Abel Hernandez’s fifth goal of the season secured Hull
City a fourth successive win at Nottingham Forest.
The City Ground has been a particularly happy hunting ground
for The Tigers in recent years and that proved to be the case again today. It wasn’t
an easy game and despite having a numerical advantage in the latter stages,
City ended it with their back to the wall, but for much of the game we saw the
gulf in class that the individual names on City’s team sheet suggest there
should be.
Steve Bruce came in for criticism for last week’s tame
draw with Blackburn, including from yours truly, but he made a brave team
selection in yet another different formation that he felt best fit the players
he wanted to play. In spite of the hairy finish – you have to give him credit because
he got it right and masterminded a very good result and a much improved performance.
City 4-3-3
Allan McGregor
Ahmed Elmohamady –
Michael Dawson – Curtis Davies – Moses Odubajo
Jake Livermore –
Tom Huddlestone – Mo Diame
Sam Clucas – Abel Hernandez
– Shaun Maloney
The first half was breathless from the start with Forest
the initial aggressors. City worked their way into the game and passed with
purpose. They made mistakes which gave the home side opportunities to break but
you can accept errors made while trying to make things happen rather than just
through our sloppiness. It was frustrating though and many players were guilty
of losing the ball in decent areas – Diame, Maloney, Livermore and particularly
Odubajo who’s desire to keep coming inside on his right foot was read easily by
Forest.
As wide open as the game was, chances weren’t forthcoming
but it was an interesting battle. Forest are an average side. Ryan Mendes was
exciting on the right hand side and his pace gave Odubajo a real test which
Moses came through well after a difficult start. David Vaughan might look like
Quasimodo but he’s a very tidy footballer and he had a fine game dictating
their play in midfield. He was much better than the much heralded Henri Lansbury
alongside him. For all his willingness to work, Chris O’Grady isn’t a great
front man. He’s had a decent career at this level based mainly on the fact that
he’s got the physique of a Rugby player.
Mo Diame had the first effort on target with a tame
header from Elmo’s hung up cross. Nelson Oliveira forced a fine save from
McGregor with a left footed drive after Maloney lost possession and then Mancienne
met the resulting corner but shot poorly. That was the only one of their
numerous set pieces that wasn’t absolutely appalling. City went close soon
after when Forest invited Diame to shoot from distance and he did brilliantly
smacking the left hand post with a fantastic left-footed strike. Diame was then
guilty of a loose pass that led to a half chance for O’Grady – McGregor saving
again – and with Forest gaining momentum City turned the game in an instant.
Maloney got in behind chasing a lovely slide rule ball and
was tripped by Mills inside the area. Maloney’s first touch was just taking him
away from goal but I think you’d struggle to argue it wasn’t a goal-scoring
opportunity. Regardless, Mills only picked up a yellow card. Abel Hernandez,
who doesn’t miss penalties, stepped up to take the spot-kick and missed. It was
a rotten penalty that hit the keeper’s legs just to the left of centre.
Disappointing as it was, Hernandez still went into half-time as the difference
between the sides. Shaun Maloney took a corner quickly and put it on the head
of Clucas. The header hit the keeper but Hernandez followed up to tap in from a
yard – at the most [0-1].
You can say what you want about Hernandez but he’s now
got five in eight league games (seven starts). That his five goals have come
from a combined total of about sixteen yards is by the by. We’ve needed someone
with a knack for putting the ball in the net for a long time and he’s showing
it right now.
Half time: Nottingham
Forest 0 Hull City 1
City dominated the third quarter with some outstanding
passing. One move had something like thirty passes from left to right and
across again before Elmo mis-controlled on the edge of the box. Forest
countered through Oliveira who forced an excellent save from McGregor down near
his left hand post but they weren’t in our league for twenty minutes. The only
disappointment was that we didn’t turn it in to more goals. Instead, once Michael
Dawson had seen a volley from Maloney’s corner tipped around the post, Forest
took over and City retreated as they tend to do. The intensity disappeared from
the play and the striker became lonely – even after Akpom replaced Hernandez
and Aluko came on in midfield for Diame. The players decided to hold what they
had and in the end they were able to without too many problems.
It’s a risky game that I really don’t like. Perhaps it’s inevitable
from any team who haven’t won a lot of games in the last twelve months –
particularly not away from home. Matt Mills was sent off with five minutes left
for a crude late challenge on Akpom in the air. It seems it was a straight red
though I thought it had merited a second yellow at the time. The Forest fans
who, for lord knows what reason had been on the referees back all game (despite benefiting from the only contentious decision in it) applauded Mills off. Is
that a modern football phenomenon? To actively applaud a guy whose actions are
at worst incredibly thuggish and at best completely mindless? The sending off
didn’t change the pattern of the game, it was still all Forest trying to force
an equaliser but there were no real scares.
Full time:
Nottingham Forest 0 Hull City 1
I’ve no idea if this
system is one that we’ll stick with – whether it’s the setup Bruce has
desperately been searching for. In its favour, it allows him to play all of
Huddlestone, Livermore and Diame. Against it makes it hard to play both
Elmohamady and Odubajo.
Huddlestone had his best game for City since god knows
when. He passed immaculately and switched play with consummate ease but also
worked box to box and showed the pace to get himself into crucial defensive
positions. Sam Clucas had a good game too, quietly going about his business,
never wasting possession and making himself available to receive all the time.
Maloney did likewise and showed signs that he’s getting close to full fitness.
The central defensive partnership were outstanding again despite both picking
up soft yellow cards and Odubajo recovered from a shaky start to get the better
of the really tricky Mendes. We saw glimpses of the lung-bursting effort Livermore
can bring to the team and Diame showed the combination of power and silkiness
that makes him irresistible at times.
The win was timely given how tight things are in the top
half of the Championship and went someway to making up for the wasted opportunities
at home of late. It leaves City a couple of points off second place in the
Championship and four off Brighton at the top. That’s a decent position for a
team that is still evolving and hasn’t yet found its groove.
If we click – this can be a really big season.
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