HULL CITY v WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Barclays Premier League Saturday 22nd March 2014,
3:00pm KC Stadium
The Baggies travel to the KC Stadium looking to build on last
weekend’s crucial and morale-boosting victory over
Swansea City, however, boss Pepe
Mel will have to cope with a lengthening injury and suspension list with
vice-captain Jonas Olsson the latest addition.
With Hull not in the best form at home, the game gives Albion
not only a realistic chance to pick up three vital points but to also drag the
Tigers right into the relegation mix. The Baggies, along with the rest of the
teams currently in the bottom four or five, will be hoping Hull, much like Wigan
last season, have their focus firmly on the FA Cup at the expense of
league form.
Albion will have to be wary of the threat posed by former striker Shane Long who
joined Hull in January. With the Baggies' defence desperately lacking pace Long
could pose serious problems for Gareth McAuley & co. At the other end of the
pitch will be another familiar face - Curtis Davies. Whilst the defender is
disliked by many Albion fans for the way he left the club, there can be no
denying when on form he is one of the Premier League's better defenders, perhaps
exactly the type of defender the Baggies are now crying out for.
With neither team in the best of form it looks like being a tight and nervy
match, one perhaps neither team can afford to lose.
Prediction: Hull City 1-1 Albion
MATCH
NOTES
The game will be the 50th league & cup meeting
between Albion and Hull City. The Baggies currently have a slight edge in terms of
victories with 18 compared to The Tigers' 17.
The Baggies' last game on this date came in 2003
when a Geoff Horsfield goal saw them beaten 1-0 by Birmingham City in a Premier
League fixture at St Andrews. The club's last win on March 22 came in 2002 when
a Bob Taylor strike gave Gary Megson's promotion chasing team a 1-0 win over
Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
Hull's last game on March 22 came in 2009 when they
suffered a 1-0 Premier League defeat at Wigan Athletic.
The Baggies will be looking to record successive
Premier League away wins for the first time since November 2012.
Albion have had 16
different scorers this season in the Premier League, the joint-most along with
Arsenal.
Hull have picked up seven points
from their 10 league games in 2014, the joint-worst record in the division
alongside Cardiff.
Albion's last six games: Swansea
City (A) 2-1; Manchester United (H) 0-3;
Fulham (H) 1-1; Chelsea (H) 1-1; Crystal Palace (A) 1-3; Liverpool (H) 1-1.
City's last six games: Manchester City (H) 0-2;
Sunderland (H, FAC) 3-0; Newcastle United (H) 1-4; Brighton & Hove Albion (H,
FAC replay) 2-1; Cardiff City (A) 4-0; Brighton & Hove Albion (A, FAC) 1-1.
TEAM
NEWS
Albion
Baggies’ boss Pepe Mel will again have to cope with a number
of missing first choice players for the trip to Humberside.
Jonas Olsson starts his two match ban after receiving his
tenth caution of the season last weekend at Swansea and he is joined on the
sidelines by the injured Chris Brunt, Morgan Amalfitano and Diego Lugano (all
knee), and Claudio Yacob and Billy Jones (both hamstring).
Academy graduates Donervorn Daniels and Liam O’Neil are both
in the travelling squad.
Gareth McAuley will captain the team in the absence of both Brunt and Olsson.
Squad from:
Foster, Myhill, Reid, Ridgewell, McAuley,
Dawson, Morrison, Sinclair,
Dorrans, Mulumbu, Gera, Sessegnon, Anichebe, Vydra, Berahino, Bifouma, O'Neil, D
Daniels
Hull City
Hull boss Steve Bruce will be
without George Boyd with the winger beginning his three-match suspension for
spitting at Manchester City
goalkeeper Joe Hart during last week's defeat to
Manchester
City.
Former Albion defender Paul McShane misses the game due to an ankle injury.
Squad from:
McGregor, Harper, Davies, Faye, Bruce, Figueroa, Rosenior,
Chester, Huddlestone,
Elmohamady, Meyler, Quinn,
Livermore, Jelavic, Long, Fryatt, Koren, Sagbo, Aluko.
