Finally! We have won a game. It looks like we are starting to gel as a team as this is the best performance of the season.
After a winless drought of five games, We played Wigan at home who were heavy favourites and tenth in the table.
For us, this was a must win game as it would have caused us to drop closer to the relegation zone.
The team consisted of: Elder, Greaves, Jones, Coyle ( as the back four), Slater, Tufan (in midfield), Pelkas, Sinik, Christie and Estupinan up front. This was a menacing team and hopefully this is what Dawson plays for the rest of our games - Obviously when our injured players come back it will be adapted.
Our defence today was stronger than previous games and we were only able to concede one goal compared to three or two. Coyle, especially, was incredible; he was always driving up the pitch making runs and getting everyone else up with him too. The only problem with the defence is that they never mark players and that is why most goals we concede come from a free kick, a corner or a normal cross into the box. Massive improvements from the last games and hopefully the defence can be like that every game.
Our midfield is the strongest part of the squad; it has an experienced player, Ozan Tufan, anchoring it and we have many strong players who can play alongside him. Regan Slater played with Tufan and that duo is very strong and they can play well together. Only problem is, the lack of communication they can have at certain points of the match where they sometimes make the wrong passes. But other than that we have a powerful midfield, full of talent.
The attack was pressurising and it looks like we may have a chance at scoring more goals in games if we play like that. Pelkas succeeded to impress as he was always making chances and he even scored one to draw us level at 1-1 seven minutes after Wigan’s striker, Keane, put them in front. Estupinan was able to continue his goal scoring rampage as he scored in the sixty-fifth minute to put us in the lead for the first time in five matches.
All of the attackers were brilliant and we could have scored a couple more goals.
The only concern I have with us is that we are still going backwards at times, but fortunately we did not make a mistake or give the ball away, and that the passing needs to be more accurate. Furthermore, we need to know and look out for what players are open to pass to.
The atmosphere was bouncing in the MKM - even though we only had 14,669 supporters - as we finally got to see our team win at home after three dreadful losses in a row.
Optimistically, the next game has more fans and we can get another victory.
We are still managerless; however, we had a ‘potential’ new manager - Pedro Martins - sitting in one of the VIP boxes next to our chairman Acun and I hope we were able to impress him after that performance. This dilemma is the only artefact that can, probably, affect us this season, as getting a new manager takes a lot of time for him to settle in and get comfortable.
I am very pleased with what I watched on Wednesday night and with luck we can continue to win. Hull’s next game is a Yorkshire derby against Huddersfield and for this one I am travelling down to watch it.
Great article, Jack! For me, Wigan looked heavily off our usual game today, as we did in the next against Cardiff City too. A bit of a rough patch for the Latics right now, but Hull deserved the win after digging deep and pressuring us throughout the game.
Very good Jack, well done!