Lewis stevenson

[Stevie Reid]

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I respect your logic and endorse it.
We have failed for the last 2 years in the 2nd tier to create constant threats and goal scoring opportunities down the left hand side and we simply can't allow, even for sentimental reasons, weak links to continue.
The The Rangers wingbacks, in last season automatic promotion winning season, attacked down both flanks at every opportunity and not only created goal scoring opportunities but scored goals themselves. Gray at least takes on a man and gets past him and delivers a cross which beats the first man - Stevenson, in comparision, is ineffectual and thus a "weak link".
Giving of your best every game and grafting away should be given's for every professional footballer - Stevenson can't be faulted in either respect, but this Hibs team requires more if it is to achieve its aim of automatic promotion.
Come on Lennon: get it sorted!

David Gray and Lewis Stevenson had seven assists each last season.

[FitbaFolkKen]

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David Gray and Lewis Stevenson had seven assists each last season.

I have 8 each however Stevenson also had an extra 800 minutes on the park.

Screen Shot 2016-09-27 at 02.42.09.jpg

More concerning and I think what should be highlighted is that Rangers fullbacks last season

Tavernier scored 15 and had 23 assists - 4494 minutes played
Wallace scored 9 and had 13 assists. - 4450 minutes played

The season before Hearts had

Paterson scored 7 with 9 assists - 2691 minutes played
Eckersley scored 2 with 5 assists - 2278 minutes played

It is clear to see the winners of the league the last two seasons have had more effective attacking fullbacks, yet we play a system that should encourage the fullback to attack and generate chances and that isn't happening.

The problem we are comparing Gray and Stevenson with each other, last season Rangers fullbacks had a hand in 60 goals. Ours by comparison 19. That tells you why we are in this league and they are in the league above.

If someone can tell me why that isn't an area we should try and improve other than they are legends etc... or I am a Stevenson basher I will be amazed.

[J-C]

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I have 8 each however Stevenson also had an extra 800 minutes on the park.

Screen Shot 2016-09-27 at 02.42.09.jpg

More concerning and I think what should be highlighted is that Rangers fullbacks last season

Tavernier scored 15 and had 23 assists - 4494 minutes played
Wallace scored 9 and had 13 assists. - 4450 minutes played

The season before Hearts had

Paterson scored 7 with 9 assists - 2691 minutes played
Eckersley scored 2 with 5 assists - 2278 minutes played

It is clear to see the winners of the league the last two seasons have had more effective attacking fullbacks, yet we play a system that should encourage the fullback to attack and generate chances and that isn't happening.

The problem we are comparing Gray and Stevenson with each other, last season Rangers fullbacks had a hand in 60 goals. Ours by comparison 19. That tells you why we are in this league and they are in the league above.

If someone can tell me why that isn't an area we should try and improve other than they are legends etc... or I am a Stevenson basher I will be amazed.

Those stats also tell you that we as a team played with a diamond and we also played at such a snails pace at times that the opposition were never tested enough because we gave them the opportunity to always get themselves into a defensive shape due to our slow build up play.

Stats are all well and good but Hearts and Rangers also played with wingers, they also played with a high tempo putting the other teams on the back foot, we don't have wingers and we play a slow build up possession game, the quicker we get proper width and tempo into this team the better.

[Hi Heid Yin]

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I have 8 each however Stevenson also had an extra 800 minutes on the park.

Screen Shot 2016-09-27 at 02.42.09.jpg

More concerning and I think what should be highlighted is that Rangers fullbacks last season

Tavernier scored 15 and had 23 assists - 4494 minutes played
Wallace scored 9 and had 13 assists. - 4450 minutes played

The season before Hearts had

Paterson scored 7 with 9 assists - 2691 minutes played
Eckersley scored 2 with 5 assists - 2278 minutes played

It is clear to see the winners of the league the last two seasons have had more effective attacking fullbacks, yet we play a system that should encourage the fullback to attack and generate chances and that isn't happening.

The problem we are comparing Gray and Stevenson with each other, last season Rangers fullbacks had a hand in 60 goals. Ours by comparison 19. That tells you why we are in this league and they are in the league above.

If someone can tell me why that isn't an area we should try and improve other than they are legends etc... or I am a Stevenson basher I will be amazed.

I couldn't agree more with the bit in bold.

[FitbaFolkKen]

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Those stats also tell you that we as a team played with a diamond and we also played at such a snails pace at times that the opposition were never tested enough because we gave them the opportunity to always get themselves into a defensive shape due to our slow build up play.

Stats are all well and good but Hearts and Rangers also played with wingers, they also played with a high tempo putting the other teams on the back foot, we don't have wingers and we play a slow build up possession game, the quicker we get proper width and tempo into this team the better.

