Post Leicester - Hull Perspective

[Babylon]

On a lighter note, i'd be interested to here your views on Fryatt and Hobbs since their departure?

Fryatt will always be one of those player that can score 8 in 8 and then go 15/20 games without a goal. I think it's his level in this league, too inconsistent and misses too many chances to ever make the step up IMO. Thought he was bright and alert against us, but you just know in a couple of games time he'll vanish again for a while.

Not seen much of Hobbs, but I would have gladly swapped him for Mills the other day. He was good for us but lost form badly after Nigel went and he never got it back, reading your boards he's been fairly inconsistent also.

[Bayfox]

Not to fussed about Fryatt, got us out of L1 yes, bus as above can go 20 games without a goal at this Level, Hobbs never should have been allowed to leave.

[HonestHull]

That's a spot on assessment of Fryatt. Unconfirmed reports suggested he had a falling out with Nigel earlier on in the season, and appears very much a confidence striker. If he's in the mix and involved, he'll score, if he's roughed up by a defender early on in the game, he absconds. Nevertheless he is a our most 'clinical' striker, out of our current strike force of McLean, Simpson, and Adebola. I thought Nugent looked very lively for your side. Beckford, and Schlupp in the background look a useful crop of firepower to work with in this league.

The Hobbs assessment seems strikingly similar to Michael Morrison? Had they lost their way as a pairing when Pearson left? They looked formidable during New Years day clash at the KC last year, then again we had sweet FA upfront.

[Babylon]

The Hobbs assessment seems strikingly similar to Michael Morrison? Had they lost their way as a pairing when Pearson left? They looked formidable during New Years day clash at the KC last year, then again we had sweet FA upfront.

We had a crop of players that were good under Pearson, but many of them went to pot after he left. Hobbs, Fryatt, Morrison, Waghorn.... all of whom were many peoples favourite players when he was here.

Either Pearson manages to bring the best out in people, or Sousa and Sven really screwed them all up. For your sake I hope it's the latter, if not I'd expect quite a few of your players to start under performing soon. Although I think Barmby could be a shrewd move as it's going to keep the continuity for a while, rather than having a new guy come in with completely different ways of doing things.

[HonestHull]

Since taking charge, Barmby has taken the 'if it aint broken, don't fix it' approach. He has been coy enough to suggest he is adopting slight tweeks to the side. Mainly i think he is utilising McLean, Fryatt, Koren and Stewart/ Brady (the other one as an impact sub) as a rotating/ interchanging front 4 in the final third, leaving the back opposing 4 with little time to settle.

He said he doesn't want to harm the progress the team is making, therefore recognising and improving the legacy left by Nigel. In that respect i'd rather the board appoint within, and make one change, rather then a potential 7-9 changes with a new manager/ ideas.

I hope he suceeds, he has played under some impressive managers, including Sven, so hopefully he has picked up on a couple of things along the way, to instil his own blue print on the side. Quick "throw in's" were a start on saturday!

I wasn't suprised at the signing of Fryatt, once he was on the periphery at your club. I was gob smacked intially at acquiring Hobbs, as i genuinely thought he would become the backbone of your side for seasons to come. In addition to that, Chester and Gerrard (Cardiff loanee) appeared a solid pairing, and introducing another quality CB into the side was strange, but nevertheless a nice surprise/ luxury. This season he is having a stormer in matches, but if he is faced with any sort of opposing player with direct pace, he is left wanting and needs a covering defender to assist him. Distribution, excusing the assist for the resultant penalty, and pace aside, he is a monster in the air/ tackle.

If Mills fails to live up to expectations, and the Allams play hard ball with entertaining offers from your board, i would imagine the capture of Gerrard from Cardiff, or the loan addition of Ayala as a shrewd January move on your part.

[Corky]

The only young player who continued or improved their standards when Pearson left was Kingy, who was superb last season, especially early on as without him we could've been sunk without trace before the end of October.

He then declined at the start of this term but Pearson seems to be improving his game.

[bluearmyfox23]

How much do u reckon stewart is worth ?

[Al-aLondon-Foxile]

I believe that NP may well go back for young Chester, he is a big talent.

[bluearmyfox23]

I believe that NP may well go back for young Chester, he is a big talent.

Would love him too but we have too many CB'S as it is ?

[volpeazzurro]

Good post and good discussion Honest Hull!

Yes it was a penalty!

Fryatt - I always liked Matty when he was at Leicester and in fact, unlike most people on here, I think under the right circumstances he could do a job in the Premiership. He's not quick and he's not a big bruiser type but for me he was rather like a very poor mans Teddy Sherringham in that he had good vision and good control. Yes, I also agree that he is quite a confidence player, but if I was to give a reason for his inconsistancies when at Leicester, I would suggest that it was down to us having a poor midfield at certain times i.e. the lack of that someone who would be able to slip/thread the ball through to him when he embarked on one of his clever runs. His movement off the ball for me is very good (or it used to be anyway).

Hobbs - I was extremely disappointed when we let him go as I believe he has bucket loads of potential. He's nevewr going to be that Rio Ferdinand comfortable on the ball type centre half though. I felt that Sousa tried to get get our beer price players to play champagne style football and people like Hobbs completely lost confidence. If we had had a fit Alexander Tunchev, who in my opinion was a Rolls Royce compared messrs to Mills and Bamba, then I believe that Hobbs under his tutorlage would have come on in leaps and bounds. Given the right manager and centre back partner I still think he will come good.

I wasn't at the Hull game and just listened to it on the radio but our commentators did seem quite impressed with young Stewart. I wish Barmby well as I always liked him as a footballer and he seemed a decent honest pro. He doesn't seemed to have exactly come out shouting from the rooftops that he actually wants the job full time and I suspect he's quite a quiet individual whereas Pearson does seem to have quite an aura about him and gives the impression that you wouldn't want to argue with him if you were a player. I'm very pleased to seem him back and in his first game against Palace the players all seemed to know what was expected from them, something not readily apparent under Sven who also kept swopping things about and putting square pegs in round holes (nothing new there then).

All the best to Hull anyway and Happy Christmas!

[Spudulike]

Good post and good discussion Honest Hull!

Yes it was a penalty!

Can't believe this is still being talked about but agreed it was a penalty. However, a red card was incorrectly given as, in my opinion, Kaspar was closer to the ball therefore a goal scoring opportunity was not denied.