It's important to never underestimate the value of a good substitute striker; think of your Divock Origi's, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's and Olivier Giroud's alike. In essence, a player that can change a game, offer something different or just run about for the closing passages of a fixture. Essentially, a player who can just be a bit of a nuisance.
This breed of player is difficult to come by; someone who is happy to play second fiddle but good enough to pop up with a goal when needed. Despite this, its safe to say that Hull may have found theres in the form of Tyler Smith, whose two goal display off the bench against Wigan had all the hallmarks of the classic super-sub game. A succinct performance which saw the attacker triple his tally for the campaign and regain the support of the Hull faithful.
During his previous ten appearances this season, Smith has averaged just 35 minutes per game, spread across four starts and six substitute appearances respectively. Under previous managers, Shota Arveladze and Andy Dawson, the 24 year old struggled for consistency, sometimes spending months at a time without gracing the pitch.
Tyler Smith has struggled for form during the early parts of the season
When entering the pitch, Smith was often the unfortunate source of collective groans as the fourth official displayed his number, with Smith's only goal prior to Wigan coming in the form of a consolation strike to cap off a miserable 3-1 loss at the hands of QPR back in August. Since then he appeared limited to brief cameos, playing just 80 minutes between September and December and failing to make his mark anytime he entered the pitch.
Previous to the festive away fixtures, Smith was often the epitome of everything going wrong at Hull City. A scapegoat when the Tigers failed to score and an uninspired choice off the bench, Smith felt more like an inclusion due to injury or suspension rather than a quality option in the side. When Oscar Estupinan was handed a three game ban for his reckless challenge against Millwall, the first thought for many a Hull fan was not that they'd miss their top scorer but rather that they'd have to watch Tyler Smith.
Standing at just five foot eight, Smith is not a physical presence like Estupinan or Tetteh, nor does he posses the skill and speed of an Allahyar, leaving many Hull fans scratching their heads at what the 24 year old brings to their side. I believe that in the last two games this question has been answered superbly, with Smith silencing his critics (myself included) and showing his brilliance as an asset to the Tigers surge up the Championship table.
Tyler Smith celebrating his first goal of the season against QPR (Hull Live)
Interestingly, Smith gave an interview to local media just before Christmas stating that he was "feeling fit, strong and ready", attesting that he was ready to start "kicking on again". Clearly spurred on by the new managers bestowment of faith upon him, I think that it's safe to say that he has warranted this confidence with his performances in Hull's recent away triumphs.
Featuring in every game following the return to football after the World Cup, Smith is clearly eager to repay his manager for finally giving him the platform to show his worth to the Hull fans and coaching staff alike. The back to back away games at Wigan and Birmingham finally gave Smith an opportunity to change the narrative on his spell in black and amber, and he took full advantage of this opportunity.
At first glance, it may be challenging to find the glaring successes in Smith's 25 minute cameo against Birmingham however, I feel that the positives can be found in this promising albeit brief display. Firstly, Smith was brought on to replace the recently returned Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, meaning he was positioned out on the wing as opposed to his traditional central role. Despite the position he took up, there were still signs of improvement from Smith's performance. Whilst It's difficult to derive much from the stats of this game due to the limited time Smith was on the pitch, the idea that during his brief spell, he was able to create as many chances as the Tiger's starting front four combined gives some fuel to the idea of his success off the bench.
Irrespective of the stats, I think the real value of Smith is in his attitude on the pitch. Accusations of sluggishness were perfectly warranted under previous regimes however, Rosenior appears to have lit a fire underneath Smith and the results are excellent to see. The two goal display against Wigan typifies this rejuvenated Smith under the new manager. Brought on at the half way point to once again replace Sayyadmanesh, the attacker entered the game with the score at 1-0 and the Tigers looking to bring their strong form over the festive period into the new year.
Continuing to occupy the right hand side of the attack, Smith was deployed in a more inverted role. Rosenior had perfectly instructed Smith to play a more pragmatic part in the attacking phases, covering the right wing but occasionally moving centrally to contribute towards the attacking spells. This decision was a success as it saw Smith able to maintain the defensive shape on the wing but move forward when City had the ball to strike up a partnership with the on form talisman, Oscar Estupinan.
Tyler Smith celebrating with Oscar Estupinan who both scored against Wigan (Hull Live)
Smith's defensive starts prove this idea perfectly; All four of his tackles and interceptions came on the right hand side of the pitch showing his proficiency in defence as the Tigers fought to protect their lead. Smith's defensive output was the joint highest across the Hull side, showing just how well he adapted to the instructions given to him by his new boss.
Finally, you'd be remiss for failing to mention Smith's goalscoring output when talking about the game against Wigan. The first of his brace saw Smith latch onto a long pass from Sean McLoughlin, take the ball past the rushing goalkeeper and slot the ball home from a near impossible angle. In essence, this goal typified everything you want from a striker off the bench, a good run past tired defenders and a clinical finish that any top striker would be proud of. Not a bad way to double your tally for the season.
Tyler Smith celebrating his first goal against Wigan to make the score 3-1 (Hull Live)
Smith's second was more akin to the classic poacher's goal synonymous with some of the most prolific strikers in world football. A moment of brilliance from Regan Slater saw him swipe the ball off the lathargic Latics and play a precisely driven ball across the box, met by the perfectly placed Smith who happily tapped the ball into the host's net for the second time in just over five minutes.
When compiling a list of traits you'd like from your attacker off the bench I think Smith fits the bill as good as anyone. A constant presence who will run tirelessly at defenders but also able to dig in and do his shift defensively when called upon to do so. Most importantly he is a nuisance for an opposition and slots away his chances when called upon.
To clarify, I don't feel that Oscar's starting spot should be under threat anytime soon. What Smith offers is a dynamic attacking option off the bench that Hull have been lacking as well as a clear desire to work for the new manager. I hope that Smith's performance against Wigan will not only restore some faith in the attacker, but also build some much needed confidence for the 24 year old going into the remainder of the season.
I do believe that given enough time on the pitch, Smith will start to kick on, making the once forgotten figure a powerful weapon in the arsenal of a Hull side looking to exceed expectations and continue their great run of form into the rest of 2023.
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