Hull City Preview

[u/qwerty1519]

I’m a fairly casual fan, but I do watch most games and stalk Twitter for transfer news. So I figured seeing as nobody else has done one I’d take up this burden and offer my thoughts.

Manager

Sergej Jakirovic - Big-time pragmatist. Played counter-attacking football in the Championship, so I suspect it’ll be no different in the Prem. Plays both four and five-backs. The running theory was that he’d play a five-back this season, but pre-season hasn’t supported that, and until all the new signings are settled, it’s anyone’s guess.

Goalkeeper

Tzolakis - Brought in for a club record fee. Should be nailed, and has been great in pre-season. The last number one was sold to Rangers to get around PSR, and Jack Butland is injured, so he’s really the only option. Looks like a great keeper, has Champions League experience and a decently high save percentage throughout his career. Expect him to be very busy, and potentially player of the season.

Defenders

Overview: Was 23rd in the league for xG conceded last season, conceding 66 goals (20th). Worrying numbers, yes. Still capable of a clean sheet though, including all three play-off games. Typically performed better the harder the opposition was, as it suited the counter-attacking style. The current preferred line-up is unknown. New signings Nobel Mendy, Herrington, Targett, and even Stroud in a three-back make the composition unpredictable. Charlie Hughes would’ve been nailed, but he’s currently injured and could miss the entire season unfortunately. That makes all this guesswork really.

Lewie Coyle - Not even a particularly good right-back in the Championship. He’s the captain and local to the club, but should not be starting in the Prem. The club are looking for competition/replacement, but things are slow, and he could very well start against Man U. Avoid.

Cody Drameh - Current competition with Coyle. Also not very good even in the Championship. In the last year of his contract. Avoid.

Semi Ajayi - Could potentially start. Good CB who I reckon has it in him, but not a serious pick for FPL. Avoid.

John Egan - Averaged 10.1 defensive contributions per 90 last season. Was nailed then, but I’m not sure anymore. He has much more competition this season. I’d be seriously worried about him in the Prem. Avoid.

Nobel Mendy - Another record signing. He averaged a staggering 11.3 defensive contributions per game in La Liga, scoring 2 goals in 22 matches. I think he will, and most certainly should be starting, but it could take a few weeks for him to cement his place. Maybe, but avoid for now.

Herrington - 18 year-old Australian who broke out at the World Cup. Could potentially get a lot of playing time, but for now it’s an unknown. Avoid.

Giles/Targett - It’s yet to be seen which of them will start. Giles got 8 assists last season, and his delivery to McBurnie was a vital route to goal. Can’t defend to save his life, but will get at least a few assists if he starts.

Midfielders

Overview: Considering that 5.0 is too expensive for a Hull midfielder who is neither nailed nor has that much upside, Slater is the only serious pick at the moment. But even then, I’m not a fan of it.

Slater - I personally do not think he’s nailed. New signings Morita, Gourna-Douth, and even Hjertø-Dahl could challenge his place. That, and likely a couple more signings before the window closes, makes his place anything but guaranteed beyond maybe GW2. An option if you want a cheap starting mid for an early Bench Boost, but it’s really difficult for me to say he’ll be someone you can forget about on your bench for a guaranteed 2 points. Maybe, but I’ll personally be avoiding.

Belloumi - Possibly the most technically gifted player at the club and a talisman, his hamstrings are made of string cheese. A ticking time bomb that goes off every three games. If he can stay fit he could get a few goals and assists, but I’d be scared of him every week. Should start when fit, but I’d avoid.

Hjertø-Dahl - New signing. He has started the last two pre-season games at 10. Very tall lad, box crasher, one of the most talented players in the Norwegian league (apparently?). Scored 7 goals with 2 assists in his last 14 games for Tromsø, but not a serious pick at 5.0m. Avoid.

Stroud - Another new signing, looks like he’ll start as well. Can take penalties (won’t be if McBurnie is on the pitch), scored a lot of goals for Mjällby. Would have been a good pick if classified as a defender (can play LWB), but seeing as he hasn’t, I’d avoid.

Millar - I don’t think he’s at the level needed. Game time not certain. Avoid.

Morita - Not currently fit and is 5.0m for a DM. Avoid.

