Hull City boss Liam Rosenior believes Town are going to be an outstanding team this season, the Blues having beaten his Tigers 3-0 at Portman Road.

Town dominated Rosenior’s team from virtually start to finish as goals from Wes Burns, Conor Chaplin and Marcus Harness saw Kieran McKenna’s side to a comfortable win and back to the top of the table with previous leaders Leicester in action tonight at home to third-placed Preston North End, who visit Portman Road on Saturday.

Asked whether he’d learned about his team during the game against Town, Rosenior, who spent the 2009/10 season on loan at Portman Road, said he’d discover more from the way they react when they face Millwall at the Den at the weekend.

“Tonight, but more importantly Saturday coming, that’s when I’ll learn, about me as well,” he said.

“Ipswich have been outstanding all season, not just this season but last season as well, and two magnificent goals in terms of the finishes that [Hull keeper] Ryan [Allsop] can’t do anything about.

"I'm disappointed about the first goal because we didn’t manage the distances well enough and then what we tried to do is change, we tried to be brave, we tried to go man-for-man all over the pitch, like we did at Leicester. In that one it worked and this one it didn’t.

“Fair play to Kieran, he’s done a fantastic job and for us we have to learn our lessons and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

The defeat was Hull’s first since the opening day having gone on an eight-game unbeaten run.

“It’s the Championship,” Rosenior reflected. “We’ve lost two in 10, we are hard to beat, we weren't today, but overall it’s not a crisis, it’s no drama, we learn our lessons and move on to the next one really quickly.

“We’re still in a really good place, we’ve got 16 points from 10 games. You win, which is possible, it’s possible [for us to beat] Millwall [at the weekend] and that’s 19 points, that’s a very good return.

“There are a lot of teams [with similar records], I’ve just looked at the table. The Championship is always so close.

“I learnt a lot from a lot of managers, Chris Hughton [Rosenior’s boss at Brighton] always said, ‘You’re never the best team in the world when you win, you’re never the worst team in the world when you lose’.

“We can’t get carried away when things are going really well and we can’t get carried away when things don’t go our way.

“What we have to do is respond, learn and analyse and make sure we’re better for the next one.”

Rosenior felt Town’s central striker was key to Town’s victory: “Today, the difference between the two teams, I thought [George] Hirst was outstanding for Ipswich because every time the ball went up to him, it wasn’t our defenders’ fault because their defending from the right side, but it stuck. It stuck on him, he kept it for his team, laid the ball off and then they were in our half.

“When it went up to our frontmen today, it didn’t quite stick and we’ve got Liam [Delap], who is 20, he’s learning and he’s young, he’s going improve.

“And that was a massive part of the game. Every time it went up to Hirst it stuck and they could play around it and play in our half, and we didn’t quite play to that level today.”

He added: “I said to the lads after the game, everything they tried, they would try cross-field balls across their own penalty box, the lads are taking it down out of the air and back-heeling it and it’s going in someone’s path.

“And then we were gathering the ball, we were making really simple passes and they weren’t coming off.

“You get days like that, but there have been many more good days for Ipswich and there’s been bad and Kieran’s doing a fantastic job here.

“He’s got a team who understand the way he wants to play, he’s had 18 months, two years at it and they all know, I hear them shouting certain things and I know what they’re doing. The players know because he’s had the time to work with them.

“For me they’re going to be an outstanding team this season. They were at top level today and for us, if you’re not at your level and the opposition in any Championship game are top level, then you’re going to find it difficult.”

The 39-year-old boss continued his praise of the Blues: “There’s a really good understanding amongst them. There’s a good understanding of when the press is coming where to play.

“And there’s a good understanding if the press isn’t there, where to space is. They understand their roles, they understand their rotations, they’re a very, very good team.

“And in the Championship, if you have players, I’ve said this before about continuity, if you have continuity in the Championship, if you have players who understand their positions and understand what they’re doing at all moments, then you’ve got a chance of being successful.

“I played for Ipswich, I wish them all the best, I didn’t wish them the best today, but overall they’re an excellent team, but they’re miles ahead of us. We’re in a place where today it looked it, but overall we’re a good team as well.”

Rosenior also paid tribute to the 553 travelling Hull City fans: “They were brilliant. To travel all this way and see your team lose 3-0 and keep singing, I couldn't be prouder.

“After the game, I made sure every single player and myself went over and to show our appreciation.

“I apologise to them that they've come all this way and haven't seen the greatest performance from us and we'll do everything we can to repair that in the next game.”

