Sunday 30 October 2011

NFFC vs Hull 30.10.11

Well that defeat wasn't in the script but it's safe to say the 'honeymood' period is most definitely over.
Steve Cotterill, the work really begins here.
Yet, in the bigger picture, how much work actually needs to be done?

Don't get me wrong, there's always work to be done. We've just lost so something clearly isn't right but, as I said against Middlesbrough, we must look at the opposition.

Hull are a team in form, unbeaten in eight games before arriving at the City Ground yesterday and you have to go back to the 16th August to find the last time the Tigers were beaten away from home.

But why are they so tough to beat? I certainly don't think it's because they're the best team in the division nor do I think they'll be challenging the top two by the time May comes around. But if you look at their results combined with the performance yesterday, the answer soon becomes very obvious.

Exclude the recent goalfest against Watford and you'll see a continuous pattern. When Hull have picked up points this season, they've either won 1-0 or drawn 1-1. It's not pretty to watch, but we know after our time under Davies, that it works and it is doing for the Tigers.

Yesterday, they played as any away team should. They definitely didn't come for the win as they shut up shop with two solid banks of four and a bit of muscle up top. It's not pretty and it's frustrating to watch, but they've come away with 3 points, albeit in a very 'smash and grab' fashion, but they won't care and why should they? Their strategy is working.

The post match interviews emphasised this point even more. Cotterill, Camp and Lynch all came out and said we deserved more and they were an extremely tough team to play against. But sometimes it's not your day and yesterday was precisely that.

However, we did have opportunities and we cannot sit feeling sorry for ourselves when part of the problem arose because of our poor play.

In the game, I just felt there was this air of arrogance amongst the players. They always seemed to look for the dream ball rather than the simple one. It's good that confidence is back but players were trying passes that were never going to come off.

Even when Hull scored, there was this feeling of 'It'll be alright and it'll come good. It has done the past two games so it will again.''

Well no. It didn't. To win football matches, you have to earn it and not one player on the pitch yesterday appeared to want to earn it.

In open play, as I've said, Hull frustrated us massively and credit must go to Nigel Pearson for the way he set them up. But when we have dead ball situations, the delivery has to be better. McGugan, Majewski and Reid all had a go. All of them failed.

But that's work that needs to be done on the training ground and I have no doubt that Cotterill will address it and we will be a better team because of it.

At this point, I would do the player's ratings but there's hardly much point as it would be the same message from the majority of them. No-one did anything massively wrong, but no-one did anything massively right either. Nothing spectacular, except Radi's stunning shot out of nothing, and it was just a drab, average performance from everyone.

A quick mention should go to Greg Cunningham though who I thought made a solid debut. To say he hasn't played in a long, long time, he slotted straight in and made some crucial challenges while he also offered an option down the left side. Unfortunately, he's probably at fault for the goal, switching off and allowing Mclean to nip in behind him but that's a lack of a match practice and he'll soon iron those mistakes out.

Also, good news about the possibility of Cohen coming back before the end of the season. It comes of no surprise that he's ahead of his rehabilitation schedule as his constant energy and desire will push him to come back in possibly even better condition than he was in before. I wish him lots of luck and cannot wait to have his engine back in the middle of the park.

All in all, it didn't go to plan. I just hope that Cotterill can keep the spirits up and that the players don't think the past couple of victories were a fluke. I somehow don't think they will though. Plus, they've got the perfect chance to rectify the situation by playing again on Tuesday night against a Reading side, who haven't appeared to decide what end of the table they're going to be involved in this season.

A win on Tuesday though, would see us move within a point of the Royals and drag them down to the lower end. Saying that, I don't think either ourselves or Reading will be involved in any kind of relegation battle. I actually don't think either will be involved in a promotion push.

But that's not a bad thing. For as long as I can remember, we've been involved in some drama. I'd happily take a mid table position and have a summer building under Cotterill for next season.

Although I should probably remember we're only in October and there's a long way to go, I should probably enjoy this season now rather than wishing it away!

Three points on Tuesday will be the perfect medicine for us to forget yesterday's dour defeat.

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