Part 1 - "Summertime blues"
The Tigers put in another valiant performance against
Manchester United, despite losing to a late Rashford winner, and then finally
took the opportunity to strengthen the squad ahead of the transfer deadline. In
came goalkeeper David Marshall (Cardiff £3.5m), midfielders Ryan Mason (Spurs £13m),
Markus Henriksen (AZ Alkmaar Loan) and James Weir (Man Utd Undisc.) and
strikers Dieumerci Mbokani (Dinamo Kiev Loan) and Will Keane (Man Utd £1m).
With two of the signings appearing to be “for the future”, it wasn’t enough but
it was far better than nothing. Or at least it seemed so at the time.
Here you go 😘 #hcafc pic.twitter.com/EVvvFTfUjd— (R)ick (@HullCityLive) September 10, 2016
City picked up another point courtesy of Robert Snodgrass’s
last minute equaliser at Turf Moor, Burnley taking them to seven points. About
seven more than anyone had predicted by this point. And then the wheels fell
off the wagon spectacularly. They’d only manage six points and one more win
before (spoiler alert) Mike Phelan was sacked in January.
Phelan felt the need to integrate the players he’d signed
and eroded the incredible spirit that had built in the team in their time of
adversity. The most egregious was the replacement in goal of zero-to-hero and new
fans’ favourite Eldin Jakupovic with Scotland international Marshall. Phelan
clearly felt he had to justify a £3.5m signing and neither he nor his
predecessor Bruce had ever shown confidence in “the Jak” but the team seemed buoyed
by his confidence and charisma. Marshall bore the brunt of the criticism as
City conceded sixteen times in his first five league games but it wasn’t his
fault. Phelan should never have put him in the position to be the fall guy.
City conceded four in Jak’s last game too making it
twenty conceded in six matches. A run that eroded the confidence of the group
and exposed a clear weakness defending set pieces, the ability to concede
penalties at a ridiculous rate and an inability to keep eleven men on the
pitch. The lowest point of the run came at Bournemouth where City, decked out
in their new blackcurrant-vomit inspired third kit were hammered 6-1. The defending
in the first half was shambolic and throwing in the towel after an hour was
unacceptable. Those in attendance, including yours truly, have rarely seen a
worse performance from a top flight City side.
After showing some bottle to bounce back from a cruel
defeat at Watford and conceding yet another penalty after only five minutes to surprise
Southampton, City sandwiched an uninspiring draw at home to West Brom with the
performances that surely sealed Phelan’s fate. We were abject in defeat at
Sunderland and Middlesbrough. Losing sloppy goals and failing to lay a glove on
weak opposition.
Things did improve in December but a combination of bad
luck and that weakness from set pieces meant results didn’t. The 3-3 draw at
home to Crystal Palace was the game of the season but another missed
opportunity. The white flag was shown at White Hart Lan to avoid a beating by
Spurs and then the team bus ran over several black cats, their kittens and Witchy
owners on the way to the Olympic Stadium. West Ham beat us one nil but only
after we’d hit the post several times. Some unluckily but Mbokani’s a
horrendous miss when as clean through as you will ever be. We then conceded
another penalty.
 |
| Olympic Stadium, East Landan. |
Man City won at the (now) KCOM Stadium on Boxing day
after another good City performance and that was followed by an unfortunate
draw with Everton when we played well but let in soft equalisers – and one was
definitely Marshall’s fault this time. Then came the end for Phelan. A 3-1
defeat to West Brom at the Hawthorns having lead with two of the goals coming
from set pieces was another horrendous away day.
Phelan was out of his depth. There’s no doubt about that
but he’d been unlucky too. The “backing” he’d received in the summer was
appalling. He’d not been appointed permanently until it was clear Ehab Allam
had failed to find a better option. Most of his signings came from a post-it
not Steve Bruce left on a wall somewhere. Team selection was constantly upset
by injuries and suspensions and explained a lot of the inconsistency in
performances.
While there were mitigating factors, there was no
defending… Actually, that sentence is finished. The repetition in the same mistakes
was indefensible. The poor performances of very good players and the side-lining
of others was inexcusable. The only thing supporting Phelan’s continued
employment was the feeling that unless the Allams showed a renewed level of
interest and invested some of the massive TV money in new players – no manager
could do much better with this squad.
On January 3rd, Ehab Allam finally woke up and
realised things had to change. Phelan and his coaching staff were dismissed and
the club, second bottom of the Premier League with just thirteen points from
twenty games went looking for a miracle worker…
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