QUOTES
Baggies' boss Pepe Mel:
“Hull
City
and West Brom both need to win. It’s a big match and very, very difficult for
us. I think their season has been very, very good - they play well. They have a
clear way to win. Their last result against Man City was not so good but Hull
City played very well - and it’s a difficult match for us.
“Now Jonas Olsson is suspended - in my head is another way to
win the next match. It is important for us now that the players know two
different ways to play and win.
“I played against
Hull in pre-season with Betis.
They have a good stadium, good fans and a good club. Hull won but it’s no
problem. You remember in the last press conference I told you Betis played
Swansea, you think who won? Swansea. And then, no problem last Saturday!”
www.wba.co.uk
City boss Steve Bruce:
“It’s a huge game, there’s no disputing that. We’re down to
single figures in terms of games remaining and if you can win one against a side
in the bottom half of the division, we all know what that can do for you.
“It’s a big game for both clubs and if we can win it, it
would set us up very nicely for the most pivotal couple of weeks. We’ve got
back-to-back away games after this one in quick succession, so if we can get off
to a good start on Saturday that would be terrific.
“We’re under no illusion as to how difficult (this league) is
and there are ten or 11 teams saying the same. Usually, there are three
divisions in the Premier League, the top, middle and bottom. This season, there
are only really two or three teams that are safe (in the middle) and there are
ten or 11 still separated by just five or six points.
“It’s not about playing attractive football anymore, it’s
about results and we need to go and win a couple. I’ve said since day one that
we need ten wins, I’m not going to change from that.”
www.hullcitytigers.com
MATCH
ODDS
Result
Albion Win: 12/5, Hull City Win: 23/20, Draw:
23/10.
First Goalscorer Albion:
Anichebe 15/2, Sessegnon 8/1, Thievy 9/1, Berahino 9/1, Vydra 10/1, Morrison
14/1, Dorrans 14/1, Sinclair 16/1, Gera 20/1, Mulumbu 20/1, Dawson 25/1, McAuley
25/1, Reid 33/1.
Hull City: Long 11/2, Jelavic 11/2, Sagbo 15/2,
Aluko 15/2, Fryatt 15/2, Koren 11/1, Meyler 16/1, Huddlestone 20/1, Livermore
20/1, El-Mohamady 20/1, Quinn 25/1, Davies 25/1, Faye 33/1, Figueroa 33/1.
www.williamhill.com
REFEREE
Chris Foy (Merseyside)
Foy has officiated two Albion games so far this
season - the 3-2 defeat at home to Manchester City in December and the 3-1
defeat away at Crystal Palace last month.
He refereed three Albion games last season - the
1-0 victory at home to Reading in September, the 2-1 defeat at Newcastle in
October and the 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road in December.
The Merseyside official has taken charge of just one Hull game during 2013/14 -
the 1-1 draw at Swansea City in December.
Foy has issued 75 yellow cards and six reds in the 27 games he has officiated so far this season.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for away supporters are no longer available
to purchase.
WEATHER FORECAST
Light cloud, 8°C.
FIXTURE HISTORY
Albion's first league
meetings with Hull City took place in the Second Division during the
1905/06 season. The first game between the sides, at The Hawthorns, ended
in a one all draw - Ted Pheasant the Albion goalscorer with a penalty.
City won the return fixture with ease, running out 4-0 winners at Anlaby
Road.
The Baggies' biggest win against Hull came in April
1930 when they recorded a 7-1 victory at The Hawthorns with Jimmy Cookson
netting four of the Albion goals.
City's best win of 5-1 came at Anlaby Road in April
1910, Jack Smith hitting a hat-trick for the hosts
Albion's last league victory
over the 'Tigers' came at the KC Stadium on 12 January 2008 when goals from
Kevin Phillips, James Morrison and Roman Bednar guided 10 man Albion to a 3-1
victory.
The Baggies are unbeaten on their last four visits to Hull.
The two teams have met three times in Premier League action with Hull winning
once and
the other two games ending in draws.
