The Tigers were battered in the first period before Joe Gelhardt restored some pride in the second
Friday night was an embarrassing evening for Hull City in front of the television cameras, as Sergej Jakirovic’s side were systematically torn apart by Middlesbrough.
It’s hard to believe that three points against Boro would have taken them third in the league and one place below the side from Teesside, given the gulf that appeared in the first period.
In truth, few could argue what we saw in the opening 45 minutes at a sodden MKM Stadium was anything but a surprise. In recent weeks, City had probably been a tad fortunate that teams like Norwich City and Stoke City were profligate in front of goal.
Boro were anything but that and took full advantage. It would be unfair to take anything away from Kim Hellberg who picked an attacking side, and they played with fluidity, intensity and they forced the Tigers into errors that they were able to punish.
As good as the Teessiders were in the final third, City didn’t half make their life easy and at this level, if you do that, you will get punished.
Sergej Jakirovic has not got a lot wrong since coming into office. He’s turned the club’s fortunes around, and he’s given supporters reason to believe in their side again after the mess of last term; however, he has to use this as a turning point.
City can no longer be the league’s leakiest defence behind a Sheffield Wednesday team effectively relegated before Christmas. No team in the league have given away more chances than the Tigers.
There’s a fundamental flaw in their approach, and it has to be addressed before they pass up a major opportunity to have a successful season.
Make no mistake about it, the Tigers have given their supporters plenty to cheer already this term, but their openness, the lack of communication defensively and the spaces between their different units make it so easy for teams to play against.
We’ve seen at times, Jakirovic’s men can be much tighter and more compact. In the second half at Norwich, they were better than they were at Stoke, and against Sheffield United is another example. It is there, but it’s not consistent enough.
Twenty-one of the goals they’ve conceded have come from open play, with 10 coming from set-pieces, and shockingly, 74 per cent of those 34 goals have come through the middle of the pitch, with only 13 per cent coming from each flank.
City have given up 300 shots on their goal in the first 19 games, another sign that they’re far too open and while they may score a lot of goals, logic dictates there’s only so many times you can outscore the opposition.
With players like Liam Millar, Mo Belloumi, Joe Gelhardt and Oli McBurnie, City are going to create chances. They’re going to score goals, and tightening up at the back will not be to the detriment of their attacking prowess. You can have both, but you need players to step up and cut out the errors for starters.
Midfield is clearly an issue. City don’t have an enforcer. Somebody to shield the back four and protect, to break up play and frustrate the opposition, and that must be their biggest target in January. Eliot Matazo is coming back but will need time to get back to full fitness from his ACL injury, and therefore, consideration should be given to that area.
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