Ffs no !!!!!

Printed in HDM...

HULL CITY: Koren may go wide to help our cause

NIGEL Pearson will not discount switching the in-form Robert Koren back to a wide role to fill the void left by injured Martin Pusic.

Hull City have produced their most attractive football of the campaign in the last two fixtures against Cardiff and Brighton with Koren pulling the strings from a central midfield role.

But Pusic, who started both games on the left flank, has been sidelined with a hip injury, leaving Pearson with a conundrum for the visit of Watford tomorrow.

Koren is no stranger to a wide role after playing the opening nine games there.

But having seen the Slovenian's best from centre midfield, Pearson played his selection cards close to his chest.

"We will consider what is the best way of winning the game," said Pearson.

"What I will say about Robbie is that he's a player who, although he prefers to play through the middle, will play anywhere you ask him to play.

"I've always liked Robbie as a player. I think he's done very, very well in there. I also know that if it's for the team that he's asked to play in a wider position again, he'll get on with it. But I'm not saying that's going to be the case.

"Of course that's something that we will consider over the next 24 hours on how to set up to win the game."

The absence of Pusic, who is waiting on scan results to learn the full extent of his hip injury, leaves the door open for either Tom Cairney or Paul McKenna to come back into the side if Koren assumes his previous wider role. That would threaten to upset the harmony of a balanced midfield, and Pearson admits he is frustrated to see Pusic ruled out.

"Unfortunately, Martin's got a bit of a hip problem which is a bit of a niggle and that's a shame for him," added the City boss.

"He's been patient to get his chance and had injuries, so after getting in the side and doing well, it's disappointing.

"He's adapted to the English game very well so to pick up an injury is frustrating for him.

"We'll have to wait for the scan results but if there's any tear we'll be looking at a couple of weeks.

"I've been very pleased with the whole team in the last couple of games and the midfield creativity and balance has looked very good.

"But we'll have to see who is available and make a decision from there.

"I'm not ruling out one way or the other whether Robbie stays in the middle or makes way for someone else to come into the middle."

Corry Evans and Martyn Waghorn have both brushed off injury concerns with a return to training yesterday, but Nick Barmby (calf) will not feature, while Paul McShane (dead leg) will be assessed again today.

City will still enter tomorrow's fixture as red-hot favourites, with Watford arriving at the KC Stadium on the back of three successive defeats.

The Hornets are fourth bottom of the Championship and without a goal in almost five hours and Pearson wants to see his side hone a ruthless streak.

"What's got us up and running is how we've gone about our games, being positive and making sure the tempo's right," he said.

"We know they'll try and make it tough for us. Our form is such that we've got to be concentrating solely on our own performance.

"We missed out in midweek, but the league is still exceptionally tight and we want to keep our form going."

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Koren is nowhere near as impactive out wide !!!

 

You have been busy, i think everyone knew Pearson would stick Koren back out wide, we will just have to wait and see tomorrow if it was the correct desicion or not but i hope it is

 

I hope Koren remains in the middle, Watford are there for the taking and Koren could destroy them.

 

its all a game really. subdifuse by NP. keep watford guessing in other words. time will tell and very soon.

 

Waghorn on the left?

 

Cairney in the middle and Koren on the left is the only sane solution. Anyone else on the left is a much bigger gamble and is totally unnecessary. Put TC in the middle, Koren on the left and Waghorn back through the middle with any other striker and you've got a cracking line-up.

 

did anyone consider the formation below? wont be popular but will be feasible.......
Basso
MCSHANE Hobbs Chester ROSENIOR
Brady Koren Evans DUDGEON
Fryatt Waghorn

 

Does'nt look bad to me to be honest. Would still like Cairney in the side though.

 

would you drop mclean and leave fryatt in ?

 

I did yesterday. Suggested it would be the sort of mental thing Peter Taylor would do instead of the very obvious and least disruptive change.

 

Never saw that one. I'd go with Waghorn & McLean up top.

 

I thought I'd seen somewhere that McShane was injured. Thought I was going mad!!

 

Agree. Koren is quality on the wing or in the middle.

 

He goes missing out on the wing and you often forget he is even playing. He is by far more influential in the middle and gets goals playing down the middle rather than out wide. Not even debatable.

 

to many changes IMO. WAGHORN on the left as he has played for england u21's there before. otherwise same as last week which was the best performance of the season.

watford will come and pack the defence so we need to get in behind them with pace. waggy and brady have the pace along with dudg and rosie overlapping. but at the end of the day its NP who will make the final call. but who will be right on here ? guess we shall soon find out eh ? lol.

 

yes, there are a few ways that NP could go, but surely NP must and will keep to the same team as last week ? mcshane is out for starters.

 

Waghorn on the left? Why? He looks our best striker at the moment and he's never played on the left for us. Koren has shown the discipline to play the role as well as the quality. Besides, the best players not in the team last week were Cairney and Waghorn. They've got to come in if there is opportunity.

 

Agree with all that Theo except I'd play Koren in the middle. Waghorn needs to be up top down the middle as Centre Forward, not out wide.

 

When was the last time he had anything other than a very good game out wide? Last season?