MATCH
HIGHLIGHTS
(Click on game to view)
Saturday 31 January 2009 - Hull City 2-2 Albion - Premier League - KC Stadium
Saturday 23 February 2008 - Albion 1-2 Hull City - League Championship - The Hawthorns
Saturday 12 January 2008 - Hull City 1-3 Albion - League Championship - KC Stadium
Saturday 8 May 1993 - Albion 3-1 Hull City - League Division Two - The Hawthorns
Wednesday 10 April 1991 - Albion 1-1 Hull City - Second Division - The Hawthorns
Saturday 10 December 1988 - Albion 2-0 Hull City - Second Division - The Hawthorns
LAST LEAGUE MEETING AT THE KC STADIUM
Hull
City 2-2 Albion Barclays Premier League Saturday 31st January 2009,
3:00pm
Hull
City: Duke,
Ricketts, Turner, Zayatte, Dawson, Mendy, Garcia (Folan 81), Ashbee, Marney,
Kilbane, Fagan. Subs not used: Myhill, Doyle, Geovanni, Hughes, France,
Manucho.
Goalscorers:
Mendy 44, Fagan 69.
Booked:
Dawson, Mendy.
Albion:
Carson, Zuiverloon, Donk, Meite, Robinson, Morrison (Kim 76),
Koren, Borja Valero (Pele 88), Brunt, Fortune (Bednar 75), Simpson. Subs not
used: Kiely, Hoefkens, Cech, Filipe Teixeira.
Goalscorers:
Simpson 53, Brunt 73 (pen).
Booked:
Robinson, Meite, Morrison, Zuiverloon.
Attendance: 24,879
Referee: Peter
Walton (Northamptonshire).
Hull City and West Brom had to
settle for a point each after a scrappy but lively affair at the KC Stadium.
Hull took a deserved lead with Bernard Mendy out-sprinting the defence after a
long punt from Ian Ashbee before rounding Scott Carson and poking in. Jay
Simpson grabbed the equaliser after good work from James Morrison, but Hull
struck back with a Craig Fagan header. Kamil Zayatte hacked down Robert Koren in
the box and Chris Brunt blasted in under Matt Duke to secure the draw.
Both managers revealed during the week that this was a match
they could not afford to lose with
West Brom at the foot of the Premier League and
Hull with just one win in 14
league games before Saturday. Avoiding a seventh successive league defeat was
clearly uppermost in Hull boss Phil Brown's mind, packing the midfield and
starting Fagan up front, with Geovanni and Manucho dropped to the bench.
Despite the Premier League's two most leaky defences on show,
a goal seemed to be the last thing likely to happen in the opening exchanges,
with few clear-cut chances to cheer about. The opening 20 minutes seemed to
involve a competition to see who could shoot the furthest away from the target.
Hull's Fagan and
West Brom's Morrison the two most guilty of poor efforts.
Simpson made a hash of West Brom's first chance after he blazed a volley over
the bar, but Hull were looking lively and hungry and had an opportunity to take
the lead on the half hour. Kevin Kilbane, making his 450th career league
appearance on the eve of his 32nd birthday, crossed from the left, but the
unmarked Richard Garcia's header went flying over the target. With many of the
home supporters leaving their seats for a half-time hot beverage, they would
have been stunned to see their side grab a fully deserved goal. As soon as the
ball fell to Ashbee in the middle of the park, Mendy, starting his run on the
right wing, seemed to instinctively know where the looping through-ball was
heading. The Baggies defence looked shocked as the lightning-quick Mendy was
soon rounding Carson and
poking the ball into the net to send the majority of the stadium into a state of
delirium.
Hull looked determined to add to
their one goal after the break with Mendy and Fagan linking up well with Dean
Marney denied by the arms of
Carson.
A Garcia shot and a Michael Turner header continued to keep
Carson
busy, but then West Brom struck. Perhaps doing very little for 52 minutes had
caused the Hull defence to fall asleep, but after struggling to get the ball
away they stood back and watched Morrison twisting dangerously into the area.
