Yogi's Tinkering - The Defence and Deeks

[The Sea-gull]

Not sure why Yogi has had to tinker with the team, particularly defence? He seems to be suffering from something that McLeish, Mowbray and Collins all did in believing his own hype and thinking he is a better manager than he is and therefore trying to be too clever.

The defence (I would never have thought this before the season started) was solid when it was Wotherspoon, Hogg, Bamba and Murray accross the backline. This should be the backline or, as Bamba appears to be off form, replace him with Hanlon or play Hanlon LB and Murray at CH.

People say DW is not a RB but he has done alright there as far as I can see and is more of a RB than Hogg, who we actually seem to miss when he is not in the centre. DW has been dropped unfairly IMHO.

The midfield has been ticking along well but sometimes we seem to revert back to Mixu's era of a non-existent midfield but at least this only happens sometimes and not every game as it did under Mixu.

Up front, can't fault Stokes as goals win games but Nish and Benji have flattered to deceive this season and it seems to remain difficult to fit Riordan in at times though we all know his goals in terms of volume and the type he scores, out weigh the negatives.

Trouble with Riordan is that in his first spell his best position was on the left of a front three. Having G O'C in the middle then Sproule/Sheils on the right allowed us to do this. Having three from Brown/Boozy/Thompson/Glass and dare I say Stewart, in the middle also allowed us to play a front three.

I'm not sure if Deek is as good in that posistion as he once was or if we have the players to play it effectively as I'm not sure about the midfield and don't know if Stokes is the type of player to be effective wide right or in the middle of a front three.

Maybe time to try Riordan and Stokes together as a pair and four in midfiled with Galbraith getting a shot wide left, Zemamma on the right and Miller and Rankin in the middle.

[Steve20]

Not sure why Yogi has had to tinker with the team, particularly defence? He seems to be suffering from something that McLeish, Mowbray and Collins all did in believing his own hype and thinking he is a better manager than he is and therefore trying to be too clever.

The defence (I would never have thought this before the season started) was solid when it was Wotherspoon, Hogg, Bamba and Murray accross the backline. This should be the backline or, as Bamba appears to be off form, replace him with Hanlon or play Hanlon LB and Murray at CH.

People say DW is not a RB but he has done alright there as far as I can see and is more of a RB than Hogg, who we actually seem to miss when he is not in the centre. DW has been dropped unfairly IMHO.

The midfield has been ticking along well but sometimes we seem to revert back to Mixu's era of a non-existent midfield but at least this only happens sometimes and not every game as it did under Mixu.

Up front, can't fault Stokes as goals win games but Nish and Benji have flattered to deceive this season and it seems to remain difficult to fit Riordan in at times though we all know his goals in terms of volume and the type he scores, out weigh the negatives.

Trouble with Riordan is that in his first spell his best position was on the left of a front three. Having G O'C in the middle then Sproule/Sheils on the right allowed us to do this. Having three from Brown/Boozy/Thompson/Glass and dare I say Stewart, in the middle also allowed us to play a front three.

I'm not sure if Deek is as good in that posistion as he once was or if we have the players to play it effectively as I'm not sure about the midfield and don't know if Stokes is the type of player to be effective wide right or in the middle of a front three.

Maybe time to try Riordan and Stokes together as a pair and four in midfiled with Galbraith getting a shot wide left, Zemamma on the right and Miller and Rankin in the middle.

Agree with almost all of this. Except, I would have Riordan on the bench for the next couple of weeks.

[HFC 0-7]

Not sure why Yogi has had to tinker with the team, particularly defence? He seems to be suffering from something that McLeish, Mowbray and Collins all did in believing his own hype and thinking he is a better manager than he is and therefore trying to be too clever.

The defence (I would never have thought this before the season started) was solid when it was Wotherspoon, Hogg, Bamba and Murray accross the backline. This should be the backline or, as Bamba appears to be off form, replace him with Hanlon or play Hanlon LB and Murray at CH.

People say DW is not a RB but he has done alright there as far as I can see and is more of a RB than Hogg, who we actually seem to miss when he is not in the centre. DW has been dropped unfairly IMHO.

The midfield has been ticking along well but sometimes we seem to revert back to Mixu's era of a non-existent midfield but at least this only happens sometimes and not every game as it did under Mixu.

Up front, can't fault Stokes as goals win games but Nish and Benji have flattered to deceive this season and it seems to remain difficult to fit Riordan in at times though we all know his goals in terms of volume and the type he scores, out weigh the negatives.

