Hibs v Livingston match updates

[CallumLaidlaw]

The booing I will never ever understand. And here's why. Yes people are entitled to their opinion, but in what world does anyone think that booing and generally making for an unpleasant atmosphere think that that will encourage the players. If my boss stood over my shoulder telling me how crap I was and generally putting negative pressure on me, I doubt it would make me perform better.

Journalists have been told by opposition players in the past that their managers aim at Easter road is to frustrate the home fans because they "very quickly get on the players backs" so this is something recognised by our opponents. Yet we continue to do it.

[Danderhall Hibs]

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The booing I will never ever understand. And here's why. Yes people are entitled to their opinion, but in what world does anyone think that booing and generally making for an unpleasant atmosphere think that that will encourage the players. If my boss stood over my shoulder telling me how crap I was and generally putting negative pressure on me, I doubt it would make me perform better.

Journalists have been told by opposition players in the past that their managers aim at Easter road is to frustrate the home fans because they "very quickly get on the players backs" so this is something recognised by our opponents. Yet we continue to do it.

Tam McManus spoke about it on the radio prior to the match as well.

[matty_f]

The first half started ok but as soon as Livi scored we were, at best, a shambles for the rest of the half. We looked totally devoid of ideas either going forward or defending, and Livi found it fairly easy to deal with us.

Second half was a different story and the real turning points were the introduction of Boyle, and a jump in standard from Stevenson down the left. I thought he looked much more like the player we saw earlier in the season, and he whipped in a few dangerous crosses from the left.

Stokes was the man of the match for me, he did a power of work and showed his quality last night. Although not as spectacular as Boyle's wonder-goal, Stokes' goal was a terrific piece of play - watch the build up to the goal and see Stokes' movement, it's fantastic.

One thing that stood out for me last night is how reluctant we are to get men in the box. Even with three strikers on the pitch, the number of times a cross came in to one or two Hibs players in the box was unbelievable.

If I was to pick one thing to 'fix' from last night, it would be to have players burst a gut to get into the box when we attack - especially when we're breaking. We frequently gave Livi time to get back and pack the defence because we got so far, had no options, so ended up going back. It was so frustrating.

A welcome win, but a lot of work to be done.

[cmcd]

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No it wasn't. we were poor. The period of play between their goal and our equaliser was awful.

Great finish from Stokes. The kind of finish in his previous spell at Hibs.

Boyle's goal was superb. Gray was a different player with a wide man in front of him to link up to.

Players gave 100% but were inhibited by Stubb's tactics. We should be playing a far more offensive formation against rubbish like that. Thomson was a waste of space.

Did you actually watch the game ???

[Super_JMcGinn]

[QUOTE=Aldo;4637759]I don't think he does know what he is going and seems to want to play a certain way regardless.

We can all see where it's going wrong Stubs just seems oblivious, maybe even stubborn, trying to force something to work that looks like it never will.

I think the word I'm looking for tonight is capitulation![/QUOTE

I always have a wee read at the match day threads after I come home from the match, it was too late last night so I had a wee read with my coffee this morning, you never cease to make me laugh with your defeatist comments Aldo, thankfully the team didn't capitulate

[wookie70]

I never joined in the booing as I tend to only vent when I think players just aren't trying or are hiding, that certainly hasn't been the case under Stubbs. If you are going to boo get it done at half time or full time as it probably won't have a negative affect. Our big issue with the crowd last night was starting to moan when players were holding the ball or knocking it sideways because there wasn't an option. McGregor in particular was having a poor passing game and the crowd probably made matters worse. You could quite easily argue that the booing at half time spurred the players on to perform better in the second half although I would argue it was the subs and the fact they couldn't have played any worse than the later parts of the first half.

Stokes was my MOTM and I thought his workrate was excellent and he was only hampered by where he was asked to play. I also though KT had an excellent game with some great probing passes and some very good defensive work. McGinn was honking and Henderson poor too so no idea how anyone would single out KT in the midfield last night as being an issue.

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The booing I will never ever understand. And here's why. Yes people are entitled to their opinion, but in what world does anyone think that booing and generally making for an unpleasant atmosphere think that that will encourage the players. If my boss stood over my shoulder telling me how crap I was and generally putting negative pressure on me, I doubt it would make me perform better.

Journalists have been told by opposition players in the past that their managers aim at Easter road is to frustrate the home fans because they "very quickly get on the players backs" so this is something recognised by our opponents. Yet we continue to do it.

