After Hull’s latest defeat against Middlesbrough, attention has started to turn towards the start of the January transfer window.
The game showed how deficient the squad is in some areas and that the team are crying out for new signings to give hope of Premier League survival in May.
This window will truly show whether the team has ambitions to stay in the Premier League and attempt to break the habit of being a ‘yo-yo’ club or whether the team are just going to sink back to the Championship after one season in the top flight.
The window is set to be Mike Phelan’s first in permanent charge, and hopefully, he has more ideas to stamp a further identity onto the squad.
January also presents a stern test on a small squad of players with a large amount of cup and league games scheduled. Hull face four league games, including trips to Chelsea and Man Utd, and at least three FA and EFL Cup games against Swansea and two legs against United.
Potential scenarios of replays and extra time and penalties in this matches could make an already long month a marathon.
Goalkeeping-wise, the side have strength-in-depth, the best competition for a place in the squad, but the rest of the squad could do with having at least one extra player in positions from defence to attack.
Click below to start our slideshow going through the Hull squad with just over three weeks to go until the start of 2017.
Goalkeeping
The only decision that Hull fans are hoping for is to bring Eldin Jakupovic into the starting XI to replace David Marshall and try and shake up the defence somehow.
Allan McGregor should also return to the fold in January to give three goalkeepers to hopefully choose from and give chances to other ‘keepers.
The only transfer that would make sense in this department would be to get rid of Dusan Kuciak. His contract expires in the summer and it would be worth trying to get some cash. His exit, at some point, looks inevitable.
Defending
At left-back, Andy Robertson needs a new contract to keep him at the KCOM Stadium past the summer. Josh Tymon is a good up-and-coming back-up for the position.
Central defence sees the reliable partnership of Curtis Davies and Michael Dawson with Harry Maguire as back-up alongside a possible January return for Alex Bruce.
Of course, Bruce could always go to a certain Championship club.
With such a usually stellar back two, a centre-half purchase would only be for cover, but might be worth pursuing if a decent player is available that can add strength to the squad.
On the other side of the pitch, it might be worth bringing someone in for the right-back position, perhaps on loan, to bring competition for Ahmed Elmohamady.
This could protect the position until Moses Odubajo returns, hopefully at the start of next season. A permanent signing could even give consistent competition for Odubajo during next season.
Midfield
The midfield department does have quality and was the main focus of spending in August.
Sam Clucas has made a good start to life in the Premier League, while Ryan Mason has scored a couple of goals.
In January, Hull can make Markus Henriksen’s transfer from AZ Alkmaar permanent after initially arriving on loan in September.
This part of the side should probably be left alone unless a bargain or a brilliant player is suddenly offered to the side.
Players like Jake Livermore and Tom Huddlestone may not be credited as the absolute best players in the league but they have experience and nous to help the side.
Attacking
This is the most critical area of the team to splash cash on. The team need a decent Premier League-quality striker.
Peter Crouch, on the bench at Stoke, or Jay Rodriguez at Southampton, or one or two players of similar quality who are not getting first-team action and know how to score goals in this division would be essential for the second-half of the season.
Without this, the side could be doomed to Championship football next season as Adama Diomande is only in third place in the list of scorers this season, level with Michael Dawson and other strikers are yet to set the world on fire.
If a permanent deal was looked for, the club could sell Abel Hernandez could raise funds. He has been linked continually with moves to Aston Villa and other clubs and, despite injuries, still hasn’t offered a good enough threat for the division with just one goal, scored in August.
Dieumerci Mbokani’s loan deal could be made permanent during the month, but he has not scored a single goal for the club yet.
Doing something about strikers is absolutely vital.