Hull City 6 Charlton 0: The best performance of the season

Hull City produced a ruthless display to dispatch struggling Charlton 6-0 at the KC Stadium – on a day where promotion rivals stumbled.

It was the most fun a City game at the KC has been since Fulham were walloped by the same score-line in the Premier League a couple of years ago. Not just because of the goals, and several were fabulous, but the utter dominance on display in all areas of the pitch and the quality of the football. I can’t remember ever seeing The Tigers move the ball better than they did at times today. The one touch passing and the movement to ensure a simple pass was always on was a joy to watch. In the first half Livermore and Hayden were pushed high up from midfield, Clucas was coming off the left wing, Diame dropped off the front and created angles that Charlton just couldn’t cover. They were pulled apart consummately and it was a pleasure to view.

City 4-4-2

Allan McGregor

Moses Odubajo – Curtis Davies – Harry Maguire – Andy Robertson

Robert Snodgrass – Jake Livermore – Isaac Hayden – Sam Clucas

Abel Hernandez – Mo Diame

In the opening six or seven minutes there was no sign of the dominance that was to come as Charlton started quiet brightly. Their front four, playing a sort of diamond, passed and moved with confidence. However eight minutes in their keeper, Henderson, chose to waste time by making Diame close him down before he picked a ball up. It was an obvious sign of no-ambition and it was punished seconds later when Middlesbrough loanee Rhys Williams (Cheers Boro!) dallied on a clearance and Hernandez charged it down and ran clear before sliding the ball under the advancing keeper [1-0].

The goal drew chants against the ownership of the club from the beleaguered Charlton fans and their mood wasn’t helped by Hernandez second before the quarter hour mark. He was allowed to stroll towards goal with the ball and as he entered the “D” he unleashed a lovely shot into the left side of the net with Henderson grasping thin air [2-0].

On 21 minutes the whole ground (Thank you, Charlton fans) stood to applaud the life of Rob Brown – a City fan who lost a brave battle with Leukaemia last week at just 21 years old. The club get a lot wrong and that’s a source of great frustration but their support for Rob and this beautiful gesture deserve much credit.

It was clear that all of the players were playing well and enjoying themselves. Isaac Hayden was having another very good game. David Meyler was unlucky to miss out after a good performance in midweek but I’d no issue with Hayden playing because he’s earned a start this week. He has a little tendency to over-play in his own half, obviously a habit they value at Arsenal where you always play to a man but that’s a churlish gripe. Steve bruce said after the game that he’d like to keep Hayden permanently. I suggested on Twitter a while ago that he’d be worth keeping for a small fee because he has plenty about him. That looked a fairly ridiculous proposition when he nearly went back to Arsenal last month!

I like Isaac Hayden. There's a good player in there but he's timid & lacks experience. I'd take him permanently for half a mill or so #hcafc

— Rick (@HullCityLive) December 2, 2015

City should already have been three up when Henderson saved a Hernandez volley from a Diame cross when Snodgrass did bag a third with a BEAUTY. Clucas opened up the game coming off the line, played a 1-2 with Hernandez and then when it looked like he’d missed a chance to play Snodgrass in, he gave the ball to the Scot who stepped inside and from the edge of the area curled a tremendous left footer beyond the diving Henderson [3-0]. The otherwise useless Williams headed just wide from a Charlton corner before City almost immediately made it four. Clucas was involved again returning the ball to a rampaging Robertson who hit the bye line and cut-back brilliantly for Hernandez to complete his hat trick [4-0]. Clucas lashed another tremendous effort just over before the ref relieved Charlton with his half time whistle.

Half Time: Hull City 4 Charlton 0

City have been guilty in many games this season, and throughout Bruce’s reign, of sitting on leads but today they were blood thirsty. Hernandez almost grabbed his fourth goal with a smart turn and powerful shot, saved, from a lovely pass by Robertson – guided through a crowd of players. Hernandez was tremendous. His touch for a near ten million pound player has been ropey but today it was silkier than Nick Barmby’s pyjamas. He’s clearly crucial to this City side and his return of fifteen goals for the season, fourteen in the league is outstanding. I still worry a little about his inability to complete ninety minutes. I make it just four times this season that he’s done so. It’s either lack of fitness or Steve Bruce being over-cautious.