[JimBHibees]

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I never joined in the booing as I tend to only vent when I think players just aren't trying or are hiding, that certainly hasn't been the case under Stubbs. If you are going to boo get it done at half time or full time as it probably won't have a negative affect. Our big issue with the crowd last night was starting to moan when players were holding the ball or knocking it sideways because there wasn't an option. McGregor in particular was having a poor passing game and the crowd probably made matters worse. You could quite easily argue that the booing at half time spurred the players on to perform better in the second half although I would argue it was the subs and the fact they couldn't have played any worse than the later parts of the first half.

Stokes was my MOTM and I thought his workrate was excellent and he was only hampered by where he was asked to play. I also though KT had an excellent game with some great probing passes and some very good defensive work. McGinn was honking and Henderson poor too so no idea how anyone would single out KT in the midfield last night as being an issue.

Agree with that thought he was very good.

[Craig_in_Prague]

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The booing I will never ever understand. And here's why. Yes people are entitled to their opinion, but in what world does anyone think that booing and generally making for an unpleasant atmosphere think that that will encourage the players. If my boss stood over my shoulder telling me how crap I was and generally putting negative pressure on me, I doubt it would make me perform better.

Journalists have been told by opposition players in the past that their managers aim at Easter road is to frustrate the home fans because they "very quickly get on the players backs" so this is something recognised by our opponents. Yet we continue to do it.

Fair points
But as probably Scotlands biggest underachievers in the last 40 years, fans have to show displeasure somehow.

[Bishop Hibee]

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Did you actually watch the game ???

Yes I was there.

[Argylehibby]

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Fair points
But as probably Scotlands biggest underachievers in the last 40 years, fans have to show displeasure somehow.

If they have to show displeasure then after the final whistle would be the time to do it as the opposition don't get the boost that others have mentioned on this thread already. .

[Bad Martini]

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I don't ( will never ) boo the team off .......... but I have a hell of a lot more time for folk who turn up and boo than those who don't turn up at all.

We are still in the race for 2nd, still in the Scottish cup and will definitely be in the play offs ... the way so many appear to have turned their backs so quickly after our first proper run of poor results is disheartening .... 6 weeks ago we had 16,000 Hibs fans through the door on a Wednesday night, what the hell happened to 9,000 of them last night? Perhaps they were all in the house cribbing up on the words to Sunshine on Leith for the next time they feel the team is worthy of their presence.

The Falkirk game in a weeks time could be incredibly significant as to whether we finish 2nd, with the number of games we have piled up avoiding 3rd place is incredibly important ... Hibs need support now, not just in one off 'glamour' games.

Agree with a lot of what you post. However, support has been there since (and before) the Butcher **** up, the first and now this second season in the pit with the ****. Support is not the problem mate....inconsistency and expectation that when the team (not club) reverts to this pish, folk can and will swallow it. Truth be told, we ARE to good for this division on paper.....and the start of the season backed that up in person. But, whats on paper and what happened 10-15 games ago is irrelevant. The league table does not lie and the results dont lie. Yes, we were unlucky in the cup final, yes we were unfortunate along the way and yes we were (arguably) fairly fortunate to get the win last night. This is all a bit too close for a club with a right (on paper) to be expecting more....and folk can and will get pissed off with it and boo at times.

I agree that those who put nothing in are in less of a position to hurl abuse from a keyboard. BUT, ask yourself why so many are behind a keyboard now and how many wanted it to turn out that way. Probably none of them other than the weirdos who enjoy serially moaning.

Anyway, lets hope the win kicks our team with much potential up the arse to remember the start of the season as April is VITAL to our success, season ticket sales and future for the next season frankly. We **** up this months games, we're probably more likely to stay down and Im not even going there with that cup for obvious reasons. League success and who knows what it brings.

It really is that simple. Time to have nae mair excuses, grow a great big set of huge balls each and not **** up again. No pressure but in reality, we SHOULD be able to slap most of our opponents and at the least, not lose to the "better" team(s). On paper.

GGTTH all the same mind and still better to have our problems than be a mutant from gorgie.

ENDOF

[Shrekko]

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Tam McManus spoke about it on the radio prior to the match as well.

