Match Day Thread Hull City v Stoke

[Tony Angelino]

Hard to answer your first as I can only judge it since Acun came in. I’d been waiting a long time for the Allam’s to f*** off. But compared to December/January, I feel we now have a much higher calibre squad. Let’s not forget we’ve had terrible luck with injuries.

I have disagreed with team selections in the last few matches, I will admit. But I’d like to think Shota will see what has gone wrong and now change formation to suit.

It’s not hard to answer, a year ago we had terry running the show. We have injuries but the squad is better than last year. we have the same issues and play no better

 

[Charon]

It is very stressful to watch at the moment. Certainly not an enjoyable experience, unlike my last date who was very energetic

was he anyone we know

 

[Trumpton Tiger.]

Can't disagree with that,was disappointed in the second half but not sure one of the managers of the "Failed English Manager Roundabout" will helpWe'd be following the Scottish model of "Failed Scottish Managers Roundabout"and that leads only one way.I don't claim to have the answers though

*edit[/QUO

Not all English managers have failed seeing that the majority of them in the PL and those at clubs who have a chance of winning silverware ie; top six in the Prem are all foriegn. Potter at Chelsea may prove to be the exception. Pity we didn't spot him when he was running the Hull University football team.
There are plenty of English mangers who know the way around the Championship and it is that know how that we are lacking.

 

[Tigerite]

No defending last nights game...

No defending in it either from our lot anyway.

 

[Amin Arrears]

No defending in it either from our lot anyway.

We did a grand job of hanging on to a defeat. That was evidently what we set up to do.

 

[Noggin The Nog]

Now that the dust has settled, time for some considered reflection. Alas, we were still terrible.
Too many similar larkers in midfield. Creaky defence. Goalkeeper suffering from rushes of blood to the nogging. We're easy to knock off the ball and frustrate.
I hope City realise its a 12.30 kick off on satdee.

 

[tigerrev]

unlike my last date who was very energetic

When was that - 1974?

 

[tigerrev]

I don't understand why Coyle didn't make the runs he had in previous game

He did, so did Oscar and every time the player on the ball was too slow to see them

 

[Gone For A Walk]

A lot that needs correcting... We've debatably been outplayed by every team we've faced this season so far. And frankly most of them haven't looked like world beaters. QPR schooled us. The rest of those games we either let them in and made things difficult for ourselves or they could have gone either way and we've been fortunate. The teams we've got points out of would all have been kicking themselves because we've dominated nobody. Coventry was probably our best game and we were still hanging on by the end.

A general lack of movement is a big issue, there's often no options. Possibly caused by a lack of fitness. Allahyar and Tetteh missing is really showing. Should get more mobile with time... Hopefully.

4 at the back is a must. The 5 isn't working. We have genuine quality further up the field (even without the players we're missing to injury) but they never see the ball because many of them aren't on the pitch, so get them on the pitch and try to use them. The vast majority of our possession is mainly our CBs aimlessly passing it between themselves.

We should start our strongest side to give us a chance of going ahead, not give ourselves a mountain to climb then bring quality on while taking other quality off. Tufan and Pelkas weren't on the pitch together that long tonight. It's like every game starts off as damage limitation and then we start trying to have a go when it's far too late. Shota is happy to make changes early enough if needs be, but we always seems to start off bafflingly weaker than we need to and his subs can be debatable too.

It feels like when we attack it's hard fought and we're lucky to have a striker that can make something out of half chances that we probably shouldn't be converting. Whenever the opposition attacks however it feels like they just cut right through us with simple stuff. The teams we've faced have rarely done anything special against us and have squandered their chances as well. Yet we're still the worst in the league for conceding.

The below lineup, or similar needs to happen against Swansea. We need to get back to scoring goals. We're conceding either way so perhaps some positive football might just breed some confidence and a clean sheet. Even if we lose, I'd applaud us having a proper go and it would breed some positives. If our defence is as bad as it seems, let's at least give the opposition something to think about and keep the ball away from our back line as much as possible...

---------------Baxter---------------
Coyle--Figs--Greaves--Elder
----------Jones--Seri------------
---------------Tufan----------------
Pelkas-----------------Longman
---------------Oscar---------------

I don't think Figs needs to be dropped yet, personally. Baxter gets a chance now. The full backs get protection with wide forwards and can venture for an overlap if the opportunity arises. Slater loses out so Jones can add some mettle in the middle and give it to Seri or play it to various options in front if they're obvious passes. If they're not, Seri would find them if it goes to him. Oscar sees more of the ball this way, where he's been brilliant to be fair to him.

