[Archived] Hull City Preview

[Saltysellars]

And so the rollercoaster ride that all Rovers fans have been on since May, where we have seen our best ever goalkeeper and one of the best young England prospects depart along with a manger who took us into Europe and to two semi-finals, finally comes home to Ewood after three and a bit months of change, speculation, uncertainty and hype.. Despite a fantastic and personally totally unexpected victory at Goodison at the weekend, I get the feeling that not everyone, certainly if the messages I've read on this board over the summer are anything to go by, is totally contented with the new gaffer. With all the news going round in the press about an unsettled dressing room, I get the feeling that the players might see this as a case of backs against the wall time and lets show them what we can do mentality, so they'll need all the support they can get. Definitely bring your singing voices to Ewood on Saturday.

I feel we all have to give Incey the benefit of the doubt-he was a winner as a player, and I’m sure that he’s not going to want to be seen as a failure as a manager. We can question the personnel he’s brought in and his training methods all we like, but you can be sure that if we don’t get behind him, then his job is going to be twice as difficult as many of the pre-season paper previews would have you believe. That’s not to say that I’m particularly delighted with our dealings, or lack of in the transfer market, and if we’ve less points than Stoke, Hull and West Brom combined come mid-November, then I’ll probably be giving him both barrels, but until then, he’s going to get my full backing. We've had the best start we possibly could have had, and its time to build on this and have six points out of six come 5.00 on Saturday.

The first home game of any new season is a bit like first day back at school after six weeks summer holiday. There’s always a bigger crowd than usual, and a buzz that you don’t usually get. It’s a chance to catch up with the folks who sit around you, compare suntans and chew the fat over the comings and goings since May. Although there’s been a lot going on, I’d like to venture that the team which starts our first home game won’t be too drastically different from the one which finished against Derby on May 3rd. Aside from Sir Bradley and Bentley, there won’t be too many unfamiliar faces. For many, this is where the problem lies when we can see teams such as Fulham, Villa and Pompey spending vast amounts of cash, although there's still a dozen or so days left of the transfer window, where we'll see if the "Guv'nor "can pull off any Hughesy esque signings.

First up at Ewood for the new season is newly promoted Hull City. I’ve only been to Hull once, around 10 years ago to see my mates now wife who was at Uni over there. We had a pint in a pub called the Nags head (Lovely jubbly) and then wound up in a nightclub later where they played Bohemian Rhapsody from start to finish! So despite what you may read in the papers about Hull not being the best place on planet earth to live- I loved it. I went on Google images to see if there were any decent images of Hull, and this is what it spat back at me.

After 104 years of mediocrity and mismanagement the so called “crappest town” in Britain finally has a top flight club. So for many, its going to be a case of will the Tigers roar or just whimper like Derby did last season? Hull is the biggest city in Britain until now never to have had a team in the top flight ( I think that now could be Plymouth), and they made it to the Premiership via Wembley and beating Bristol City 1-0 in the play off final, thanks to a belting volley from someone actually older than Tugay - Dean Windass.

RRRRAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!

They’ve obviously got some decent backing behind them as an estimated 130,000 packed the streets the day after the play off win for the victory parade. As of Monday morning, 2,000 season ticket holders had snapped up tickets for the Darwen end, and following Saturday's win, I'm pretty confident there won't be that many empty seats available come the weekend.

It’s not always been this way as I’m sure any Hull fan will tell you and as recently as Christmas 1998, they were six points adrift at the bottom of the football league and staring relegation to the Conference full on in the face. To cut 10 years worth of history down into a couple of sentences, they’ve been locked out of their old ground, faced liquidation and been taken over by a former tennis player. Obviously, things have taken a turn for the better- they moved to a new ground in 2002, which they share with Hull FC, and they had successive promotions in seasons 2003- 2004 and 2004-2005. Local boys such as Nick Barmby and the aforementioned Windass were signed and despite having only accumulated 12 points after 11 games of last season, they made it into the play offs, where, as they might say, the rest is history. They’ve been sensible in the transfer market over the summer adding George Boateng and Geovanni to their existing squad. As I type, I think they’d like to add a striker before the transfer window closes. The only disappointment for me is that reading their preview page in the Four Four Two season preview, they have released the wonderfully named Brewster Frizeell. Why don’t we have any comedy names at our club?

