A long international break for under-pressure Tim Walter as luck continues to go against Hull City - final word on West Brom loss
Hull City’s numbers are certainly starting to look ominous for the embattled German head coach.
Amid all the talk of the long term, the here and now is that the Tigers are winless in seven matches and have won just once on parched home soil all season and this is the period of proceedings when club hierarchies can get twitchy and changes are often made.
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Hide AdAs with most teams who are doing it tough, luck is not befriending Walter or his players at the minute either.


An unlucky concession which gave Albion a 12th-minute lead - with Karlan Grant’s shot taking a slight deflection off Lewie Coyle and then a more significant one off Alfie Jones - summed up how things are going for Hull, who recently lost two of their main creative sources in Liam Millar and Mohamed Belloumi to season-ending injuries, while loan midfielder Oscar Zambrano has copped a ban for breaching anti-doping regulations.
Shortly after the visitors made the breakthrough, Xavier Simons had rattled the crossbar at the other end.
But Hull hardly helped themselves in the final analysis. Like when they abrogated their defensive duties in allowing Josh Maja to double West Brom’s lead in the most softest of fashion five minutes after their opener.
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Hide AdAfter finding a route back into the game thanks to Joao Pedro’s smart header, they were kicking themselves again after enjoying the hegemony for most of the second half.
Regan Slater’s reaction when spurning a gilt-edged chance to level spoke volumes. There was also late pressure, but no reward.
For all the talk of philosophy, identity and DNA, this was a game that was primarily about the result, however it came, for both managers.
It’s also the time of year when league tables start to take shape and Hull find themselves above the relegation zone on goal difference alone ahead of their next game on November 23, a six-pointer at a team just below them in Luton Town.
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Hide AdWhile Walter is gasping for air and facing a potentially long international break, his Albion counterpart Carlos Corberan was also hankering for some relief and found it.
One game away from setting a new club record in terms of consecutive draws, Albion’s eight-match winless sequence was the most stark statistic for Corberan.
Instead of a seventh successive draw or a ninth game without a victory, the Spaniard has been afforded respite, unlike Walter.
He had sympathy for Hull and Walter afterwards, but he could afford to be magnanimous.
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Hide AdWhile Albion’s opener from Grant, who cut inside from the left, had a major element of fortune, Hull’s second concession was reprehensible.
Mikey Johnston surged past Mason Burstow and that meekness was compounded.
His cross was attacked by Darnell Furlong, who got above Gustavo Puerta too easily.. Then, the most reprehensible moment, with Maja allowed to ghost in unchecked and nod home from close range.
It was the sort of moment which can see agitated crowds turn in an instant.
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Hide AdWhile there were one or two jeers and ‘sacked in the morning’ chants, the backing of the home fans in the 20,538 crowd was pretty supportive in the circumstances. It was duly noted by Walter. ‘Really brilliant’ he labelled them afterwards, in marked contrast to his comments after last weekend’s game with Portsmouth.
A goal five minutes before the interval helped Hull’s cause and it was a good one.
An unlikely source in Charlie Hughes was the provider with his inviting cross from the right headed home splendidly from Joao Pedro.
On the resumption, Hull - after looking susceptible at the back in the first period - found more order. Albion’s sole chance was an overhead kick from Torbjorn Heggem which was tipped over by Ivor Pandur. Other than that, the action was towards the other goal.
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Hide AdThe bottom line was no further home goal, sadly. Hull hinted at it and after a glaring miss from Slater, there was late intent with Abdus Omar’s free-kick saved by Alex Palmer and Joao Pedro heading over at the death.
Hull weren’t too bad in fairness, but you need more.
Hull City: Pandur; Coyle, Jones, Hughes, Drameh; Simons (K Palmer 82), Slater; Burstow (Longman 70), Puerta (Bedia 90), Omur; Pedro. Substitutes unused: Racioppi, Giles, McLoughlin, Sinik, Burns, Jacob.
West Brom: A Palmer; Furlong, Holgate, Heggem, Styles; Molumby, Mowatt (Racic 65); Fellows (Dobbin 54), Grant (Wallace 79), Johnston (Diakate 79); Maja (Diangana 54). Substitutes unused: Wildsmith, Swift, Nelson, Cole.
Referee: A Kitchen (Co.Durham).