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Ruben Selles has been told the tactic that he must execute with Hull City against Portsmouth.
The Championship relegation race has gone down to the wire as Hull City fight for their lives in a final-day trip to Portsmouth.
Hull City must win away at Fratton Park in order to clinch survival in spite of results elsewhere, due to the fact that relegation-threatened Stoke City and Derby County face off, but a draw could be enough for Ruben Selles’ side, depending on results elsewhere.
Last time out, Hull City suffered defeat to Derby, a game that dragged the Tigers into the bottom three, a stark contrast to two years prior under former boss Liam Rosenior, whose sacking has been described as ‘ridiculous’ in hindsight.
Nonetheless, Selles has a job on his hands to keep Hull City up, and he has been told by David Prutton exactly how he should execute his game plan as his side travels to Portsmouth.
Hull City told to adopt ‘Super attacking’ style against Portsmouth by David Prutton
The Tigers will need to go out at Fratton Park with intent and bite, due to the fact that they can seal their own feat of remaining in the Championship with victory.
As a result, it is no surprise to see David Prutton, via the 1904 Club podcast, rallying an ‘attacking’ approach for Hull City to adopt on the final day, something that he admits has been missing from Selles’ side as of late.
“It goes back to what we were saying, though, about them being fundamentally risk-averse, it feels like, doesn’t it? There’s an outside chance that you keep it tight and you get a point, nick a point, that it could be OK. But there again, you’re relying on other dynamics.
“I would, without having any inkling of how you would set up a football team in this particular situation from a management structure point of view, and talking more as a fan, there is a moment where you think you’d like to see him (Selles) just go for it.
“Get a super attacking team on the pitch, get an early goal, defend for your lives, and pray to whoever that every single player is at least a seven, hopefully more out of 10 for that particular day.
“Your creative players do their bit. Joe (Gelhardt) steps up, Matt Crooks steps up. The attacking players that have flattered to deceive, I think that’s not too unfair a thing to say if you’re in the bottom three, potentially, you’ve all flattered to deceive.”
Hull City will go into the final day with only one injury worry as Regan Slater looks set to miss the tie, however, the players named by Prutton will almost certainly have a role to play in Selles’ side.
- READ MORE: Hull City may need to break astonishingly bad 20-year curse to avoid relegation from Championship
All eyes will be on Joe Gelhardt to step up
To put it simply, Hull’s attacking intent this season has been night-and-day different to the 2023/24 season, all for the wrong reasons.
The Tigers haven’t quite got the embodiment of a Liam Delap, or perhaps a Jaden Philogene to look towards this season for attacking output, but Joe Gelhardt hasn’t been miles behind.
After signing in January, Gelhardt has notched five goals in black & amber, most notably bagging a brace in a home victory against Preston North End, whom Hull will be eagerly bookmarking the result of on Saturday early afternoon.
Gelhardt is one of the few with an inch of quality and unpredictability within his play in this Hull side, and if they need to rely on a moment of brilliance, Gelhardt could be the man that eyes turn towards.