Clucas, having his best game in a City shirt, should have scored after Snodgrass ran powerfully with the ball, slipped it inside to Diame and his touch allowed Clucas to cut inside a defender and leave just the keeper to beat. He tried to shoot right footed and spannered the ball into the stand. Harry Lennon then picked up a yellow card for an awful late challenge on Snodgrass before Charlton’s reprieve was proven short lived. A lovely phase of play ended with Robertson knocking the ball inside to Snodgrass who laid it off one touch and Diame half-volleyed it first time into the far corner from twenty yards [5-0]. On a day of lovely goals, this was the best of the lot.

Huddlestone replaced the (again) fantastic Livermore and City still kept pressing forward. Snodgrass had a shot deflected over, Diame just missed the target with another half-volley and Hernandez headed Robertson’s cross over the bar. After Aluko came on for Hernandez, who got an understandably tremendous reception, Hayden rounded off the scoring with another shot from distance [6-0]. This one looked pretty tame but left Henderson sat on his arse suggesting a deflection on the way.

Ryan Taylor came on for his first league appearance since the opening day of the season as City finally appeared to settle. They moved the ball well but without the previous purpose and ran time down. Charlton managed their first shot on target of the half and gave Maguire the chance to make a magnificent challenge in the box but the game had been done for a long, long time.

Full Time: Hull City 6 Charlton 0

There was a big cheer after the game as the scoreboard revealed that not only had Derby lost to Birmingham but Middlesbrough had suffered a late defeat at Bristol City. That completed a pretty perfect day. It needed Harry Maguire to thump one in to achieve actual perfection but this was close enough.

I’m not going to get carried away with this result. It should be celebrated, it was a phenomenal performance regardless of the opposition and their struggles. It’s also nice to finally give someone a good hiding – that’s been coming. It’s very obvious though that we have few problems at home. We’ve now won eleven and drawn two of fourteen home games. Our problems have been away, particularly at the homes of the division’s worst sides. We now face three successive away games, four with the FA Cup, and they will define our season. We’ve opened up a little gap on the play-offs now but that will disappear if our performances at Fulham, Burnley and Blackburn as pathetic as those seen last month at Leeds, Rotherham and Preston.

I’m sure Steve Bruce will be letting the players know that this week. For tonight he gets to sit back and enjoy one of the most attractive, ambitious and devastating performances of his three and a half years at Hull City. Have a glass for us, Steve.

Hull City 2 Cardiff City 0: The Tigers stroll into Championship top two

Hull City moved back into the Championship’s automatic promotion places with a comfortable 2-0 win over Cardiff City at the KC Stadium.

 

The Tigers won at a canter and could, probably should, have added a couple of goals to their tally despite never really getting out of second gear. Cardiff were woeful opponents who caused one scare at nil all but otherwise offered nothing. They have some good players for this level on their books but they are a poor unit most typified in midfield where Livermore and Meyler bossed the inept Gunnarson and Ralls throughout.

City 4-4-2

Allan McGregor

Moses Odubajo – Curtis Davies – Harry Maguire – Andy Robertson

Ahmed Elmohamady – Jake Livermore – David Meyler – Sam Clucas

Abel Hernandez – Mo Diame

The first half won’t take long to write about because it was a tedious affair. City made most of the running and created the better situations but were nowhere near good enough in the final third. Diame was ineffective in his role up front struggling to get hold of the ball and to keep it. He was involved in several of the better chances but blew two of them with stupid decisions – shooting when he should have passed – but he should have assisted an opening goal when he broke and drew two defenders, sliding the ball into Hernandez who dallied and was closed down when a first time shot offered an open net.

Cardiff created their one chance through a long ball in behind Odubajo, who was dozing, only for Pilkington to chip the ball over McGregor but also the crossbar. The few Cardiff fans in the stadium thought it was in and let out a cheer. The Tigers otherwise dictated the play and probed for an opening. The game was without tempo though, similar to Saturday’s cup game with Brighton. It had the same “pre-season friendly” sort of feel.

Five minutes before half time the deadlock was broken. Sam Clucas swung a corner to the far post at the North Stand end. Harry Maguire was held as he tried to meet it and the ref pointed to the spot. There didn’t seem to be a large protest from the culprit - ex-Tiger Lee Peltier. Abel Hernandez confidently blasted the penalty into the inside of the side netting evading the dive of David Marshall [1-0].

