The start of the season can often feel like you're in a car going a hundred miles an hour. If that is the case, the September internationals are said car slamming on the breaks and grinding to a halt.
For clubs going in the wrong direction, this is a good chance to reassess where you are and get back on the right track. But for teams that have started strongly, the break tends to kill some of the momentum picked up in the first games of the season.
Hull City definitely fall into the second category. Going into the break following a victory over title favourites Leicester City, The Tigers find themselves sitting in the playoff places and desperate to maintain this good run of form.
Friday night sees Hull City return to league action, hosting Coventry City in a matchup that will determine wether the Leicester result was a one-off or a sign of Hull's genuine calibre to challenge for promotion.
After the heartbreak of a penalty shootout defeat in last year's play-off final, Coventry have looked to pick themselves up and continue their surge towards the topflight. Currently sitting in fourteenth, The Sky Blues' league position is far from an accurate depiction of their strength as a team, with just one loss to their name to start the season.
Coventry City manager Mark Robins (Craig Mercer/Getty Images)
As is the case for almost all losing playoff sides, Coventry have been picked apart over the summer with many of the players that propelled The Sky Blues to Wembley now plying their trade elsewhere. Viktor Gyökeres and Gustavo Hamer spearheaded much of the attacking play at the CBS Arena however deals worth a combined £35million saw them join Sporting Lisbon and Sheffield United respectively.
Pocketing their highest transfer fee since Robbie Keane left the West Midlands for Inter Milan in 2000, Coventry have had a more than ample war-chest to rebuild their side. Whilst nine players made the permanent move to The Sky Blues this summer, much of the transfer kitty was spent attempting to replace the goals of Gyökeres, who had netted forty times over the last two seasons and was vital in Coventry's success.
The first potential successor arrived in the form of Ellis Simms from Everton. Joining for an undisclosed fee, the 22-year-old arrived with goals in both of England's top divisions under his belt. A six month loan spell at Sunderland last campaign saw Simms score seven goals in seventeen games and a return to his parent club in January brought with it a chance to score a late equaliser against Chelsea and instantly endear himself to Toffees fans.
Next through the door at Coventry was a name familiar to many Hull fans. Ever-present during the chaos of last summer, Haji Wright seemed constantly linked with a move to East Yorkshire, but a transfer never materialised. Wright finally managed to secure a move to England with Coventry spending a club record £7.7million to secure the services of the 25-year-old USA international.
Breaking records to replace Gyökeres showed that Coventry were serious about building on last season's success however, questions can be asked of whether the new arrivals have had the immediate impact that many expected.
Across a combined 450 minutes this season, the duo has only managed to score once with Wright's goal in the 3-0 win over Middlesbrough being the sole scoring contribution from either summer signing. Spending just two minutes on the pitch together this season, and with neither cementing their position as first choice striker, it is clear that Coventry boss, Mark Robins is yet to decide how best to deploy his new arrivals.
With Wright and Simms needing time to bed into their new side, much of the scoring onus has fallen upon veteran striker Matt Godden. The 32-year-old has scored four times already this season and looks to have finally cemented himself in the first team after a number of campaigns struggling for consistent minutes.
Playing in a front two, often just behind the central striker, Godden has been afforded far more freedom in possession. Robins has opted for a 3-4-1-2 for much of the season however Godden's fluidity has allowed him to drop deep to link up play in more of a 3-4-2-1 shape. Alongside Kasey Palmer, who occupies the other spot behind the striker, Coventry looks to dominate sides by overloading the final third and finding the spaces between the oppositions defensive line and midfield.
The Sky Blue's boss has spoken about this need for changes in the post Gyökeres/Hamer era with Mark Robins telling Coventry Live:
"You have to do things differently because [Hamer and Gyökeres] were two of the best players in the division, and two of the best that the division has seen for a long time. So when you lose players like that it’s a big, big thing and then you have the responsibility of building a new squad in a really difficult league."
Robins also spoke on the issues his new strikers have encountered describing Wright as "a little bit off the cuff at the moment", and attesting that Simms is "going to be a really good player", despite his lack of goals to start the season.
The Coventry manager also made sure to praise Godden, telling reporters that he "binds everything together at the moment, and he’s scoring goals. That’s what he is. He’ll find space, find half a yard and he’s a good finisher".
Matt Godden celebrates scoring for Coventry City (Athena Pictures/Getty Images)
Robins will be relying on Godden to maintain his fine form for the Hull fixture with the aforementioned Palmer unlikely to start due to his international commitments. Alongside fellow Coventry teammate, Joel Latibeaudiere, the Jamaican duo both started Wednesday's draw against Haiti and will not be expected to start.
Thankfully for Sky Blues fans, their lack of availability should not be of too much concern with deadline day signing, Liam Kitching looking set to replace Latibeaudiere on the left side of defence and on-loan-talent Yasin Ayari able to fill in the void behind the strikers.
Some good news for Sky Blue's fans comes in the form of confirmation that both Jay Dasilva and Milan van Ewijk will be available for the game. The pair were forced to leave the field early during Coventry's draw at home to Watford but thankfully neither suffered significant injuries and will both likely start on Friday night.
As far as Hull City are concerned, they will once again have to fill the void left by Ozan Tufan, who looks set to spend another match day confined to the sidelines. A thigh injury left the midfielder out of action at the King Power, and he will not be risked for this fixture.
Thankfully for the Tiger's faithful, deadline day arrival, Jaden Philogene, looks finally set to make his debut in black and amber. A contractural issue left him off Hull's official squad list however, the resolution of this matter puts him firmly in contention for Friday night. The case for the 21-year-old's inclusion from the start is given further backing by the late return of Adama Traore from international duty. The Malian international has struggled for form early on this season and fatigue may be a good excuse to rest him for the fixture.
Jean Michaël Seri also returned late from international duty however, it is highly unlikely that Liam Rosenior will rest the Ivorian on a count of his current form and importance to the side. Currently ranking fifth amongst Championship midfielders for passes completed and boasting the second best passing success rate in the division, Seri is pivotal to Rosenior's possession heavy philosophy.
James Furlong and Tyler Morton, who also arrived on deadline day, have now had a week to adjust to their new environment but are unlikely to unseat any of the current Tiger's eleven. A place on the bench is possible for the duo however, Bora Aydınlık, who also joined on the final day of the window, is not yet ready for first team action having featured in the under 21's victory over Bournemouth last weekend.
Liam Delap and Aaron Connolly also made international appearances for England under 21's and the Republic of Ireland respectively but will likely retain spots in the starting eleven after returning to training early on this week.
With international responsibilities and injuries in mind, this is how each side is likely to line up:
Hull City
Ingram; Vinagre, Greaves, Jones, Coyle; Seri, Slater, Philogene, Twine, Delap; Connolly.
(4-3-2-1)
Coventry City
Wilson; Thomas, McFadzean, Kitching; van Ewijk, Eccles, Sheaf, Bidwell; Ayari; Godden, Wright.
(3-4-1-2)
Friday night's game will prove an important test for both sides. Hull City will be desperate to cement themselves as promotion candidates and prove Leicester was not a one-off and Coventry will be eager to show that they can replicate the form of last season, having made it all the way to Wembley last time out.
|"
Comments