Hernandez & Dawson?

We have differing opinions on here, all are welcome to them, the fact that their opinion differs from yours doesn't mean they're not sensible posters.

In fact, on this occasion you're wrong, making you the non-sensible poster.

Now stop been dosile ****.

 

Hernandez exclusion explained...

Hull City decision to rest Abel Hernandez will pay off against Derby County – Steve Bruce

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Hull City boss Steve Bruce believes his "calculated risk" to rest Abel Hernandez will be justified when his top goalscorer returns to face promotion rivals Derby County on Friday.

Hernandez was granted extra time at home in Uruguay following his international commitments last week, missing the 1-1 draw at Bristol City on Saturday.

The 25-year-old striker had started the previous 12 league games for City, racking up eight goals in the process, but Bruce believes there will be long-term benefits in a demanding run up to Christmas.

"It was a big decision that I made two weeks ago," said Bruce.

"We let him stay at home in Uruguay a little bit longer and he'll be back in England in time for training on Monday. It gave him five extra days with his family. It was a calculated risk.

"We all know how important he is to us and hopefully he'll be back refreshed on Friday.

"It was this time last year that he hit a wall. Three times he's been back and forward during the international breaks.

"I kept him in last time (against Sheffield Wednesday) but I felt this time, after looking at what happened last year, I wanted to keep some freshness in him. He's going to be a crucial player for us.

"Thankfully we've got away with it (with a draw). If we hadn't I'm sure people would have been pelting bricks at my windows. But I made the decision and let's hope it's the right one."

Bruce's gamble was in danger of backfiring at Ashton Gate when an attack lacking Hernandez struggled to turn a dominance of possession into goals.

Kieran Agard's first-half strike had City fearing a first defeat since September 12 but substitute Shaun Maloney emerged off the bench to salvage a point.

Bruce added: "There are times when you play a football match and it's not going for you, the easy thing is to do nothing. The hard thing is to clear your head, roll up your sleeves, stick with it and do the simple things well.

"That character has been there in abundance across the side. It wasn't fluent, we weren't at our best, but sometimes you get that after international breaks when you've had players all over the place. Overall, we'll be happy with a point and move on."

Hernandez's return against the Rams will be offset by the loss of both Michael Dawson and Andy Robertson to suspension after collecting their fifth cautions of the campaign.

Robertson will be back for the Capital One Cup quarter-final away to Manchester City next week but there are fears that Dawson could be missing through injury for up to four weeks.

The City captain limped off with a hamstring injury and will undergo scans today to learn the full extent of the problem but there are fears he could be absent for the next four or five league games.

"He's got a hamstring injury so it's not great," said Bruce. "The early thoughts are it could be three or four weeks, but we'll see.

"All of a sudden we've got two injuries (Dawson and David Meyler) in a week to players who have been playing out of their skin. They're going to be a loss and we'll have to find someone else to play at left-back next week. We've got a squad that's capable."

http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull...tory-28222571-detail/story.html#ixzz3sJ7hYsI0

 

Nothing to do with this thread really (other than it's a Dawson), but I just came across this Vine of Andy Dawson's brilliant tackle on Theo Walcott...