For a more in depth look at our opponents, I jumped onto the Hull vitalfootball website where I popped a few questions to anyone who would listen to me. Many thanks to Matt Wilson for his responses.

If I’d walked around the streets of Hull five years ago, telling everyone that by August of 2008, the city of Hull would have two super league teams, a great stadium and a top-flight football team- I would have either been beaten to a pulp for talking sh**e or carted off in a straight jacket- What’s happened?

People from outside of Hull still look at you funny when you say Hull City are a Premier League club – most sill think we play in Division 3! We’ve come a long way in five years, and a lot of that has been down to the move to the KC Stadium. That move coincided with our back to back promotions and thanks to Adam Pearson, and now Paul Duffen & Phil Brown, along with a little bit of luck, we changed a three year promotion plan into a one year achievement. Rugby – who cares about them?

It obviously hasn’t been all good, give us a brief of what’s gone on at your football club over the past decade or so… I seem to recall that your fans came up with a great terrace chant song (to the tune of Pulp’s Common People) that didn’t exactly put a former manager in a great light, and also being taken over by David Lloyd? The tennis guy not the cricket guy-can you imagine that!!!

We had a song about Terry Dolan that made reference to him coming from Rochdale with a lack of football knowledge, and he maintained our Division 3 status for a few seasons. Warren Joyce, almost ten years ago now, is a hero having pulled off the great escape as City managed to survive staying in the league. David Lloyd was involved with the club when we were locked out and almost went out of business.

What happened to Boothferry Park? Shops? Houses?

Boothferry Park still lies derelict, half torn down by a Manchester based firm. The idea is to build houses but at the moment, three stands have been grounded whilst the away end remains. Hull City Council is eager to have the site cleared. I visited the ground when it was being pulled down and rescued a few seats which sit in my garage.

Away ground your most looking forward to visiting and why?

I’ve always had a slight fondness for Spurs so I will say White Hart Lane.

You're obviously favourites to head straight back down, but looking at your early fixtures (Arsenal aside) there’s a great chance that you might get a decent enough start to give you some momentum- is this the way you see it?

It is certainly how I see it but it won’t be easy. We have Fulham & Wigan at home whilst Blackburn & Newcastle away could mean we register some points before September comes.

And if you don’t get a decent start- would your biggest fear be “Doing a Derby?”

It’s a fear now. The sooner we get ahead of Derby County’s 11 points, the better. It’s a long season though, and if we are struggling heading into September, we need to remember there are 30 plus games remaining.

With ex Bolton man Phil Brown in charge-do you play a Bolton style of football, or are you more cultured that that?

We haven’t reverted to that style of play and do like to play football. The likes of Jay-Jay Okocha and now Geovanni show that we like to play football, and I hope we don’t revert to a “hoofball” style of play if we struggle to break teams down.

As there’s no obvious “local” rival- Who do you consider to be your local rivals? And secondly, Who would you most love to beat this season?

I suppose Middlesbrough are our nearest rival now. I think I’d like us to beat Newcastle United most of all, simply because I know a few Geordies to claim bragging rights over. A win at Villa would be nice too!

Hull player that we should keep an eye out for?

Geovanni should add a touch of class but I think that if given a chance, attacking midfielder Dean Marney could prove a point. A former Spurs youth player with a handful of Premier League appearances already, Marney was influential last season and I’d like to see him feature prominently this year.

What’s the combined ages of Nick Barmby and Dean Windass?- my guess would be 128.

