TALKINGPOINTS Covid farce, Magic Mallik, smiling again
CITY BOW OUT OF CUP BUT THERE’S PLENTY OF POSITIVES
On a strange night at West Ham’s Olympic Stadium, Hull City bowed out of the Carabao Cup with a 5-1 defeat. That, however, only begins to tell part of the story, as Barry Cooper explains.
Farcical scenes
Right. Let’s get this out from the start. It’s great that Premier League players are being tested, not so great that despite the untold riches in the top flight we’re told there isn’t enough money lower down to test players.
That aside, quite frankly, it’s a joke that the whole game on Tuesday night was thrown into absolute chaos an hour before kick-off because the manager of the opposition and two of his players tested positive for coronavirus.
Premier League players are tested twice per week, yet it seems beyond stupid that results would appear so close to a game and disrupt its preparations in quite such a way.
I know we’re all learning about this virus as we go along, nobody really has a clue how to do deal with it or what’s the best course of action, but surely, we can be better prepared than how this was handled?
There should also be some help from above at each club. While Grant Mccann and Alan Irvine (in David Moyes’ absence) were left to field numerous medical questions, it really isn’t their arena, a bit of clarity from the respective medical departments may have made the post-match interviews a bit easier.
Next stop: Northampton
Assuming the game goes ahead, and in truth, there’s unlikely to be any change to that, the battle for points resumes. It’s been a good start to the league campaign for City, two wins from two, three goals scored and none conceded, it could scarcely have gone any better.
As Mccann pointed out on Saturday, it will be a very different test at Sixfields and a very stern examination of the Tigers’ defensive resolve.
At times in the opening week or two, City have looked a little nervy at times and that’s something Keith Curle will look to exploit, so it’s important they’re ready to keep this little league run sprouting.
Magic Malik on target again
That’s another goal for the striker, and it was a goal which showed his current level of confidence. Off the bench, takes down a ball into the area and fires it past the goalkeeper.
Wilks is certainly developing into a very useful asset for Mccann, and his goals are coming at timely intervals, albeit the one at West Ham was nothing more than a consolation – he showed determination and a will to score which will only stand him in good stead.
That’s all three strikers in the goals in the opening couple of weeks of a long campaign, and
Mccann will be delighted with that.
The debate will rage about where his best position is, and the manager understandably wants the ability to operate a degree of fluidity across his frontline, but as long as he keeps popping up with goals, it won’t matter whether he’s playing off the left, right or through the middle.
Harness the confidence
The key to success in football, as we well know, is confidence. With confidence brings momentum and in turn, there’s a fair chance of success.
City haven’t been used to winning in recent months, we know that. You just hope the nature of this defeat doesn’t play on their mind, that they box it off and move on.
It’s also worth reiterating that there was an awful lot of money on show in that Hammers side, the likes of Felipe Anderson, Manuel Lanzini, Andriy Yarmonlenko to name but three.
We can’t smile without you
City needed lifting off the canvas, and needed to smile again. While the Carabao Cup run might have come to a shuddering halt for this season, it still gave the players, the fans and the club as a whole the chance to enjoy football again.
In truth, Tigers fans haven’t enjoyed watching their side for a while and understandably so.
The win at Sunderland (it doesn’t matter how the win comes) followed by that display and victory over Leeds United has made everybody feel a bit better.
Yes, not all the problems on and off the pitch have been solved and nor have all Mccann’s critics eaten their lot of humble pie, but sometimes, it’s just nice to win a couple of games and remember how it feels. Hopefully, this mini cup run will have made City’s players feel a bit better about themselves and give them confidence to take into the league.