It’s hard to sum up this squad of Hull City players in such very few words, but whatever praise comes their way from myself, other supporters and the *occasional* outsider cannot be seen as unjustifiable.
It’s also hard not to reflect on the culture currently sweeping through the MKM Stadium right now, at least on a personal level – bizarrely – without thinking back to some previous moments of disconnect.
To this day, I can remember the feeling of sheer numbness – which lasted four hours – after Kazenga LuaLua’s goal for Luton Town which effectively relegated City nearly six years ago, and thinking there was ‘no way back’.
However, Sergej Jakirovic’s side are now just 18 games, potentially 21, from eventually proving myself wrong. On top of that is the plethora of current doubters that still exist as a result of City’s effectiveness in front of goal…. would you believe it, of all things.
The past two weeks have been remarkable. Southampton, Preston and Swansea all brushed aside, with all three games fully showcasing that the Tigers are, indeed ‘mentality monsters’.
10-plus injuries to first team players… No problem. ‘A bottom four side with luck’…. Ok, sure.
Of course, there was an element of luck when Zan Vipotnik, rather inexplicably, didn’t take both of his two chances in the first-half. But, aside from the first 10 minutes of the second period in which Swansea dragged themselves somewhat into the contest, it was a bizarre experience to not feel a sense of ‘Typical City’ even at a one-goal margin.
At this point, the feeling which the squad are generating amongst supporters can only be compared, in my period of City-related conscience, to the promotion-winning squads of 2008, 2012 and 2016. Workhorses, everywhere.
Every player, to a man, deserves immense credit on that regard, but it is hard not to look past the quartet of Lewie Coyle, Charlie Hughes, Regan Slater and Oli McBurnie.
Coyle and Slater coming back from heavy criticism last season to exemplifying everything that should be in a Hull City defender and box-to-box midfielder, whilst I am, quite frankly, running out of superlatives to describe Hughes and McBurnie for their exploits in either, or both box(es).
Now is the prime chance to back up those performances and record four successive Championship victories for the first time since November 2021, against a side who are in a desperate situation.
Many could well choose to continue ignoring how efficient and strong a side Jakirovic and Dean Holden have moulded – proven by last weekend’s breaking of two significant tallies from the entirety of last season with a quarter of the current campaign still to play out.
So, when will the mainstream start to finally take note of Sergej’s ‘Mentality Monsters’.
hcafcHub 