Half Time: Hull City 1 Cardiff City 0

The second half was better in terms of goal scoring chances. Maguire had already poked in a volley at the far post from a Clucas free kick, saved by Marshall, when Clucas gave City an unassailable looking lead. Odubajo, who’d had a pretty poor first half, clipped a lovely ball down the line for Diame who cleverly flicked it inside for Hernandez. He tried to head it down for himself but it found Clucas, arriving from the left. His shot was blocked, looping into the air and when it came down he volleyed smartly into the bottom left hand corner [2-0].

Cardiff made a slight attempt to rally as Odubajo was forced into a good clearance, Pilkington shot wide and Ralls had a near post strike saved by McGregor. It was short lived and without belief. City were strolling and the substitutions showed they thought the game was done. Huddlestone replaced Hernandez and later Hayden came on for Livermore. Both players being rested for Saturday. In spite of the lack of ambition, City made chances and should have killed the game. Diame brilliantly fed a ball back to Hernandez to send him through on goal but after a fantastic first touched killed the ball – he skied his shot. Huddlestone found Clucas with a long ball in behind Peltier but he didn’t have the confidence to drive into the box when he was clear. Huddlestone had a free kick from thirty yards pushed away Clucas twice arrived late on the end of great breaks to force saves from Marshall but he should have scored at least once if not both. Meyler also forced a save from Scotland international Marshall who also (just about) kept out an effort from his own defender, the abysmal Manga.

Full Time: Hull City 2 Cardiff City 0

I don’t think that’s a game I’ll ever recall in the future but for now, I don’t really care. All that mattered was taking the three points and on a cold night with a driving rain and a small, quiet crowd, we did so easily.

Maguire was the MOTM in the stadium. I thought it was the brilliant Livermore again but Harry was very good as was Curtis Davies who dealt with everything with no fuss. Diame had plenty of poor moments but was involved in just about everything we did well. Do you carry him for those moments of magic? I think you probably do. Odubajo recovered from a poor first half to play well after the break and Robertson and Clucas worked tirelessly on the left but didn’t always produce the quality they are capable of. Hayden produced the same quality as Saturday in his little cameo and Huddlestone enjoyed the freedom of the park against dispirited opponents.

I’ve still no idea what’s up with Elmo. He was barely involved. He got an absolute rocket from McGregor in the second half for not tracking Pilkington and did see to work a little bit harder. He’s just miles off his old self though.

Saturday is another big chance to take three points at home. Probably the most fancied we’ll be all season. Here’s hoping City cope with the pressure against opponents, Charlton, who are at the lowest of ebbs. I’ll take any score you like as long as we win.

Hull City 1 Brighton 0: Tigers' strength in depth on display

City progressed into the fourth round of the FA Cup with an utterly dominant victory over Brighton & Hove Albion – a performance not at all reflected by the 1-0 scoreline.

(C) Hull Daily Mail

I can’t say I was particularly looking forward to the game given that the managers of the respective sides were among the many up and down the country considering at the FA Cup a nuisance ahead of midweek league fixtures. I’m a lover of the competition but the scheduling this year has made a mockery of it.

Putting out reserve sides was majorly responsible for the lowly crowd of 10,706. It also wasn’t helped by the club’s desire to drive ticket sales onto the internet making it difficult to buy a ticket. The division between owners and fans over the past few years drove down season pass sales. Relegation decimated them. This season it stopped being possible to pay cash on the gate. Now it’s difficult and more costly to buy tickets in person or over the telephone. Sadly the ticket office is now a shell with a machine in it headed “CUSTOMER SERVICE”. We’re not awash with paying supporters at the moment and we’re making it very difficult to buy tickets. Where is the logic there?

City 4-4-2

Eldin Jakupovic

Moses Odubajo – Curtis Davies – Harry Maguire – Andy Robertson

Robert Snodgrass – Isaac Hayden – Tom Huddlestone – Ryan Taylor

Adama Diomande – Sone Aluko

Aside from the back four, it was a second string City side. Brighton made even more changes with only their centre half Dunk and right back Goldson starting recent league games. The replacements were of far higher quality in the home side and it showed as we proceeded to dictate the game from the outset. Tom Huddlestone pulled the strings in midfield and City’s performance reflected that. It was very watchable, tidy, occasionally inspired but lacking tempo.

