Blues 0-1 Hull

Starting XI

Completely unchanged. Again.

Game

A terrible football match by all accounts.

First half, Bacuna and Ruddy failed to move their feet quick enough and it led to a deflected Docherty shot and then Slater shooting wide. Deeney had a half volley saved. A free kick pull back found Longman hose effort was saved. More sloppy play led to a corner that ended with Docherty again seeing a shot deflected wide. Bacuna tried his luck from distance.

Second half was similar. Jones ought to have scored after Estupinan's effort was blocked. Estupinan had another effort blocked, this time at the near post. A near post corner saw another effort blocked before Longman got the better of Longelo and forced a save.

A poor Deeney cross led to a counter that finished with Longman heading in only to be caught offside. If that wasn't warning shot enough, Bacuna have the ball away, saw Hull move left to right and Estupinan finished a low cross to the near post.

James found Chong whose shot was deflected wide. His delivery then almost saw McLaughlin put into his own net. In the final seconds, Ruddy headed wide from a Leko cross.

Tactics

This was 3-1-4-2 v 4-3-3.

Back to normal for Blues. Deeney and Chong dropped off. Hannibal and Bacuna were tasked with closing the full-backs. If the ball went backwards, Chong and Deeney would step up, Bielik would close Seri to stop the short pass and everybody else was supposed to step up. If the ball went forward, the wing-back would follow the winger in or the wide centre-back would step up with the "8" and it would leave Blues 4 v 3 to deal with the ball over the top having covered other bases.

Hull were comfortable with this, particularly as Blues' press wasn't sharp enough. Greaves was often the player to receive the ball, tucking in slightly then looking for the ball in behind the vacant RWB or RCB spot. Estupinan and Sayyadmanesh willing runners to the channel. Hull would the look to either go 1 v 1 in a wide area through Slater or Sayyadmanesh or look to find Seri, with Bielik having dropped off, and move to the right where Longman and Christie could combine. It was notable all game that Longman and Sayyadmanesh stayed very wide.

When Blues tried to play out, Hull were quick to pounce. They would force the ball to Roberts or Sanderson, have Sayyadmanesh close from the left, cutting off the pass to Colin, Estupinan forcing Roberts onto his left and Longman closing Trusty. Bielik and the dropping 8 would also be followed which either force Ruddy to hoof or a poor diagonal.

The space on the turnover for Blues was out wide, Chong and Bacuna often well placed but failed to look after it.

Eustace clearly saw this and changed shape after an hour. Sanderson and Longelo were replaced by Graham and Jutkiewicz. Blues moved to a diamond with Bacuna and Chong wide of Bielik, Hannibal at the top and Deeney and Jutkiewicz up top. Chong and Bacuna were tasked with following the overlapping full backs but also providing width that Longelo and Colin struggled with having been pinned back. When they went out to choose, the other wide midfielder tucked in so it remained 3v3.

Hull made a late change having gone ahead. Figueredo replaced Slater and went 5-2-3. Jones RCB. Christie RWB.

Players

Too many need to buck up their ideas at the moment.

The back three don't want the ball. The decision making moving into the final third isn't good enough. There's a lack of belief that is feeding into the overall performance both in possession and out of it. It would be easy to pick out culprits tonight but too many are off their game right now.

James at least had a positive impact. And I say that because he's the only player who stopped to think before kicking the ball around the opposition box.

For Hull, I thought Estupinan was lively in and around the box. Longman had a good game down the right. Greaves, Christie, Docherty and Slater were bright in their running and composure.

Anything else?

Two dives in the first half hour. Bacuna was booked. Sayyadmanesh wasn't. I'm not arsed about refereeing decisions but would like to understand that one. Did I miss something with the Sayyadmanesh one?

It took 17 minutes for Deeney to get up and lambast his team mates. By that time, my missus has told me off four times for swearing at the tele, so he was more than justified. 

Wrapping it up...

We haven't been good since we returned from the World Cup break and deserved the result we got tonight.

It's not a lack of effort. The players are running round. It's a lack of belief. And I can't understand where it's come from, personally, given the start to the season we've had.

Players are hiding from the ball. Players are making really poor and needless decisions in the final third, rushing things or just not concentrating. The distances aren't good and we're yards off in the press which makes it easier to play through us. The delivery from set-pieces or crossing positions was largely awful. The basic passes or switches of play were over hit all night. Really sloppy, basic stuff.

The frustration comes from this being an XI that is good enough. It's not like the early games where you're asking youngsters to do men's jobs with little support. Our starting XI contains Championship footballers and they're failing to perform like it as both a unit and individuals at present. The shape, system and ideas are there. The players have to start getting the basics right.

Hopefully, we have a fuller squad by the time 14th January comes around and we have some options to keep players on their toes again.