Not quite that high, and what’s wrong with experience? Deano is not just experienced but brings a determination not found anywhere else in this league. A home grown boy, Deano knows just what this season means to your Hull City fan.

If you had to pick one Hull player for a Fantasy Football team for this season, who would you plump for?

Michael Turner: Maybe not the wisest choice to pick a defender but the centre-back scored some important goals last season and could notch a few this coming season.

Your goalkeeper Boaz Myhill- Am I right in thinking that he is American due to the fact that his Mum went into Labour whilst on a helicopter trip over the Grand Canyon on holiday?- or is it an Urban myth-along with Bob Holness of Blockbusters fame playing the saxophone on Gerry Rafferty’s Baker Street!

If that is true, it’s news to me!

Prediction for the match?

Blackburn Rovers 1 – 1 Hull City – Hopefully Paul Ince doesn’t know what he is doing when we meet.

Finally-which is the greater comedy sketch? Morecambe and Wise making breakfast, or the “Four Candles” two Ronnies effort?

Morecambe and Wise making breakfast

Not surprisingly, our paths haven’t crossed that often in the recent past and please someone correct me if they know any better, but I think the last time we played was in the Rumbelows cup first round season 1991-92, where they beat us over the two legs and it left the soon to be replaced Don Mackay and his troops to concentrate on the league. I’m hoping that our excellent performance in Liverpool on Saturday will be the catalyst for a great first few weeks, and who knows even a win away against West Ham in a couple of weeks!!! It was also nice to see two players who don't score that often or as much as they should get on the scoresheet, so I’m going for a sneaky and slightly cagey 2-1 win with a fit again Bert scoring the winner. We need to make Ewood a fortress again, and make it really difficult for teams to play against us, and a win against the Tigers could see us on a good run.

When I say quarter to five I mean quarter to five and not potentially quarter to six in case some idiot has managed to parachute himself onto the Jack Walker stand and get himself stuck, meaning the kick off gets delayed by an hour. I mean that could never happen, not in these days of professionally, well managed and slickly run football clubs.

Hope you enjoyed the preview, for those interested; this evening's entertainment is going to consist of watching Olympic round up with the thinking man’s crumpet that is the lovely Gabby Logan, followed by Des Lynam’s sporting mastermind. I defy you to find a better school night in that doesn’t involve alcohol or taking your clothes off.

Laters!

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Should be a cracking open game..lets see plenty of home support down Ewood to give Ince a big welcome,cant come quick enough after this shyte summer.....being away from Ewood too long is not good for the blood!

Dont really know what to expect from Hull but I'm sure they'll be up for it, expect a following of around 5,000+ by all accounts.

2-0 Rovers Cruz,Pedersen

Att:25,500

[joey_big_nose]

Awesome preview. Loved the photos!

We are going to have some serious competition for places come Saturday. Villaneuva and Dunn are going to be in a scrap for who takes the attacking midfield role, Reid staked a serious claim for right midfield while Emerton is due back and we could well have a new signing on the right, Roberts looked brilliant on Saturday yet he could come up against a mega money signing if McCarthy goes to Sunderland for a stupid fee, Ooijer marked his claim to right back with a goal whislt Simpson waits in the wings, and Vogel should be fit again but stands zero chance of displacing a (very suprisingly) resplendent Mokoena - although the South African could well have another new signing to worry about (good god I hope it is Appiah).

On top of that we have four quality centre backs and Pedersen looks reinvigorated by the freedom to get forward denied to him when Bentley blossomed last season.

Without any signings we look like we have two teams who you could back to beat Hull

-----------Roberts-----Cruz

Pedersen---------Dunn--------Reid

-------------Mokoena

Warnock---Nelsen---Zurab---Simpson

------------------Robinson

or:

-------------McCarthy------Fowler

Treacy---------------Villaneuva---------Derbysire

-----------------Vogel

---Olsson------Zurab------Ooijer-----Emerton

--------------------------Brown

Obviously things don't neccesarily pan out as you think, and there are serious weaknesses in our team. But it just goes to show that our squad pre-signings looks strong.

