2 Tim Iroegbunam warnings for Hull City ahead of Arsenal clash

Tim Iroegbunam has warned Hull City that they must avoid repeating their first-half mistakes against Ipswich Town when they face Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.

The midfielder believes the Tigers need to press with more aggression and stop giving their opponents too much time on the ball if they want to get anything from their trip to the Emirates Stadium.

Hull drew 2-2 with Ipswich at the MKM Stadium last weekend after falling behind in a disappointing first half. Iroegbunam felt his team were too cautious and failed to put enough pressure on their opponents.

Sergej Jakirovic’s side have relied heavily on defensive football and counter-attacks this season. That approach has helped them settle into life in the Premier League, with the newly promoted side sitting in the top half of the table after nine matches.

However, Iroegbunam knows they will need more than a defensive display against Arsenal.

Iroegbunam warns Hull against showing Arsenal too much respect

Speaking about the Ipswich draw, the 23-year-old admitted that Hull allowed their opponents to dictate the game during the first half.

“I feel like we showed (Ipswich) too much respect and we were hesitant in our way of pressing and we didn’t quite get to the ball when we could or we were a bit unsure,” he said, per Yorkshire Post.

Iroegbunam also felt Hull failed to use their home advantage, insisting they should have put more pressure on Ipswich and given their supporters something to cheer about.

The midfielder, who is waiting to be integrated into the Super Eagles setup, does not want to see a repeat of that performance against Premier League leaders Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have enough quality to punish teams that allow them space and time in possession.

Super Eagles hopeful tells Hull how to stop Arsenal

Iroegbunam has urged his teammates to press Arsenal’s players quickly and compete more aggressively for the ball rather than allowing Mikel Arteta’s side to control the match.

He believes a passive approach could leave Hull with little chance of getting a result against the Premier League champions.

“If you give Arsenal loads of time and space on the ball, they’ll kill you easily,” he warned.

“We definitely want to get up to them and be on the front foot and be aggressive.”

Hull are likely to defend deep for spells at the Emirates, but Iroegbunam wants his teammates to be more decisive whenever they have an opportunity to press.

The midfielder believes they must get that balance right if they are to trouble Arsenal on Saturday.

An Arsenal win will leave the champions 16 points clear of Hull City.