Liam Rosenior: “We are pushing Leicester City and Southampton close in one key area.”
Hull City is making a strong push in the Championship, and their performance under Liam Rosenior is gaining recognition across the league.
Hull City has been one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the Championship as they chase a play-off spot under Liam Rosenior. One statistic stands out to suggest they deserve their current position in the league table.
Having finished 15th and 19th in their previous two Championship campaigns, it’s been eight years since they finished in the top half of the second tier. That season resulted in promotion thanks to Mohamed Diame’s Wembley goal against Sheffield Wednesday.
The east Yorkshire coast has been waiting for the good times to return, and Rosenior is working hard to bring the club back to the Premier League after almost a decade away. He has manufactured a key statistic to help Hull play like promotion contenders.
Hull City’s Championship season so far.
Hull started the season relatively strongly, losing just one of their first nine games and being as high as fourth after a 3-1 win at Stoke City in late September.
Some mediocre form followed, but the Tigers haven’t dropped out of the top half since the second game of the campaign. Victories over Leicester, Preston, Sunderland, and others show that the Tigers can progress in the future, though they will need to turn some losses into draws at the very least.
With seven wins in 16 home games and seven wins in 15 away games, the Tigers have won almost one game for every two this term, which is play-off form.
Why Hull are excelling in one key area in the Championship
WhoScored.com has listed the highest passing percentages in the Championship, and Hull is right in the mix with those at the top of the division.
Automatic promotion favorites Southampton lead with an 89.9 percent pass completion rate, way ahead of league leaders Leicester City, who have an 88.8 percent ratio.
But it’s actually Rosenior’s Tigers who have claimed the bronze medal, with an impressive 86.5 percent ratio.
Of course, this doesn’t directly translate into goals.
The Tigers sit 11th in that regard, and while their team is talented, there is an element of youth in their ranks which may account for naivety or inexperience in front of goal when it comes to being clinical. But the fundamentals are clearly there going forward, and it’s something to build upon.
An attacking trio of Jaden Philogene, Fabio Carvalho, and Anass Zaroury is arguably one of the most exciting in the division, and with the likes of Ozan Tufan and Tyler Morton supplying chances from the middle of the park, it’s no wonder the Yorkshire outfit are possession heavy.
How Hull City’s season could pan out
Some strong January additions have undoubtedly helped Hull’s cause when it comes to strengthening their case for a place in the Championship play-offs.
Billy Sharp joined on a free transfer from LA Galaxy for some much-needed backup up front, and despite the Championship stalwart recently turning 38, he still has goals in him should Liam Delap be unavailable. Elsewhere, Ivor Pander and Abdulkadir Omur joined for undisclosed fees, but it was their quartet of loan signings that really stole the show.
Carvalho and Zaroury are the two additions that come to mind, but the addition of Ryan Giles was incredibly astute after he excelled in the Championship for Luton Town last season, and former Manchester City academy player Noah Ohio joined from Standard Liege to strengthen the forward ranks.
A shock loss to Swansea didn’t help Hull’s cause, but a comeback away win at Rotherham has corrected that blip. If their stars turn up in the coming months, there should be no problems in achieving that elusive play-off place.
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