Confidence is high - bring it on.

[they_think_its_all_rover]

I go on Vital, if I'd have known you were on looking for someone to ask questions to, I'd have happily answered them.

Don't listen to Matt's choice of Turner for your fantasy football team... he's bottom of our "mini league"

Though Turner himself is actually a great player and would have been my choice for "one to keep an eye out for"... I think if he drops his Premier League nerves (which he showed in the first 20 mins against Fulham) and brushes up on a few small things, he's a leader and I could possibly see him being an England national team player in the future.

For pictures of "Hull" type; "Kingston Upon Hull"

the "crap town" tag comes from latte-drinking southerners who've never actually been to Hull... most people I know who've been to Hull from elsewhere go home "pleasantly suprised", which I hope you'll find come February at the KC.

local rivals are now all lower-leaguers - TWS, the Scunts and occasionally the two Sheffield clubs...Blunts and Wendies.

Middlesborough is the closest in the Prem, but it's quite a way from Kingston-Upon-Hull!

Bo was 'born in the USA', but his mam is Welsh and dad is English... he chose to accept a Wales call up last season. His first name is actually "Glynn", but even his parents don't use it. He was named Boaz not long after he was born when his parents went on from America to Isreal... his mam almost passed out in the heat and a little lad ran to get some water for her... she said thanks and asked him his name, he said Boaz, so she decided to name her son after him...

little story for you there.

I think the overall score will depend on which Hull City side turn up and which Rovers side turn up... we all know Rovers can be suspect at the back when not concentrating sometimes and then other games be solid.... and with Hull City it'll depend on it being whether the nervous team starts the match, which started against Fulham or the confident one which ended the game against Fulham.

It'll either be 1-1 or 2-1 Rovers I feel.

If Roque can get inbetween Turner and Gardner and get his head on the end of a cross, he'll get the winner... if not;

1-1, Santa Cruz for Rovers, Folan for Hull City.

Oh and Hull City had (from dinnertime) sold 3,000... only went on general sale today though... the 2,000 were 'Away Direct' and 'ticket scheme membership' only...

I think 5,000 will be about right, some people havn't bothered due to the ticket office making it awkward to buy tickets.

last of all...

I doubt Deano will get a game, so you may go home feeling a little disappointed at not getting to see him, so here's an advertising pic from Deano himself, for you;

[Rover9]

Cracking preview salty, always good to get a few snippits from the opposition too! I would like to echo the above comments too, the return to church this Saturday can't come soon enough especially after the greatness of the day out beating old Evertonia and the Blackburn boys and girls doing themselves proud on the terraces (well its probably the closest thing to a run-down old terrace in the prem) more of the same please!!

Love the paragraph on the entertainment exploits down dingle dome, maybe a case of them extra fingers getting in the way! Too many fingers spoil the fun in this case . There are also some great pictures of the dingle fans, in the LET pullout, with the realisation that they aren't as great as they thought dawning on them if somebody could post them up would provide a chuckle for all, don't know if they are on the LET website havn't checked.

Vocal cords at the ready, lads and lasses lets bring the good times back to Ewood Saturday and produce the kind of atmosphere we all know we can create, all together now PAUL INCE'S BLUE N WHITE ARMY!!!! the excitement builds, bring on saturday and let the good times roll

[brfc4ever]

3-0

Santa

Roberts

Santa

Get In!

[RevidgeBlue]

To me the Hull game is in many ways the acid test for Paul Ince, we were always going to be hyped up for the opening fixture, and the presssure was always going to be on Everton as the home side, and after their lack of transfer activity.

The question now is, can we do it at home in front of our own fans - especially after so many disappointing performances at Ewood last season? We need the result, (we need to beat all the promoted sides at home) but just as much as that I'm looking forward to a rip-roaring performance that has us all on the edge of our seats for 90 minutes.

