Hull City are represented in the latest Premier League team of the week that has been selected by BBC pundit Garth Crooks.
Actually Garth is now down as a ‘Football Analyst’ these days, a posh term for a pundit then!
The performances by Curtis Davies and Robert Snodgrass in the two one victory over Leicester City at the weekend at the KC Stadium was enough to earn them both a place in the side alongside the other, in the opinion of the former Spurs striker anyway, most impressive performers in the topflight over the latest weekend.
I think we’ll already know ourselves, and not just based on the latest performance, why Crooks, we’ll also not argue with it, selected both as part of his team but explaining his choice he told the BBC.
Davies:
‘So, you start the season against the Premier League champions having parted company with your manager and not signed anyone of note on your return to the big time. You are down to 13 fit senior pros and in such disarray that all the predictions suggest you are favourites to go down. Meanwhile, your fans arrive so frustrated with matters they stage a protest insisting the owner vacates his position. Enter Davies at the back for Hull City. Their captain was sensational throughout Saturday’s encounter with Leicester City and showed the sort of leadership qualities that seem to be so desperately lacking in their boardroom. He and his team-mates did not give Jamie Vardy a kick – and by the end, Davies left Hull fans singing ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’. Football just doesn’t get better than that.’
Snodgrass:
‘When you have just scored the winning goal in the opening game of the season against the Premier League champions, you’re entitled to get into my team of the week. However, Snodgrass deserved the selection regardless of his superbly taken goal. From start to finish, he rattled Leicester and caused problems for keeper Kasper Schmeichel. Let’s hope owner Assem Allam gains inspiration from his team’s performance and provides the financial backing their efforts deserve. He might also want to consider giving caretaker-boss Mike Phelan a shot at management. He seems to have done miracles with the players at his disposal.’
It’s always good to see the club represented in this way, and well played to both for their recognition, but the most important thing about the weekend was of course opening the season with a win.
Full Team:
Maarten Stekelenburg (Everton), Luke Shaw (Manchester United), Eric Bailly (Manchester United), Curtis Davies (Hull City), Antonio Valencia (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Robert Snodgrass (Hull City), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Sadio Mane (Liverpool), Nathan Redmond (Southampton), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United).
