From the second Jean Michaël Seri arrived in East Yorkshire, opinion appeared fiercely split on the 31 year old. Embroiled in a will-they-won't-they transfer saga including a seemingly obscene wage demand and a potential Italian suitor, the Ivorian's eventual arrival created a breeding ground for both scepticism and excitement from the black and amber faithful.
Doubts were certainly warranted with the deal that ultimately set the Ivorian's course towards East Yorkshire seeing him earn a figure far greater than the modest salaries typical of a fledgling second division side like Hull. On the flip side, the reasons to be optimistic about Seri's signing spoke for themselves. The midfielder arrived with vast premier league experience under his belt as well as vital Championship know-how in the form of the part he played in Fulham's promotion winning season last time out.
Seri in action for Fulham during his days playing in the Premier League (Football.London)
The opening exchanges of the season saw Seri reaffirm the mixed views that had marred his arrival, putting in brilliant displays one week, sharply contradicted by a performance so forgettable in the next that you'd be forgiven for thinking that the Ivorian had never left the changing rooms. Following a goal scoring opening day performance, Seri struggled for consistency. This could perhaps be put down to the abrupt change in management or down to the injury that saw him sidelined for four fixtures early in the season. Irrespective of the reasoning, the Ivorian managed to average just 64 minutes per game under Shota Arveladze and Andy Dawson, with a half time substitution in October's loss to Blackburn typifying the latter's frustration as to how fit the midfielder into his team.
In all fairness, it's hard to know what to do with a player who has played over two dozen European games and was once linked with a move to Barcelona when the rest of your squad barely staved off relegation to the third tier last time out. This difficulty was surely worsened by the mould of player that Seri fits; a pass first, centre of the park midfielder with very little in the way of an eye for goal, not the most appropriate star player for a squad that managed less than a goal a game last season and who's top scorer sought greener pastures during the Summer transfer window.
Despite these shortcomings, the arrival of Liam Rosenior saw Seri reborn, finally in a system that plays to his strengths and able to show why he was so heavily touted during the Summer. Seven games into his tenure, Rosenior's style is now evident and it is clear that Seri has excelled under the new management. Under Rosenior, Seri is yet to miss a minute and has been the linchpin of the passing style that has proved controversial but delivered some of the most satisfying football Hull have played in some time. With this in mind, the differences between the styles of Arveladze and Rosenior are now paramount and we can see in full technicolour how Seri has finally been able to excel in black and amber.
Seri celebrates his opening day goal vs Bristol City (Yorkshire Post)
It is perhaps harsh to criticise Andy Dawson for his treatment of Seri. The looming uncertainty and lack of opportunity to implement a unique style always leaves interim managers climbing an uphill battle to survive game to game. Because of this, much of the focus will be around the differences between the two recent permanent managers in the dugout at the MKM Stadium and the effect that this has had on Seri.
Firstly, the standout difference between the two managers is in the possession stats. During his 10 games in charge during the 22/23 season, Arveladze's Hull struggled to keep hold of the ball having more possession than their opponents on just three occasions and only managing over 60% possession once. Rosenior's emphasis on possession has seen his side dwarf the stats of his predecessor, managing to have the majority of possession on five of his outings, three of which have seen the Tigers have over 60% of the ball.
It should be no surprise that Seri performs better when his team has more possession as the more chances the Ivorian has to get on the ball, the more opportunities he has to show his quality and add value to the team. During the Arveladze era, Seri managed just 54 passes in each game he started compared to 71 passes under Rosenior. Clearly, the change in manager has seen given the Ivorian a bigger role in the team as the increased emphasis on keeping the ball has played into Seri's hands. Additionally, this increase in possession for the midfielder is not being wasted with Seri creating an average of almost 3 chances per game under Rosenior. This output is significantly better compared to the lowly 1.5 that he was able to muster up under Shota after the opening game of the season.
Another feature of Rosenior's management that has benefitted Seri is the consistency in formation. In each of his seven games, Rosenior has opted for a clear 4-2-3-1 formation with Seri occupying the left side of the two in midfield, providing him with a stable base to progress the ball and a clear attack in front of him. Under Shota, Seri struggled for a regular place in the team; whether that was down to the injury sustained or a spell on the bench, the playtime received did not warrant that of the highest earner. Even when he was able to grace the pitch, the Ivorian was met with a slew of different tactical configurations ranging from the 5-3-2 opted for in the opening game to the eventual 4-2-3-1 used in Arveladze's final outing. It is clear that Rosenior's decision to settle on a formation early on has worked wonders for Seri and that injuries aside, he will be a constant presence in each of his new manager's starting lineups.
Seri in action against Huddersfield Town during Andy Dawson's spell in charge in which he struggled for form.
Perhaps most simply put, Seri has improved under Rosenior as he can finally play with the freedom that a player of his quality warrants. Over the last few games (Birmingham in particular) the Ivorian has put on a display deserving of his European pedigree, playing with an almost effortless grace on the ball. He finds passes beyond the vision of his teammates and adopts an inconceivable calmness each time he finds himself on the end of a pass out from the defence, progressing the ball with ease and avoiding all opposition pressure.
A joy to watch, witnessing Jean Michaël Seri play week in, week out is a pleasure that Hull fans have been deprived of since the days of top flight football. Arguably the statement signing of the new era's first full transfer window, it is almost fitting that when Seri plays well the whole squad is lifted and the improvement in results soon follow.
A target of criticism during his early days, it's good to see that the fanbase finally appears unanimous on their highest earner. Seri is clearly a level above any opposition and will be a key asset for a Hull side looking to progress beyond expectations and plot a return to the top flight in the not too distant future.
תגובות