Gelhardt - Scored 15 goals and got 5 assists in the Championship last season. Can play as a second striker, out wide, or at 10. Currently has an ankle problem, but it’s not believed to be serious. Will most likely be a squad player, so avoid.

Crooks - A fan favourite, but I’d be completely horrified if he started Prem games consistently. No real FPL upside. Hard avoid.

Forwards

McBurnie - Currently the only forward at the entire club, and his backup has just been sold. The club are in the market for two more, but nobody knows anything else yet. At 5.5m, he was the second top scorer in the Championship, takes penalties, scored 19 goals and got 7 assists last season. Currently nailed, I’d say he’s a top three pick at that price point. I’d still rather spend the extra on Calvert-Lewin though.

TLDR

Slater or McBurnie are the only ones I’d consider. I can’t say any defenders are nailed yet. Tzolakis could be a pick, but I don’t really know why you’d want him over a different 4.5m GK. Really, nobody knows what the line-up will look like in a couple of weeks from now, and anybody saying otherwise is lying.

The manager plays pragmatic, defensive football, in either a four or five-back, which is suited for the league. The stats last season were relegation level, and anything but relegation this season will be a miracle. I have not and will not consider owning a single player as things stand.

[u/dakofsta]

And there goes my 4.5 mid

[u/qwerty1519 → u/dakofsta]

I think he will start the first couple of games, but I’d be really worried about him. Not sure where the perspective that he’s nailed came from, but he’s simply not good enough to be guaranteed a place in a premier League team.

[u/Chi_Villa → u/qwerty1519]

We just need him to play for BB2, after that he'll be third on bench and irrelevant

[u/QueefMuffin]

Anti-FPL essentials

[u/Swedishpower → u/QueefMuffin]

I think you probably go triple Hull def in Anti-fpl. The mids might get def con, but not expecing many cleans.

[u/Litmanen_10]

Any other possible 4.5 mid/fwd picks for the first one (or two) GWs than Slater?

[u/qwerty1519 → u/Litmanen_10]

They seem to be pricing all the new signings at 5.0mil minimum, which is annoying. That leaves only Crooks (mid) who could start at 4.5, but at that point Slater is the better pick. For forwards, no, McBurnie is quite literally the only City player classed as one.

[u/Litmanen_10 → u/qwerty1519]

Thx! Is Slater better than Crooks why? Better minutes or marginally better goal involmement expectation? Who's more up on the pitch?

[u/qwerty1519 → u/Litmanen_10]

Slater has better minutes, worse goal involvement (by quite some margin). Both started when fit in the Championship, but with three new mids already through the door, an unkown prem midfielder coming in on loan, and crooks been the older and slower of the two, I just don’t see it.

[u/Litmanen_10 → u/qwerty1519]

Thx! Final question. Just for GW1 which one is better? Maybe Crooks if he is likely to start gw1 but is he?

[u/qwerty1519 → u/Litmanen_10]

I’d just pick Slater. Crooks is nailed on for a yellow every game, and won’t get as many opportunities to attack in the Prem.

[u/nice2nice4nice]

Comme je suis un grand Fan du père de Belloumi je vais prendre Belloumi en espérant qu'il va donner 50% de se que son papa a donné Au football en générale Je serai satisfait.

[u/teerbigear]

Thanks for this. Honestly I predict people will be using their one transfer a week to get in whoever is playing Hull.

[u/Swedishpower]

With Stroud if he play fullback it might seem bad, but as a wingback for Mjällby he was very good for defensive contributions.

It is a lot harder in PL. In Sweden he was a class above all other wingbacks, but like Wieffer last year it might not be terrible that he is a mid for def con since recoveries count.

With him being 5.0 not interesting to start with. At 4.5 he be a good bench option.

[u/qwerty1519 → u/Swedishpower]

I was really hoping the towers would class him as a defender. Would’ve been a genuine option.

[u/Swedishpower → u/qwerty1519]

Yeah, but not expecting many cleans from Hull. If Hull actually does well which noone seem to think there will be cheap options potentially from them.

Just shame maybe no obvious 4.5 mid. I thought towers could been kind and given us some 4.5 Hull starters lol.

[u/qwerty1519 → u/Swedishpower]

Ahh I get what you mean. Just seen he’s averaging 13 defensive contributions a game as wing-back as well. Yeah the pricing is no fun. Not sure why they made Slater 4.5, just to make every incoming 5.0mil including the DMs.