The Preview: Norwich City v Hull City

Hull are a team I expect to have a very good season following Liam Rosenior’s first full summer working to tweak and adapt a squad that made quiet progress last season.

Stylistically, they’re not too dissimilar to Norwich, with an emphasis on getting men behind the ball and being difficult to beat with 4-4-2 having been their preferred formation at the end of last season.

In pre-season, they have tinkered with a 4-2-3-1 but my guess would be Rosenior will look to play safe and try and get away from Carrow Road with what he can and not try to risk opening up too much.

^{Liam Rosenior}

In goal, they finished last season with Karl Darlow on loan, and while Matt Ingram is a competent back-up you get the sense that Rosenior would like a better starter than he currently has in him.

Left-back Ruben Vinagre, newly arrived on loan from Sporting Lisbon, is a big upgrade on last season’s incumbent Callum Elder who was allowed to leave on a free to Derby. At right-back, Lewie Coyle has the captain’s armband and is ahead of Championship veteran Cyrus Christie in the pecking order.

At centre-back, they have three main options. Jacob Greaves is a quality ball-playing defender who has rightly attracted interest from Premier League clubs. His likely partner is the impressive Alfie Jones, a graduate of the Southampton Academy who has also ticked onto some radars higher up as one to watch for the future. Sean McLoughlin is a stout if limited backup.

In midfield, Rosenior’s regular starters last season were seasoned Ivory Coast international Jean Michael Seri and Sheffield United Academy product Regan Slater, both of whom provide strength and energy in the engine room for Hull and who understand what Rosenior needs from them positionally.

While former lynchpin Ryan Woods appears to be on his way out of Hull, they have brought in quality in Xavier Simons from Chelsea who may well challenge Seri and Slater, although his integration into Rosenior’s system might not have arrived early enough for him to start at Carrow Road. Greg Docherty is an energetic back-up option in midfield also.

In the wide areas, Belgian/Congolese right-winger Jason Lokilo has been added from Sparta Rotterdam and is a likely replacement for Iranian Allahyar Sayyadmanesh who is rumoured to be on his way to Hatsyspor in Turkey. On the left-hand side, 19-year-old Harry Vaughan has established himself as an exciting attacking option and could well start to see himself attracting attention from bigger clubs.

Up front is currently a problem area for Hull, which was reflected in their relatively low goal tally last season. Last season’s top scorer Oscar Estupinian is injured, and Benjamin Tetteh appears to be another one half out the door, which leaves Man City loanee Liam Delap as the only out-and-out striker.

However, Hull’s key player, Ozan Tufan is someone who can operate in a number of roles, and while nominally a central midfielder or number 10, he has developed his game to play off the main striker. Likewise, Malian International Adama Traore is another that can perform a similar role, or move out to the wing.

^{Ozan Tufan}

There are rumours that former Brighton striker Aaron Connelly may be on his way on loan (nearly right, Andy; he’s signed for them permanently – Ed), so don’t be surprised if by the time you read this, he has joined and he shows up on the bench on Saturday.

The sense that I get from Hull is that they aren’t the finished article at this stage. Rosenior wants to get more bodies in, but to do so he needs some players to leave and they’re finding it difficult to shift them.

As such, Hull feel a little undercooked going into the first game. What they do have is a tried and tested base formation that makes them very difficult to break down, and in Greaves and Jones, two very solid young center-backs who are impressing a lot of people.

Creating chances will be a problem but they press well and Norwich have to make sure they don’t turn the ball over in dangerous areas.

My gut feeling is this will be a defensive affair, with both teams preferring to get behind the ball than be the protagonists. Chances will be few and far between and the game will be won by whomever takes them more efficiently.

My money is on Josh Sargent or Ashley Barnes nicking one to get us off to an uncharacteristic winning start to the season.

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Andy’s going 1-0 to the Canaries. Give us your prediction in the comments below…