I would have thought playing without wingers would have made our full backs more active in the final third, or at least should have. We also used the 3-5-2 a number of times last season which would have pushed these guys further forward.

I agree about playing with more width and looking at the stats Tavernier and Wallace had the most assists of the Rangers squad, I think our guys could be contributing more.

[J-C]

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I would have thought playing without wingers would have made our full backs more active in the final third, or at least should have. We also used the 3-5-2 a number of times last season which would have pushed these guys further forward.

I agree about playing with more width and looking at the stats Tavernier and Wallace had the most assists of the Rangers squad, I think our guys could be contributing more.

Wingers also help out defensively and work with a wingbacks, 3-5-2 needs a very good DM to cover the wingbacks, plus with 3 at the back, wingbacks have less defending to worry about.

[SRHibs]

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Wingers also help out defensively and work with a wingbacks, 3-5-2 needs a very good DM to cover the wingbacks, plus with 3 at the back, wingbacks have less defending to worry about.

The defensive cover (or lack of) is an irrelevance IMO. Stevenson is getting the chance to go forward, the problem is his delivery into the box and his inability to beat his man. That said, I've seen McGinn track back numerous times to cover Stevenson while he pushes forward to skelp another ball into the car park. I also think getting a FB with a bit more pace would help increase the tempo and our ability to break.

[matty_f]

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Perfect chance to phase Stevenson out of the team and introduce his replacement....Callum Crane. I was beginning to wonder how bad he had to be to get dropped.

I think this is an interesting point. I was listening to a podcast yesterday (World Football Index). Stevie Grieve was talking to Mark Wotte about integrating youth players into the first team and having an efficient and effective youth policy.

Wotte highlighted that in Scotland the preference is to go with experience as mistakes are written off as 'just a mistake' whereas with a young player it's attributed to inexperience.

He spoke about the Dutch league and specifically Ajax, where the policy is that if a young player coming through could play in the first team then the coach is encouraged to sell the established player and give game time and experience to the youth.

I like Stevenson, have done for years and have no qualms about him keeping his place in the team, at the same time we have to look at improving every position and look at giving youth players the exposure to playing at this level, otherwise it's pointless having a youth team.

This could be Crane's opportunity to get a taste of the expectations at Hibs, it's up to him to grab it.

[NAE NOOKIE]

I didn't see anything of the QOTS game, so don't know how Lewis played or what his two bookings were like, so I wont comment on that.

But I have seen just about every game he has played for Hibs at Easter Road since he came into the first team and his good qualities have never changed, 100% effort all the time every time. But as an attacking full back he is extremely limited, he cant beat a man and he is an average crosser of the ball at best, it is burying your head in the sand not to face the fact that his need to play the ball infield on 60% of his possessions slows the team down and takes the momentum out of our breaks forward and that 80% of his crosses that do make it into the box are from 20 yards out, which makes them meat and drink for even average centre halves.

Its not just this .... How often does Lewis play a one two with a supporting player and get himself into the box in a dangerous position, it rarely if ever happens, contrast that with the likes of David Murphy who did that all the time and as a result was a hell of a dangerous weapon.

If you are playing a system where you do not rely on wingbacks as your main focus of attack then Lewis limitations can be accommodated because he brings fight and energy to his role as a left back, but in the system we play you must have a left back who can beat a man and put in a decent cross or have the savvy to play a one two and beat the right back that way, Lewis can do none of these things with anything like the regularity you need from a wingback.

Lewis Stevenson is and always will be a Hibs legend, his place in the annuals of the clubs history is cemented in ...... but even legends get replaced eventually and the honest truth is that if we are to continue with the wingback system we simply have to look for one who is better in the final third of the pitch than Lewis.

[ancient hibee]

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I have 8 each however Stevenson also had an extra 800 minutes on the park.

Screen Shot 2016-09-27 at 02.42.09.jpg

More concerning and I think what should be highlighted is that Rangers fullbacks last season

Tavernier scored 15 and had 23 assists - 4494 minutes played
Wallace scored 9 and had 13 assists. - 4450 minutes played

The season before Hearts had

Paterson scored 7 with 9 assists - 2691 minutes played
Eckersley scored 2 with 5 assists - 2278 minutes played

It is clear to see the winners of the league the last two seasons have had more effective attacking fullbacks, yet we play a system that should encourage the fullback to attack and generate chances and that isn't happening.

The problem we are comparing Gray and Stevenson with each other, last season Rangers fullbacks had a hand in 60 goals. Ours by comparison 19. That tells you why we are in this league and they are in the league above.

