Danny Swanson

[silverhibee]

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No. Told he had an anxiety problem but has received treatment and has recovered.

[Spike Mandela]

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I really want Stevenson to do well but I am afraid he just never will fulfil his early potential.

Can't think of one pass, skinning off a full back or cross yesterday which split/hurt Killie . For someone on the ball as much as him I am looking for that. The other thread sums it up saying we don't have a midfielder who can grab the game by the scruff of the neck and run a game. Lewis has had the chance but has never done that. Whilst he works hard and gets around he a jack of all trades and master of none.

John Rankin did much the same last season and look at the stick he got. In summary, if LS played for someone else and we were trying to sign him I would think we were lacking ambition.

Hope to be proven wrong though.

When you think of Hearts likely midfield in this final made up of Skacel, Black and Driver augmented by the likes of Santana, Templeton and Barr you really see the level of midfield we need to get to. Our current incumbents are a shadow of other teams' midfields imo.

[Elephant Stone]

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When you think of Hearts likely midfield in this final made up of Skacel, Black and Driver augmented by the likes of Santana, Templeton and Barr you really see the level of midfield we need to get to. Our current incumbents are a shadow of other teams' midfields imo.

That's my worry for the final. We have a better forward pairing than them and the new defence isn't as much of a problem as it was but the midfield has stayed non-existent. It struggles to make an impact against poor teams so unless there's a massive improvement it will get absolutely steam rollered against them, who dominate the midfield at the best of times. As much as I don't like it I'd be tempted to play 5 in midfield or at least drop Griffiths deeper.

[gackohibs]

I can confirm he's been talking to Hibs, no surprises tho we've offered less than half the wages utd are paying just now.

Sauce? A family member.

[hibsbollah]

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I really want Stevenson to do well but I am afraid he just never will fulfil his early potential.


John Rankin did much the same last season and look at the stick he got. In summary, if LS played for someone else and we were trying to sign him I would think we were lacking ambition.

Hope to be proven wrong though.

Rankin ran around the ballcarrier when defending and would never put a tackle in. Lewis can be relied on to take the ball and pressure the attacker. When Rankin tried to start an attack, he usually gave possession away cheaply. Lewis almost never gives away posession.

I'm willing to accept Lewis needs to improve his goalscoring and move.away from deep positions when Fenlon asks him to, but theres no comparison with Lewis 2011 and Rankin 2010. Except they are both midfielders. And short.

[Hibs7]

How can Utd offer more than Hibs, they get smaller crowds, that is pathetic.

[soupy]

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How can Utd offer more than Hibs, they get smaller crowds, that is pathetic.

They can't really, they are about £10m in debt...

[Since90+2]

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They can't really, they are about £10m in debt...

Nope. They are 3.8 Million in debt.

[Spike Mandela]

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Rankin ran around the ballcarrier when defending and would never put a tackle in. Lewis can be relied on to take the ball and pressure the attacker. When Rankin tried to start an attack, he usually gave possession away cheaply. Lewis almost never gives away posession.

I'm willing to accept Lewis needs to improve his goalscoring and move.away from deep positions when Fenlon asks him to, but theres no comparison with Lewis 2011 and Rankin 2010. Except they are both midfielders. And short.

Are you having a blooming laugh Our midfield hardly ever has the ball never mind keeping possession. I am all for passionate defence of good players but there aren't any of our midfielders who couldn't be easily improved upon next season if PF gets his act together.

[hibsbollah]

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Are you having a blooming laugh Our midfield hardly ever has the ball never mind keeping possession. I am all for passionate defence of good players but there aren't any of our midfielders who couldn't be easily improved upon next season if PF gets his act together.

What has your reply to my post got to do with the point im making?
Im not talking about how often our midfield has the ball, im talking about Lewis giving the ball away cheaply, which he hardly ever does.

[greenlex]

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Are you having a blooming laugh Our midfield hardly ever has the ball never mind keeping possession. I am all for passionate defence of good players but there aren't any of our midfielders who couldn't be easily improved upon next season if PF gets his act together.

No its true. Rarely doesnt find a hibs player.Rankine was the same.

[Andy74]

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How can Utd offer more than Hibs, they get smaller crowds, that is pathetic.

