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Championship Playoff Final: Five things we learned from Hull win over Sheffield Wednesday

1) Diame was Premier League class from start to finish

Mohamed Diame is a well travelled player, of that there is no doubt. His stints at Rayo Vallecano, Wigan and West Ham were more notable for midfield industry than attacking thrust.

When he made the move to Hull City, however, he took on a more attacking role with Tom Huddlestone and Jake Livermore content to sit back when his mood dictated that he wanted a foray forward.

He was the only bright spot for the Tigers in a poor first 20 minutes with the rest of his team-mates struggling to rise to the occasion with the huge pressure on their shoulders.

As Hull started to get on top leading into the interval, you sensed he would become even more pivotal and so it proved in the second half with his beautiful winning finish from outside the box.

Steve Bruce knows he will be key to keeping Hull up next season and avoid another drop back down.

2) Forestieri would not look out of place in the top flight

When Fernando Forestieri ran at Michael Dawson in the 11th minute, he showed exactly why he has been so key to Sheffield Wednesday’s fortunes.

He has been reprimanded by referees and players alike this season for diving, however he stayed on his feet this time and beat Dawson for speed leaving the Hull centre-back no option but to hack him down.

The resulting free-kick tested out Eldin Jakupović and showed that the Owls striker meant business.

His willingness to come deep for the ball or break up opposition moves into the bargain highlights what a special player he is for the steel city club.

If Premier League clubs come calling for the lively former Watford forward, then it would be difficult for Wednesday’s Thai owner Dejphon Chansiri to turn down a respectable bid for his services.

3) Hull’s midfield was too narrow and ponderous early on

We know that Huddlestone, Livermore and Robert Snodgrass are very talented players on their day as they showed in the Premier League earlier in their careers.

It was clear from the outset at Wembley, though, that they were not completely on the same wavelength in the Tigers engine room and it nearly cost them in the first period.

They occupied the same narrow areas and often made the same runs, making Hull extremely predictable.

Diame’s surging runs forward were the only source of attacking menace for 20 odd minutes, which allowed Wednesday to get hold of the ball in dangerous areas and burst forward at speed.

However once they sorted out their shape better, they brought raiding full-backs Moses Odubajo and Andrew Robertson into play more and it was largely Bruce’s men on top from then on.

4) Wednesday need to keep Westwood after final heroics

Keiren Westwood has become an excellent goalkeeper for the Owls, his earlier stints at Carlisle, Coventry and Sunderland a proving ground for him to learn his trade properly.

He made a few spectacular saves to keep Wednesday in the game when Hull threatened to run riot and gave the visiting fans hope they could snatch an equaliser at the death.

His quick movement off the line and commanding presence meant Abel Hernandez, Dawson and Odubajo were all denied with the Wednesday defence stretched wide and all at sea.

He was Player of the Year last season and key this year, therefore Portuguese boss Carlos Carvalhal needs to make it a top priority to keep him between the sticks for another promotion push next year.

5) Hernandez needs to be upgraded for Premier League push

Hernandez drifted in and out of the game for the first 20 minutes or so at Wembley, starved of service from a midfield struggling for rhythm.

Once they started to find their range with pinpoint passes to him, though, the Uruguayan caused the Wednesday defence trouble with two first-half efforts denied by Kieran Lee and Westwood respectively.

He looks the type of striker that thrives on service and confidence as opposed to the type that can consistently carve out his own chances, which might prove difficult in the jump to the top flight.

Diame, on the other hand, almost looks like a bully with his ferocious attacking presence and Bruce needs to invest wisely more in his mould if the Tigers are going to thrive with the big guns again.

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