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Hull City have been impressive so far in the Championship, despite a summer that saw off-field issues dominate the headlines for the East Yorkshire side.
The Tigers are 14th in the league table after six games, winning twice, drawing twice and losing twice. However, Hull are working under a transfer fee ban, and they relied on free agents and loan signings in the transfer window.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 12 |  PortsmouthPortsmouth | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 8 |
| 13 |  CharltonCharlton | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 8 |
| 14 |  Hull CityHull City | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 12 | -2 | 8 |
| 15 |  NorwichNorwich | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 7 |
| 16 |  WrexhamWrexham | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 12 | -1 | 7 |
Therefore, expectations are perhaps a little lower for those at the MKM Stadium this season, and Sergej Jakirovic will be keen to defy those in the coming weeks and months.
To do that, he will need his most experienced players to stay on form, and Oli McBurnie, who rejected a move to Swansea City in favour of Hull, is doing just that. The striker has formed a strong partnership with full-back Ryan Giles, and he has joked about helping his teammate to an England call-up.
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Oli McBurnie opens up on Ryan Giles connection at Hull City
The 2024/25 campaign was not the easiest for Giles, but so far this season, he has been one of the Championship’s standout defenders. The 25-year-old has registered three assists in six games, setting up McBurnie for each, and the forward has been full of praise for his Hull teammate.
He said (via: Hull Live): “I told Gilo I’m going to get him an England call-up if he carries on. I’ve played against Gilo many times, and I know how good his quality is on the ball.
“I’ve said to him, just keep crossing the ball. Don’t think about it, take your touch, I’m going to be there, and I might miss one, I might miss two, but if you keep crossing the ball, I’m going to get a goal, and he has been doing it.
“I think he’s got three assists for me this season so far, and then you’ve got the quality on the other side with the skipper (Lewie Coyle) as well, so for me it’s a dream to have players who just want to cross the ball.
“I know Ryan Fraser from playing with him at Scotland, and at the end, he said he could do with someone in his team who just wants to cross the ball to and score goals. For me, having players like that around me is music to my ears.”
Ryan Giles’ fantastic start to the Championship season
In 28 league appearances for both Hull and Middlesbrough last season, Giles failed to register a single goal or assist.
Confidence seemed to be an issue for the left-back, but with McBurnie leading the line for the Tigers in this campaign, he has been given the perfect target man to find with his crosses.
| Stat | Ryan Giles’ metrics |
|---|---|
| Appearances (starts) | 6 (6) |
| Minutes played | 540 |
| Goal (assists) | 0 (3) |
| xA | 1.88 |
| Crossing accuracy | 37.8% |
| Chances created | 12 |
| Recoveries | 8 |
No other left-back in the division has completed more crosses than Giles (17) and his defensive work has been impressive as well, with the 25-year-old having a tackle success rate of 100%.
With Brandon Williams returning from concussion, competition for the left-back position will increase, but a continuation of this form for Giles will only help him as he looks to establish himself as a key player for Hull.