27-02-2016, 10:12
Valuable Point
This was one of those matches where it was easy to lose perspective when you are close to it but easier to judge by taking several steps back. Back in August, I listed all 46 matches is order of difficulty to produce a sort of swingometer with points at which we needed to win to stay up, be mid table, hit the Playoffs & get promoted. I listed Hull away a our number one toughest match back then and nothing I have seen since has changed that view. So before we start criticising anyone, let's view this performance in that context - our toughest match of the season.
CC made several changes, most significantly resting Hunt, Pudil & Sasso and bringing in Palmer, Bennett & Turner. Hutchinson replaced Wallace & FF replaced Nuhiu. While it wasn't the way I would have gone, CC made bold changes. No-one can argue (afterwards) about the defensive changes. The back four blunted the league leaders attack magnificently with Turner winning just about everything in the air, Palmer kept the most dangerous left sided duo in the division quiet while Bennett grew well into the match despite lacking support at times.
I have seen Hull tear defences apart this season yet our "shadow" back four rarely looked troubled until our tiring midfield gave them next to no protection. Full marks to CC for those changes.
Our formation was not so easy to work out as it wasn't our 4321 winning formation but it wasn't the 442 we have often used either; it was a sort of hybrid. CC explained afterwards that it was a sort of 441 with an extra player that could "lopside" play to our advantage.
I thought that we nearly had a perfect first half. We nullified their early pressure, controlled the game and nearly scored, first when Bannan's cross shot was almost turned into his own net by Davies and then when FF's shot came back off the woodwork. If either of those had gone in, we most likely would have won.
Hull upped it in the second half and we gradually dropped deeper & deeper. Bannan, Lee & Hutchinson had less & less influence and it became a hands to the pumps exercise in getting a draw. McGeady was a peripheral figure again and was replaced by Wallace while Hutchinson was replaced by Lopez.
It appeared that our ambitions were to hang on for the draw although I couldn't help thinking that Joao might just have given Hull something to think about defensively for the final ten minutes.
In the end, most of the talk was of the referee and the red card for FF. Firstly, it all started by picking up a silly & innocuous first yellow for shirt pulling - a silly offence. I said to Young Padawan then that I hope that doesn't cost him. Clearly the referee made a terrible error with the red card and will be sanctioned but he got it all wrong. He was perfectly placed, Dawson wiped FF out and yet he had the cards out in less than two seconds. Anyone who watches "You Are the Ref" (and all football fans should) will know that the experts (Keith Hackett & Mark Halsey) always say that referees should give themselves thinking time before making a big decision. One other recurring comment on YATR is that a referee should never make a decision that no-one is expecting. Here, it was a question of what card Dawson would get (should have been yellow) but instead the referee appeared to want to be the star & shock everyone. To quote Keith Hackett, "If you are going to accuse a player of being a cheat then you have to be 100% correct."
Westwood - 7 - did everything needed
Palmer - 7 - made best left sided duo in division disappear
Lees - 7 - couple of careless passes
Turner - 8 - won everything in the box
Bennett - 7 - grew into game well
Hutchinson - 6 - good job first half then tired
Lee - 6 - faded from game
Bannan - 6 - never really in it
McGeady - 5 - too slow, not there yet
FF - 7 - flashes of brilliance
Hooper - 7 - quality but need chances to fall his way
..........................................................................
