City were held to a second successive goalless draw at
home by an unambitious Sheffield Wednesday.
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| Sam Clucas hits the post (ITV.com) |
The visitors probably edged a tight first half but then
came out in the second half a completely different team. Being wary would be
understandable given our improvement in the second half of most games but this
something else – fear. Sadly, The Tigers couldn’t punish their lack of purpose
but it wasn’t for the lack of trying.
City 4-4-2
Allan McGregor
Moses Odubajo –
Michael Dawson – Curtis Davies – Andy Robertson
Robert Snodgrass –
Jake Livermore – David Meyler – Sam Clucas
Abel Hernandez –
Mo Diame
City started
brightly with Odubajo looking a real threat from full back and Snodgrass
pulling the strings. Wednesday got behind the ball quickly when we attacked and
the two holding midfielders dropped but they were leaving four up front to
counter if moves broke down and when that happened – they shifted the ball
quickly and cleverly and caused some problems. For all the good approach play,
City’s crossing and passing around the area let us down time and again – particularly
from Odubajo who is tremendous running with the ball and has great movement off
it but his crossing can be anywhere between excellent and diabolical.
Wednesday forced the first save of the game when McGregor
stuck out a right boot to spare Davies’ blushes after he deflected Forestieri’s
cross goalwards. City went down the other end, Snodgrass opened up space on the
right, Livermore found Odubajo and his cross fell to Snodgrass, now at the far
post, who forced a save with a powerful volley. The game was swinging towards
Wednesday who had a little bit more threat around the box thanks to the
enigmatic but dishonest Forestieri. He forced a tremendous save from McGregor
from a direct free kick at least thirty yards out and minutes later smashed the
crossbar with a drive from equal distance but way out on the right hand side.
Half time: Hull
City 0 Sheffield Wednesday 0
The Tigers improved after the break but were helped by
their attitude. I genuinely can’t imagine what was said in their dressing room
at half time. Something along the lines of “You’ve done well boys, you’re
threatening on the break and you could win this so get ten behind the ball,
stop picking out passes and waste as much time as you possibly can. Capiche?”
Forestieri hit another pot-shot early in the half that
took a slight deflection but didn’t fox McGregor. Diame then took an absolute
age to get a shot off and when he finally did, it also took a big nick and
dropped just wide. Clucas then missed the best chance of the game when
Robertson slid a ball in behind, their defender got himself completely confused
and as the keeper closed the angle on his right, Clucas lifter the ball over
him but it drifted into the side netting.
That was a big miss because had it gone in, they’d have
had to get men forward and we could have exploited the space left. Instead,
they continued to retreat and space in behind was non-existent. City probed,
passing the ball left to right and trying to open them up but they showed a lot
of discipline and we had to work hard to make half-chances.
A rare Wednesday foray down our right was brilliantly
halted by a Peter Beardsley-esque sliding tackle from Snodgrass who then found
Diame and then Livermore, on to Clucas who carried it over half way, gave it
back to Diame and he played in Hernandez who almost looped a shot over Westwood
from eighteen yards. Nick Powell replaced Meyler in a positive substitution
before Snodgrass went down on the goal line heading for the box. The ref said
there was no contact which meant Snodgrass should definitely have been booked
but wasn’t. I can’t for the life of me imagine why he’d throw himself down in
that position when he’d just nutmegged left back Bennett and was heading
goalwards. Unless he was trying to get Bennett sent off as he’d just been
booked. Snodgrass looked furious regardless.
Powell initially took up a position on the left with
Clucas moving centrally but then Powell spent most of his time running from
between Livermore and Clucas. He’s an odd one. He plays the game without any
sense of urgency which is often a sign of quality but didn’t particularly help
here. When he didn’t have the ball he was excellent putting in two great
tackles (as he did vs. Arsenal) and piling into their giant sub Nuhiu as he
tried to waste time in the corner. He’s definitely got quality on the ball but
when it’s not coming off, he looks lackadaisical.
Wednesday became increasingly negative and subbed on Ross
Wallace to do nothing but chase Andy Robertson towards his own goal. They were
clinging on but it was a risky strategy as the indefatigable Clucas played a
one-two with Livermore and stroked a lovely shot against the post. Davies then
headed wide from the resulting corner and Hernandez tested Westwood twice
before the end, forcing a close range block after the keeper had dropped a
cross under pressure from Akpom (on for Diame) and then a comfortable save from
a curling effort after Powell and Livermore had opened them up.
They managed to waste most of the last ten minutes and
the five added minutes to hang on for a point but not before they’d lost
Forestieri to his second red card in six days. He pulled back Robertson on the
counter for the first and then “dived” for the second. He was actually jumping
out of the way of a late challenge from Dawson so was a tad unlucky but when
you’ve a reputation for cheating – these things will happen.
Full time: Hull
City 0 Sheffield Wednesday 0
The result isn’t disastrous given the good away victory
on Tuesday but it is disappointing because we bossed a huge portion of the game
and suffered a similar fate to the last home game. This is going to become the
norm between now and the end of the season so we’re going to have to learn the
lessons from it.
I’d question whether Diame should be starting up front at
home. As against Brighton, he was fairly anonymous. There’s no doubting that he’s
often involved in our best moments but he’s deeply frustrating for the rest and
his failure to get hold of the ball and keep it was a big part of them wresting
the advantage in the first half. I’d like to see two strikers at home so we can
press the opposition high up the pitch and to give our excellent wide players a
target.
Regardless of that, our decision making and crossing has
to be far better in wide areas. Snodgrass, who looks fitter, stronger and
quicker than he ever has in our colours, and Clucas had excellent games but
wasted a lot of good situations. As did both full backs who worked tremendously
hard but lacked a decent ball in and around the box.
We need to pass the ball quicker, particularly when
making forward passes before the opposition get themselves set. There were
times we did it well in the second half but other times when we missed the opportunity
and then had to spend time prodding and probing. When the opposition are
determined to get ten men behind the ball though, it’s easier said than done.
Off the pitch, perhaps a full stadium might help? Once
again, for a clash between the top side in the division and a rival and near
neighbour, there were thousands of empty seats. At thirty-three quid a ticket
and upwards it’s hardly surprising. I know the club are aware of the situation
and they’re messing around with advertising and videos and such to try and
entice customers (none of it mentioning our name, of course). However, they
appear to be steadfastly refusing to do the most obvious thing. Drop the bloody
prices. Ten, fifteen, twenty. Charge what you like. But somebody reading this
please recognise that you cannot charge thirty quid plus for a game that is on
the telly in the (nice, warm) pub and expect a crowd.
Whinge over. So, it’s a point. Two fewer than we wanted
but one we have to take and try to build on. It’s handed Middlesbrough an
opportunity to take control of the title situation but otherwise, it keeps our
destiny in our own hands. We’ve played two of the top ten this week, picked up
four points and not conceded a goal. We’re greedy so we want more but on
reflection – that’s not at all bad.