Five minutes in, Snodgrass whipped a free kick wide from thirty yards out on the right hand side. The kick was given after one of many driving runs from Issac Hayden who, having been messed about recently by the aborted recall to Arsenal, looked like a young man with a point to prove and he was probably our best player. He stuck his foot in at one end to retrieve possession time and again and supported admirably around, and even in, the box. In the second half he nearly crippled Rohan Ince with a fair but hard challenge that Andrew Crofts was upset with.

Hayden volleyed over after their Finnish keeper Maenpaa had thrown a pathetic fist at a Snodgrass free kick. Ridgewell hauled Snodgrass down for the award of the set piece after he’d been beaten easily on the right wing. How it wasn’t a yellow yard, I’ll never know. The referee was a bit meak throughout but did book Goldson and Dunk for taking down Aluko and Diomande respectively on their way into the box. Diomande’s was centre of goal but a fair way out so was probably just a booking but some refs would have shown red.

Hayden forced a save from Maenpaa from distance midway through the half and then rattled the post supporting the goal net with another smart drive ten minutes later. Hayden also drove into the box, freed by Diomande, and then pulled the ball back across goal only for Dio and Snodgrass to make a complete mess of sticking the ball in the net. Diomande ran strongly with the ball at his feet and looked comfortable receiving the ball with his back to goal and looking for a pass wide. Aluko was probably the brighter of the pairing though showing quick feet and making driving runs in behind. Every time I finally decide he’s useless, he produces a performance like this where you wonder if he still has the quality we saw fleetingly three years ago.

On forty minutes came the decisive moment in the game. A City corner was cleared to Huddlestone who couldn’t create space for a shot but blocked the attempted clearance (to screams for handball from Brighton). The block fell towards Maguire who went down under a clumsy lunge by Dunk and the ref gave a penalty – but no yellow card. Snodgrass smashed the spot-kick down the middle of the goal and ran off to celebrate with the City medical staff on the bench [1-0]. Lovely moment.

Half time: Hull City 1 Brighton 0

The second half was much of the same although Brighton were probably less of a threat than they had been before the break. Andy Robertson murdered them down his left hand side getting in behind many times. He created lots of the dozens of opportunities City had to put the ball into the box in the half but the lack of a real target in the box meant Brighton could cope easily with most of the balls in. Many were daisy cutters across the box but without anyone particularly in mind.

It was one way traffic throughout the ninety minutes. Aluko dropped off the front into spaces out wide and Huddlestone and Hayden were able to easily manoeuvre the ball into him, Snodgrass and Robertson. Luer replaced Diomande and struggled to make an impact on their defence physically but even so, we still made all the running.

Maenpaa saved fairly comfortably from an Aluko long range effort and a controlled far-post volley from Taylor after Akuo’s shot had deflected high into the air. Huddlestone hit a dipping shot side and Hayden struck another low effort that went wide with the keeper frozen on the spot. With ten minutes left, Aluko spurned the chance to seal the win when he was gifted possession and rove clear of the defenders but saw his shot parried away from Maenpaa. It was a good save but a poor finish.

In stoppage time we almost paid for not turning the dominance of territory and possession into goals when Crofts hit the bar from inside the area from a rare Brighton corner.

Full time: Hull City 1 Brighton 0

It may seem like I’ve not mentioned Brighton a whole lot in this report and that’s only fair. Because they were barely a factor in the game. This version of them is easily the worst opponent we’ve had the KC this season including Rochdale and Bolton. You have to feel for the 390 fans who made the long trek to watch that shower. Luckily they were in one of Rough Guide’s top ten cities to visit 2016 so the journey had an upside.

Steve Bruce continues to take a lax attitude to cup competitions but we do progress in spite of it. He’s lead us to an FA Cup Final and a record breaking League Cup run in his reign despite rarely fielding a strong team.

This will be our fifth appearance in the last eight seasons and a fourth in the last five. We’re on the verge of almost taking progression for granted. It’s easy to forget that until 2008/09 we had gone nineteen seasons without a fourth round appearance.

We’ve got one this year. I’m not sure how welcome it is though.