Hull City have been League One, 19th and 15th over the last three seasons so to move into play-off contention this year shows significant progress - but, given the outlay from ambitious ownership and some eye-catching signings, there's frustration around that home form has held them back from the top six according to Nathaniel Whittingham.

How has Hull City's season been so far?

Overall, I think I have to be happy with how it has gone. We are much higher in the table and our away form is truly commendable. There are still issues for Rosenior to iron out tactically and some positions we can improve, but we would certainly have taken six points off playoffs with a game in hand at the start of the season. However, because we "won the January window" the expectations have changed from ‘playoffs are a bonus’ to ‘playoffs are expected’, and in that case our bang average home form has rightly frustrated fans.

Hull in the league so far…
Norwich 2-1 Hull Rowe 45, Idah 90 – Delap 17
Hull 4-2 Sheff Wed Tufan pen 45, 58, 70, Connolly 85 – Delgado 36, Smith 90
Blackburn 1-2 Hull Gallagher 74 – Connolly 81, 88
Hull 1-1 Bristol City Tufan 17 – Wells 62
Leicester 0-1 Hull Delap 15
Hull 1-1 Coventry Connolly 87 – Latibeaudiere 27
Hull 0-0 Leeds
Stoke 1-3 Hull Vidigal 77 – Connolly 30, Traore 32, Slater 73
Hull 1-1 Plymouth Slater 44 – Randell 22
Ipswich 3-0 Hull Burns 5, Chaplin 41, Harness 65
Millwall 2-2 Hull Watmore 8, Bryan 54 – Philogene 25, Traore 30
Hull 1-2 Southampton Delap 25 – Smallbone 20, Fraser 90
Birmingham 0-2 Hull Delap 12, Philogene 74
Hull 1-0 Preston Philogene 68
West Brom 3-1 Hull Wallace 14, Phillips 65, Ajayi 71 – Coyle 41
Hull 1-0 Huddersfield Delap 90
Swansea 2-2 Hull Paterson 17, Yates 23 – Philogene 48, Morton 68
Hull 4-1 Rotherham Morton 5, Philogene 9, 48, Twine 20 – Hall 59
Hull 1-2 Watford Twine 10 – Kaymebe 8, Hoedt 74
QPR 2-0 Hull Willock 45, Chair 73
Boro 1-2 Hull Latte Lath 6 – Delap 69, Tufan 82
Hull 3-0 Cardiff Connolly 32, Twine 56, Tufan 59
Bristol City 3-2 Hull Conway pen 25, Mehmeti 76, Knight 84 – Connolly 33, Tufan pen 42
Hull 0-1 Sunderland Clarke 82
Hull 3-2 Blackburn Delap 11, Connolly 18, Jones 63 – Szmodics 33, Pickering 45
Sheff Wed 3-1 Hull Johnson 49, Gassama 55, Windass 72 – Twine pen 76
Hull 1-2 Norwich Morton 90 – Rowe 36, Fassnacht 88
Sunderland 0-1 Hull Carvalho 71
Hull 1-0 Millwall Philogene 5
Hull 0-1 Swansea Cullen 11
Rotherham 1-2 Hull Tiehi 4 – Philogene 71, Ohio 75
Huddersfield 1-2 Hull Rudoni 90 – Greaves 7, 90
Southampton 1-2 Hull Aribo 88 – Zaroury 11, Carvalho 36
Hull 1-1 West Brom Carvalho 35 – Furlong 43
Preston 0-0 Hull
Hull 1-1 Birmingham Tufan 25 – Jutkiewicz 82
Hull 2-2 Leicester Carvalho 16, Zaroury 60 – Vardy pen 31, 62
Hull 0-2 Stoke Laurent 69, Hoever 90
Leeds 3-1 Hull Byram 9, Summerville pen 88, James 90 – Carvalho 34
Cardiff 1-3 Hull Grant 57 – Carvolho 32, 44, Philogene 59
Hull 2-2 Boro Philogene 29, Seri 41 – Lath 4, Azaz 71

Given previous struggles, is this a year of progress to be celebrated? Or with the backing the owners have provided, should the locals have expected more?

We have made progress in some areas and regressed in some. The main exchange we have made is to become a more ambitious attacking side (though at the MKM stadium we do not see this often enough) and as a result we have lost the defensive solidity Rosenior so excellently imposed last season when we were lower down the league. The place we have improved the most is our pulling power. We have made some excellent signings and fought off strong competition. Our positions as a trusted club for young player to come on loan and develop will put us in good stead.

