Hull City v Wolves: Sam Clucas says it is time for Tigers to hit form ahead of play-offs

Missed chances at vital times, downright bad luck such as when losing at Middlesbrough in stoppage time and Abel Hernandez’s goals drying up can all be put forward as reasons for the recent slide down the Championship table.

Ask Sam Clucas, however, about what has happened to the Tigers’ season and he is refreshingly matter of fact.

“One win in eight games is just not good enough,” said the 25-year-old yesterday when speaking to The Yorkshire Post at City’s Cottingham training base.

He is right, of course. For a team who as recently as six weeks ago was sitting proudly on top of the Championship, the current slump is not good enough.

It has to change very, very soon or this season is heading for a sour ending.

“The manager said on Wednesday (before training) that we were the only team in the top six disappointed to be where we are and he is right,” added Clucas, a £1.3m signing from Chesterfield last summer.

“Such a big club, plus the players we have and the budget means we need to be back in the Premier League.

“We gave ourselves a great chance of doing that but the run we have been on recently has taken us out of that.

“It isn’t mathematically out of the window but I won’t sit here and lie to you that it is anything but unlikely.

“The three teams at the top won’t lose enough games so it looks like the play-offs for us.

“But that still means a great chance of going up. And if we can do that, everyone will forget this run we have been on.”

That task begins tonight with the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers to the East Riding for the first of four home assignments that City face in their final half-a-dozen games.

Despite being held to a draw in four of their last five outings at the KC, Bruce’s men still boast the third-best record on home soil in the Championship.

Clucas believes the fear factor that teams had earlier in the season when visiting East Yorkshire can be revived during these final few weeks to take into the play-offs.

“Our form at the KC has been a plus-point of the season,” said Clucas, who is set to be restored to the starting line-up tonight.

“We have only lost once, promotion form really.

“Visiting teams have approached games differently – especially before the recent dip in form. Teams were fearing us and coming with five in midfield and four at the back. Not very attacking at all.

“Unfortunately, our away form has not matched that. But we have four games to build up some good home form to take into the play-offs. We have to lift everything again.

“If we had come from eighth to fourth, everyone would be happy. But the bottom line is we were at the top of the table. It gives things a different perspective and everyone is disappointed because we were top for such large parts.

“We have a good enough team and squad to be up there. But now we are slowly running out of games and automatic looks out of it.

“We will have to do it the hard way but, hopefully, we can get where we want to be.”

By contrast to the Tigers, Wolves will arrive on their best run of the season.

Kenny Jackett’s side are unbeaten in six league matches, drawing four, and will be looking to extend that run despite Jackett admitting this week that attention has already turned to next season.

Last six games: Hull City DDLWLD, Wolverhampton Wanderers WDDDWD.

Referee: J Adcock (Nottinghamshire).

Last time: Hull City 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1; November 6, 2012; Championship.