Match Preview: Hull City vs Arsenal

Modified Apr 18, 2014 16:42 GMT

The story from midweek is all about how much love we’re feeling for Tony Pulis, after Crystal Palace snuck away from Goodison Park with three points, thrusting back into fourth place weeks earlier than we had otherwise planned. Instead of hoping that Everton might drop points later on against one of the Manchesters, they’ve already done it . The risk, of course, is that we go right out and stumble in similar fashion against Hull.

Nicklas Bendtner

Like Palace, Hull will have one anxious eye on the drop-zone, above which they sit precariously, needing to find six points from what they can earn and Fulham might drop to stay up. After Sunday’s clash, they’ll play three of their remaining four matches away from KC Stadium, with a visit from Everton squeezed in as well.

We may then encounter a Hull side that digs in and does its level-best to keep a point, although they may also be spoiling for a fight after thrashing Sheffield United 5-3 to advance to the FA Cup final. Given their recent form, I see them looking for the draw. They’ve been a tough side to break down at home, conceding just 16 goals from 17 matches, and so the momentum we’re starting to generate, not to mention the reinforcements we’re getting, will be essential to taking the match to them rather than crossing our fingers and waiting.

As far as what we’ll see, Hull seem to alternate between a 3-5-2 and a 4-4-2/double-six, but without any apparent rhyme or reason regarding whom they’re facing or where they’re playing. Their record with each suggests we’ll see a double-six, so more on that in a moment. they’ve won just once from their last five in the 3-5-2 but have won three of five in the double-six.

Whether that’s evidence enough for Steve Bruce to roll it out is another question. We saw the 3-5-2 in December and did just fine, winning 2-0. The double-six would afford Hull greater defensive stolidity, though, and between that and Hull’s need for points, we will have to work at breaking them down.

The good news is that we’re getting back to full strength, both in numbers and in spirit. The return of Ramsey, the return to form of Podolski, and the impending returns of Gnabry and Özil, give us options that we’ve had to go without for some time now, and the confidence they restore come right as we steel ourselves for the run-in.

A win on Sunday could very well send us four points clear of Everton, who will host Man U, and if Fulham find a way to beat Spurs, we might even have a St. Totteringham’s Day on our hands—but there’s no sense counting chickens before they hatch.

Last 3 meetings:

Arsenal 2-0 Hull (04.12.2013)
Hull 1-2 Arsenal (13.03.2010)
Arsenal 3-0 Hull (12.12.2009)

Factfile:

We’ve only faced Hull 12 times, with a record of 9W, 1D, 2L.
Hull have only scored four goals in their last five Prem matches.
The first match between the clubs was 20 September 1913—a 0-0 draw.

Injuries:

Walcott (knee), Diaby (knee), Wilshere (ankle), and Miyaichi (hamstring) remain out, while Gnabry, Gibbs, Monreal, and Özil face late fitness tests. Flamini returns from his two-match suspension.