‘Going To Catch Up With Them’ – Hull City Warned By Ex-EFL Star | OneFootball

Ex-EFL winger Adrian Clarke has admitted that he is stunned to see Hull City winning so many games, but he is also clear that the Tigers’ defence is going to catch up with them.

The Championship club had a transfer embargo in the summer, which only allowed them to sign free agents and bring in players on free loans.

They nevertheless did impressive business, which caused one of their recruitment team to become a wanted man.

Bosnian coach Sergej Jakirovic was appointed in June and the 48-year-old has overseen Hull sitting fifth in the league table with 25 points, only four points behind second-placed Middlesbrough.

The MKM Stadium outfit have scored 26 times in 15 games, but they have been defensively vulnerable, conceding 24 times in the process.

Clarke is impressed with how dynamic Hull are under Jakirovic, as he pointed out that the Tigers play with a real panache in their attacking transitions, mentioning Leeds United loanee Joe Gelhardt’s winning goal against Portsmouth.

The Hull boss is also happy with Gelhardt’s impact at the club and he hailed him for the goal against Pompey.

Clarke, though, feels that the form is not sustainable, as he believes that Hull’s backline is going to come and bite them, despite the number of goals the Tigers are netting.

“What really surprises me is that they keep winning games, because they can’t really defend”, Clarke said on EFL All Access (37:37) about the Tigers.

“They have faced the most shots in the Championship this season, yet they are going for promotion.

“They have the worst xG against in the division, worse than Sheffield Wednesday, Hull.

“They are gifting chances to the opponents week in, week out, but they are outscoring them.

“But they are playing with a real panache going forward – quite a lot of long balls, crosses, there is a real dynamism about them.

“The goal, the winner against Pompey – absolutely brilliant.

“Charlie Hughes played a glorious pass over the top to Gelhardt, the touch is exquisite, and then he dinks it over the ‘keeper, that was sublime.

“They are capable of that, but I just think, sooner or later, the dodgy defence is going to catch up with them.

“That is my honest opinion.”

Jakirovic is likely to be fully aware of his side’s defensive issues and all eyes will be on whether he can make the backline a stronger unit.

Hull face some big boys in the shape of Ipswich Town, Middlesbrough and Stoke City after the international break, which should act as an acid test of their promotion aspirations.