Nottingham Forest perfect opponents for Hull City to make statement over future

And then there was one.

Forty-five games have been and gone and now just one remains against Nottingham Forest on Saturday lunchtime. Just like that, nine months of football is about to come to a shuddering halt. At least for a few weeks until the players return in late June and pre-season action gets underway ahead of the July big kick-off.

Until last Saturday, City had competed in every game. Yes, they may have lost or delivered a below-par performance, but they were competitive and not one of the other 23 teams in the Championship had blown them away, not even Fulham, who seemed to take great pride in scoring seven whenever they felt like it.

That's why the 5-0 trouncing at Bristol City a week ago was so painful, why it hurt so much and left Lewie Coyle stunned and almost lost for words when he tried to explain what had happened on the lush green turf of the Ashton Gate pitch. It's also why the game with Forest is so crucial to a proud, honest, and hard-working group of footballers.

There is absolutely no hint of downing tools because safety has been assured (on the beach as some like to say), that's not how these players work and to suggest anything else is a slight on their character and is somewhat disrespectful. City were awful last week because they didn't play well enough, for the first time this season, they were poor in each 45-minute period.

This season has seen some bad 45-minute displays, for sure. At home to Derby, away to Derby. Away to Fulham, at home to Peterborough, to Barnsley, to Luton, but nothing like what we saw at Ashton Gate, and that is why Shota Arveladze, his staff, and players must deliver a performance worthy of the name on Saturday, for themselves as much as anything else.

It would be