If someone can tell me why that isn't an area we should try and improve other than they are legends etc... or I am a Stevenson basher I will be amazed.

Stats can prove anything.Tavernier took direct free kicks from all over the park.One of the complaints on here is the failure to take chances.How many have been missed that would have added considerably to the number of assists by our players?

[J-C]

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I didn't see anything of the QOTS game, so don't know how Lewis played or what his two bookings were like, so I wont comment on that.

But I have seen just about every game he has played for Hibs at Easter Road since he came into the first team and his good qualities have never changed, 100% effort all the time every time. But as an attacking full back he is extremely limited, he cant beat a man and he is an average crosser of the ball at best, it is burying your head in the sand not to face the fact that his need to play the ball infield on 60% of his possessions slows the team down and takes the momentum out of our breaks forward and that 80% of his crosses that do make it into the box are from 20 yards out, which makes them meat and drink for even average centre halves.

Its not just this .... How often does Lewis play a one two with a supporting player and get himself into the box in a dangerous position, it rarely if ever happens, contrast that with the likes of David Murphy who did that all the time and as a result was a hell of a dangerous weapon.

If you are playing a system where you do not rely on wingbacks as your main focus of attack then Lewis limitations can be accommodated because he brings fight and energy to his role as a left back, but in the system we play you must have a left back who can beat a man and put in a decent cross or have the savvy to play a one two and beat the right back that way, Lewis can do none of these things with anything like the regularity you need from a wingback.

Lewis Stevenson is and always will be a Hibs legend, his place in the annuals of the clubs history is cemented in ...... but even legends get replaced eventually and the honest truth is that if we are to continue with the wingback system we simply have to look for one who is better in the final third of the pitch than Lewis.

I've said on numerous threads that Lewis will never be a wingback as it's just not in his DNA to be attack minded enough to do it. Lewis is a defensive minded left midfielder who can also play at left back, in the 2007 cup final he played just in front of Murphy and allowed him to attack by slotting in to cover when Murphy went forward. Because Stubbs went with the diamond and wingbacks, we've persisted in using Lewis in this role, a role he finds uncomfortable, we should've been looking to add a left winger to play just in front of Lewis and let him defend which he is very good at.

On the other side Gray started out playing as a right winger, so attacking and crossing is much more natural to him, you can see by the amount of times Gray gets himself into the box during a game.

So instead of getting rid of Lewis why don't we allow him to play as a natural FB and get in a proper winger who can attack and cross properly.

[Hiber-nation]

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I've said on numerous threads that Lewis will never be a wingback as it's just not in his DNA to be attack minded enough to do it. Lewis is a defensive minded left midfielder who can also play at left back, in the 2007 cup final he played just in front of Murphy and allowed him to attack by slotting in to cover when Murphy went forward. Because Stubbs went with the diamond and wingbacks, we've persisted in using Lewis in this role, a role he finds uncomfortable, we should've been looking to add a left winger to play just in front of Lewis and let him defend which he is very good at.

On the other side Gray started out playing as a right winger, so attacking and crossing is much more natural to him, you can see by the amount of times Gray gets himself into the box during a game.

So instead of getting rid of Lewis why don't we allow him to play as a natural FB and get in a proper winger who can attack and cross properly.

Whatever his best position is, Lewis's form dipped when Malonga left. They linked up really well.

[bigwheel]

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Whatever his best position is, Lewis's form dipped when Malonga left. They linked up really well.

...Lewis has had some strong performances this season already...not even close to being true

[Hiber-nation]

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...Lewis has had some strong performances this season already...not even close to being true

I was talking about back in January. I'm a huge fan of Lewis by the way.

[bigwheel]

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I was talking about back in January. I'm a huge fan of Lewis by the way.

. I thought you were including this season ...Malonga often drifted left. , probably why Lewis enjoyed linking with him ...

[FitbaFolkKen]

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Stats can prove anything.Tavernier took direct free kicks from all over the park.One of the complaints on here is the failure to take chances.How many have been missed that would have added considerably to the number of assists by our players?

"stats can prove anything" - nice dismissal of my post with no counter evidence.

I don't know but all teams miss chances etc.... My point is that their Fullbacks last season were involved in more than three times the number of goals than ours were. Now whether you think our strikers may have missed more chances than they should have was it a 40 goal difference?

If our full backs are being asked to create chances from out wide they are not doing it. If they are being asked to fulfil roles that are not natural to them and their best fit should we be looking elsewhere?

[Eyrie]

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"stats can prove anything" - nice dismissal of my post with no counter evidence.

