Jacob Hardwick | System Scout

Football Scouting, tactics & squad building.
Player profiles, transfer fits and tactical breakdowns.
Building my football analysis portfolio.

[Jacob Hardwick | System Scout @JacobHardwickSS]

Starting this account to post football scouting, tactics and squad-building ideas.

I’ll be covering:

• Player profiles
• Transfer fit analysis
• Tactical breakdowns
• Squad rebuilds
• Manager systems
• Underrated talents across Europe

Building my football analysis portfolio one post at a time.

[Jacob Hardwick | System Scout @JacobHardwickSS]

Harry Gray (17, Leeds United) #LUFC

Gray has already shown that he can score goals at academy level and handle the physical demands of senior football.

He began the 2025/26 season by scoring 11 goals in 14 appearances for Leeds under 21s. He then joined relegation threatened Rotherham United and made 20 League One appearances, scoring three times.

Three goals might not sound spectacular, but context matters. Playing regular senior football in a struggling League One side at 17 is far more valuable than scoring freely against academy defenders every week.

Leeds have now sent him to Sheffield Wednesday for the entire 2026/27 League One season. That should give us a much clearer idea of how good he can become. For me, he is one of the most interesting players here because he is already being tested in proper senior football.

[Jacob Hardwick | System Scout @JacobHardwickSS]

England’s Next Star Striker: Who Replaces Harry Kane for the Next Decade? #ENGLAND

Start of Thread 🧵

[Jacob Hardwick | System Scout @JacobHardwickSS]

Vincent Joseph (16, Liverpool) #LFC

Joseph is slightly different from most of the players on this list because he is not limited to playing as an out and out striker.

He can operate as a number nine, a number ten or from a wider position. He scored on his Liverpool under 18 debut and then followed that by scoring twice against Nottingham Forest.

His versatility is a strength, although I would like to see him eventually settle into a clear position. Sometimes young players who can play everywhere end up never fully mastering one role.

His club situation is also worth watching, with reports suggesting that a move to Manchester United has already been agreed. Wherever he ends up, he is clearly one of the most talented attackers in his age group.

[Jacob Hardwick | System Scout @JacobHardwickSS]

Final verdict
As the squad stands now, I think Hull would be one of the favourites to go down. The defensive numbers from last season are too worrying to ignore, and too much responsibility currently falls on McBurnie and Belloumi.
However, I do think survival is possible. Jakirović has shown that he can adapt, organise an underdog and win tight matches. If Hull sign five or six genuine Premier League starters, reduce the number of chances they concede and add more pace throughout the team, finishing 16th or 17th is realistic.
Hull do not need to play brilliant football every week. They need to be organised, difficult to break down, dangerous on the counterattack and ruthless against the other teams near the bottom.

End of Thread 🪡

[Jacob Hardwick | System Scout @JacobHardwickSS]

How Hull City Can Stay in the Premier League!!!
#HCFC

Start of Thread🧵

[Jacob Hardwick | System Scout @JacobHardwickSS]

My dream starting XI
If Hull managed to fill every major weakness, this would be my ideal team:

That team would have far more pace, athleticism and recovery ability than the current squad. McBurnie, Butland, Ajayi, Egan, Slater and Coyle would still provide valuable experience and depth.
Depending on loans, sales and transfer fees, building a squad like this could cost roughly £100 million to £130 million. That would be a massive investment, but promotion gives Hull an opportunity to build a younger squad with resale value rather than filling it with short term signings.