Gritty Grant, shining loanees in great week
TIGERS MAKE IT NINE POINTS OUT OF NINE
Just like they did against Birmingham City, Hull City scored a goal in each half to see off Championship opposition in front of their own supporters. George Honeyman’s first half header was followed up by a Ryan Longman strike early in the second half to notch a fourth straight league win by beating Millwall 2-1 to move five points clear of the drop zone.
Grant’s grit
Few managers in the last two years can have come in for as much criticism as Grant Mccann has.
Scorned for almost the entirety of his time at the Tigers, Mccann looked to be a dead man walking last month after City lost five in a row to cap a pretty awful start to life back in the Championship.
Talk of being replaced once the imminent takeover concludes only added to his challenging working conditions, but irrespective of your feelings towards the Northern Irishman, it would take a pretty harsh Yorkshireman to not afford him some credit for the way in which he’s sparked such a dramatic turn in fortunes.
Against the backdrop of uncertainty surrounding the club it is no mean feat and Mccann has once again shown his strength of character when his back is pressed firmly against the wall.
We can talk all day about individuals, about formations, luck here and there and so on, but if we’re to criticise a manager when the team is beaten and things aren’t going well, we have to be big enough to pat him on the back when it goes well.
There’s much work to do, but results and performances over the past few weeks suggest the head coach and his players are getting to grips with the demands of this league.
Loanees shine
Despite the hefty amount of work which goes into making a loan signing, there’s always a risk attached with bringing in a player on a temporary deal from another club.
In the case of Di’shon Bernard, Nathan Baxter and Longman, City have three gems.
At West Brom, not one of the Tigers nine summer arrivals started, though since that game the trio have all played key roles.
In particular, Baxter, who again delivered a terrific display to keep out Millwall when their pressure grew in intensity during the closing stages.
Baxter’s an assured pair of hands and it’s no coincidence that his arrival into the team has coincided with four straight victories and three clean sheets.
He and Bernard are forming a strong platform at the back and forging a fine relationship with Sean Mcloughlin and Jacob Greaves.
A perfect week
Come 3pm last Saturday, the talk among City fans on social media away from the takeover centred around what would be an acceptable points return from games with Birmingham, Cardiff and Milllwall.
Not one person genuinely believed City would go on and collect nine points from those nine available - the transformation has been nothing short of remarkable.
And a month ago, the prospect of City winning four on the spin seemed nothing short of fantasy.
Things have been turned on their head so quickly that it could be argued the pressure has been taken off the next couple of games. Certainly the momentum is in their favour and City can start to look upwards rather than just on those around them.
A five point gap to Peterborough who occupy the third-bottom spot - six if we were to factor in a significant goal difference advantage - is growing nicely.
Smallwood’s renaissance
Maybe using the term renaissance is a suggestion that Smallwood went off the boil or fell away.
In truth, he’s always been there but possibly became written off following the arrival of Tom Huddlestone.
Smallwood’s influence is becoming more apparent to those supporters who questioned his impact last season.
Every good side needs a ‘water carrier’ - and I mean that with the greatest of respect - Smallwood has the ability to do the ugly stuff well, block runs, win tackles, sniff out the danger and give the ball to those with much more creativity. That has allowed the likes of Greg Docherty and Honeyman to shine.
Mcloughlin’s magic
New signings have come, old ones have gone and yet Mcloughlin has had to be patient for his chance.
Whenever called upon, always there to turn in a solid and dependable display.
Now his time has come, right from coming off the bench at The Hawthorns,
Mcloughlin has been a real influence on City’s vastly-improved defensive displays.
And even if Alfie Jones was to return tomorrow, he’ll have to wait for his chance because Mcloughlin is entirely worthy of his place in a back three.