I don't know but all teams miss chances etc.... My point is that their Fullbacks last season were involved in more than three times the number of goals than ours were. Now whether you think our strikers may have missed more chances than they should have was it a 40 goal difference?

If our full backs are being asked to create chances from out wide they are not doing it. If they are being asked to fulfil roles that are not natural to them and their best fit should we be looking elsewhere?

Yes, we should look for players who are better suited to the role demanded of Gray and Stevenson, but until we sign such players it is up to the manager to alter his tactics to suit the players that he has available.

Stubbs failed to do this, so let's hope Lennon is more flexible.

[Super_JMcGinn]

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Perfect chance to phase Stevenson out of the team and introduce his replacement....Callum Crane. I was beginning to wonder how bad he had to be to get dropped.

The long knives appear to be out for Lewey once more. You are suggesting trying out an inexperienced youngster rather than play Lewey ? I despair at times I really do.

[FitbaFolkKen]

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The long knives appear to be out for Lewey once more. You are suggesting trying out an inexperienced youngster rather than play Lewey ? I despair at times I really do.

He is suspended, surely the perfect opportunity to give a youngster a chance and if he does well then he should keep the jersey.

[blackpoolhibs]

I used to think Stevenson was not good enough, that went on for a long long time. Yet gradually over time he won me over, and in my opinion he deserved his place in the team.

Although in this league our full backs are asked to do a bit more than just defend, and both our full backs are more comfortable defending than they are creating.

If Stubbs did not fancy Crane at any time last season, and if Lennon plays Hanlon left back in the next game, i think we might have an insight into how good the lad is and how ready he is in the management teams eyes.

[scoopyboy]

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The long knives appear to be out for Lewey once more. You are suggesting trying out an inexperienced youngster rather than play Lewey ? I despair at times I really do.

He can't play.

Do you suggest we just go with ten players??????

[J-C]

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Yes, we should look for players who are better suited to the role demanded of Gray and Stevenson, but until we sign such players it is up to the manager to alter his tactics to suit the players that he has available.

Stubbs failed to do this, so let's hope Lennon is more flexible.

This.

Play wide players capable of creating, crossing and beating his man and let Lewis and Gray defend, they can still contribute to the attacking side when needed but are not the main guys to do so, just look at Aberdeen with Hayes and McGinn.

[matty_f]

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He can't play.

Do you suggest we just go with ten players??????

Nine, as she'll probably want us to ditch Hanlon as well.

[s.a.m]

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This.

Play wide players capable of creating, crossing and beating his man and let Lewis and Gray defend, they can still contribute to the attacking side when needed but are not the main guys to do so, just look at Aberdeen with Hayes and McGinn.

Me too.

[Eyrie]

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He can't play.

Do you suggest we just go with ten players??????

We tried that in our last two games and it didn't work.

[greenlex]

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Nine, as she'll probably want us to ditch Hanlon as well.

Just beat me to it.

[Tyler Durden]

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I've said on numerous threads that Lewis will never be a wingback as it's just not in his DNA to be attack minded enough to do it. Lewis is a defensive minded left midfielder who can also play at left back, in the 2007 cup final he played just in front of Murphy and allowed him to attack by slotting in to cover when Murphy went forward. Because Stubbs went with the diamond and wingbacks, we've persisted in using Lewis in this role, a role he finds uncomfortable, we should've been looking to add a left winger to play just in front of Lewis and let him defend which he is very good at.

On the other side Gray started out playing as a right winger, so attacking and crossing is much more natural to him, you can see by the amount of times Gray gets himself into the box during a game.

So instead of getting rid of Lewis why don't we allow him to play as a natural FB and get in a proper winger who can attack and cross properly.

You may have said it on numerous threads but it's not strictly true. Lewis came through under Mowbray as a left back in the youth team. Yes he had a good season under Collins as a midfielder but majority of his starts for Hibs have been at left back. It's not a role he's uncomfortable in!

He's capable of attacking and contributing assists, especially in this league. Last few years he's done this plenty of times, this year he has been poor. That's the bottom line, he cost us Ayr's winner and then sent off last week. If he comes right back into the team next week he'll be very lucky

[Super_JMcGinn]

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He can't play.

Do you suggest we just go with ten players??????

That's not what you said though was it, you're talking about phasing him out the team and wondering how bad he has to be to get dropped.

[Jonnyboy]

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That's not what you said though was it, you're talking about phasing him out the team and wondering how bad he has to be to get dropped.

Except Scoopyboy didn't say any such thing

[Super_JMcGinn]

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Except Scoopyboy didn't say any such thing

My apologies scoopyboy, been a long day. Over to you Mr Brooster.