Trouble with Riordan is that in his first spell his best position was on the left of a front three. Having G O'C in the middle then Sproule/Sheils on the right allowed us to do this. Having three from Brown/Boozy/Thompson/Glass and dare I say Stewart, in the middle also allowed us to play a front three.

I'm not sure if Deek is as good in that posistion as he once was or if we have the players to play it effectively as I'm not sure about the midfield and don't know if Stokes is the type of player to be effective wide right or in the middle of a front three.

Maybe time to try Riordan and Stokes together as a pair and four in midfiled with Galbraith getting a shot wide left, Zemamma on the right and Miller and Rankin in the middle.

the part about wotherspoon caught my eye here. I think recently he hasnt been playing that well at RB. He is young and playing out of position and Yogi probably doesnt want to burn the young guy out. Yogi maybe seen this happening and felt he had to protect him a bit, perhaps looking to the future here, so that change I can perhaps understand. Riordan has been very off form lately. In the begining we put up with bad performances because he would pop up with a goal but he hasnt been doing that recently. I think Riordan deserves a chance up front at some point but with Stokes playing that role so well he cant exactly drop him.

Yesterday the whole team looked slow and tired, if you look at the way some players were trying to get back to defend it was so slow. Many of these players wont have been in this sort os position before doing so well and the pressure will start to mount.

IMO, I think the problem may be down to Bamba coming back to the team when he needed a rest. He looks panicked now and this will spread across the back line causing nervousness. At the begining of the season we made things look easy at the back, now we seem to rush the ball all the time and make the easy things look hard.

[Alan62]

Riordan was a waste of a jersey last night and contributed virtually nothing. In his defence, the whole team shape was shocking and while it should never have been selected in the first place, it should have been changed at least after the second goal when it was clear that St Johnstone were ripping us apart at will.

As for Deek, people will always say that he is a bit of a luxury player. He's brilliant at what he does well (finishing, free kicks etc) but he'll never be brilliant at defending, working off the ball, harrying and chasing. If he is going to play, the team has to be geared towards getting him into goal scoring positions and his increasing isolation on the left of midfield does not seem to be good for that.

I'd be inclined to use a combination of Gow and Galbraith during games for the left side width and try Riordan and Stokes as a pair up front.

Having said that, the man we're missing is McBride. With McBride holding in midfield we are a much better team and the tireless work he does frees up creative players to get into dangerous positions.

[Expecting Rain]

The initial post is correct in a couple of things, Yogi trying to be too clever and tinkering about with the team too much.
I totally disagree with the comment that the defence has been solid, it never has been though lots of people on the board continually quote the stas, we`ve surrendered lots of chances to our opponents in almost every game and i mentioned this after our 2-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie, we got out of jail then but have been constantly punished since.

[Dr Jimmy]

Riordan was a waste of a jersey last night and contributed virtually nothing. In his defence, the whole team shape was shocking and while it should never have been selected in the first place, it should have been changed at least after the second goal when it was clear that St Johnstone were ripping us apart at will.

As for Deek, people will always say that he is a bit of a luxury player. He's brilliant at what he does well (finishing, free kicks etc) but he'll never be brilliant at defending, working off the ball, harrying and chasing. If he is going to play, the team has to be geared towards getting him into goal scoring positions and his increasing isolation on the left of midfield does not seem to be good for that.

I'd be inclined to use a combination of Gow and Galbraith during games for the left side width and try Riordan and Stokes as a pair up front.

Having said that, the man we're missing is McBride. With McBride holding in midfield we are a much better team and the tireless work he does frees up creative players to get into dangerous positions.
:top marks

Feel my mind has been read here!........Spooky!

[Phil MaGlass]

lets hope this tinkering doesnt cost us dearly when the end of the season arrives

[blackpoolhibs]

All this tinkering is terrible, imagine tinkering with the side that much, we are guaranteed top 6, and have a great chance of finishing 3rd. Again he's tinkered that much, we are going to qualify for Europe, and into the cups last 8, with a home tie against lower league opposition, for a place at a Hampden semi final. Terrible all this tinkering, lets get back to the exciting fight we normally have for that coveted top 6 place, those were the days.

