Shota Arveladze ‘happy with a point’ after Hull City stalemate

Hull City head coach Shota Arveladze felt his team asked more questions than Birmingham City but failed to come up with that all-important answer.

The lively St Andrew’s pitch made it hard going for entertainment after a dull 0-0 draw.

Chances were thin on the ground throughout with Hull forcing Birmingham goalkeeper Neil Etheridge into two saves and Tom Eaves failing to take a chance from point-blank range and the hosts failing to seriously test Matt Ingram.

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“The good thing was both teams tried to win and I think in the first half we did well and could have scored,” Arveladze said.

Shota Arveladze: Hull City head coach saw his side extend their unbeaten away run to four games at St Andrew’s. (Picture: PA)Shota Arveladze: Hull City head coach saw his side extend their unbeaten away run to four games at St Andrew’s. (Picture: PA)
Shota Arveladze: Hull City head coach saw his side extend their unbeaten away run to four games at St Andrew’s. (Picture: PA)

“That was probably the reason why they changed their system at half-time because we’d been better than them and they came back as a back four.

“Even in the second half, we didn’t hold the ball as long as we wished but we still created two or three chances to score.

“For long parts of the first half we did well and in the second half was a little bit like a game of up and down – we get the ball, they get the ball and it was a bit rushed from both sides.

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“That’s why I’m happy with a point. It could have been 1-0 or 0-0. It was a game where I think the team that scored first would have maybe got a second and a third.”

Regarding the pitch, Arveladze said: “I haven’t heard much about it. Maybe it was a good sign that the players they haven’t talked much about it.

“Of course at this level the pitches must be very good but the weather doesn’t help – it’s cold.

“But at the end of March it will be a bit better.”

Hull are now four away games unbeaten and the head coach admitted he has tailored their game on their travels.

“We’ve tried to change our style a little bit,” he added.

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“It’s about having the ball a bit longer, being calm and not just reacting. At home there’s a bit more pressure on us to be number one and then get the opponent under pressure.”

Blues boss Lee Bowyer admitted: “It wasn’t very pretty. It was two groups of honest lads working hard but I think the quality wasn’t there for both teams.”

Birmingham City: Etheridge, Gordon, Roberts, Pedersen, Graham, Gardner, Bacuna (Richards 69), Sunjic (Woods 56), Hernandez, Chong, Taylor. Unused substitutes: 
Hogan, Jutkiewicz, Mengi, James, 
Trueman.

Hull City: Ingram, Jones, McLoughlin, Greaves, Longman (Slater 84), Smallwood, Docherty (Huddlestone 85), Fleming, Honeyman, Lewis-Potter, Eaves (Forss 66). Unused substitutes: Elder, Sayyadmanesh, Bernard, Cartwright.

Referee: M Salisbury (Lancashire).

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