidence is low. The number of times he is caught offside suggests he’s also struggling to concentrate.

4) Matt Garbett played the second-half last night without making an impact as a number 10. Fully motivated he would enhance most teams at this level, but to get the best out of him you have to get the ball to him in positions in advanced attacking areas. This proved beyond Posh last night who recorded dominant possession stats without registering too much passing accuracy in the final third. The best other midfield passers are Liam Kelly and Harry Ashfield and it will be interesting to see which way Savage goes ahead of a big game at fellow bottom four dwellers Bromley on Saturday.

5) You don’t really have ‘must-win’ games in October, but Bromley away is a vital one for a young team to ensure a splendid win at Leicester City doesn’t get to be seen as a one-off. Bromley have the worst defensive record in the league, and the joint worst home record as well as the third worst scoring record, so they are a team that needs to be attacked from kick-off. Size is a Bromley strength, especially at set-pieces, so Posh have to stand up defensively.

6) No-one who saw his stumbling substitute performances for Posh could have foreseen the lower level scoring success of Joe Taylor. Some of us thought Luton had lost their minds paying £500k for him in January, 2023, but less than four years later he is a scoring machine thanks to sheer speed and excellent composure in front of goal. He delivered two clinical finishes for Huddersfield last night and must be a strong favourite for the League One Golden Boot prize.