Hull could reasonably have expected a challenging season given the talent drain they suffered over the summer, but few would have had them down for a relegation battle on their considerable budget - @NathanielWhitto tries to make sense of an unfolding horror show.

How's the season been for Hull?

It's been a disaster in so many ways. We have spent about the fourth or fifth most money in the league and are right in the middle of a relegation battle whilst on our second manager. I thought this season would not be anywhere near as positive as the last but I did not foresee it going quite so poorly. Off the field there have been a few debacles too and we have now gone four years without a cup win. Honestly, I'm miserable.

Hull City in the league so far
Hull 1-1 Bristol City Estupinan pen 9 – Mayulu 84
Plymouth 1-1 Hull Cissoko 52 – Coyle 63
Hull 0-0 Millwall
Leeds 2-0 Hull Joseph 63, Piroe 81
Hull 0-2 Sheff Utd Hamer 15, McCallum 66
Stoke 1-3 Hull Wilmot 30 – Palmer 63, Slater 77, Wilmot og 79
Hull 4-1 Cardiff Belloumi 22, 35, Zambrano 51, Bedia pen 90 - Robinson 18
QPR 1-3 Hull Madsen pen 44 – Drameh 25, Bedia 36, Millar 71
Norwich 4-0 Hull Nunez 16, Sargent 20, Gordon 66, Sainz 78
Hull 0-1 Sunderland Isidor 63
Hull 1-1 Burnley Simons 45 – Flemming 77
Derby 1-1 Hull Brown 66 – Simons 57
Hull 1-1 Pompey Pedro 11 – Murphy 46
Oxford 1-0 Hull Avest 55
Hull 1-2 West Brom Pedro 40 – Grant 12, Maja 17
Luton 1-0 Hull McGuinness 33
Hull 0-2 Sheff Wed Windass pen 37, Smith 81
Boro 3-1 Hull Azaz 24, Conway 41, 79 – Burstow 70
Hull 0-1 Blackburn NcLoughlin og 20
Hull 1-1 Watford bedia 82 – Veta 88
Coventry 2-1 Hull mason-Clark 52, Rudoni 72 – Pedro 43
Hull 2-1 Swansea Pedro 34, Burstow 80 – Darling 42
Preston 1-0 Hull Potts 60
Blackburn 0-1 Hull Longman 77
Hull 0-1 Boro Gulbert 90
Hull 3-3 Leeds Kamara 5, 89, Pedro 81 – Tanaka 46, James 62, Piroe 72
Millwall 0-1 Hull Cooper og 58

You lost a lot of talent in the summer, but we still placed you high in our season preview because we expected another trolley dash late in the window - why hasn't that materialised?

Though there is more to it than this, losing three of our best players has not helped. ACL duo Liam Millar and Muhamed Belloumi were our best attackers and the promising young Oscar Zambrano is out with a doping ban. The recruitment was too scattergun again and we did not get the prolific striker our owner promised.

Why didn't it work for Mr Heart Attack Football?

He was too arrogant and stubborn. There have been countless comments from players about the overly rigorous training regime which may be why we have so many injures and his man management was dreadful. He should have been sacked weeks earlier.

What do you make of Ruben Selles?

A breath of fresh air. I cannot imagine Tim Walter sacrificing a weekly wage like Selles had to do at Reading. He's coached all over the world and his football is far more direct which our group of players are better suited to.

There have been a couple of wins against Swansea and Blackburn, but have things improved that much? What sort of Hull can we expect to face?

Actually the "underlying numbers", xG and the like, have not improved. It is the confidence and togetherness that has seen an uptick. At home especially we look stronger though we still have the worst record due to the Walter reign. I would like to think that a slow burn of tactical messages coming across is better than a new manager bounce. For example, I do not see Oxford continuing to win every match until the end of the season though their managerial change has had a more instant impact. Perhaps the Selles ceiling is higher. Fingers crossed he can keep us up so we build on it next season.

Any transfer window activity so far? Any rumours? What needs doing?

Plenty of work needs to be done. Left back, centre back, wouldn't mind a defensive midfielder, two wingers. We have experienced Matt Crooks who will add much needed nous and height in midfield. Leeds forward Joe Gelhardt does not excite me unfortunately. We are one of many clubs trying to get Louie Barry, our Philogene history may help there but that is probably a fool's hope.

Summer Ins >>> Mohamed Belloumi, 22, RW, Farense, £5m >>> Abu Kamara, 21, RW, Norwich, £5m >>> Ryan Giles, 24, LB, Luton, £5m >>> Charlie Hughes, 20, CB, Wigan, £4.5m >>> Liam Millar, 24, LW. Basel, £3m >>> Mason Burstow, 21, CF, Chelsea, £2m >>> Marvin Mehlem, 26, AM, Darmstadt, £1m >>> Anthony Racioppi, 25, GK, Young Boys, £1m >>> Cody Drameh, 22, RB, Leeds, Free >>> Kasey Palmer, 27, AM, Coventry, Undisclosed >>> Carl Rushworth, 23, GK, Brighton, Loan >>> Gustavo Puerta, 21, CM, Leverkusen, Loan >>> Oscar Zambrano, 20, DM, Quito, Loan >>> Chris Bedia, 28, CF, Union Berlin, Loan >>> Finley Burns, 21, Man City, Loan >>> Steven Alzate, 26, CM, Unattached, Free

Winter Outs >>> Will Jarvis, 22, LW, Notts County, Undisclosed >>> Marvin Mehlem, 27, AM, Paderborn, Loan

Best bits of the team?

We spent so much in the summer window but at the moment our two September free agent signings are our best performers. Midfielder Steven Alzate was a player everyone in the league may rue missing out on and João Pedro is a fantastic player, simply hindered by the fact he absolutely cannot run anymore. Our biggest (only) goal threat.

Weak links?

The whole back four. Aim for underperforming captain Lewie Coyle and profit.

Revised expectations for the rest of the season?

I'd bite your hand off for 21st. It'll be extremely close. Impossible to predict because the margins are too fine.

Links >>> Hull 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

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Pictures - Reuters Connect

TacticalR added 18:59 - Jan 21 Thanks to Nathaniel. It feels like Hull never recovered from getting rid of Rosenior. Rubén Sellés had to work under impossible conditions at Reading...let's see what he does with a side that's had some money spent on it.
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