The ball fell to Simpson who crashed the ball into the net past Duke for a
hugely undeserved equaliser. The Tigers wobbled for a few minutes, but they did
not have to wait long before grabbing the lead again. Mendy powered down the
right and crossed in for Fagan to place his header past the diving
Carson. The second half was a complete transformation with both
teams being less cautious and
West Brom were level within three minutes of falling behind. After
Duke saved from Marc-Antoine Fortune, Zayatte hacked down Koren to give away a
clear penalty and Brunt despatched comfortably. The visitors looked the most
likely to grab the winner as
Hull reverted to their early
cautious approach, but both teams had to settle for the single point. Although
Hull avoided another loss, Brown will be thinking this is two points dropped.
BBC SPORT
CURRENT CONNECTIONS
Albion goalkeeper Boaz Myhill spent almost
seven years at Hull before joining Albion in July 2010 in a £1.5million deal.
Curtis Davies joined Albion from Luton Town
in August 2005 and spent two successful seasons at The Hawthorns before leaving
to join Aston Villa. Spells at Leicester City (loan) and Birmingham City
followed before he joined Hull in June 2013.
Slovenian international midfielder Robert Koren
spent three and a half years at The Hawthorns before joining the Tigers on a
free transfer in
August 2010.
Paul McShane joined Albion from Manchester
United in August 2006 as part of the deal that took Tomasz Kuszczak to Old
Trafford. He spent just one season at The Hawthorns before leaving to join
Sunderland. He moved on to Hull in August 2008.
Shane Long
moved to The Hawthorns from Reading in August
2011 for an initial fee of £4.5million. The Irish international went on to hit
22 goals in 87 appearances for the Baggies before leaving for Hull in January
2014 for a rumoured fee of £7million.
PAST
CONNECTIONS
Amongst the
players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Paul
Anderson, Peter
Barnes, Tony Brien, Neil Clement, Delroy Facey, Alan Fettis, Chris Hargreaves, Derek Hood, John Kaye,
Kevin Kilbane, Gordon Nisbet, Jay Simpson, Richard Sneekes, Gerry Summers and Jason van Blerk.
Brian Little
managed both clubs; Stuart Pearson played for the Tigers and was a coach at
The Hawthorns; Former Albion assistant manager Mick Brown was a Hull
player; Gordon Dimbleby was Commercial Manager at The Hawthorns and
General Manager at Hull.
ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS HULL CITY
VENUE |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Home |
24 |
11 |
8 |
5 |
38 |
23 |
Away |
25 |
7 |
6 |
12 |
27 |
40 |
Total |
49 |
18 |
14 |
17 |
65 |
63 |
LAST
TEN MATCHES AGAINST HULL CITY
DATE |
COMPETITION |
H/A |
F-A |
GOALSCORERS |
GATE |
Sat 21 Dec 2013 |
Premier League |
H |
1-1 |
Vydra - Livermore |
24,753 |
Sat 31 Jan 2009 |
Premier League |
A |
2-2 |
Simpson, Brunt (pen) - Mendy, Fagan |
24,879 |
Sat 25 Oct 2008 |
Premier League |
H |
0-3 |
Zayatte, Geovanni, King |
26,323 |
Sat 23 Feb 2008 |
Championship |
H |
1-2 |
Bednar - Campbell, Folan |
22,716 |
Sat 12 Jan 2008 |
Championship |
A |
3-1 |
Phillips, Morrison, Bednar - Garcia |
18,391 |
Sat 03 Feb 2007 |
Championship |
A |
1-0 |
Kamara |
18,005 |
Sat 05 Aug 2006 |
Championship |
H |
2-0 |
Hartson 2 |
20,682 |
Sat 08 May 1993 |
League Division 2 |
H |
3-1 |
Taylor, Hunt 2 - France |
20,122 |
Sat 31 Oct 1992 |
League Division 2 |
A |
2-1 |
Garner, Bradley - Jenkinson |
5,443 |
Mon 20 Apr 1992 |
Third Division |
A |
0-1 |
Jenkinson |
4,815 |
|