Sergej Jakirovic wants to see Hull City's training ground reaction against Brentford
Sergej Jakirovic has been using training this week to get a reaction to Hull City's first big setback of the season. Now he wants it translated into the heat of a Premier League game.
It was not that the Tigers lost away to then bottom-of-the-table Fulham in their last match, it was the manner of the performance which infuriated their coach.
But Jakirovic – who will make changes to his team – has seen the intensity he wanted to in training, and now wants a performance at home to Brentford on Sunday which backs it up.
“We know what we did last weekend,” said Jakirovic, who called the display Hull's worst under him. “Now you have another opportunity to fix this.
“It's not easy because every game is very difficult but you have to show a reaction that you are capable to play on this level.
“That day we were too far from everything.
“At the start of the game, the first 10-15 minutes, we were compact, everything was good.
“But we lacked aggression, contact, to even make a foul in the middle. They were quicker.
“So we've tried to have a higher intensity of our training sessions because we need it, especially for players returning after injury.
“It is difficult for them because even if you don't start the game, if I put you there in half-time or in 60 minutes, you have to show impact.
“You have to train very hard. You have to express yourself on the pitch to show your potential and you will get the chance, 100 per cent.
“At this level, sometimes good energy is the basis for everything – good energy, effort that you're fighting. But you also need to show some quality on the ball.
“Because if you have a problem with passing, receiving, decisions, at this level you don't have a chance.
“Maybe in the Championship you will win the game with this, with effort, with a team, especially a team effort. One long throw-in, a corner, you will score the goal.
“But at this level even small mistakes, they will punish you.
“All the new players have experience – not in the Premier League, but from previous clubs because they played in the first division somewhere. It's about adaptation and what your contribution will be.”
Jakirovic promised “a few” personnel changes, and had more options with players getting intense work on the training ground on their returns from injury. They had hoped to have a behind-closed-doors friendly against Lincoln City, but the Imps cancelled because of their own injury issues.
“New players joined us in the training session after their problems,” revealed Jakirovic. “Now we have much more options.
“Ali Cho, Gourna and 'Rita’ Morita have had one week more because they had also problems after Newcastle team and Morita joined to us in the last ten days. I hope their physical condition is much better than one or two weeks ago.”
Nobel Mendy is still injured, but due to join training on Monday, but there is no end in sight for Charlie Hughes, who continues to suffer minor setbacks on his return from summer double hernia surgery.
Robinio Vaz has suffered no ill-effects from the tackle which saw Ryan Sessegnon sent off in his team's 1-0 win at Craven Cottage.
“Vaz is okay,” Jakirovic confirmed. “Nothing happened, thank God, everything is good.
“I had fear from his reaction. You could see on his face that he has fear (of a serious issue).
“Charlie is on the grass for individual sessions. He's had some reactions after training. Sometimes it's better, sometimes it's not so good.”
Back-up goalkeeper Jack Butland is due to return to training ahead of schedule on Monday after an arm injury, and Hull are hopeful the result of the scan Ilyas Ansah had on Monday allows him to resume running next week after signing with a back problem.
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