Here we go again. Let's just have a go based on a stupid post on a forum.

[greenlex]

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Here we go again. Let's just have a go based on a stupid post on a forum.

Come on Andy all familys know who earns what. FFS

[Billy Whizz]

Knowing Dannys recent injury situation Hibs would be stupid to offer a high basic. If he plays give him a decent wage

[Part/Time Supporter]

Kenny Shiels was in the papers before yesterday's game saying he was interested in at least two of the players Hibs signed in January, but Killie couldn't compete with the offers made by Hibs.

But why let facts get in the way of a good moan?

[Hibs7]

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Here we go again. Let's just have a go based on a stupid post on a forum.

And what are we supposed to go by, we are not all on the inside like you. Mr knowitall.

[Holmesdale Hibs]

Dundee United are alot better than us just now, he may well see it as a step down?

I'd take him if it was possible.

[Wotherspiniesta]

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Great? We're 6 points off the bottom of the league and the midfield has been nowhere to be seen. I'd say Stevenson has been OK but the midfield as a whole has failed us massively. I genuinely can't remember a game where our team has dominated in midfield, it's almost as if we've given up and decided to bypass it completely. Neither Osbourne or Stevenson will take the ball from the middle towards the forwards with pace or will be an option to pass to in the last third, which are essentials for at least one of the central pairing. I'm glad Stevenson has signed for another year but I want us to sign at least 4 midfielders, one for every position.

Quite honestly, I can't believe someone who has Boozy as their avatar can't appreciate the job Osbourne does.

[Mikeystewart]

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Are you having a blooming laugh Our midfield hardly ever has the ball never mind keeping possession. I am all for passionate defence of good players but there aren't any of our midfielders who couldn't be easily improved upon next season if PF gets his act together.

I have to agree with hibsbolah, Stevenson must have one of the highest completed pass % rate in our team. What I would say is that he may not give the ball away much but he doesn't do much with it either. Anyone can pass a ball 10 yards, the issue is when he passes it to another player it tends to be that player who gives it away.

[Wotherspiniesta]

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That's my worry for the final. We have a better forward pairing than them and the new defence isn't as much of a problem as it was but the midfield has stayed non-existent. It struggles to make an impact against poor teams so unless there's a massive improvement it will get absolutely steam rollered against them, who dominate the midfield at the best of times. As much as I don't like it I'd be tempted to play 5 in midfield or at least drop Griffiths deeper.

So you think we have a good pairing up front and a poor midfield and your solution to this would be to drop one of our 2 forwards and put in another midfielder you don't rate?

That's great thinking.

[Elephant Stone]

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Quite honestly, I can't believe someone who has Boozy as their avatar can't appreciate the job Osbourne does.

You're clearly not quite right in the head if you'd compare Boozy to Osbourne in any way whatsoever. I'll not bother arguing about that.

[Elephant Stone]

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So you think we have a good pairing up front and a poor midfield and your solution to this would be to drop one of our 2 forwards and put in another midfielder you don't rate?

That's great thinking.

You must've missed the bit where I said "As much as I don't like doing it" or maybe you're just determined to have an argument, something seems to have touched a nerve here so I'm not sure which best fits.

Our midfield as it is will get steam rollered, we don't have any viable replacements, as much as I wouldn't like to do so I would think about dropping Griffiths a bit deeper to give the midfield an extra player close by to pass to.

That's not great thinking, it's trying the best out of a ****ing awful predicament. Hope you're OK with my idea.

[blackpoolhibs]

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You're clearly not quite right in the head if you'd compare Boozy to Osbourne in any way whatsoever. I'll not bother arguing about that.

Boozy on his day was superb, towards the end he gave a few Osbourne type performances, maybe thats where he gets the comparason from?

[shagpile]

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Always seems to score against us, I'd take him.

If he 'always seems to score against us' then he has played against Hibs only twice.

If he has played against Hibs more than two times, then he doesn't always score against us. & IIRC his temperament is a bit dodgy as he has been sent off a few times for stupid things. Once against Hibs for a handball minutes after coming on as a sub.

[Wotherspiniesta]

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You must've missed the bit where I said "As much as I don't like doing it" or maybe you're just determined to have an argument, something seems to have touched a nerve here so I'm not sure which best fits.

