Team Overview: Hull City had an uphill battle to avoid relegation in its first season of Premier League competition, but they survived and now will double their total EPL seasons next year. Though some would say they were lucky to evade elimination, I think they deserve to be commended for finishing 17th place overall.
Best Performers: Geovanni saved this team often in ‘09, leading the squad with eight strikes. Chris Fagan also played consistently, and his dedication was rewarded with 3 goals and 3 assists. In goal, Boaz Myhill struggled to keep opponents out of Hull City’s net, giving up a whopping 1.82 goals per game, but his defense did suck.
Highest High: Hull City actually started the season with style, stringing together four wins from the end of September until late October. During this stretch, they even bested Arsene Wenger and the Gunners. Their “highest high” though came when they didn’t play; rather, it was when the Magpies blew it against Villa to drop out of the EPL.
Lowest Low: After their hot start, the Tigers were mired in disappointing results for the rest of the season. In fact, they only picked up two points in their last eight matches. Their defense was mostly to blame, as they gave up the second most goals in the EPL last year. They were often outmatched, yet they have kept their head up.
Future Outlook: Hull City should be proud they have survived relegation in the EPL, but they only did so by the skin of their teeth. They must immediately improve on both sides of the ball in order to stay afloat again in 2010. If they continue to cede so many goals, they will go back down, but for now they should savor their finish.
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