Swansea City entertained Hull City in their opening match of the 2019/20 Sky Bet Championship season on Saturday. Both teams were taking to the field for the first time under their new managers – Steve Cooper and Grant McCann respectively – and were looking to kick off their campaigns in style. 

Despite taking a second-minute lead through Kamil Grosicki, Hull succumbed 2-1 thanks to two goals in as many minutes by the hosts just after half time. In this tactical analysis, we will provide an in-depth look at the tactics utilised by both sides, and use analysis to show how the Swans came out on top.

Lineups

EFL Championship 2019/20: Swansea City vs Hull City - tactical analysis tactics
Swansea’s starting XI
EFL Championship 2019/20: Swansea City vs Hull City - tactical analysis tactics
Hull’s starting XI

The home team were set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation by new boss Cooper, with Jay Fulton and Matt Grimes tasked with providing defensive protection in order to allow the attacking talents of offensive quartet Bersant Celina, George Byers, Nathan Dyer and Borja Baston to flourish. Grimes operated as a single pivot, looking to receive the ball from his defenders and use his smart passing range to fashion opportunities in the final third. In contrast, Fulton had more of a box-to-box role, as he looked to use his energy and stamina to get around the pitch to provide support.

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