In an action packed game at the KC as Hull City drew 2-2 with West Ham United, Brad Rial watched all four of Hull City's deadline day signings make their debuts. And it was a night to remember for the two that started, Abel Hernandez and Mohamed Diame.Hernandez the striker City have been crying out for
Hernandez, who was all but ruled out of the game by Steve Bruce last week, put in an all-action display and deservedly grabbed the opening goal of the game. And what a goal it was too.![Get Adobe Flash player]()
There is a certain level of satisfaction to be had when a striker outjumps his marker before heading home as clinically as Hernandez did. It was an expertly taken goal. Just moments later he almost grabbed a second.
After receiving the ball on the edge of the area, he turned and unleashed a stunning effort that hit the crossbar. It was a chance that came about all of his own doing and it is this unpredictability, this sense of not knowing what is going to happen next when he is in possession of the ball that will make him so exciting to watch.
Hernandez came to City with a reputation of being a pacey, tricky forward but last night he demonstrated a physicality that fans perhaps weren't expecting to see. Against one of the division's tallest sides, he stood up to the test admirably and didn't shirk a challenge.
While it's very early days of course, Hernandez seems to be exactly the kind of striker City were crying out for. Diame impresses against former club
Mohamed Diame was the other man to make his full debut and, like Hernandez, his performance was excellent. In a way, West Ham was the perfect side for Diame to face in his first game since leaving Upton Park.
Since joining City two weeks ago, last night's game would have been at the forefront of his mind and he started like a man possessed. He clearly felt like he had a point to prove against his former club as he was everywhere in the first twenty minutes.
Diame added a bite to the City midfield that had previously been lacking and his energy and athleticism should complement Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore well.
He also showed last night that he knows how to finish. After stealing the ball off the toes of countryman Cheikhou Kouyate around 40 yards out, Diame carried the ball into the area before placing an inch-perfect shot past Adrian in the West Ham goal. It was an excellent strike and it owed everything to the determination of the City man.
The question now is whether he can carry on this form. At West Ham, Diame struggled for consistency and if he can achieve that at City, the £3.3m fee paid to the Hammers could turn out to be a steal.Ben Arfa and Ramirez show glimpses of promise
City fans had to wait until the 79th minute to see the two final deadline day arrivals in Gaston Ramirez and Hatem Ben Arfa. While it's difficult to draw conclusions from such fleeting displays, both showed early signs of promise.
Ramirez looked particularly comfortable on the ball when he came on. He has a cultured left foot and showed his passing ability when drilling a delightful cross-field ball to Ahmed Elmohamady.
Ben Arfa showed an eagerness to impress when on the ball but 11 minutes is hardly enough time to make a significant impact. In a recent column for the Mail, City legend Dean Windass likened Ben Arfa to Jay-Jay Okocha and it's easy to draw comparisons between the two.
When Okocha was at City during the 2007-08 season, there was an aura about him whenever he received the ball. There was an almost audible intake of breath from the crowd as they waited to see what Okocha would do next.
Ben Arfa can have that same effect on supporters. Last night he may have only offered fans a very brief glimpse of his talents but as the season progresses, the Frenchman will surely shine.Strength in depth leaves Bruce with options
City looked to be playing a 4-4-2 diamond formation last night and Steve Bruce will have been encouraged enough by the performance to conclude that it worked.
The way Bruce set up, with Hernandez and Jelavic as out and out strikers, gave City a different dimension up front and the speed with which they moved the ball from defence to attack was impressive.
It remains to be seen if Bruce will continue with a flat back four or revert to his tried and tested 3-5-2. One thing is for sure, he now has numerous options all over the park. James Chester would be in the majority of supporters' starting XIs yet he found himself on the bench last night.
And the fact that Sone Aluko, Tom Ince and Yannick Sagbo all failed even to make the squad just emphasises City's strength in depth.City Till We Die booed
The biggest talking point for many last night won't refer to on-field matters. After 19 minutes and four seconds of the game against West Ham, City fans chanted "City Till I Die" – as they have done for close to a year now.
But for the first time the chant was met with boos from other sections of the home support. Hull City fans booing other Hull City fans for chanting about Hull City – how has it come to this?
Wherever you stand on the name change debate, there is simply no getting away from the fact that it is starting to overshadow anything else that goes on at the club.
Last night should be remembered as the night Hull City's record signing marked his debut with a goal. It should be remembered as the night Hull City fielded arguably their strongest ever side, marking the dawn of an exciting new era.
Instead, for many, it will sadly be remembered as the night Hull City fans turned on their own.