It doesnt matter how many ex Hibs players and opposition players/coaches that mention this- some people on here just refuse to accept whats blatantly obvious. Hibs fans are far too quickly on the back of the players and can be more of an advantage to the opposition. Yes, there are reasons people are frustrated, and good reasons at that but it's talked about way too often by players for it to be a myth.

I was thinking to myself last night that there would be some fans getting ready to boo Stokes if the game didnt turn around even though he was playing really well. Really poor when they started booing after McGregor mis-hit a couple of passes. Boy was having a stinker, but he's a Hibee and a very wholehearted player.

[cabbageandribs1875]

http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/tv/video/975


not saw stokes goal on any other thread, nice wee flick from cummings to stokes








but that livi goal, deary me

[Danderhall Hibs]

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It doesnt matter how many ex Hibs players and opposition players/coaches that mention this- some people on here just refuse to accept whats blatantly obvious. Hibs fans are far too quickly on the back of the players and can be more of an advantage to the opposition. Yes, there are reasons people are frustrated, and good reasons at that but it's talked about way too often by players for it to be a myth.

I was thinking to myself last night that there would be some fans getting ready to boo Stokes if the game didnt turn around even though he was playing really well. Really poor when they started booing after McGregor mis-hit a couple of passes. Boy was having a stinker, but he's a Hibee and a very wholehearted player.

there were a few groans at Oxley at one point cos he didn't aimlessly punt it up the park. Clearly he couldn't pass it out as all his teammates were facing the other way so I assume the big hoooof was what was being requested.

[inglisavhibs]

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The win was the most important tonight but let's not kid ourselves, that was a struggle and won by a wonder goal otherwise we would be bemoaning another horrendous performance.

Stokes deserves credit edit for his work rate and finish, Boyles goal was as good as you will see, but we were terribly poor. Second to most balls, struggling to string passes together and dodgy in defence.

This Hibs team needs something different and gray and Stevenson have been abysmal for weeks now. Boyle at RWB would be a start.

We need a vast improvement, we need width and a change of the same old same old formation that every team in the league has sussed out to get us to the level required to negotiate the playoffs.

Heres hoping today is what the players needed.

Agree with all that and trying to accommodate three central strikers wasn't a great idea! Darren McGregor has never been and never will be good on the ball. He is however a good backs to the wall defender with a great will to win, and always has a great attitude.

[blackpoolhibs]

I love how the fans that stayed away are being criticised, and they are also getting criticised for going to games too?

[NAE NOOKIE]

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Agree with a lot of what you post. However, support has been there since (and before) the Butcher **** up, the first and now this second season in the pit with the ****. Support is not the problem mate....inconsistency and expectation that when the team (not club) reverts to this pish, folk can and will swallow it. Truth be told, we ARE to good for this division on paper.....and the start of the season backed that up in person. But, whats on paper and what happened 10-15 games ago is irrelevant. The league table does not lie and the results dont lie. Yes, we were unlucky in the cup final, yes we were unfortunate along the way and yes we were (arguably) fairly fortunate to get the win last night. This is all a bit too close for a club with a right (on paper) to be expecting more....and folk can and will get pissed off with it and boo at times.

I agree that those who put nothing in are in less of a position to hurl abuse from a keyboard. BUT, ask yourself why so many are behind a keyboard now and how many wanted it to turn out that way. Probably none of them other than the weirdos who enjoy serially moaning.

Anyway, lets hope the win kicks our team with much potential up the arse to remember the start of the season as April is VITAL to our success, season ticket sales and future for the next season frankly. We **** up this months games, we're probably more likely to stay down and Im not even going there with that cup for obvious reasons. League success and who knows what it brings.

It really is that simple. Time to have nae mair excuses, grow a great big set of huge balls each and not **** up again. No pressure but in reality, we SHOULD be able to slap most of our opponents and at the least, not lose to the "better" team(s). On paper.

GGTTH all the same mind and still better to have our problems than be a mutant from gorgie.

ENDOF

I get that, but my point is we haven't actually screwed anything up yet ...... yes we lost the cup final, but we did brilliantly even to get there. Yes we have had a bad run, but the truth is we were never favourites to win the league and we still have a good chance of finishing second. Most fans tend to give their team the bump when the game is up ..... ours appear to have lost faith before the game has even started.

The second it looks like we might not be as well placed to have a successful season as they thought, instead of sticking with the team to see if they can turn it around too many of our supporters just appear to have shrugged their shoulders and given up ...... last nights attendance was shocking from a support that is capable of so much better.

