Allams gone and Championship survival in reach, it's been a satisfying return to the Championship for Hull City according to Rick @HullCityLive and Nathaniel @NathanielWhitto.

How's the season gone so far? Looks like you're safe which presumably was job one, two and three...

Rick: It started with an unbelievable win at Preston and then promptly nose-dived but we went on a good run in November after finally abandoning 4-3-3 to go three at the back (due mainly to having four injured full backs) and that helped us get away from immediate danger.

Nathaniel: The season started better than we could have ever expected with a confident 4-1 away victory against Preston. Everyone thought we had carried over our terrific goalscoring form from the stint in League One but then we won just one of the next 15 games. However, since a change to the 3-5-2 formation we've almost averaged playoff form. We have been inconsistent, either losing or winning several games in succession. Relegation does seem unlikely with the buffer we have between us and the poorer teams below us, but this is the Championship and we have been relegated from better positions before.

Hull’s league results…
Preston 1-4 Hull Jacobsen 8 — Lewis-Potter 35, Smallwood 62, Magennis 85, Cannon 90
Hull 0-3 QPR Willock 16, Dykes 68, Dickie 74
Hull 0-1 Derby Baldock 57
Fulham 2-0 Hull Mitrovic 22, Carvalho 34
Hull 0-0 Bournemouth
Swansea 0-0 Hull
Blackburn 2-0 Hull Ayala 61, Brereton 65
Hull 1-3 Sheff Utd Lewis-Potter 74 — Sharp 17, Egan 50, 61
Stoke 2-0 Hull Vrancic 35, Powell 58
Hull 1-1 Blackpool Eaves 84 — Lavery 42
Hull 2-0 Boro Lumley og 81, Wilks 90
Huddersfield 2-0 Hull Lees 9, Holmes 73
Hull 1-2 Peterborough Magennis 45 — Taylor 43, Dembele 72
Luton 1-0 Hull Adebayo 17
Hull 0-1 Coventry Godden 9
West Brom 1-0 Hull Grant 69
Barnsley 0-2 Hull Honeyman 33, Lewis-Potter 75
Hull 2-0 Birmingham Honeyman 17, Wilks 57
Cardiff 0-1 Hull Lewis-Potter 15
Hull 2-1 Millwall Honeyman 29, Longman 53 — Bradshaw 45
Reading 1-1 Hull Holmes 45 — Wilks 55
Hull 2-2 Bristol City Longman 3, Honeyman 79 — Semenyo 54, James 90
Forest 2-1 Hull Grabban pen 55, Johnson 72 — Lewis-Potter 43
Blackpool 1-0 Hull Madine pen 31
Hull 0-2 Stoke Brown 22, Ince 50
Hull 2-0 Blackburn Honeyman 7, Eaves 67
Bournemouth 0-1 Hull Longman 77
Hull 2-0 Swansea Eaves 5, Lewis-Potter 17
Hull 0-1 Preston Archer 51
Derby 3-1 Hull Forsyth 19, Lawrence 37, Ebosele 47 — Forsyth og 65
Hull 0-1 Fulham Mitrovic 57
Sheff Utd 0-0 Hull

A takeover! No more Allams! Congratulations, a long time in coming. What do we make of the new owners so far? What have they said about plans for future?

Rick: It's long overdue and we couldn't be happier. The change in atmosphere in just a few weeks shows just how spiteful and stagnant the relationship with the Allams was. We don't know much about Acun Illicali and his team other than he's ridiculously enthusiastic, a massive football fan (supports Fenerbahce) and he embraces and works with the media more than the previous owners did in the last eight years. We don't expect miracles but it's just nice to be looking up again.

Nathaniel: Thank you! A lot of City fans inevitably warned the fanbase with the age-old phrase "be careful what you wish for" but we seem to have struck gold with Acun Ilicali. Not necessarily in terms of finances, but he seems to be a genuine football fan and knows what it means to be one. That had been proven with the fantastic ticket prices he's implemented. We didn't end up signing any Turkish players in January but we have a lot to look forward to in terms of investment in the summer, if we stay up.

Grant McCann - harshly done to or not?

Rick: On balance, yes. There are several points in the last two years when he should have gone, most obviously after the 8-0 hammering at Wigan, but having won League One and weathered the storm this season, he was doing a good job. The change was common knowledge long before the takeover completed though and the statement about it was honest to supporters and Grant McCann.

Nathaniel: This is an incredibly difficult question. Due to his form at City, usually either brilliant or dire, it's been hard to judge him. Without question he should have been sacked at some point in both of his seasons at Championship level but after the recent results it does seem harsh from the outside.

