Huddersfield manager Carlos Corberan admitted he sacrificed his team’s passing game to gain a vital 1-0 win at 10-man Hull.
The Terriers boss directed his team to pump more crosses into the home box than would normally be the case as the visitors attempted to break down a stubborn Tigers defence that had been reduced to 10 men by Tom Eaves’ red card in first-half stoppage time.
It was a tactic that eventually paid off in the 79th minute when substitute Danel Sinani swung in a free-kick from the right and, after Tom Lees’ header had been parried by Hull goalkeeper Matt Ingram, left wing-back Harry Toffolo grabbed his second goal of the season from close range.
A pleased Corberan said: “Having arrived at the game on the back of two defeats, it was very important to change the dynamic in this match in terms of the result. We didn’t always manage the ball well in the middle of the pitch at the start of the first half, but then we started attacking the wide areas better.
“We put a lot of balls into the box and could have been awarded penalties in certain situations, but we kept going. Whenever we put the ball in the box, it created good situations for us and we’ve learned that, sometimes, accumulating passes doesn’t create chances.
“Sometimes – like this match and the home game with Cardiff – we need to put balls in from the sides, into the box, to create chances and that happens when Jordan Rhodes is in the box. It gives possibilities and opportunities to us.
“They went more compact after they had their player sent off and were trying to waste time and, in parts of the game, our combination play didn’t allow us to create as many chances so, sometimes, it’s better to have more crosses from the sides than going through your playmakers.”
Hull boss Shota Arveladze declined to criticise Eaves for the clumsy challenge on Huddersfield midfielder Lewis O’Brien that led to his second bookable offence on the stroke of half-time.
The former Georgia international argued: “I cannot say too much after the decision has been made and your player has been shown a second yellow card. But I don’t think that yellow cards are given too easily in this league and I see many tackles being made when the game is quick.
“I’m not going to complain about the sending-off though. It is true that everyone has to be smart in those situations, but there were mistakes that we made leading up to what Tom did as well.
“You can’t change much after it’s happened and Tom was down after the game but I haver told him to keep his chin up.”
Arveladze was also pleased with his team’s efforts after being reduced to 10 men despite the final scoreline, adding: “The players responded well in the second half and I thought we should have got more from the game.
“We stayed in the game until the last minute and I thought the boys did well in general. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough and that’s not easy because I felt we should have got a result and a goal after going 4-3-2 at the end and still creating chances.”
