Seventy-three crosses faced, none of them landed
Hull City were meant to be the punchline. Before a ball was kicked, the newly promoted side were the popular pick to go after Derby County’s record for the fewest points a Premier League team has ever managed. Six points from six later, nobody is making that joke.
They beat Manchester United. Then they beat Coventry. Four teams in the division have a perfect record and the other three are building title challenges.
One statistic Hull share with Arsenal alone: not a single goal conceded.
Sergej Jakirovic has done it with a back five in front of Greek goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis, and the structure simply refuses to break. Opponents have already slung 73 crosses at it, 21 more than any other side in the league has faced heading into matchday three.
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Thirty-nine teams have started like this. One went down.
The historical record is almost entirely reassuring. Two wins, two clean sheets, and only 39 clubs have ever opened a Premier League campaign that way. Thirty-eight of them survived.
The one that did not was West Bromwich Albion in 2017-18. Two wins to begin with, then a single point from the following 31, then bottom of the table in May.
Hull have six points and 5.3% of the season behind them. That is 15% of the 40 points clubs still treat as the safety line, banked in the first fortnight.
John Egan is the reason more than anyone. Thirty-four defensive contributions, counting tackles, interceptions, clearances and blocks together, which is more than any player in the league at any position. He is also the only Hull centre-back to have played every minute of both games. Semi Ajayi chipped in with a goal on the opening weekend.
Villa arrive Saturday with problems of their own
The fixture list now has its say. Aston Villa visit on Saturday, then Hull travel to Chelsea.
Villa are not exactly arriving in rude health. Ollie Watkins has been swapped for Nicolas Jackson, Morgan Rogers has gone to Chelsea, and the team has yet to hit the target this season.
Hull will concede a goal at some point. Two matches prove nothing on their own. But right now nobody has the faintest idea what this team actually is.
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