Photo: TWTD

Europablue added 10:15 - Oct 4 He's exactly right. Hull look like they could be a great team, but they just don't have the tight-knit feel of Ipswich or the drive and desire to win every ball. They also remind me a bit of us in the first few games that KM managed. We looked better, but had a lot of room for improvement to be challenging at the top. The difference is that top 6 is a real prospect for Hull this season, but it is a tough competition. We are looking very good for top 6. Who knows if we can keep up this form, but we are looking very good at the moment. If we keep concentrating on the next 3 points, we may well do it!

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Gilesy added 10:16 - Oct 4 What a nice young man. I can't remember the last time I've had so much belief in a team, or enjoyed watching them so much, and it's nice that others acknowledge we're really, really good too.
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VanDusen added 10:17 - Oct 4 He was a class act when he was with us, and looks like he's becoming a class act as a manager too. God forbid we lose McKenna any time soon, but one day maybe he'd like to come back here.
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Hatman2 added 10:22 - Oct 4 Huge that we should be rotating in guys like Fridge, Harness, Williams, Hutchinson etc and we get stellar performances. We know Taylor’s quality, Broady, Burgess, Clarke etc - and these guys are chomping on the sidelines. So pleased to see this praise for George Hirst too. Only 2 Championship goals so far but his value is way above and beyond the goals he gets. Top top player for us.

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hello66 added 10:58 - Oct 4 George hirst just keep doing what you’re doing does not go unnoticed… The ITFC fans know your role, as you get fitter you will only become more of a handful for what ever opposition we play this season. I was talking to two Hull supporters before the game one said this “ there are two teams that are going to go straight up and they’re both blue this season, Leicester and Ipswich “ also said “ tonight if we only lose by one goal I will be pleased! “

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JewellintheTown added 10:58 - Oct 4 Nice bloke, nice praise. Wish him & Hull all the best for the season. Phil. Minor detail but I believe it was 2009/10 season he was with us on loan, not 10/11.
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Bazza8564 added 10:59 - Oct 4 High praise indeed, and the bit about George Hirst in particular caught my eye, not just about his play, but about it being the differentiator between George and Freddie. Freddie in the box is magic, but as a 9 outside the box the ball doesn't stick to him. If he could develop that..... Comments above are spot on, quality guy, didn't moan about his side, the ref or the luck on the night, just plain truth. Isn't it refreshing not to be listening to the whining we had in league one, with Accrington's Chairman, Danny Cowley and all the denial of truth that went on there. We should enjoy these next few seasons, we may not conquer Europe again but our cub is back and arguably better than ever given the way football has moved on!

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PhilTWTD added 11:08 - Oct 4 JewellintheTown Thanks, I meant to check that before I put it live but forgot. Amended.
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BlueandTruesince82 added 11:38 - Oct 4 Good Bloke LR isn't he
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Skip73 added 11:44 - Oct 4 Good honest assessment by a good manager. Maybe Ten Haag and a few others in the Premier League can take a leaf out of his book and accept defeat now and again instead of blaming everything else for poor results.
8

Freddies_Ears added 11:56 - Oct 4 Very classy interview from a likeable manager. I thought his team played pretty well, and their fans were top class.
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oldtimer3 added 14:10 - Oct 4 Really good match. Hull were good but not good enough. Another excellent young manager British manager who likes his team to entertain. Good luck to him and his team.
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bucket99 added 16:31 - Oct 4 Great to hear honest opinions about George Hirst's impact again. Dean Holden was equally open after we put 6 past Charlton last season, and if opposition managers are talking about him like that it must've been really obvious to them. Long may it continue.
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Monkey_Blue added 18:29 - Oct 4 He’s a coach I think can have a very good career and serves derby right that he’s in the championship and they are still in League One.
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765765 added 20:58 - Oct 4 Love this, and Rosenior comes across incredibly well here, he's obviously getting a very good reputation already and I'd read that Hull fans were liking how they were progressing under him. Sort of feels similar mould to McKenna in that level of class. Good luck to Hull I'm sure they will do well this season under him, just finish below us please, as we all know Leicester are taking the title!

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Dissboyitfc added 06:40 - Oct 5 interesting that he looked at the table, KM doesn't well that's what he says!
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Marinersnose added 11:43 - Oct 5 I like LR as a player when he was with us and he’s already proving to be a very good manager and coach. Hull are a very good side but we have a striker in Hirst who is outstanding at this level. He was being pushed kicked shirt pulled all the usual tactics when a player is defensively up against a good player but……he still kept the ball and was able to bring others into the game. Burns was announced as MOM but Hirst for me was way ahead of anyone else on the pitch. His work off the ball in phenomenal. Hull will be in and around the playoffs I’m sure as they play a fluid brand of football with technical players but we were definitely ahead of them and took our chances.

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