Hull City: QPR Victory Bolsters Acun Ilicali’s Support for Liam Rosenior’s £1.5m Decision
Hull City have turned a corner under Tim Walter, clinching three consecutive wins.
After securing comeback victories against Stoke City and Cardiff City, which boosted confidence in the German’s leadership, the Tigers continued their strong form with another impressive away win at Queens Park Rangers, following solid 3-1 and 4-1 performances.
In an intriguing clash between Walter’s side and Marti Cifuentes’ team, Hull City showcased several standout performers, including Chris Bedia and Liam Millar, who contributed to the scoring.
However, the East Yorkshire team faced moments of difficulty during the match, with their opponents applying significant pressure at times. Ivor Pandur’s crucial performance proved instrumental in securing another three points for City.
Ivor Pandur’s performance was crucial in Hull City’s recent win.
Despite entering the match with confidence from consecutive victories, Hull appeared to retreat into their shell during the early moments. Pandur was called into action four times within the first six minutes to keep his team firmly in the contest.
Ivor Pandur Stats – QPR 1-3 Hull City
| Statistic | Total |
|---|---|
| Average Rating | 8.4 |
| Saves | 6 |
| Saves from Inside the Box | 4 |
| High Claims | 1 |
| Clearances | 1 |
| Touches | 76 |
| Accurate Long Balls | 4 |
All stats as per Sofascore
The Croatian, who made his competitive debut for the club in August, has been a crucial player under Walter this season. His timely interventions helped Hull establish control in the match, leading to goals from Cody Drameh and Bedia in the first half.
Despite Nicolas Madsen converting a penalty in the 44th minute, it was difficult to dispute that Pandur deserved the Player of the Match honors. His performance kept the expected goals against him to just under one (0.97) and included four crucial saves from close range.
This was a significant point for the German boss in his post-match analysis, with many agreeing that without their £1.5m January signing, Hull City could have found themselves in a much tougher situation before even getting a handle on the game.
They had a few chances to score, but we had a brilliant Ivor Pandur. He was outstanding early on, and after we got our first goal, we became even stronger. We were more comfortable, especially with the ball,” Walter told Hull Live.
Ivor Pandur has reinforced Acun Ilicali’s earlier remarks about Liam Rosenior’s selection.
The ‘Goalkeepers Union’ in East Yorkshire was a significant topic last season, particularly following the arrival of Ivor Pandur from Eredivisie side Fortuna Sittard. The young goalkeeper’s potential was widely discussed among fans and pundits alike.
However, former manager Liam Rosenior often opted for Ryan Allsop, now with Birmingham City, as his first choice. Allsop faced scrutiny for several errors that proved detrimental to Hull’s playoff push, leading to questions about Rosenior’s decision-making in goal.
This situation highlighted a disagreement between Acun Ilicali and Rosenior, especially after the latter’s departure just three games after the season concluded. While Ilicali clarified that he did not interfere with team selections, the dynamics surrounding the goalkeeping position were clearly tense.
Reports suggested that Rosenior was unconvinced about Pandur’s capabilities in the Championship, which became a point of contention. During a post-season Q&A, Ilicali expressed his belief that Pandur should be the first-choice keeper, stating, “I imagined he (Pandur) is our first-choice, but who is the best will play.” This statement underscored the differing perspectives on the goalkeeper’s role within the club.
Currently, it’s evident that the former youth international’s performances have validated Ilicali’s assertion, as it seems only extraordinary circumstances could lead to him losing his spot to either Carl Rushworth or Anthony Racioppi.
The presence of those two as current backups to Pandur underscores the depth that Walter has in this position. With an impressive average of 3.6 saves per game and having prevented 2.18 additional goals, the keeper has fully seized the chance to showcase his abilities and potentially prove Rosenior wrong.
Source: https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/hull-city-qpr-win-ivor-pandur-acun-ilicali-selection-verdict/