I don't get too hung up on attendances usually, but I have to say when I walked through the tunnel into the FF last night just on kick off and looked at the East my heart sank .. l can only imagine what the players must have thought as they ran out, I fail to see how being apparently given up on by so many supporters while they are still in the fight is supposed to inspire them to greater efforts.

The only reasonable explanation for last nights poor turn out I would give any credence to is that we have a hell of a lot of home games this month and a semi final ..... If you don't have a season ticket and have to pick and choose, Hibs v Falkirk is a much more attractive fixture than Hibs v Livvi and as things stand I could understand why folk would pick the former.

If we beat Alloa at the weekend I fail to see why any Hibs fan with the money to spare wouldn't want to be at the Falkirk game next Tuesday .... anything less than a 10,000 home support for that one will be a sad state of affairs indeed.

[SlickShoes]

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I get that, but my point is we haven't actually screwed anything up yet ...... yes we lost the cup final, but we did brilliantly even to get there. Yes we have had a bad run, but the truth is we were never favourites to win the league and we still have a good chance of finishing second. Most fans tend to give their team the bump when the game is up ..... ours appear to have lost faith before the game has even started.

The second it looks like we might not be as well placed to have a successful season as they thought, instead of sticking with the team to see if they can turn it around too many of our supporters just appear to have shrugged their shoulders and given up ...... last nights attendance was shocking from a support that is capable of so much better.

I don't get too hung up on attendances usually, but I have to say when I walked through the tunnel into the FF last night just on kick off and looked at the East my heart sank .. l can only imagine what the players must have thought as they ran out, I fail to see how being apparently given up on by so many supporters while they are still in the fight is supposed to inspire them to greater efforts.

The only reasonable explanation for last nights poor turn out I would give any credence to is that we have a hell of a lot of home games this month and a semi final ..... If you don't have a season ticket and have to pick and choose, Hibs v Falkirk is a much more attractive fixture than Hibs v Livvi and as things stand I could understand why folk would pick the former.

If we beat Alloa at the weekend I fail to see why any Hibs fan with the money to spare wouldn't want to be at the Falkirk game next Tuesday .... anything less than a 10,000 home support for that one will be a sad state of affairs indeed.

People are annoyed because we have done our traditional second half of season make a mess of everything.

We have lost out on the league a full 7 games before the end of the season, we lost a cup final in a way that many people could see coming after last years semi final against falkirk. That is a screw up as far as I am concerned.

I agree there is still a lot to play for but the fans booing last night is a symptom of years and years of the exact same thing happening at the exact same time.

This is still coming over as a blame the fans nonsense, you get fans if you do well or entertain, we do neither and haven't for a long time. Supporters will always be there but to get fans to come back Hibs have a hell of a long way to go. The recent run of form has utterly destroyed our forward momentum and shaking of the tag of ****ing everything up in the worst way possible because we had stopped doing that, well until we managed to do it again.

[Stevie Reid]

Apologies if posted already, but there's now a link to Boyle's goal on the BBC Football home page: -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35976745

[Alfred E Newman]

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I love how the fans that stayed away are being criticised, and they are also getting criticised for going to games too?

That's just what I was thinking.
Last night there was some minor booing by a minority at half time in reaction to a miserable first half and despite the second half being more of the same , I thought the crowd stuck by the team pretty well.
I don't think the reaction would have been any better at any other ground in Scotland, in fact, given a similar dreadful run of results it would probably be worse.

[Smartie]

I only got to the game 5 minutes before half-time but I'd been reading the updates thread in the taxi on the way across town so I was really fearing the worst.

There was a palpable atmosphere of frustration when I entered the stadium. For that 5 minutes before half-time Hibs were shockingly bad although we had the one decent break up the park when there was the suggestion of handball from Gray's cross. We just couldn't string any passes together and we looked clueless. I thought we looked like we needed half-time to re-group.

The players were playing badly and the fans seemed to be giving them both barrels. I don't know how the full first 45 went but on the little bit I saw the booing at half-time was justified.

I have to say that after the break I thought we played quite well. We were still a bit slow and ponderous in our approach but we were dominating possession and carving out the odd chance. Livi aren't a bad side, they've taken points off us, Rangers and Falkirk this season so it was always going to take a decent effort to get the win.

