Our squad following transfer window closing

[GreenOnions]

Goalies - 2 - Maka and Stack
Full backs - 3 - McCann, Hanlon and Murray
Centre Backs - 3 - Bamba, Hogg and McCormack
Wide/attacking mid - 3 - Zemmama, Wotherspoon and Galbraith
Central Mid - 5 - Cregg, McBride, Rankin, Stevenson and Thicot
Strikers - 5 - Riordan, Stokes, Benji, Nish and Byrne

That's 21 plus 3 remaining guys from U-19s Flynn, Currie and Welsh. Squad of 24 in total with 5 of those coming straight from U-19s.

Smaller squad than normal. Definitely higher quality than last year though. Is the smaller size by design (to allow salary bill to remain on budget) or by accident (cos we missed out on our signing target(s)?

Is 24 enough? Should we expect that Yogi is happy to work with this until January at the earliest or is there a free agent on his way to us?

[hibsbollah]

I think Yogi must be considering playing Wotherspoon as a right back regularly.

[GreenOnions]

I think Yogi must be considering playing Wotherspoon as a right back regularly.

If Wotherspoon can show good defensive qualities then it would make sense. He has been a revelation so far and, despite his age, it would be difficult to leave him out of the side just now.

Playing him at right back would allow us to fit both him and Zemmama into our side. I'm sure Yogi will want Zouma in every week when he's fit but playing both guys in midfield regularly might be a bit cavalier?

[Franck is God]

it's a pretty decent squad to be honest with players providing competition for all places in the team.

It also doesn't mean that we can't sign anyone else as free agents can still sign after the end of the window.

[hibsdaft]

small squads is the way to go. cut down on dross. more scope for U19s to come through. save cash. fewer numbers for cliques and divisions to form in. fewer players for Hughes to have his eyes on. no point in bringing disgruntled players into training every day who know they're not going to get a game.

works on every level for me and its a sign of a manager who has confidence in himself and his players.

all part of the upward spiral imo :thumbsup:

[hibsbollah]

If Wotherspoon can show good defensive qualities then it would make sense. He has been a revelation so far and, despite his age, it would be difficult to leave him out of the side just now.

Playing him at right back would allow us to fit both him and Zemmama into our side. I'm sure Yogi will want Zouma in every week when he's fit but playing both guys in midfield regularly might be a bit cavalier?

Personally I think Wotherspoon looks like a classic right mid, we've missed a good one out there since Scott Brown, and id like to have him there, but Yogi has probably seen something defensive in his game that makes him think he could be better as a full back. Whatever, he looks like being quite a player:thumbsup:

[jgl07]

Personally I think Wotherspoon looks like a classic right mid, we've missed a good one out there since Scott Brown, and id like to have him there, but Yogi has probably seen something defensive in his game that makes him think he could be better as a full back. Whatever, he looks like being quite a player
Scott Brown was originally a striker but he couldn't get a game with O'Connor, Riordan, McManus, Dobbie, fighting it out for team places. He was switched to midfield and the rest is history.

Whitakker was switched to right back from being a midfield player and did OK.

Maybe Wotherspoon will follow?

[Pete70]

Size isn't important, or so they say!:greengrin

[Coco Bryce]

Scott Brown was originally a striker but he couldn't get a game with O'Connor, Riordan, McManus, Dobbie, fighting it out for team places. He was switched to midfield and the rest is history.


Funnily enough I was told at the weekend that Yogi was signed as a striker at Berwick.

[Leith Green]

I for one am delighted that Hibs have released the players they have done, also really happy that there have been no panic buys.

I reckon this gives our young players a good chance of pushing on and must be pretty encouraging for them.

What also bodes well for us is that id expect any new faces to be big signings come january or next summer rather than squad players..

Im really happy with the way Hibs have trimmed down the mediocre squad that was in place, and give Yogi credit for doing so..

[hibsdaft]

steve gerrard started at RB, moved to CM/RM, then to AM/SS.

from what i have seen of DW he could play any of these positions too. RB is a good starting point imo.

[Woody1985]

Scott Brown was originally a striker but he couldn't get a game with O'Connor, Riordan, McManus, Dobbie, fighting it out for team places. He was switched to midfield and the rest is history.

Whitakker was switched to right back from being a midfield player and did OK.

Maybe Wotherspoon will follow?

Probably a good thing cos Scott Brown would never have made it as a striker IMO.

[(((Fergus)))]

Playing Wotherspoon right back is a waste of his exceptional talent as an attacking midfielder.

