Hull City: Stoke City evidence could put Ryan Giles under threat - View | OneFootball

Cody Drameh's performance at the Bet365 could see Ryan Giles begin to feel the heat

Hull City's season finally got off and running at the Bet365 Stadium with a 3-1 success over Stoke City.

Tim Walter and his new chargers were beginning to come under scrutiny for their slow start to the campaign, which had seen them go winless through the entirety of pre-season and the opening five games of the Championship season.

The German hasn't been afraid to ring the changes throughout his tenure so far, and that was evident in his team selection against the Potters on Friday night with three in total, including Cody Drameh's full debut after his summer move.

And, after biding his time in the early weeks of the campaign, the full-back's patience was rewarded with a key performance.

Cody Drameh's exceptional performance at left-back vs Stoke City

Plenty of names throughout the squad emerged with real credit for their starring roles in the second-half comeback against Stoke - in particular, Liam Millar and Regan Slater.

But, unlike the aforementioned duo who registered an assist and goal respectively, the 22-year-old full-back who was starting on his unnatural left side - where he also featured in the second half against Sheffield United - saw his role in proceedings effectively go under-the-radar when it came to post-match analysis, earning a 7.9 match rating as per Fotmob.

Drameh's athleticism makes him a key outlet when Hull are driving up the pitch, which saw him link up exceptionally well with both Abdus Omur, and to an even greater effect, Millar in the second 45.

However, it was his defensive nous against a fluid attack of Bae Jun-Ho, Tom Cannon, Lewis Koumas and Million Manhoef that were significant in the Tigers recording a maiden success.

As well as forging numerous openings, Drameh's one-vs-one ability shone through in duels against the Reds, with all seven of his successful duels coming in battles on the ground, on top of an immaculate tackle success rate.

Two further ball recoveries and nine defensive actions highlights how vital his presence could be in the weeks to come, with it being argued that as a result of Lewie Coyle's exceptional start to the season, the former Leeds United man would struggle to earn a starting berth at right-back.

But now it seems that Walter may have now found a solution to Hull's previous defensive frailties which have often stemmed down the left side, another summer recruit could be feeling the heat.

Ryan Giles could be under pressure after Cody Drameh exploits

There's no denying that when on-song, Ryan Giles has the potential to be one of the best left-backs in the Championship, especially from a creative point of view which stems from numbers such as 11 assists and the creation of 23 big chances from his time at Middlesbrough in 2022/23.

Understandably, there was significant hype surrounding the 24-year-old's loan arrival from Luton Town in January, and despite a change in head coach and a reported £4m permanent move from Kenilworth Road in the summer, Giles has struggled for consistency at the start of the season.

In fairness, adjusting to Walter's 'Heart-Attack' methods have taken some time for the entire squad, with Sean McLoughlin in particular, utilised as a metronome and drifting into midfield.

However, there has been a continuation from last season where Giles' attacking ventures, on top of Hull's high line under Walter, has played a role in the side continuing to see their defensive frailties exposed on the transition.

That still came to the fore on occasions on Friday in the first half, but it was far less frequent as proven by Drameh's defensive stats, although both have respectable numbers when it comes to being dribbled past and ball recoveries.

But, after being hooked at half-time against the Blades in the last home encounter and subsequently being dropped, Giles may struggle to find a way back into the side anytime soon based on the evidence we saw at the Bet365.