New manager - thoughts? What's he changed so far?

Rick: He's only had a few games but he's gone back to 4-3-3, he plays with a higher line and squeezes the middle of the pitch with his wingers working hard to get back without the ball. We were well beaten by Preston at home but have otherwise looked well organised and competitive with good sides.

Nathaniel: Regardless of form, Acun was always going to bring in his own manager, to suit his preferred attacking style of play. McCann had always used a 4-3-3 before a change in formation was forced in November due to injury, and that is new man Shota Arveladze's preferred system as well. Despite Acun's claims we seem to be more focused on the defence currently but perhaps that is because of the quality of the opposition he has faced so far. Really, it is to early to tell.

What January business did you do? What did you need to do?

Rick: We needed forward options and we got them with strikers Allahyar Sayyadmanesh on loan from Fenerbahce and Marcus Forss on loan from Brentford. Regan Slater came in permanently from Sheff Utd after his loan last season to strengthen midfield while Liam Walsh from Swansea replaced Matt Smith who returned to Man City. The best business might have been turning Ryan Longman's loan from Brighton into a long term deal for only £750k.

Nathaniel: Along with half the football clubs in Europe, we desperately needed a striker. We got that, and four other players. Regan Slater and Ryan Longman on cheap permanent deals could well become some of our most astute business in recent years, and the loan signing of Liam Walsh provides some cover. However, the forward players, Brentford's Marcus Forss and Fenerbahçe’s Allahyar Sayyadmanesh are the most eye-catching. Neither has hit the ground running yet but when they do we will be a much more dangerous side.

Summer Ins: >>> Tyler Smith, 22, CF, Sheff Utd, Undisclosed >>> Andy Cannon, 25, CM, Portsmouth, Free >>> George Moncur, 27, CM, Luton, Free >>> Randell Williams, 24, RM, Exeter, Free >>> Ryan Longman, 20, RW, Brighton, Free >>> Tom Huddlestone, 34, CM, Derby, Free >>> Di’Shon Bernard, 20, CB, Man Utd, Loan >>> Nathan Baxter, 22, GK, Chelsea, Loan >>> Matt Smith, 21, CM, Man City, Loan

Winter Outs >>> Josh Magennis, 31, CF, Wigan, Undisclosed

Player of the season candidates?

Rick: He's out at the moment but goalie Nathan Baxter helped turn our season around. Homegrown winger Keane Lewis-Potter and defender Jacob Greaves have been fantastic as has Irish defender Sean McLoughlin and skipper Richie Smallwood who is a bit maligned as a "water carrier" type but we always miss him big time when he's out. But George Honeyman is still our best player by a mile this year, as he was last season.

Nathaniel: There has been several players who have performed brilliantly since the change in formation and the names are no surprise. Premier League linked Keane Lewis Potter and George Honeyman have been the key attacking players, but Chelsea loanee keeper Nathan Baxter also deserves praise. He has the highest save percentage in the league and is a significant improvement on the already solid Matt Ingram.

Weak links in the team?

Rick: We don't score enough. We've got wholehearted strikers who'll give you everything but only have a handful of goals. We need to make more chances and definitely take more.

Nathaniel: Currently, we are toothless in attack with Forss not fully fit. Perhaps the key weak link on Saturday will be Callum Elder who will likely play out of position, as a left footed right back.

Expectations for the rest of the season?

Rick: We just need to stay up and put plans in place to strengthen. We've too many loan players, which is understandable when the last owners were under a transfer embargo and the new ones only had 10 days of the window to work in but we need a settled squad in place early to give everyone the best chance of challenging next year.

Nathaniel: We just need to get to 50 points or so. Most City fans believe this is definitely possible and I can't see why not. Away days at promotion chasers Queens Park Rangers are not the games where we will be judged. In a week or so, after matches against Barnsley and Peterborough, we will know much better. A 20th place finish, where we are currently, would be very welcome

Links >>> Official Website >>> Hull Daily Mail — Local Paper >>> The Amber View — Blog >>> Reciprocal interview - Blog >>> Tigerlink — Blog >>> Amber Nectar — Blog and Forum >>> Not606 — Forum >>> Ground Guide >>> Hull City Live — Blog

The Twitter @HullCityLive, @NathanielWhitto, @loftforwords

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TacticalR added 12:56 - Feb 18 Thanks to Rick and Nathaniel. So, Allam has gone. Let there be much rejoicing among the people. It sounds like expectations are low, even though Hull have got some decent results recently (against Blackburn, Bournemouth and Swansea in January).
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