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Team strengths: Strength in depth, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2014/09/15/tom-huddlestone-englands-untapped-midfield-resource/">Hull City</a> have a very impressive squad as a whole, something that would’ve been a necessity if their European adventure was as successful as they would’ve had hoped. Bringing in players with the skill and experience of Hatem Ben Arfa, Gaston Ramirez and Michael Dawson to name just a few, is something that Hull fans would never have expected.
Team weaknesses: In contrast to their strength, Hull may just have brought in a few too many players, it’s not the worst problem to have but after being knocked out of the Europa League and also the League Cup, Hull just don’t have enough games to keep their massive squad happy. Steve Bruce built a squad of players capable of competing on four fronts but with only two remaining, some fringe players will begin to knock on the manager’s door asking to either get played or a loan spell.
Star player so far this season: Nikica Jelavic has picked up where he left off last season, only this time he is doing it without strike partner Shane Long who is now at high-flying Southampton. He has scored three goals in six league games along with has linking up well with club record signing Abel Hernandez. Despite becoming an impact sub rather than the talisman he was at the beginning of last season, Robbie Brady has done really well whenever he’s got his chance this season. The Irish international has scored three goals in seven games in all competitions, so if Brady keeps up this form he could once again become the first name on the team sheet.
How did your team do in the transfer window? Very, very well. Hull brought in eleven new players during the transfer window. Nine of these players have played in Britain before so they should know the league well; also, these players are have huge ability. Many have played in World Cups, Champions leagues etc. and they’ll all be great assets to Steve Bruce’s side.
Best starting XI:&nbsp;
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Injury concerns: New signing Robert Snodgrass dislocated his knee just a month into his Hull City career and is now expected to miss the full 2014/15 season. Despite that major blow, Hull have no other real injury concerns and even if they did they have a squad fully equipped with back-up
How’s the manager doing thus far this season: Steve Bruce has done a mediocre job so far this term, knocked out of the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2014/09/19/partizan-apologize-for-anti-semitic-banner-uefa-open-disciplinary-proceedings/">Europa League</a> by a very average Belgian side, and then picking up six points from six games is far from spectacular but Bruce should have what it takes to revive their season.
Biggest worry for the remainder of the season: the possibility of ‘doing a Tottenham’. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it’s buying more players than you actually need and in the end upsetting the balance of the squad. So far it hasn’t looked like happening and fans of the Tigers will be praying it doesn’t.
Overall team rating (out of 5 stars): 3.5, should stay up with ease, a slight improvement on last year is to be expected.

Hull City August-September Progress Report

Hull City August-September Progress Report - World Soccer Talk

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During his playing career, Steve Bruce was a centre back who played for five English clubs: Gillingham, Norwich City, Manchester United, Birmingham City and Sheffield United. While at Norwich City he became known for his energetic, “rampaging” play. Bruce wasn’t a player who was blessed with natural ability, but he made up for it with his bravery, and by staying calm under pressure. While at Norwich City, Bruce began to attract interest from larger clubs before eventually signing for Manchester United.
While playing for United, his readiness to take knocks from opposing players and play through injuries made him the “heart” of their defense. After missing several weeks due to a hernia operation, he returned to the 1991-92 team on short notice and led United to their first-ever League Cup.
Red Devils supporters will always remember Bruce for the two late goals he scored against Sheffield Wednesday in 1992-1993 which helped United win the league for the first time in twenty-six years. He was also captain of the Manchester United side which won the “double-double” (league title and FA Cup) during the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons.
Bruce was respected throughout his career for being able to galvanize a team. He was the ultimate team player who understood his role and limitations. He was able to lead because it was in his character to put the team before himself.
After his playing career, Bruce embarked on his life as a football manager. He has managed seven clubs prior to his time at Hull City. His managerial advocates regard him as resilient, with an ability to seize a club’s potential and lead them to, or keep them in, the Premier League. His résumé features two prior top flight promotions with Birmingham City (2001-02 and 2006-07).
The last time Hull City was in the Premier League they avoided relegation during their first season. Phil Brown, the manager at the time, was able to keep the club in the top flight for two years before they fell back into the Championship. The Tigers spent the past three years in the lower division before earning promotion on the final day of the 2012-13 regular season (under the leadership of Steve Bruce).
For those who witnessed the opening minutes of Hull City’s 2013-14 season at Stamford Bridge, the early images weren’t good. It would be safe to say that more than a few Tiger supporters were already worried for the club’s immediate future in the Premier League.
Hull City manager Steve Bruce was certainly not hiding his club, he wasn’t “parking the bus”, as he sent Sone Aluko and Yannick Sagbo racing forward in support of Danny Graham. But Chelsea dominated early possession and blitzed the newly-promoted team with two goals in the opening 25 minutes. During that time, Hull City could barely get a touch of the ball as the Blues literally had the Tigers chasing shadows. The team looked disoriented and overwhelmed by the speed, power, and precision of its top flight competitors.
Instead of folding up shop and following the script of most freshly promoted clubs, something suddenly clicked for the club. Almost as soon as the second goal had gone past Hull City keeper Allan McGregor, it seemed as if the Hull City players realized they belonged in the Premier League. They suddenly regained their grit and determination. For the remaining sixty-five minutes of the match, the Tigers took the fight to Chelsea. They outmuscled the Blues and created the better scoring chances before eventually ending up on the wrong side of a 2-0 defeat.
During Bruce’s post-match interview, he paid a great deal of respect to the Chelsea players while reassuring Hull City supporters of the task before the club: “We had a rampant Chelsea who simply in the first-half we weren’t good enough against. There’s no shame in that, we understand that, that’s why they play for Chelsea and they’re top, top players.” He went on to say, “Our season will be defined against the teams who are going to be at our end of the table and that are where we’re going to have to pick up the points.”
As of this moment, things are going accordingly to Bruce’s plan.
Two of Hull City’s opening three matches were against Chelsea and Manchester City on the road. As expected, they dropped all six points from those matches. But wins over Norwich City, Newcastle United, and West Ham (as well as two draws) have seen the Tigers collect eleven points from their other five league matches.
Players such as: Robbie Brady, Stephen Quinn, Liam Rosenior and George Boyd are literally fighting to prove that they are Premier League players. They sacrifice and play with the same combativeness their manager showed during his playing days.
Robbie Brady, a product of Manchester United’s youth academy, mirrored his manager while playing despite suffering from the effects of a hernia. Disregarding the pain, he scored the only goal of Hull City’s 1-0 win over West Ham before deciding on surgery, a procedure which will see him miss three to four weeks of the season.
Opposing managers have described Hull City’s early displays as: “determined”, “gritty”, “resilient” and “poised”. These were all terms used to describe Steve Bruce over the course of his playing career. This particular group of players are playing in the image of their manager. That is all any manager could hope for.
And for the supporters and ownership of Hull City, nothing could be better than their having their players follow in the footsteps of Steve Bruce.

Steve Bruce Has Hull City Playing in His Image

Steve Bruce Has Hull City Playing in His Image - World Soccer Talk

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Hull City August-September Progress Report

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Steve Bruce Has Hull City Playing in His Image