City’s slump continued against an out of form QPR side on Saturday
Acun Ilicali takes a look at the MKM Stadium pitch before the QPR game(Image: Richard Sellers/PA Wire/PA Images)
Hull City’s struggles at the MKM Stadium continued again on Saturday, going down to a 3-1 loss to a QPR side that have not enjoyed their road trips this season. Just one win in their last 10 became two in 11 thanks to a Paddy McNair own goal, one from Daniel Bettie and Richard Kone in the closing stages.
Joe Gelhardt had levelled it up on the stroke of half-time, and while the Tigers dominated the ball, and fashioned more chances, they struggled yet again and were soundly beaten.
After three games without a win at home in the league, City now face Derby County on Tuesday night knowing they must find three points from somewhere to get their season back on track.
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Have the wheels come off?
Three home games, one point and two defeats is not the form of teams winning promotion. City were going to have a slump eventually, and this is their time. The biggest concern is the manner in which the goals are being conceded.
They had that spell of looking more solid, keeping clean sheets and now, they’ve reverted to the issues we’ve seen earlier in the season.
The manner of the first and third goals was schoolboy, and in truth, but for some really poor finishing, Rangers should have had more from City, giving the ball away in daft areas. City put a big amount of emphasis in resting players for the cup game, and then they’ve turned in a result like that.
This is the Championship, it can happen, but after their recent results, this was a game where the Tigers should have grasped it by the scruff of the neck, and they didn’t, bar the opening few minutes.
Acun’s inspection
The Tigers owner has been left increasingly concerned about the state of the playing surface at the MKM Stadium, and he was out there on Saturday ahead of kick-off, having an inspection with club officials.
City spent in the region of £1.5m to improve it back in the summer, but after relentless rain and plenty of traffic, the pitch has struggled to recover.
It’s understood the club are considering a variety of different options to try and improve it, but ultimately, it needs a bit of help from some better weather.
Playing out?
City have rarely played out from the back in the early weeks of the season, and suddenly, they’ve started to do it and do not look comfortable.
The number of times they went backwards and caused their own problems was ridiculous, especially on the pitch as it is.
They need to get back to basics, and start doing the things that got them in the position that they were in, because if this carries on, their advantage they worked so hard for will be gone by the end of the week.
Crooks closing in
The playmaker has been a big miss during his enforced absence with a hamstring injury, but the end is in sight and he could potentially make a return in midweek.
Crooks’ physicality in both boxes would be crucial against a Rams side that is very adept in dead-ball situations, but he also has a habit of knitting things together and breaking up play nicely.
Semi Ajayi and Eliot Matazo are not too far away either, which is a major boost to the Tigers as we enter the final crucial weeks. They’ve missed Crooks badly, and did again here.
They have to respond
The visit of the Rams in the final home outing last season was significant for very different reasons, and on Tuesday night, the pair meet again in East Yorkshire with both chasing points in the race for promotion. Derby are one of the strongest sides away from home in the Championship, and this will be one of the Tigers’ toughest tests yet.
They’re not a side that creates loads of chances from open play, but from set-pieces, they’re a big threat, and that’s something City will need to be acutely aware of.
After the last three home games, this game is now hugely important for the home side, and they simply have to respond.
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