Liam Rosenior identifies the area which he will address in the summer to improve Hull City after Boro loss

HULL CITY head coach Liam Rosenior says that improving his side's mentality will be the main focus during the close season following a bittersweet night on Teesside.
Leon Wobschall
By Leon Wobschall
Published 19th Apr 2023, 22:59 BST
Updated 20th Apr 2023, 09:18 BST

City took the game to high-flying Middlesbrough and were outstanding in the first-half and were full value for the lead given to them shortly before the break from Allahyar Sayyadmanesh.

But Boro, inspired by substitute Isaiah Jones, regrouped to wonderful effect in the second half and blitzed City with a third-goal blast early on with Hayden Hackney, Cameron Archer and Chuba Akpom netting to leave Hull without an away win since January 2.

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Rosenior said: "They are a very, very good team with outstanding individual players, Cameron Archer, Akpom and I said to the lads that we worked on our concentration in moments.

Hull City's Allahyar Sayyadmanesh celebrates his opening goal at Middlesbrough, heading from a corner in the first half. Picture: Tony Johnson.Hull City's Allahyar Sayyadmanesh celebrates his opening goal at Middlesbrough, heading from a corner in the first half. Picture: Tony Johnson.
Hull City's Allahyar Sayyadmanesh celebrates his opening goal at Middlesbrough, heading from a corner in the first half. Picture: Tony Johnson.

"It happened at Sunderland and in the first ten minutes of the second-half (here), I felt so in trouble and in five minutes, we'd conceded three goals.

"For me, the frustrating thing at the moment is that over the period since I have joined the club, I can see the improvements and everyone has made improvements, but we are not taking advantage of it. And it becomes a mentality issue.

"I am not pointing the issue at my players who are giving me everything. But next season, and I will put this pressure on myself, my job is to improve the mentality of the group, so that when we are under pressure against a very good team, we can see those moments through and we are not quite doing that at the moment.

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"Michael has done a magnificent job and I love the way they play and I thought it was an outstanding football match for the Championship with two teams trying to play what I think is the right way. But he's got players who can make a difference.

"I have got three strikers sat at home watching it on Sky and a 19-year-old kid (Harry Vaughan), who I thought was absolutely magnificent, playing in midfield as a false nine in a role he has never played before and that's the difference. They are the margins.

"As disappointed as I am with the result and 15 to 20 minutes of the second half, I can stand on that touchline and be proud of that group and how far we have come.

"We have now got three games to focus on and then a lot of hard work and decisions in the summer to improve that mentality."

Related topics:BoroTeessideSkyChuba Akpom