Similarly, is Liam Rosenior doing a good job here or not? I saw his nomination for divisional manager of the year provoked something of an outcry on the socials - but then social media can be a bit like that...

It is important to remember that this is Rosenior's first fulltime managerial job and in that sense he is doing well. As we do see the best of our players away from home the inconsistency in front of our home crowd seems more like an issue for him to overcome than a stick to beat him with. Manager of the year? Nonsense. But I honestly think it's because he'll be one of the few managers who hasn’t been sacked!

What are the biggest criticisms of him? I've heard a lot about quite cautious, negative football at home...

100% the home form. We have an array of attacking talent and we do not see the fruits of it at home. Teams sit back when they visit Humberside because they know they can get a point if they put the emphasis on us. Away we have more space on the counter.

Plenty of eye-catching transfer business done this season. How have the new arrivals done? Highlights and low lights?

Some highs and lows certainly. The worst summer signings have all gone and been improved upon. Most notably that is at left back, Ryan Giles is way better than Vinagre and is one of the most sought after in his position in the league. Equally, Carvalho is on fire in front of goal which Twine never managed, and Turkish Messi Omur makes Lokilo look like something really bad.

Summer Ins >>> Jaden Philogene, 21, LW, Villa, £4.5m >>> Aaron Connolly, 23, CF, Brighton, £1m >>> Rryan Allsop, 31, GK, Cardiff, Undisclosed >>> Jason Lokilo, 24, RW, Sparta Rotterdam, Undisclosed >>> Xavier Simons, 20, DM, Chelsea, Undisclosed >>> James Furlong, 21, LB, Brighton, Undisclosed >>> Liam Delap, 20, CF, Man City, Loan >>> Ruben Vinagre, 24, LB, Sporting, Loan >>> Tyler Morton, 20, CM, Liverpool, Loan >>> Scott Twine, 24, AM, Burnley, Loan >>> Boro Idinlik, 18, LW, Fenerbahce, Loan

Winter Outs >>> Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, 22, RW, Westerlo (Belgium), £2m >>> Dogukan Sinik, 25, LW, Hatayspor (Turkey), Loan >>> Oscar Estupinan, 27, CF, Bahia (Brazil), Loan >>> Ryan Woods, 30, DM, Exeter, Loan >>> Jason Lokilo, 25, RW, Vizela (Portugal), Loan >>> Harry Vaughan, 19, AM, Bristol Rovers, Loan >>> Timothee Lo-Tutala, 20, GK, Doncaster, Loan >>> Andy Smith, 22, CB, Cheltenham, Loan >>> David Robson, 22, GK, Gainsborough, Loan

Player of the season candidates?

Before their injuries Liam Delap and Jaden Philogene were absolutely superb and caused defenders a huge amount of problems. As they missed a lot of the season I'm not sure I'd go for them. A year ago I wouldn't believe this but captain Lewie Coyle has been immense consistently.

Weak links in the side?

Ryan Allsop can't save a shot to save his life. And penalty taking if Ozan Tufan isn't on the pitch.

Expectations for the remaining games?

I have no expectations. Realistically we need to win 5/6 games to finish sixth and that's only if Norwich capitulate. A home win would be good, I'd be relatively happy if we got to 70 points.

Will Rosenior be back again next season if you don't make the play offs? Owners strike me as being in a bit of a hurry, and FFP can catch up with you pretty quick if you spend to get promoted and then don't...

Even if we don't win anymore games he'll be here. He has an incredibly strong relationship with the owner who has time and time again said it'll be a long process. He trusts Liam, can see clear progress in the league position and style of play attracting good players. It would be harsh to sack him because of how good January was. For half a season we had ten men because our wingers other than Philogene were garbage. Garbage! Philogene, Greaves and Estupinan who's scoring for fun on loan in Brazil will recoup £40m+ so we're going to be ok for FFP. The premium for young English players will help there. With a reliance on loans it will be a big overhaul but I'm not particularly concerned whilst we have big assets to sell like them. In the end, this is an incredibly tough league and we have consistently been around 8th-6th which is positive.

Links >>> Official Website >>> Hull Daily Mail — Local Paper >>> The Amber View — Blog >>> Tigerlink — Blog >>> Amber Nectar — Blog and Forum >>> Not606 — Forum >>> Ground Guide >>> Hull City Live — Blog

The Twitter, @NathanielWhitto, @loftforwords

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TacticalR added 14:34 - Apr 13 Thanks to Nathaniel. It sounds like Hull have got a degree of stability that a lot of other teams in this division lack. This should be the basis of further progress next season.
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