I was a bit surprised at some of the personal abuse being thrown at some of our players - Jason Cummings in particular seemed to be copping a lot of flak whilst not playing particularly badly.

We were doing ok but the subs and formation change did change the game much more in our favour. I wasn't happy at seeing Thomson go off as I'd thought he'd been one of our best players up to that point but we looked infinitely better once we'd made the change.

There was a real sense of relief when the goals went in and it was incredible how much the atmosphere changed - it was great to hear the appreciation for the effort Stokes was putting in. I still thought that there was a bit much grief for Cummings though who still seemed to be getting in it in the neck from the folk around me. There were a few occasions towards the end of the game when he kept possession brilliantly yet they couldn't wait to hurl abuse at him - really harsh.

It was a weird atmosphere, albeit I watched the game from a different place to the one I normally watch from.

Also - was it just me or was the grass really long last night? It didn't look like the ball ran the same way as it normally does over the ground. I thought that this may have affected our passing at times, mostly negatively but sometimes positively as it seemed to hold the ball up for our player to reach rather than running out of play.

[NAE NOOKIE]

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People are annoyed because we have done our traditional second half of season make a mess of everything.

We have lost out on the league a full 7 games before the end of the season, we lost a cup final in a way that many people could see coming after last years semi final against falkirk. That is a screw up as far as I am concerned.

I agree there is still a lot to play for but the fans booing last night is a symptom of years and years of the exact same thing happening at the exact same time.

This is still coming over as a blame the fans nonsense, you get fans if you do well or entertain, we do neither and haven't for a long time. Supporters will always be there but to get fans to come back Hibs have a hell of a long way to go. The recent run of form has utterly destroyed our forward momentum and shaking of the tag of ****ing everything up in the worst way possible because we had stopped doing that, well until we managed to do it again.

I personally don't boo the players, but I do understand why some folk react in that way ..... though I thought the booing at the end of the Morton game was bang out of order considering that it was our first really bad result in months. Having said that, its up to the team to give a result to the folk who turn up and if they choose to boo at full time then at least they have paid for the right.

I know many fans stop going when their team starts playing badly ... I suppose that's inevitable when a team has nothing to play for. But it seems to me that even though a lot of folk are angry at recent displays ( including me ) there is still everything to play for and in my opinion you are a pretty poor supporter if you just give up because the historical evidence points to the likelihood that things might not go your way.

Historical evidence or not ... there cant be many fans in world football who chuck in the towel because their team might fail

[Aldo]

REALLY. Me along with quite a few others. So Go and do me a favour..... Stick me on ignore!!

Before I get myself a ban!

[AlbertK86]

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I get that, but my point is we haven't actually screwed anything up yet ...... yes we lost the cup final, but we did brilliantly even to get there. Yes we have had a bad run, but the truth is we were never favourites to win the league and we still have a good chance of finishing second. Most fans tend to give their team the bump when the game is up ..... ours appear to have lost faith before the game has even started. The second it looks like we might not be as well placed to have a successful season as they thought, instead of sticking with the team to see if they can turn it around too many of our supporters just appear to have shrugged their shoulders and given up ...... last nights attendance was shocking from a support that is capable of so much better. I don't get too hung up on attendances usually, but I have to say when I walked through the tunnel into the FF last night just on kick off and looked at the East my heart sank .. l can only imagine what the players must have thought as they ran out, I fail to see how being apparently given up on by so many supporters while they are still in the fight is supposed to inspire them to greater efforts. The only reasonable explanation for last nights poor turn out I would give any credence to is that we have a hell of a lot of home games this month and a semi final ..... If you don't have a season ticket and have to pick and choose, Hibs v Falkirk is a much more attractive fixture than Hibs v Livvi and as things stand I could understand why folk would pick the former. If we beat Alloa at the weekend I fail to see why any Hibs fan with the money to spare wouldn't want to be at the Falkirk game next Tuesday .... anything less than a 10,000 home support for that one will be a sad state of affairs indeed.

Excellent post

[cmcd]

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No it wasn't. we were poor. The period of play between their goal and our equaliser was awful.

Great finish from Stokes. The kind of finish in his previous spell at Hibs.

Boyle's goal was superb. Gray was a different player with a wide man in front of him to link up to.

Players gave 100% but were inhibited by Stubb's tactics. We should be playing a far more offensive formation against rubbish like that. Thomson was a waste of space.

You were talking a little sense until last sentence