Hull manager Mike Phelan going through a rough patch at KCOM Stadium.
Heading into Christmas Hull City are bottom of the Premier League table. It would not have come as a surprise at the beginning of the campaign. However, after the first few weeks of the campaign, the Tigers were flying high in the Premier League table.
They picked up two wins and a draw in their first four games of the campaign under caretaker boss Mike Phelan. The former United boss has since been appointed on a full-time basis, but things have gone badly wrong of late for the Tigers.
On Saturday afternoon the team from Humberside suffered a 1-0 defeat at West Ham. In truth, it was a defeat that was not deserved. Phelan’s side hit the woodwork on three occasions but still lost the game.
Always lacking quality and quantity
Hull were promoted last season from the Championship. During the summer they lost experienced boss Steve Bruce, who quit reportedly over problems with the club’s controversial owners. The squad he left behind was not of great quality or depth.
To make matters worse the Tigers had more bodies in their treatment room than the local hospital on a Saturday night. The club needed to desperately bring in quality players prior to the summer transfer window shutting.
The Tigers did bring players in, but sadly their quality is highly debatable. Hull’s much-maligned owners allowed Phelan to spend a club record £13million on Spurs midfielder, Ryan Mason. The money seems like money poorly spent at the moment.
Mason is a steady player but was never going to be the spark that ignites a team from midfield. He is not an inspirational character either. Hull were never going to attract the best players in the transfer window. However, I am sure they could have got better value for money elsewhere.
The former Spurs midfielder has even been left out the starting line-up in the last few weeks, as Mike Phelan has attempted to resurrect the team’s fortunes.
Boss is lacking support
Luck may not have been with Hull at West Ham, but their results really have been poor of late. Since beating Swansea back in August they have won just once in the Premier League, suffering 11 defeats in the process.
At any other club, I believe the manager would have to take some of the flak for the team’s poor performances. However, at Hull, it feels like Mike Phelan is fighting with one hand tied behind his back.
Mason may have arrived at the club for big money. However, all the other arrivals were for small fees or on loan deals. None of those signings have proven to be that successful thus far.
It has been well-documented that the clubs current owners the Allam’s are trying to sell the club. They were never likely to fork out a load of cash to bring in new players in the summer. If the club does not get sold it is highly unlikely that Mike Phelan will have much money to spend on bringing in new recruits in January either.
Favourites for relegation
Hull started the campaign as the favourites for relegation and they are now back to that unfortunate status at odds of 1/5, although the Tigers are only three points away from safety.
Being bottom at Christmas is something of a curse, as only three of the sides who have occupy 20th position in the table in the last 24 seasons have avoided the drop.
Hull’s problem is they have a worrying one-two going on not being able to keep clean sheets and struggling to score goals. Those two issues usually lead to relegation. The Tigers have scored a league-low of just 14 goals this season. They have also conceded 36 goals, with only 19th place Swansea conceding more times this season in the top-flight.
Mike Phelan enjoyed such a positive start to life in his first real managerial role. Unfortunately, that dream start is now over. All he has left now is the realisation that he is managing a team that does not currently seem to have good enough players to beat the drop.
If Hull do manage to avoid relegation this season then the team’s boss will deserve immense credit. He took on a thankless task really. It will be a major achievement if the team manages to maintain their top-flight status.
Will Hull stay in the Premier League this season?
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
