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Match Report: Hunt cameo keeps relentless City on the march

Olé

By Olé
in Football Chat

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Olé

Olé

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On Tuesday City performed convincingly and won, today they won convincingly but may not have performed in an end to end game short on quality. If Johnson's men continue to capitalise on both types of game they'll be hard to beat this season.

In fact, having been robbed of a clear first penalty before finally awarded  stonewall spot kick number 2 in a 45 City had the better of, in the second half the game swung back and forth with Hull as likely to go ahead but for man of the match Bentley.

Aside from Palmer, easily our best outfield player having come off the bench, a poor, open game that was simply waiting for a mistake, instead took the late introduction of Jack Hunt on at right back to brilliantly contrive two quick winners in a minute. 

The visitors went into the game in unusual shape with midfielder Palmer rested to the bench, Diedhiou added up front, Weimann dropping into a free role. Pereira returned at right back at the expense of Hunt, who struggled despite a decisive role at Derby.

City were brighter first and after 8 minutes Diedhiou held it up, put Weimann clear out on the left - closed down only for Rowe to collect in yards of space and work it right to Pereira whose deep cross found Rowe again, heading down for Diedhiou to shoot. 

On 18 minutes Kalas bundled forward and fed Afobe who ran at the Hull defence in the left channel, racing into the box where  he played it past the near defender before being wrestled to the ground. The referee bizarrely decided no penalty nor a dive?!!

Just a minute later Hull carved through City's defence to have just Bentley to beat six yards out, only for the keeper to make a smart reflex save, then tipping away the resultant corner to the edge of the box for a crashing volley that hit Kalas on the line. 

At the midway point in the half, wonderkid Massengo, still classy but more exposed in a midfield two, found no support on the ball and was robbed by three Hull players in midfield, Grosicki down the left to fire in at the near post - Bentley beating away.

City's injury hit side suffered further agony as £8m man Kalas broke from defence in the 28th minute only to pull up suddenly and collapse to the floor to be stretchered off - a concern for Lee Johnson who will need Ashley Williams to get fit quickly.

The visitors were an ongoing threat from balls into the box, on the break a centre to Diedhiou was headed over the keeper first time from 15 yards, then Pereira wriggled free twice but his deep balls were headed behind as Rowe and host players closed.

"Rested" Palmer had surprisingly come on for Kalas as City tried to capitalise on their upper hand and inside 40 minutes the City star showed his magic, angling the perfect ball for Afobe on the left, racing in to feed Brownhill - who was upended in the box.

This time it had to be a penalty and Afobe made no mistake, stroking if easily down the middle. Minutes later it should've been two, Pereira and Weimann combining after good work by Afobe, crossing for Diedhiou to head onto the underside of the crossbar.

Yet from the clearance Hull broke quickly and a rapid ball over the top put star man Bowen clear on goal to race in and tuck under the keeper into the far corner. For no reason the Hull star celebrated his goal by cupping his ears to the away fans.

Bouyed by their equaliser the football was far more even second half, the first action  a break that reached Diedhiou who held it  up well, passed to Afobe, who threaded Weimann in from the right, who was short of options, smashing an early shot over.

Right after, a sweeping reverse move saw Rowe break towards the box, square for Weimann who allowed Pereira to overlap and return a fierce low cross that the Hull keeper had to claim with players ready to apply a finish. So far and still City on top.

But Hull grew in belief and after 56 a well crafted move through the middle had the hosts spread play out right where Grosicki raced in to draw a fine Bentley save, in the second phase a deep cross from the left saw Bowen nod inches wide at the far post.

City's young midfield looked increasingly stretched - Palmer hacking down Lopes on the Hull right - but at the midway point Massengo, shackled but classy, produced a fine through ball on the right behind two defenders, Weimann forcing the corner.

In an end to end game short on quality but  seemingly waiting for a mistake, Hull for a moment looked like they may force a goal to unlock the game and on 73 they robbed Afobe in midfield and Grosicki strode clear to fire past Bentley but wide off the far post.

By now Hunt was on for Pereira and then Semenyo for Diedhiou, and it was the first change that was decisive - for all Pereira's wicked deep crosses it was Hunt, who had made City's second at Derby, deciding the game with two moments of quality.

On 77 minutes the sub full back made a routine run down the right but with City's attack pouring forward his low cross into the box put the hosts under pressure and a defender slid in to prevent Afobe turning home, only to convert into his own net.

Hull were suddenly silent and in a minute it was three, again on City's right and again Hunt, who channelled Pereira with a neat backheel, springing the tireless Weimann who fired a similar low ball into the box, Afobe beating a marker to divert home.

The two goal advantage was harsh on the home side who had chances in the final 10 but repeatedly cut out by City. Into injury time the visitors could have gone more in front, Semenyo strode away, exchanged passes with Weimann and forced a save.

