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Premier League preview No3: Hull City

By on August 14, 2013

Hull city is our next victim to be assessed, as the season creeps closer and closer.

Hull City

Steve Bruce showed he was still a top class manager by leading Hull back into the Premier League, but can he lead them away from relegation?

Steve Bruce proved he was still a top class manager by leading Hull back into the Premier League, but can he lead them away from relegation?

In: Curtis Davies (Birmingham, £2.25m), Ahmed Elmohamady (Sunderland, £2m), Allan McGregor (Besiktas, £1.8m), George Boyd (Peterborough, Free), Maynor Figueroa (Wigan, Free), Steve Harper (Newcastle United, Free), Yannick Sagbo (Evian, Undisclosed), Danny Graham (Sunderland, Loan)
Out: Corry Evans (Blackburn Rovers), Sonny Bradley (Portsmouth), Mark Cullen (Luton), Andy Dawson (Scunthorpe), Danny East (Portsmouth), Mark Oxley (Oldham, Loan), Jack Hobbs (Nottingham Forest, Loan), Jamie Devitt (Chesterfield), Tom Cairney (Blackburn, Loan).

Steve Bruce and Hull City are back in the Premier League, and again will be looking to avoid relegation after what was a mesmerizing end to their Championship campaign. Bruce, who regained his love for football last season following years of managing mid-table clubs who never had many chances to challenge for titles, will be looking to replicate the explosive start Hull produced during their first season in the top flight in 2008. It would help Bruce partially calm his harsh feelings about the Premier League’s inequality, and give his side a confidence boost which could prove key for their chances of survival.

However the Tigers have a hard introduction to the top flight, with their first two away matches having Bruce traveling to Chelsea and Manchester City. The club’s starting four home fixtures could well be just what they were looking for, as they face Norwich City, Cardiff City, Newcastle United and West Ham at the KC Stadium before the more challenging opponents return. The question though, is whether Bruce’s side have enough versatility to cope under different situations and against better opponents. Bruce’s brand of football he used against Championship opponents surely will not work against teams like Manchester United and Chelsea, while Hull also lost 14 out of the 18 games in which they fell behind last campaign.

Hull have begun to bring some versatility to their side in the transfer market, but Bruce has been forced to be a bargain hunter due to his relatively low transfer budget. The 52-year-old has proved adept at this, not only bringing in Scotland goalkeeper Allan McGregor for £1.8m from Besiktas, but plucking up Wigan’s Maynor Figueroa on a free transfer.

Bruce has also brought in attacking options including Ivory Coast forward Yannick Sagbo, while the loan move for Sunderland’s capable forward Danny Graham has been an excellent piece of business. Still, it will be tough for Bruce’s side to face harder opponents, and Hull will have to work extra hard if they do not wish to have a short stay in the Premier League.

Last season’s position: 2nd, Championship

Alex’s predicted position: 20th

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.