We rarely got that under Sparky, the best we usually got was a dire opening 45 minutes after which the players presumably got the "hairdryer" treatment and pulled their finger out in the second half, invariably grinding out the result.

After a good away result under both Hughes and Souness we also tended to underperform if we had an easier looking home fixture up next - so let's just hope we can maintain the standard of play we saw at Goodison.

Tell you what though, after Saturday I absolutely can't wait for this game to come round, and I never felt like that at any point last season.

3-1 Rovers.

P.S. Who'd have thought before Saturday, this would be a top of the table clash?.

[ffan]

Worst team I have seen in years. Boateng their best player. Blackburn will win by a country mile.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

'Blackburn will win by a country mile'

That is known as THE kiss of death round these parts ffan...ta!

[Dano]

Worst team I have seen in years. Boateng their best player. Blackburn will win by a country mile.

Bit harsh imo! They’ve had a pretty good pre season, signed some ok players and beat Fulham on there first game! I think out of the promoted teams, they will do the best!

I reckon 2-1 Rovers

[they_think_its_all_rover]

Worst team I have seen in years. Boateng their best player. Blackburn will win by a country mile.

Did you go to the KC, ffan? ...Fulham were the better team for the first 20 mins... it was pretty even till half-time I thought, then in the second half Fulham were chasing shadows. Boateng & Ashbee worked their socks off and beat Bullard and Murphy to everything, which stopped Fulham's passing game.

Rovers have underestimated teams in the recent past, Watford and Charlton (that bloomin El Kharkouri 90th min freekick!) though I think Ince will try drum it into them not to underestimate Hull City, after coming from a smaller team himself, he'll know of belief against bigger teams from his time at MK Dons.

[Rover9]

To me the Hull game is in many ways the acid test for Paul Ince, we were always going to be hyped up for the opening fixture, and the presssure was always going to be on Everton as the home side, and after their lack of transfer activity.

Tell you what though, after Saturday I absolutely can't wait for this game to come round, and I never felt like that at any point last season.

P.S. Who'd have thought before Saturday, this would be a top of the table clash?.

Spot on Rev, that second sentence is exactly how I and i'm sure many other fans feel right about now I am riding the crest of a wave right now long may that continue

[ffan]

Did you go to the KC, ffan? ...Fulham were the better team for the first 20 mins... it was pretty even till half-time I thought, then in the second half Fulham were chasing shadows. Boateng & Ashbee worked their socks off and beat Bullard and Murphy to everything, which stopped Fulham's passing game.

Rovers have underestimated teams in the recent past, Watford and Charlton (that bloomin El Kharkouri 90th min freekick!) though I think Ince will try drum it into them not to underestimate Hull City, after coming from a smaller team himself, he'll know of belief against bigger teams from his time at MK Dons.

Yeah I did. Hull are an atrocious team. Work hard though. Geovanni comes in and out of the game, mostly stays out though. The only reason we lost is because of Roy fcuking Hodgson but that is another story.

[they_think_its_all_rover]

Yeah I did. Hull are an atrocious team. Work hard though. Geovanni comes in and out of the game, mostly stays out though. The only reason we lost is because of Roy fcuking Hodgson but that is another story.

I don't think Woy should take all the blame... 3 main reasons Hull City beat Fulham;

1. Phil Brown changed his tactics and they worked well, Woy didn't counter-act them.

2. Hull City started with nerves, the confidence built then Fulham became the nervous team.

3. Paul Konchesky

I think Fulham fans are a bit bitter about losing to a team they expected to beat... all the posts from Fulham fans that I've seen have come across this way.

[colin]

Cracking preview Salty.

Thank you.