Massengo, impressive but often overrun, saved his best for last, a perfect crossfield pass to Afobe allowed the striker to tease a marker and feed the French wonderkid's run, who shaped to shoot but fed Palmer for a rising shot just over the top corner.

It was perhaps fitting that Palmer had the last impressive touch of a game which he had not been slated to start - but once on impressed in, creating the opening penalty and consistently the best outfield player on the pitch in a scrappy end to end game.

The best player altogether however was new keeper Dan Bentley - faultless in his handling and unbeatable from both close and long range, in a fixture that could've gone either way in chances - this finally was Bentley announcing himself at City!

 

Bentley 9 Hard to know what else he could have done - best keeping performance since days of Basso

Pereira 6 Some wicked crosses but Hull wingers always a threat

Rowe 7 Continues to be the surprise attacking threat

Kalas 7 Impressive until his injury

Baker 8 Continues to dismiss most threats from crosses

Moore 8 Possibly played Hull onside for first but also continues to be a beacon of calmness and classy defending

Brownhill 7 Felt like he sat deep more than normal given the lack of other midfield but won penalty and often provided cover 

Massengo 8 Overrun at times, frightening to me that an average game for him still involves sublime touches, through balls and cross field passes

Weimann 9 As someone said to me today would love to see the distance he travels at speed, absolutely relentless and a total nuisance throughout

Diedhiou 7 Won a lot up front and had one header that was scrambled away but lacks mobility and last man threat of Afobe 

Afobe 9 Should have got an earlier penalty, as it was he continues to be (for this level) a supremely comfortable and mobile frontman in the Akinbiyi mould

 

Palmer 9 Assumed not starting was down to tiredness but relentless when on and he produced some amazing through balls - at this point the most likely candidate for player of the season and for this workrate unlikely to last long at this level 

Hunt 9 Didn't have to do much but produced the decisive quality to win us the match

Semenyo 7 One good attacking move and finish but largely neutralised - however his mobility was part of City's late assault

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BCFC Grim

BCFC Grim

Posted
Posted

See I thought Palmer was anonymous at times today and didn't get on the ball anywhere near enough. When he did he looked dangerous.

Bentley MOM for me, closely followed by Baker, Moore and Weimann.

Still think there is so much more to come from this team. Things are looking very good. ( bar the injuries) 

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Xiled

Xiled

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Great writeup we always @Olé

Big credit to Moore for the step up to this level - filling an enormous hole in defence left by Webster's departure.

CB is the position that gets you pelters for one or two mistakes in 90 minutes.

Moore and Baker were excellent cover when Kalas went off. Bentley was my man of the match for a brilliant performance that gave us the platform for a win. A very satisfying win.

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DT The Optimist

DT The Optimist

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15 minutes ago, southvillekiddy said:

Great to hear Hunt getting praise. Just don't understand why he is knocked on OTIB

I suspect  because he is decent going forward, but not as good defensively.  He is still a championship defender and has been for many a year.  When Pereira either gets match fit or up to speed with championship football he will have a battle for that spot.  It’s how it should be.  I have not really seen enough of Pereira and I do not think any of us have , to see how the RB spot will pan out. 

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Son of Fred

Son of Fred

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Posted
1 hour ago, Garland-sweden said:

Hunt get many sticks but I think he is a very good player. Our gk showed that he is a good keper. Our team is good and we have players with lots of qualities, the team gets more and more geled. Early days but this is exciting. Boro next and then it will be good with rest. COYR!!!

He won't need to collect sticks,,it's quite warm at the moment.

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Major Isewater

Major Isewater

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Posted
9 hours ago, southvillekiddy said:

Great to hear Hunt getting praise. Just don't understand why he is knocked on OTIB

It’s easy really, many contributors have unrealistic expectations of what a human being can do and think that they should perform like on one of their video games.

There are also some right twinkles on here who are an embarrassment with their lack of understanding of how the game works .

Throw into the mix the narsty 

luggers who like to have a go from the safety of their bedrooms and all becomes clear.

 

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Jcolebristol

Jcolebristol

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33 minutes ago, mozo said:

I don't think the Afobe/Diedhiou experiment worked. 

I'd prefer Szmodics or Semenyo next time if Palmer isn't starting.

I dunno, we created plenty of chances whilst they were both on. They just started going in once the quality of ball was sublime from Hunt.

Plus Hull lost their best CB at 1-1, that prob had more of an effect than diedhou going off.

Top review - I would drop Palmer by one though, I too thought he was slack at times and prob doesn’t deserve being on same rating as Bentley, Baker and Weimann.

Still, he had a quality game though. Our standards are rising every game!

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maxjak

maxjak

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Excellent report as always Ole, Thanks.   Just wanted you to clarify one point u made if possible?..................ie. Palmer, likely candidate for player of this season, AND FOR THIS WORKRATE UNLIKELY TO LAST LONG AT THIS LEVEL?   Not quite sure what you mean by this?, and hope u can find the time to explain what u meant? Thanks again ?

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