[Steve20]

All this tinkering is terrible, imagine tinkering with the side that much, we are guaranteed top 6, and have a great chance of finishing 3rd. Again he's tinkered that much, we are going to qualify for Europe, and into the cups last 8, with a home tie against lower league opposition, for a place at a Hampden semi final. Terrible all this tinkering, lets get back to the exciting fight we normally have for that coveted top 6 place, those were the days.

Are we going to qualify for Europe, though? It all depends if he learns from his mistakes.

[Expecting Rain]

All this tinkering is terrible, imagine tinkering with the side that much, we are guaranteed top 6, and have a great chance of finishing 3rd. Again he's tinkered that much, we are going to qualify for Europe, and into the cups last 8, with a home tie against lower league opposition, for a place at a Hampden semi final. Terrible all this tinkering, lets get back to the exciting fight we normally have for that coveted top 6 place, those were the days.

BH, we`re conceding a lot of chances to the opposition, even Irvine Meadow recently and some of the substitutions have been pretty baffling, playing the slowest defender in the league at right back and playing Nish at all doesn`t help, add the over rated Benji and the er...............hard working but no imagination Rankin to the equation and it is not going to change anytime soon, these guys could slow down Yogi`s progress as a coach and i think he has been brilliant this season, his mistakes have been in appointing Hogg as captain and not selling Nish to Aberdeen if the rumour was true, finally he said something similar to Mowbray that the score isn`t that important you still only lose three points, it is to me, i`m gutted and embarrased.

[Lucius Apuleius]

All this tinkering is terrible, imagine tinkering with the side that much, we are guaranteed top 6, and have a great chance of finishing 3rd. Again he's tinkered that much, we are going to qualify for Europe, and into the cups last 8, with a home tie against lower league opposition, for a place at a Hampden semi final. Terrible all this tinkering, lets get back to the exciting fight we normally have for that coveted top 6 place, those were the days.

:greengrin I am with you G. I am obviously disappointed in last night's score. Pretty disgusted in fact. However, and I suppose this is the world we now live in, reactions on here are absolutely mental. We win, and booger me we are CL material, we get beat and we are the biggest pile of dross on the planet. Yogi changes the team, why the hell is he changing a team, Yogi does not change team, why the hell does Yogi not change the team? Nobody can win. Deeks/Hogg/Nish/Bamba/Rankine/whoever/whoever/whoever are mince/brilliant. As above should never be dropped/drop him now. We are never ever going to have consensus on anything on this board, I just wish we did not go to the polar extremes we do.

A wee win against mudderwell and blow me down we will be pushing for 2nd again.

Mon the Hibs.

[erskine-hibby]

All this tinkering is terrible, imagine tinkering with the side that much, we are guaranteed top 6, and have a great chance of finishing 3rd. Again he's tinkered that much, we are going to qualify for Europe, and into the cups last 8, with a home tie against lower league opposition, for a place at a Hampden semi final. Terrible all this tinkering, lets get back to the exciting fight we normally have for that coveted top 6 place, those were the days.

Do you know something the rest of us don't??
On the last 2 performances i would say 5th is the best we can expect.

[Velma Dinkley]

Do you know something the rest of us don't??
On the last 2 performances i would say 5th is the best we can expect.


and where would you say we will finish based on the last 25 league performances? :cool2:

[blackpoolhibs]

Do you know something the rest of us don't??
On the last 2 performances i would say 5th is the best we can expect.

What about the previous 20 odd games? Do you fancy a bet that we qualify for Europe? All proceeds to the Dnipro appeal.

[blackpoolhibs]

BH, we`re conceding a lot of chances to the opposition, even Irvine Meadow recently and some of the substitutions have been pretty baffling, playing the slowest defender in the league at right back and playing Nish at all doesn`t help, add the over rated Benji and the er...............hard working but no imagination Rankin to the equation and it is not going to change anytime soon, these guys could slow down Yogi`s progress as a coach and i think he has been brilliant this season, his mistakes have been in appointing Hogg as captain and not selling Nish to Aberdeen if the rumour was true, finally he said something similar to Mowbray that the score isn`t that important you still only lose three points, it is to me, i`m gutted and embarrased.

So we have lost a couple of games, take everything into context, those same sheight players are sitting 3rd. If we were sitting 8th i'd see a problem. Anyone who thought we were going to win the league is mad, even 2nd is very very hard, yet we still have an outside chance, but yet again its downwards people are looking, not up.

We have a run of games that are better than the last 5, Dundee Utd have a difficult few weeks. Don't panic, Europe here we come.