Wallace - 6
Lopez - 6
Nuhiu - 6
Stat Attack:
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Touches: 67 - Westwood, 59 - Lee, 57 - Bannan, 51 - FF, 48 - Bennett, 43 - Lees, 38 - Palmer, 36 - McGeady, 33 - Hooper, 29 - Hutchinson, 28 - Turner, 15 - Nuhiu, 14 - Wallace, 12 - Lopez
Tackles: 6 - Lee, 5 - FF, 4 - Bennett, 3 - McGeady, 2 - Hutchinson, 1 - Palmer, Turner, Lopez
Interceptions: 4 - Bennett, 2 - Palmer, Lee, Bannan, 1 - Lees, Turner, McGeady, FF, Nuhiu, Wallace
Clearances: 8 - Lees, 5 - Turner, 4 - Palmer, 3 - Bennett, 2 - Westwood, 1 - McGeady, Hutchinson, Bannan, Wallace, Lopez
Attempts: 3 - FF, 2 - Bannan, 1 - Turner
Attempts On Target: 2 - FF
Key Passes: 2 - McGeady, 1 - Bannan, FF, Hooper
Dribbles: 2 - Nuhiu, 1 - Bennett, McGeady
Dispossessed: 6 - FF, 2 - Lee, 1 - Hooper, Nuhiu
Bad Control: 3 - Lee, 2 - FF, Hooper, 1 - Bannan, Nuhiu
Crosses (Accurate in brackets): 3 - McGeady (0), Bannan (1), 2 - Palmer (0), 1 - Wallace (1)
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
Nuhiu - 100% (10)
Lee - 91% (45)
FF - 90% (31)
Bennett - 84% (31)
Hutchinson - 83% (24)
Bannan - 78% (45)
Lopez - 78% (9)
McGeady - 77% (26)
Lees - 75% (32)
Wallace - 73% (11)
Hooper - 71% (28)
Palmer - 69% (26)
Turner - 68% (18)
Westwood - 33% (40)
In my mind, this is one of those points in the season where we draw a line and get ready to go for the next run of matches against Rotherham, Brighton, Forest & Charlton. Unfortunately the loss of FF for the first two games will cast a shadow that hopefully won't cost us dear. If we can pick up eight or more points from those games then we will be set for the final run in well placed for the Playoffs.
I think it will be tough to make automatic promotion so we can focus on making the Playoffs in ideal shape to win a two legged tie and a final to make a return to the PL. Performances like last night are part of what will be required to achieve this.
This was one of those matches where it was easy to lose perspective when you are close to it but easier to judge by taking several steps back. Back in August, I listed all 46 matches is order of difficulty to produce a sort of swingometer with points at which we needed to win to stay up, be mid table, hit the Playoffs & get promoted. I listed Hull away a our number one toughest match back then and nothing I have seen since has changed that view. So before we start criticising anyone, let's view this performance in that context - our toughest match of the season.
CC made several changes, most significantly resting Hunt, Pudil & Sasso and bringing in Palmer, Bennett & Turner. Hutchinson replaced Wallace & FF replaced Nuhiu. While it wasn't the way I would have gone, CC made bold changes. No-one can argue (afterwards) about the defensive changes. The back four blunted the league leaders attack magnificently with Turner winning just about everything in the air, Palmer kept the most dangerous left sided duo in the division quiet while Bennett grew well into the match despite lacking support at times.
I have seen Hull tear defences apart this season yet our "shadow" back four rarely looked troubled until our tiring midfield gave them next to no protection. Full marks to CC for those changes.
Our formation was not so easy to work out as it wasn't our 4321 winning formation but it wasn't the 442 we have often used either; it was a sort of hybrid. CC explained afterwards that it was a sort of 441 with an extra player that could "lopside" play to our advantage.
I thought that we nearly had a perfect first half. We nullified their early pressure, controlled the game and nearly scored, first when Bannan's cross shot was almost turned into his own net by Davies and then when FF's shot came back off the woodwork. If either of those had gone in, we most likely would have won.
Hull upped it in the second half and we gradually dropped deeper & deeper. Bannan, Lee & Hutchinson had less & less influence and it became a hands to the pumps exercise in getting a draw. McGeady was a peripheral figure again and was replaced by Wallace while Hutchinson was replaced by Lopez.
It appeared that our ambitions were to hang on for the draw although I couldn't help thinking that Joao might just have given Hull something to think about defensively for the final ten minutes.