[stubru59]

Playing Wotherspoon right back is a waste of his exceptional talent as an attacking midfielder.

Yes possibly, but horses for courses by the look of things.

[CyberSauzee]

We've had a massive turnover of players this summer. Looking at the BBC ins/outs

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8105863.stm

Ins: Patrick Cregg, midfielder (Falkirk); Daniel Galbraith, forward (Manchester United); Kevin McBride, midfielder (Falkirk); Graham Stack, goalkeeper (Plymouth Argyle); Anthony Stokes, forward (Sunderland, undisclosed)

Outs: Grzegorz Szamotulski, goalkeeper; Denes Rosa, midfielder; Fabian Yantorno, midfielder (Chester); Damon Gray, forward (Berwick Rangers); Andrew McNeil, goalkeeper; Steven Fletcher, forward (Burnley £3m); Alan O'Brien, forward (Swindon Town); Rob Jones, defender (Scunthorpe, undisclosed); Ally Park, defender (Clyde); Oliver Russell, midfielder (Berwick Rangers); Ross Chisholm, midfielder (Shamrock Rovers); Ross Campbell, forward; Jordan Cropley, midfielder; Joe Keenan, midfielder; Jack Wilson, midfielder.

Add on the 3 released today and that's 18 players no longer with us. Admittedly some were never going to be 1st team material, and some were on short term contracts that had expired, but looking at what we've brought in (still need a centre half) compared to what we've got rid of, the squad looks far healthier.

[BEEJ]

We've had a massive turnover of players this summer. Looking at the BBC ins/outs

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8105863.stm

Ins: Patrick Cregg, midfielder (Falkirk); Daniel Galbraith, forward (Manchester United); Kevin McBride, midfielder (Falkirk); Graham Stack, goalkeeper (Plymouth Argyle); Anthony Stokes, forward (Sunderland, undisclosed)

Outs: Grzegorz Szamotulski, goalkeeper; Denes Rosa, midfielder; Fabian Yantorno, midfielder (Chester); Damon Gray, forward (Berwick Rangers); Andrew McNeil, goalkeeper; Steven Fletcher, forward (Burnley £3m); Alan O'Brien, forward (Swindon Town); Rob Jones, defender (Scunthorpe, undisclosed); Ally Park, defender (Clyde); Oliver Russell, midfielder (Berwick Rangers); Ross Chisholm, midfielder (Shamrock Rovers); Ross Campbell, forward; Jordan Cropley, midfielder; Joe Keenan, midfielder; Jack Wilson, midfielder.

Add on the 3 released today and that's 18 players no longer with us. Admittedly some were never going to be 1st team material, and some were on short term contracts that had expired, but looking at what we've brought in (still need a centre half) compared to what we've got rid of, the squad looks far healthier.
It is 18 players out this summer but their list is not quite right.

Park and Russell were never part of the first team squad. In their place they have missed Steve Pinau (end of loan) and Blair Tolmie.

:nerd:

[hibsbollah]

Scott Brown was originally a striker but he couldn't get a game with O'Connor, Riordan, McManus, Dobbie, fighting it out for team places. He was switched to midfield and the rest is history.

Whitakker was switched to right back from being a midfield player and did OK.

Maybe Wotherspoon will follow?

I remember that:agree: Brown and Dobbie up front, looked a good pairing at one point.

[Hibs07p]

As people are mentioning players in different positions, how about Nish as a centre back? Gives us a bit height for defending high balls, and might actually be able to find a team mate with his clearance. Gordon Rae started off as a centre forward, mind.

[Auckland Hibs]

As people are mentioning players in different positions, how about Nish as a centre back? Gives us a bit height for defending high balls, and might actually be able to find a team mate with his clearance. Gordon Rae started off as a centre forward, mind.

He's got the pace to be a CH :devil:

[fife hfc]

[QUOTE=GreenOnions;2157854]Goalies - 2 - Maka and Stack
Full backs - 3 - McCann, Hanlon and Murray
Centre Backs - 3 - Bamba, Hogg and McCormack
Wide/attacking mid - 3 - Zemmama, Wotherspoon and Galbraith
Central Mid - 5 - Cregg, McBride, Rankin, Stevenson and Thicot Welsh and currie
Strikers - 5 - Riordan, Stokes, Benji, Nish and Byrne

Our first eleven is very decent but I feel we lack depth in defence and midfield, though if welsh and currie can make an impact then thats another two options.