The bench we have at the moment would sub into this formation fairly nicely too. Slater or Simons for Jones. Woods for Seri. Vale for either of the wide players. Pelkas could swap for Tufan to bring Vale on too. Mac for a CB if needed. Christie for Coyle if needed. Longman dropping back for Elder if needed. We'd be able to keep this positive shape even if we need to make subs is my point. We'd have width and chances created too, surely.

We play good football in flashes despite having a negative setup. Let's see more of that attacking play then. We might find ourselves with more possession and God forbid in their half too. This might leave us weaker at the back but it's not like we can get weaker than second worst defence in English football right now is it. Let's use this apparent attacking prowess we have, sitting there waiting to be used.

That defence just doesn't look good enough.

I know that wasn't the biggest problem last season but
- Figs and Jones have gone to ****
- Greaves does some good things but is far from the rock we need.
- Coyle and Elder are average at best in this division
- they are adding next to no threat at set pieces
- all 5 lack pace

Seri has obviously been brought in to pick up the ball from the defence and be our 'quarterback'. That will only work if we have a strong, solid defence, particularly CBs, behind him. Otherwise we're left with needing to have a Slater or Jones or ano to add protection. Doing that then leads to imbalance. I was previously thinking Jones would be better as as DCM but a) he's off it at the moment and b) when I see the way our new midfielders could play (Seri, Tufan, Pelkas) and I see slick CM'ers from other teams, I realise that he isn't the answer there at all - and anyway, back to the point about Seri's role and the set up needed around him.

I know McLoughlin had the occasional error in him, getting caught in possession trying to be too clever once or twice last season, but I'd bring him straight back in as I don't see him getting bullied, turned, slipping, getting mugged like Figs, Jones and Greaves have been.

I'm thinking that when Christie is up to speed, he maybe comes in too, for Coyle or Elder.

And we go to 4 at the back.

Main point of the post is about the defence and Seri's role, but to add that hopefully Sinik comes in soon as we desperately need a wide outlet with either trickery or pace (ideally both). Or maybe Vale can bring that?

 

[Plum]

Was Jones injured late on last night? If not I don't really see the point of giving Christie just 5 minutes when we're 3-0 down.

 

[Gone For A Walk]

Qatartiger Cambridgetiger said: ↑I don't understand why Coyle didn't make the runs he had in previous game

He did, so did Oscar and every time the player on the ball was too slow to see them

I'm with QCT.
Did you see Pelkas pointing to Coyle to show him where he should be overlapping. Think it happened at least 3 times in the time Pelkas was on! To be fair to Coyle, he has overlapped with effect in earlier games, but it just didn't happen last night.
Shape & balance is all wrong though anyway.

 

[look_back_in_amber]

I’m awaiting the post match post of our lovely Howden Tigress, her thoughts on the game are always well considered and a good read.

 

[Cityzen]

When was that - 1974?

That will have cost him about a fiver for a half hour session then.

 

[Chazz Rheinhold]

Can someone post the goals ta

 

[Cityzen]

Can someone post the goals ta

Masochist.

 

[Ric Glasgow]

The original plan was to loan out Smith, but once injuries bit and he got a goal, it wasn't really on the cards. Motherwell want him, as did Hatayspor in Turkey and a few League One clubs, but injury forced our hand.

We'd have let Doc and Cannon go too, but again injuries/absences forced that out.

I think that spare space will be taken by a defender or a midfielder, I can't see us bringing another striker in unless something happens to Oscar.

Which just about sums up a 'flawed' recruitment process in my opinion.Docherty isn't everyone's cup of tea but he rolled up his sleeves and played for the jersey,ran for the full 90 and generally got in the faces of the opposition.If it was the plan to dispense of his services then it highlights the problems we are currently facing...Namely we're lacking in guts,desire and players willing to put their body on the line for the Club.

As for Shota Arveladze,his jacket hangs on a shaky peg due to his questionable tactics and substitutions,only he can fix that.. It's beyond our remit.

 

[originallambrettaman]

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[jhe10]

I've no idea what the best solutions are, but it's not hard to spot the problems:
1. We (according to Shota) can't play a back 4 beace that needs wingers and we don't have any fit ones. However we also don't have any fit wing backs so a back 3 isn't working properly either.
2. Figuereido is struggling, surely time for McLoughlin to get a chance.
3. Neither Figuereido nor Jones are good enough or confident enough to play out from the back, opponents know this and take advantage of it.
4. Seri and Tufan are our best chance of creating something offensively, but playing them both weakens us too much defensively.
5. Tyler Smith seems like a nice lad but he's a long way off good enough at this level.
6. Pelkas needs to start even if he only lasts 60 mins.

 

[Trumpton Tiger.]

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Inspirational he is not.

 

[rovertiger]

It is very stressful to watch at the moment. Certainly not an enjoyable experience, unlike my last date who was very energetic

Hope the monkey felt the same way.