Peter Swan: Tom Huddlestone key to Tigers' fortune at match against Sunderland
Former footballer Peter Swan, gives his thoughts on Hull City ahead of Saturday's match with Sunderland.
A couple of months ago, Saturday’s game at Sunderland would have been one that Hull City were confident of winning.
But that was before Sunderland appointed Gus Poyet as their replacement for Paolo Di Canio as manager, and fair play to the North East club for turning their season around.
When City beat them 1-0 at the start of November it opened up a 10-point lead between the Tigers and the side second from bottom.
Since then, Sunderland have wiped out that 10-point deficit, leaving only goal difference between the sides.
Poyet has worked wonders at the Stadium of Light and with three wins and a draw from their last four Premier League games, they go into Saturday’s fixture full of confidence.
He has his players playing good football the Poyet way.
He likes his teams to play the ball out from the back and Sunderland have reaped the rewards.
Adam Johnson looks like the player Manchester City spent so much money on a couple of seasons ago.
His form has been brilliant lately with seven goals in his last seven games.
He is Sunderland’s danger-man this weekend and City are going to have to find a way to slow him down.
There is even talk of him playing his way into Roy Hodgson’s World Cup squad in Brazil in the summer.
It wasn’t so long ago people were talking about Tom Huddlestone in the same way after his impressive display against Fulham before Christmas.
But that was before Sunderland appointed Gus Poyet as their replacement for Paolo Di Canio as manager, and fair play to the North East club for turning their season around.
When City beat them 1-0 at the start of November it opened up a 10-point lead between the Tigers and the side second from bottom.
Since then, Sunderland have wiped out that 10-point deficit, leaving only goal difference between the sides.
Poyet has worked wonders at the Stadium of Light and with three wins and a draw from their last four Premier League games, they go into Saturday’s fixture full of confidence.
He has his players playing good football the Poyet way.
He likes his teams to play the ball out from the back and Sunderland have reaped the rewards.
Adam Johnson looks like the player Manchester City spent so much money on a couple of seasons ago.
His form has been brilliant lately with seven goals in his last seven games.
He is Sunderland’s danger-man this weekend and City are going to have to find a way to slow him down.
There is even talk of him playing his way into Roy Hodgson’s World Cup squad in Brazil in the summer.
It wasn’t so long ago people were talking about Tom Huddlestone in the same way after his impressive display against Fulham before Christmas.
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| Tom Huddlestone |
But since then, the midfielder has gone missing in recent weeks, and that is the last thing the Tigers need.
A lot of City’s play goes through Huddlestone and he needs to make more of an impact.
He needs to get his head right and I’m sure Steve Bruce will help him find the form he was showing before his goal and haircut after the Fulham game. It’s not a lack of belief, it’s just things haven’t clicked for him lately.
It’s amazing what a new manager can do for players.
Johnson isn’t the only one Poyet is getting the best from.
Defenders John O’Shea and Wes Brown look like the defenders they were at times when they were at Manchester United.
Poyet has given the squad a new lease of life and given them a certain freedom to play the way they want to.
Sunderland go into the City game buoyed by their 3-0 win over their bitter rivals Newcastle at St James’ Park.
If the fans weren’t fully behind Poyet then, they certainly are now.
Poyet has done well wherever he has been. Leeds and Brighton played good football when he was there.
For that reason, this game will be as tough for City as it was for them going to Man City or Chelsea.
Bruce won’t be worrying though, even if he can expect a less than warm reception when he gets there.
He’ll want a win over the club that sacked him in November 2011.
Bruce would take a point from this game and every game until the end of the season as it would more or less mean they stay up.
It’s so tight in the bottom half of the Premier League that defeats are not an option anymore.
- hulldailymail.co.uk
A lot of City’s play goes through Huddlestone and he needs to make more of an impact.
He needs to get his head right and I’m sure Steve Bruce will help him find the form he was showing before his goal and haircut after the Fulham game. It’s not a lack of belief, it’s just things haven’t clicked for him lately.
It’s amazing what a new manager can do for players.
Johnson isn’t the only one Poyet is getting the best from.
Defenders John O’Shea and Wes Brown look like the defenders they were at times when they were at Manchester United.
Poyet has given the squad a new lease of life and given them a certain freedom to play the way they want to.
Sunderland go into the City game buoyed by their 3-0 win over their bitter rivals Newcastle at St James’ Park.
If the fans weren’t fully behind Poyet then, they certainly are now.
Poyet has done well wherever he has been. Leeds and Brighton played good football when he was there.
For that reason, this game will be as tough for City as it was for them going to Man City or Chelsea.
Bruce won’t be worrying though, even if he can expect a less than warm reception when he gets there.
He’ll want a win over the club that sacked him in November 2011.
Bruce would take a point from this game and every game until the end of the season as it would more or less mean they stay up.
It’s so tight in the bottom half of the Premier League that defeats are not an option anymore.
- hulldailymail.co.uk