First XI

.....................Stack........................
murray......Hogg.......Bamba.......Hanlon
....................Mcbride.......................
...wotherspoon................Cregg.........
..Zemmama.........................riordan
....................Stokes........................


second xi

.......................makalambay................. .....
McCann....McCormack.....Thicot.....stevenson
................Welsh..........rankin............. ......
Byrne.........................................Galb raith
.................benji...........Nish............. .........

the good thing is the young lads will get their chance this season, when injuries and suspensions hit and hopefully they will step up like Wotherspoon has.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Sometimes its not just about who you get but who you kept.

Good to see we'll have these guys (injuries excepting) until January :thumbsup:

[Hibee_Rab]

Goalies - 2 - Maka and Stack
Full backs - 3 - McCann, Hanlon and Murray
Centre Backs - 3 - Bamba, Hogg and McCormack
Wide/attacking mid - 3 - Zemmama, Wotherspoon and Galbraith
Central Mid - 5 - Cregg, McBride, Rankin, Stevenson and Thicot
Strikers - 5 - Riordan, Stokes, Benji, Nish and Byrne

That's 21 plus 3 remaining guys from U-19s Flynn, Currie and Welsh. Squad of 24 in total with 5 of those coming straight from U-19s.

Smaller squad than normal. Definitely higher quality than last year though. Is the smaller size by design (to allow salary bill to remain on budget) or by accident (cos we missed out on our signing target(s)?

Is 24 enough? Should we expect that Yogi is happy to work with this until January at the earliest or is there a free agent on his way to us?

All of the guys I have highlighted are multi positional. I would quite like to see murray at centre back at bamba in midfield this season, though it might leave us lacking some height at the back.

[WindyMiller]

All of the guys I have highlighted are multi positional. I would quite like to see murray at centre back at bamba in midfield this season, though it might leave us lacking some height at the back.

Personally I'd prefer Murray and Bamba as a CH pairing. I think Mcbride does a good job as DM.

[--------]

I for one am delighted that Hibs have released the players they have done, also really happy that there have been no panic buys.

I reckon this gives our young players a good chance of pushing on and must be pretty encouraging for them.

What also bodes well for us is that id expect any new faces to be big signings come january or next summer rather than squad players..

Im really happy with the way Hibs have trimmed down the mediocre squad that was in place, and give Yogi credit for doing so..


Absolutely.

No point whatsoever in buying for the sake of buying. We had a huge deposit of dross from Collins and Mixu's times. That's gone now.

I'd expect Yogi to draw breath now, work through to Christmas, and have targets in his sights for the January window.

[ACLeith]

Nearly half of them (11) are home grown, either having been signed as kids or come to us very young to learn their trade.

Maybe when we have tied up the league by Easter :wink: we could play all of them together.

Flynn
McCann Murray McCormack Hanlon
Wotherspoon Currie Welsh Stevenson
Riordan Byrne

[Cocaine&Caviar]

With the exit of Van Zanten, surely its safe to assume that McCormack will now be considered as a right back for the coming season at least, competing with McCann and with Wotherspoon also covering. With this in mind, as well as Hanlon being our main competitor for left back, surely Thicot should also now only be considered as a centre back, especially as we have quite a few central midfielders in the first team squad at the minute.

[hibby67]

how about a change of formation 3-5-2

stack

hogg.............bamba............murray..........

wotherspoon.....mcbride....cregg......rankin...... hanlon.....


riordan.........stokes


this would give us some width with two young boys on the wing with the energy to get back and forward

[aberhibsfc]

Playing Wotherspoon right back is a waste of his exceptional talent as an attacking midfielder.

Think Yogi is aiming for his full backs to be more involved in the attacking aspects of the game. Wotherspoon will be able to compliment this tactic, just hope he can progress with the defensive responsibilities. Van Zanten won't be a hard act to follow.

Agree that the squad has quality and lower quantity, provides breathing room for younger players to compliment the team and hopefully progress.

I also believe that Yogi will now have more time to work on signings and would expect low numbers joining but of a calibre which will better the team. I would like us to sign Barr on a pre-contract 1st day of the next window then haggle for an early release. Arfield is one that I would like us to pursue again in January, hopefully with some saved salary funds. Although I expect that we'll have healthy competition from down sarf and we won't be able to compete with the Championship wages.

[jacomo]

how about a change of formation 3-5-2

stack

hogg.............bamba............murray..........

wotherspoon.....mcbride....cregg......rankin...... hanlon.....


riordan.........stokes


this would give us some width with two young boys on the wing with the energy to get back and forward

3-5-2 is so last century.

:greengrin

Also, can you not find room for Zemmama?