In the end, most of the talk was of the referee and the red card for FF. Firstly, it all started by picking up a silly & innocuous first yellow for shirt pulling - a silly offence. I said to Young Padawan then that I hope that doesn't cost him. Clearly the referee made a terrible error with the red card and will be sanctioned but he got it all wrong. He was perfectly placed, Dawson wiped FF out and yet he had the cards out in less than two seconds. Anyone who watches "You Are the Ref" (and all football fans should) will know that the experts (Keith Hackett & Mark Halsey) always say that referees should give themselves thinking time before making a big decision. One other recurring comment on YATR is that a referee should never make a decision that no-one is expecting. Here, it was a question of what card Dawson would get (should have been yellow) but instead the referee appeared to want to be the star & shock everyone. To quote Keith Hackett, "If you are going to accuse a player of being a cheat then you have to be 100% correct."
Westwood - 7 - did everything needed
Palmer - 7 - made best left sided duo in division disappear
Lees - 7 - couple of careless passes
Turner - 8 - won everything in the box
Bennett - 7 - grew into game well
Hutchinson - 6 - good job first half then tired
Lee - 6 - faded from game
Bannan - 6 - never really in it
McGeady - 5 - too slow, not there yet
FF - 7 - flashes of brilliance
Hooper - 7 - quality but need chances to fall his way
..........................................................................
Wallace - 6
Lopez - 6
Nuhiu - 6
Stat Attack:
Goals: 0
Assists: 0
Touches: 67 - Westwood, 59 - Lee, 57 - Bannan, 51 - FF, 48 - Bennett, 43 - Lees, 38 - Palmer, 36 - McGeady, 33 - Hooper, 29 - Hutchinson, 28 - Turner, 15 - Nuhiu, 14 - Wallace, 12 - Lopez
Tackles: 6 - Lee, 5 - FF, 4 - Bennett, 3 - McGeady, 2 - Hutchinson, 1 - Palmer, Turner, Lopez
Interceptions: 4 - Bennett, 2 - Palmer, Lee, Bannan, 1 - Lees, Turner, McGeady, FF, Nuhiu, Wallace
Clearances: 8 - Lees, 5 - Turner, 4 - Palmer, 3 - Bennett, 2 - Westwood, 1 - McGeady, Hutchinson, Bannan, Wallace, Lopez
Attempts: 3 - FF, 2 - Bannan, 1 - Turner
Attempts On Target: 2 - FF
Key Passes: 2 - McGeady, 1 - Bannan, FF, Hooper
Dribbles: 2 - Nuhiu, 1 - Bennett, McGeady
Dispossessed: 6 - FF, 2 - Lee, 1 - Hooper, Nuhiu
Bad Control: 3 - Lee, 2 - FF, Hooper, 1 - Bannan, Nuhiu
Crosses (Accurate in brackets): 3 - McGeady (0), Bannan (1), 2 - Palmer (0), 1 - Wallace (1)
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
Nuhiu - 100% (10)
Lee - 91% (45)
FF - 90% (31)
Bennett - 84% (31)
Hutchinson - 83% (24)
Bannan - 78% (45)
Lopez - 78% (9)
McGeady - 77% (26)
Lees - 75% (32)
Wallace - 73% (11)
Hooper - 71% (28)
Palmer - 69% (26)
Turner - 68% (18)
Westwood - 33% (40)
In my mind, this is one of those points in the season where we draw a line and get ready to go for the next run of matches against Rotherham, Brighton, Forest & Charlton. Unfortunately the loss of FF for the first two games will cast a shadow that hopefully won't cost us dear. If we can pick up eight or more points from those games then we will be set for the final run in well placed for the Playoffs.
I think it will be tough to make automatic promotion so we can focus on making the Playoffs in ideal shape to win a two legged tie and a final to make a return to the PL. Performances like last night are part of what will be required to achieve this.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.