City’s soft underbelly was evident again on Friday night
Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic admits his side’s defensive issues remain a major problem after seeing Middlesbrough become the latest opposition to take advantage.
Boro scored four goals in a first half blitz at the MKM Stadium on Friday night to leave a shell-shocked Tigers 4-0 down at half-time, and though Joe Gelhardt restored some pride in the second period, it was a chastening night.
Those four goals took the tally to 34 goals conceded in the first 19 games, with only bottom side Sheffield Wednesday having conceded more, while City have now conceded 300 shots on their goal.
Jakirovic knows the ease with which their opposition is creating against them is proving damaging, and says it’s something he must find a solution to, quickly.
“Every time that we made a mistake, it was a goal. This is the biggest problem right now. Even when you’re practising that in the training sessions, there is also an individual quality. How do you see the game? How do you read the game? What is your position? Are you able to play one-v-one?
“We need to sort this out. I know 34 goals are a lot. We must try to continue with more focus, more concentration. That was the plan at half-time, so that we are tactically much more compact, then it’s easier to defend. When we are like we are in the first half, we don’t have a chance against anyone.
“It’s a very big problem for us because we are practising all the time, but there is also the quality of the opponent, so you cannot prepare for everything. You try to guide the players, but there is an individual quality. They were very, very good on the ball, and this is their quality because they are second in the table on points. I don’t have a joystick there. If you have so many technical mistakes in this level, you will be punished, and this is very simple.”
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