10th Jan 2015 – This game had 0-0 written all over it in bold capitals, until an unnecessary back pass from Elmohamady to McGregor in the penalty box gave Berahino a free kick and a goal in the 78′. You were wondering if defenders on the line would rush the free kick taker – some did, they should have stayed on the line. On another day the ball may have bounced off the forest of legs in front of goal, but not today and it was 1-0. Baggies got the luck today we didn’t.
City lost both strikers in the first half to injury – Jelavic knee 33′, Hernandez groin 39′, replaced by Brady and Ince. On paper that did give City a bit more pace and mobility but nothing much came from it, as they both tended to hover in midfield, and as the game neared the last 20′ it was a fair bet both managers would have settled for a point.
The Tigers managed more shots than the home side but apart from a late attempt by Brady, others were not remotely threatening.
WBA were little if any better than City and should not kid themselves they’ve turned a corner aided by the ‘Pulis’ effect. It was more of the visitors cocking things up again.
Three points against a struggling rival is pure gold in this league and City are just not getting them this season – and that’s alarming.
After the match Steve Bruce bemoaned the run of injuries…..“For a club like us to have eight or nine missing is far too many, we simply can’t cope,” said Bruce.
“Our injury list seems endless and we’re finding it a struggle. We’re always trying to improve and we will try to get a couple in – it’s essential that we do that.
“Too often, we’re talking about injuries at the moment. We’re getting too many.”
“I think I’ve made more changes in the team over the last two months than I probably have done in five years.
“It’s frustrating and disappointing but we have to keep battling on.”
With a transfer window available you can be sure Steve will be using every penny of cash the Allam’s may make available.
Hull City: Allan McGregor, Maynor Figueroa, Alex Bruce, James Chester, Curtis Davies, David Meyler, Abel Hernandez (Tom Ince 39), Jake Livermore, Nikica Jelavic (Robbie Brady 33), Ahmed Elmohamady, Stephen Quinn (Tom Huddlestone 79).
Bench unused: Steve Harper, Harry Maguire, Paul McShane, Michael Dawson.
West Brom: Ben Foster, Andre Wisdom, Gareth McAuley, Joleon Lescott, Chris Baird, James Morrison, Claudio Yacob, Stephane Sessegnon (Craig Gardner 76), Chris Brunt, Brown Ideye (Victor Anichebe 73), Saido Berahino.
Bench unused: Boaz Myhill, Sebastien Pocognoli, Craig Dawson, Graham Dorrans, Georgios Samaras.
Ref Neil Swarbrick.
Elmo’s backpass
Leave a Reply