So? What now?
Hull City's disappointing season and where they go from 21st.
I stopped writing Tigers Opinion in February. Partly due to changes in my job and finding the time to write something I at least found meaningful. I mainly stopped though because I was so fed up with repeating negativity. I found there was very little to say that wasn’t repeating problems clear for everyone to already see. There have been rumours emerge both good and bad, but I would only be able to add kindling to the relevant fire so I stopped writing this blog full stop.
Since then by every statistical, metaphorical and on the pitch measure Hull City did just enough in the end, no more, no less. Whilst I have followed every game and breathed every gasp in the mean time I can’t say I have missed writing about the Tigers this season. I have previously tried to tease out ideas, trains of thought that I have found interesting at the very least but the only conclusion I kept coming to and still come to now is that fundamental change is needed at the Hull City this summer. And what fundamental change is? That is up for debate!
Hull City's Season in Numbers: Defence Earns Survival, but Attack Needs Urgent Attention
Lets start with the indisputable facts that are the currency of all football teams: Goals scored vs goals conceded. Hull City scored 44 goals this season, the least of any team in the league. They conceded 54 goals which meant they came out with statistically the 8th best defence in the league. This irrefutably means the Tigers largely stayed in the division down to their defensive strength, especially as they stayed up on goal difference. I think for how under appreciated some of the defenders have been during the dire season we just witnessed they deserve some recognition. They must’ve been doing something right most of the time whilst being aided by having presumably most City fans’ player of the season behind them, Ivor Pandur.
The most basic, football specific fundamental change that must be seen this summer is players that can score goals being brought into the team. I think Ruben Selles will be looking to add pace to the transition and most importantly sign at least two strikers that are capable of putting the ball in the net in the Championship.
There are obviously many tactical nuances that influence goals scored and conceded but to be reductionist, Hull City finished exactly where they deserved to in the table. In my opinion more because they could not score enough goals than their ability to not concede.
Home Form, Lost Momentum, and the Search for Influential Players
They can only garner support through crowd reaction to the events, stories and conclusions that are thrown up. Would a comedian sell tickets if they weren’t funny?
The Tigers are fast using up the goodwill of the home support to get fully behind them with only away days presenting realistic(ish) optimism in the last two seasons all things considered.
I’m finally in the camp that the home form is purely down to something within the team. Be that individuals, the overall player match day experience or sadly a lack of fear from opposing visiting teams.
One of the sad little things I really enjoyed from the Portsmouth game was the Tigers were kicking, fouling and competing for everything. If they could manage half of that at home they would be a much harder team to play against.
Hull City’s home form is undeniably deserving of another relegation scrap should it continue into next season. To stop that from happening winners that drive standards are needed in that dressing room this summer. No disrespect to the existing players as I am not on the inside but the way the season has gone, collectively it is simply not good enough from the outside looking in.
It is easy to point fingers but the gulf in quality was laid to bare this season after the exits of Greaves in defence and the loanees Delap and Philogene to highlight just three. I think these players in particular not only made Hull City a better team but brought the best out of the players around them more than we appreciated at the time.
Another can of worms I won’t open is Liam Rosenior, all he needed was a striker to make the playoffs. Irrespective of if that was his fault or not he is now near to taking Strasbourg into the Champions League for the first time since 1980. Isn’t hindsight a wonderful thing!
Acun’s Next Move: Trust the Football People to Shape Hull City’s Future
Acun’s motivations, what are they? It is never dull at Hull City and our owner I’m sure will come out swinging now the season is over. I don’t blame him, he has actually ticked a few boxes by stepping back in recent months in my opinion. I think he knows when to create the right PR noise and when to stay silent. What I think will define his future legacy at Hull City is how the mistakes/problems of the last season are rectified.
Backing Head Coach Ruben Selles and Sporting Director Jared Dublin is a must to bring in the right personnel they identify as necessary. Be that board level, backroom or playing staff. I think from now on more of the footballing decisions must be made by the people employed to make footballing decisions. It was encouraging to see the news of the hopefully swift appointment of the incoming Martin Hodge as the new Head of Recruitment. A former player, coach, scout and head of recruitment with plenty of Premier League and Championship experience.
This is hopefully a signal to wider shift in how contract and transfer decision making takes place this summer. There needs to be a definite focus on high quality, correct decisions to improve the squad to avoid another churn of costly low impact player signings.
I’ll round this off by saying I think next season will be positive with what we know now. Assuming Ruben Selles stays, there is the opportunity to build from a really solid foundation whilst getting key players like Millar and Belloumi back to add the first choice depth back into the wide areas. I don’t think they need to necessarily splash the cash to make the right signings which is a minor luxury. Especially seeming as they may soon end up in a position where they have to sell players to sign players unless they can find new ways to fill their financial black whole of operating costs.
UTT