After we'd beaten Fulham and drawn with Blackburn in the first Prem season, the prospect of Wigan at home had me quietly confident of 3 points. Playing a club similar in stature to us that had hung around the lower reaches of the Prem for a few years. No outstanding individuals but a carefully moulded competitive team. Compare their starting line up then to our possible starting line up on Sunday. McGregor - Kirkland Davies - Boyce Chester - Melchiot Elmo (although in stature probably shd Faye) - Bramble Figueroa - Figueroa Brady - Valencia Huddleston - Palacios Livermore - Cattermole Koren - Kilbane (who?) Sagbo - Heskey Aluko - Zaki Subs : Harper / Rosenior / Boyd / Quinn / Meyler / Graham / Fryatt Subs : Pollitt / De Ridder / Koumas / Kupisz / Brown / Camara / Kapo Our team then had strengths and weaknesses, ruthlessly exploited by their manager, who had a track record in the Premier League with more than one club, so no flash in the pan. A battler, a strategist. A man manager. Quietly goes about his business and gets the job done. Quietly confident without getting carried away. There might be a few canings, but I would expect we will more than hold our own this season. Maybe starting with a draw on Sunday? Heh. bloody City.
mcgregor > kirkland davies > boyce chester > melchiot elmo/faye > bramble valencia > brady palacious (then) > thud (just) cattermole > livermore koren > kilbane sagbo>heskey probably aluko > zaki Obviously the premier league has advanced in 5 years
I was looking at that Wigan team thinking how we look to be a fair way behind where they were despite me being happy with who we've signed and thinking we'd done well this window, but then you look more closely and you realise things like Zaki was good for them, but at this stage of the season he was no different to what Sagbo is for us, both completely unknown at this level. Same with Palacios vs Huddlestone. Palacios IS the better player IMO, but at the point in time we're talking he was pretty much unknown as well. There's a few like that.
God that Wigan game was a reality check. Did us the world of good in the end. Our owners now want European qualification, should not disappoint them.
You will be given no chance by the "experts" and get pulled apart every week by the MOTD wise men.But at the end of 38 games you have a chance.My guess is that you will do it-just. Hull 16th.
It is interesting to note that the PL title winners this season can expect to earn almost £100m in cash The team finishes bottom can expect to earn £63m in cash. So you can work out what a higher placing will mean to the Hull City coffers.
