Source: Team_Talk
Pearson never wrote off Bullard
igel Pearson insisted he had never "written off" Jimmy Bullard after he returned for his first game of the season to help Hull beat Derby 2-0.[LNB] Bullard, expected to be sold during the close season as Hull looked to offload their highest wage earner, was instrumental in a win that sent Derby into the bottom three thanks to goals from Daniel Ayala and Robert Koren.[LNB]Pearson said: "There's been an awful lot said about him and it's important he's judged on his performances. I think he played his part in a good performance.[LNB]"At no point was he written off. He's a player who has played in the Premier League.[LNB]"The bottom line is that, whatever the sub-plots are, ultimately he's a man who enjoys playing football and my job as manager is to pick a side that can win football matches."[LNB]Hull took the lead just before the break when Ayala bundled home Tom Cairney's cross from the right wing to score on his home debut after joining on loan from Liverpool.[LNB]Derby offered little in attack despite the presence of Shefki Kuqi, who signed on loan from Swansea on Monday.[LNB]Hull deservedly secured the points eight minutes from time when Koren drilled home the rebound after Stephen Bywater had parried Jay Simpson's angled shot.[LNB]Pearson added: "That was needed after Saturday, which was a missed opportunity. So far we've got seven points at home and none away, so home form has been important.[LNB]"It's a very valuable win for us, but we have to improve our away form.[LNB]"We need to find a way of unlocking the minds so we play like that away from home, and there's no reason why we can't do that.[LNB]"In the last two games we've had a bit more of a solid foundation and it's great to get the win, but clearly there's still quite a lot of work to be done."[LNB]Derby first-team coach Johnny Metgod believed his side had performed well and were punished for missing their chances.[LNB]Metgod said: "It's been a frustrating night because I think we played really well. With a bit of luck we might have nicked a goal before they scored in the first half.[LNB]"In the second half we created a couple of good chances, particularly through Kris Commons, but to have any chance of scoring a goal you have to hit the target.[LNB]"At the other end we got punished simply because of bad defending. Tomasz Cywka gave a silly foul away just before the break for their first goal and for the second goal Dean Moxey was not in the right position to head the ball.[LNB]"You have to defend when you don't have the ball and I'm sure we can defend better.[LNB]"We should make it very, very hard for other teams to score against us, and we haven't done.[LNB]"On the other hand, even though we are in the bottom three, the way we played has given me confidence that we won't be in this position in two weeks' time.[LNB]"It would be far more of a concern if we didn't create chances."[LNB]On Kuqi's debut, Metgod added: "I think he did all right. Coming here to Hull straight away is not easy and he tried to do everything he could and worked his socks off.[LNB]"The longer he's with us the more settled he will be and hopefully he will get us some goals."
