Decent performance and very good debut for TC. Have to say a bit more ambition and that would have been 3 points. Cowie did his job but to me him and Gunner in the same side is too negative. We were on top when we scored but that was all lost with the introduction of Rudy. We were suddenly outnumbered in midfield and used the long ball as an outlet. A fair point but we are a better team than them and with Bellamy out surely it should have been Odemwingie not Rudy coming on. I disagreed with Sparkey with his comments on the Man City and Everton games but I think Malky should have been more positive yesterday. Still decent display , some good possession football. Hull have a bargain in Huddlestone - he stays fit and they should be safe.
Aye to all that. Glad to see you're coming around to my way of thinking. If Odem wasn't match fit enough, Mutch should have started intead of Cowie. As Maynard was already on, I'd have liked to see Noone replace Campbell instead of Gestede to provide him with some openings. Rudy still looks a bit of a lumberer rather than Prem class front man.
To be fair Cowie had a good game. However we lacked pace and creativity. Kim seemed to be trying too hard. We will look a better side with Mutch and 1 of Odemwingie and Bellamy starting.
Cowie justified his selection, not least with his superb assist. Problem is we are SLOW in midfield, I think Mutch is more dynamic than our other mids and could replace Gunnar. I'd be inclined after that performance to play Cowie instead of Gunnar as it would be very harsh to drop Cowie after that game. Then make a space for one of Bellers, Odem or Noone. Noone looked electric in the warm up, I'm sure he's gutted he hasn't kicked a PL ball yet. I thought Maynard showed some real quality and made a case for starting him with FC, we could obviously move Kim to the right then.
Not saying Cowie's performance didn't justify his selection, it's just the tone that his name in the starting 11 sheet brings to the tactical intent. It worked to an extent and Don played very well, but we could well have won that game with a more positive approach. Mutch to start and Noone to provide the width later on could have done the trick.
I know what you mean Sparks. Witts has been excellent so far this season on the left, so surely we have to pick some pace on the right? I don't know the answer and it's more difficult this season as some weeks we'll be able to stand 'toe to toe' with our opponents whereas other weeks it'll be backs to the wall stuff. MM is a defensive manager and the PL gives him the platform to justify that policy more often than not. I think we may have to wait till after Xmas to see a much more attacking line up starting at home. With Spurs, Utd and Arsenal being 3 of our next 5 home I can't see MM spending much time on training an open expansive attacking policy!
Agree Stevo, especially as far as those 3 upcoming opponents are concerned, but with all due respect to them, this was Hull. Not in anyway being derogatory of what is a very good side, but it was agame we could have set about winning rather than just not losing.
Got to be honest, I had us down to lose that one. We fielded a weakened line up and came away with a point. I think Hull will surprise a lot of people this season. When I saw The Don starting it did fill me with foreboding but in fairness to the guy he played well. That ball to Whitts for his goal was sublime. The fact that Odemwingie didn't come on might be down to lack of fitness.
Fair point, and that is always going to be a consideration in this top flight more than anywhere else. Taking the single point means we at least deprived you of two. That could be crucial come the end of the season, especially if we can win our home game against you. I was very impressed with the way you took the game to Man City the last time out, but that probably proves your point - go somewhere and push up and you can get caught, especially if you cant take your own chances. Got to agree with Bob's comment above - I think you will surprise a few "established" Prem sides this season, especially if you can get Aluko and the enigma that is Graham to start putting away the chances you create.
I was very impressed with aluko, he should have had an assist if Graham could score from 6 yards. I honestly don't think we will play an attacking game in any of our away matches this season. Mm will be looking for 5/6 draws and maybe a stolen victory or 2. If Gunnar had hit the target with his header we might have nicked it yesterday. We did very well defending well and being the more clinical of the sides away last season, the points target is much lower this year but the plan will be identical IMO.