[ffan]

I don't think Woy should take all the blame... 3 main reasons Hull City beat Fulham;

1. Phil Brown changed his tactics and they worked well, Woy didn't counter-act them. - Roys fault

2. Hull City started with nerves, the confidence built then Fulham became the nervous team. - Roys fault

3. Paul Konchesky - 6 million and you can have him.

I think Fulham fans are a bit bitter about losing to a team they expected to beat... all the posts from Fulham fans that I've seen have come across this way.

[Grabbi Graeme]

Finally-which is the greater comedy sketch? Morecambe and Wise making breakfast, or the “Four Candles” two Ronnies effort?

Morecambe and Wise making breakfast

You have to be joking the Four Candles sketch is the best piece of comedy ever.

As for the score going for a 3-0 win here, with Carlos getting a goal

[Presty On Tour]

Sweet preview man, that's some good work.

This Saturday will show if Ince is a tinker. After the performance against Everton which imo was some of the best football Rovers have produced for some time, the 11 who started the match will feel they deserve to keep their place in the team.

Ince will have to decide on the philosophy whether to not change a winning team or squad rotate. Emerton should be fit and could be slotted in to defence or midfield. Simpson could be preferred at right back, Vogel, Villaneuva and even Treacy and Judge will be pushing for places in midfield and then of cause the depth of Benni, Derbyshire and presumingly Fowler waiting in the wings for their chance up front.

We could even add some more faces by Saturday too.

A few have said we are ridding a crest of a wave, as a surfer myself I know that one little mistake and it's a wipeout!

Although I can't see any mistakes being made this weekend, I hope we carry on the hunger and desire from Goodison. 6 points out of 6 will be the perfect start and I fancy us to get it with Pedersen and Santa Cruz with the goals.

[Hughesy]

Over 3000 tickets sold so far for Hull

[vintageadidas]

"If Roque can get inbetween Turner and Gardner and get his head on the end of a cross, he'll get the winner... if not;

1-1, Santa Cruz for Rovers, Folan for Hull City"

Funniest thing i have heard for a while. He will rip them apart, chew them, spit them out, kick them around on the floor and then jump all over them. Very poor defensive partnering.

I remember Gardner at Port Vale and he was poor there too.

I think Hull will give it a right go though. Should be a good game.

[Blue Rover]

I'm confident we'll come away with a commendable win, so long as we play with the same mentality as we did against Everton.

[philipl]

Great preview salty!

Happy memories of Hull- I think two wins, a draw and a defeat with Rovers at Boothferry.

Back to Saturday, if Rovers play like we did first half against Everton the score could be overwhelming. Bret should be back to give better balance to the side and who knows whether we will see a cameo from pina or new goodies yet to be signed?

If Hull don't sell the 7,500 tickets over there, I am sure the surplus will go on open sale at the Darwen End ticket office.

Rovers to win 4-1 and 27,000 crowd.

[RibbleValleyRover]

Like many posters have said before me, its the sort of game we should be aiming to win. History has shown under recent managers we have struggled against sides we should beat.

If we play like we did against Everton and don't underestimate the opposition i feel we can get the three points. Hull will have a go and there will be moments where they get chances you feel, however i think we have more quality or more match winners in our side and should take the three points.

Its likely we will go through a rough patch at some point, so its vital we get points from these sort of games particularly early on in the season.

We need to make Ewood a fortress this season!

[colbert]

great preview, thanks

3-1

RSC

Roberts

Dunn

[Plastic Head]

Well, Hull last won at Ewood on 15/11/1986 in front of a mighty 4,149. This was towards the end of the Bobby Saxton era, and was greeted by a mixture of laughter and ferocious booing from the Riverside.

To be fair Hull were far better off financially than us then (who wasn't).

Anyway things are a little diferent now and I think we will attack the poorer teams a lot more than we did under Hughes.

Midfield will be key to whether it is an easy afternoon or a struggle. If we get that right and keep the ball I think we will win by 2 goals, maybe 3.

Roque might be too good and Roberts too strong so 3 goals between them and maybe a Mort free kick. 4-1.