Our midfield as it is will get steam rollered, we don't have any viable replacements, as much as I wouldn't like to do so I would think about dropping Griffiths a bit deeper to give the midfield an extra player close by to pass to.

That's not great thinking, it's trying the best out of a ****ing awful predicament. Hope you're OK with my idea.

I think you know bugger all about football, but that's just my opinion.

A "****ing awful predicament"...we're playing Hearts, no Barcelona. We've got every chance of winning this game.

Glad you're no picking the team, that's all I can say.

[Wotherspiniesta]

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Boozy on his day was superb, towards the end he gave a few Osbourne type performances, maybe thats where he gets the comparason from?

Boozy on his day or off his day was still surrounded by KT, Brown, Shiels etc.

If Osbourne had that kind of quality around him, we'd be raving about him.

[Elephant Stone]

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A "****ing awful predicament"...we're playing Hearts, no Barcelona. We've got every chance of winning this game.

If being 6 points away from relegation with a few games left isn't an awful situation to you then you're in even more deluded than your Beuzelin and Osbourne comparison implies. This midfield is highly culpable for us being here and if it performs like it has all season there is a high chance we will lose to Hearts at Hampden and there is nothing I can possibly imagine in football which would be anywhere near as bad that.

Of course we've got a chance, I'm not saying we don't, I'm saying we need to make some changes to the midfield or hope for a much improved performance from them in the set up that we've got. Who knows? They might just give us one. I'd rather play it safe and remember how desperately impotent it's been all season and try to make a positive change.

[Wotherspiniesta]

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If being 6 points away from relegation with a few games left isn't an awful situation to you then you're in even more deluded than your Beuzelin and Osbourne comparison implies. This midfield is highly culpable for us being here and if it performs like it has all season there is a high chance we will lose to Hearts at Hampden and there is nothing I can possibly imagine in football which would be anywhere near as bad that.

Of course we've got a chance, I'm not saying we don't, I'm saying we need to make some changes to the midfield or hope for a much improved performance from them in the set up that we've got. Who knows? They might just give us one. I'd rather play it safe and remember how desperately impotent it's been all season and try to make a positive change.

The game you were talking about was the Hearts game, where you said you'd rather we played an extra midfielder and how we are in an "awful predicament" I'd hardly call being in a cup final an awful predicament. No doubting our league form has been crap. Most of that was down to Calderwood.

You've been laying into Osbourne since he came to the club aswell IIRC, so you're right, no point in arguing about that one as your mind is already made up.

Just think its a daft idea that you have to put more emphasis on a weaker part of our team (midfield) whilst destroying a partnership that could cause Hearts all kind of problems.

O'Connor and Sparky up top. Anything else and we're right up against it IMO.

[HibeeDaz6270]

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Boozy on his day or off his day was still surrounded by KT, Brown, Shiels etc.

If Osbourne had that kind of quality around him, we'd be raving about him.

Raving about him from the bench? as thats where he would be.

[The Sea-gull]

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If he 'always seems to score against us' then he has played against Hibs only twice.

If he has played against Hibs more than two times, then he doesn't always score against us. & IIRC his temperament is a bit dodgy as he has been sent off a few times for stupid things. Once against Hibs for a handball minutes after coming on as a sub.

I can think of three he has scored against us. Winner in a 1-0 in January 2010, cracker at ER in a midweek game also that season and one in the 3-3 at ER this season.

I get your point though, he maybe has three goals in 4 or 5 seasons worth of games v us.

I also get Iceman's point in that he has played well v us a good few times.

You are right about his temperament. I am sure Levein and Houston have had a go at him a few times for doing stupid things. He's still worth a gamble IMHO. We need players with that extra bit of skill and craft. Players who can pick a decisive pass, hit the bye line and make crosses and score the odd good goal themselves. We don't really have anyone doing this for us just now. Swanson on his day can do this though has had his problems.

The Dean Shiels who plays for Kilmarnock would be an excellent signing for the above reasons as he seems to have added consistency to his game since he left Hibs. Can't help but feel the player was always there, he just never got a chance really for a full season as a first XI pick when he was at Hibs. He would be first on the team sheet if he was at Hibs now, partly a sign of how he has improved and partly a sign of the drop in standards since he was last at Hibs.