[Expecting Rain]

If we can`t defend in the SPL, god help us in europe, first things first let`s put things right against Motherwell.

[blackpoolhibs]

If we can`t defend in the SPL, god help us in europe, first things first let`s put things right against Motherwell.

Yip small steps one at a time, but do remember, this is the new managers 1st season. And give me this type of season every time please, over the turgid sheight we have had recently.

[erskine-hibby]

What about the previous 20 odd games? Do you fancy a bet that we qualify for Europe? All proceeds to the Dnipro appeal.

I'll wager any money that we haven't qualified for Europe yet.

It matters nothing about what has gone before, it is where we are now and how we do in the final run in that counts. If, we have the same team set up and attitude as we have had in the previous 2 games, though, we will defo not qualify.

[Expecting Rain]

Yip small steps one at a time, but do remember, this is the new managers 1st season. And give me this type of season every time please, over the turgid sheight we have had recently.

Last night matched anything on offer last season, Mixu would have been hung for that, i`m all for Yogi taking us forward and believe he has the attributes, i just think he puts too much faith in certain players.

[blackpoolhibs]

I'll wager any money that we haven't qualified for Europe yet.

It matters nothing about what has gone before, it is where we are now and how we do in the final run in that counts. If, we have the same team set up and attitude as we have had in the previous 2 games, though, we will defo not qualify.

Well the same players who have lost the last 2 games will still be here on saturday, and to the end of the season. I will wager any bet you like, they qualify for Europe, whatever formation we have. Fancy the bet?

[blackpoolhibs]

Last night matched anything on offer last season, Mixu would have been hung for that, i`m all for Yogi taking us forward and believe he has the attributes, i just think he puts too much faith in certain players.

And Yogi wont be hung for that, because its not the norm. Although with the over the top panic, and over the top criticism, you'd think we were 7th or 8th, and having a poor season.

[erskine-hibby]

And Yogi wont be hung for that, because its not the norm. Although with the over the top panic, and over the top criticism, you'd think we were 7th or 8th, and having a poor season.

So whats over the top??
Even yogi says he got the team selection wrong.
As for your wager, i don't normally bet, but if Yogi sticks with Hogg at right back for the rest of the season i will take any you care to mention. I suspect, though, that this will change on Saturday making any such bet null and void.

[Expecting Rain]

And Yogi wont be hung for that, because its not the norm. Although with the over the top panic, and over the top criticism, you'd think we were 7th or 8th, and having a poor season.

There`s a lot of good players at ER but they are let down by a few simply not being good enough, the criticism isn`t over the top today, we should never lose to St Johnstone in the manner in which we did, Yogi quite rightly has taken the plaudits for the season so far, he deserves a few negative posts after that, i`m sure he would be the first to agree.

[blackpoolhibs]

So whats over the top??
Even yogi says he got the team selection wrong.
As for your wager, i don't normally bet, but if Yogi sticks with Hogg at right back for the rest of the season i will take any you care to mention. I suspect, though, that this will change on Saturday making any such bet null and void.

Yes Yogi got it wrong, well done to him for admitting it. The over the top criticism is that of the players, and manager ffs even when we were winning they were getting it, is 3rd place and in the last 8 of the cup not good enough now? Should we be winning this league?

You have to remember where this team is now, compared to last season, for that alone they need to be cut a little slack. As for Hogg as a right back, there was a clamour for him to be tried there early on in the season, and perhaps yogi thinks its just the time to give Wotherspoon a little rest, hopefully to come back stronger for the run in. Or maybe we should just play the same eleven every week.

[JimBHibees]

Has he really tinkered that much, I think it would have been unfair on Benji or Zemmama not to have started yesterday and he obviously thought Deek would come in and score. Hogg at right back isnt an option for me however he was obviously wary of DW getting ripped at Ibrox as he did the first Ibrox game. The defence at Ibrox was reasonable IMO and losing the last 2 werent merited.

In saying that it was an appalling result and we need to change it for Motherwell though with Nish being suspended that is one option less.
Personally would bring in DW and put Hogg and Bamba back in central defence with either Cregg or Thicot in the middle of the park in favour of Benji.

[erskine-hibby]

Yes Yogi got it wrong, well done to him for admitting it. The over the top criticism is that of the players, and manager ffs even when we were winning they were getting it, is 3rd place and in the last 8 of the cup not good enough now? Should we be winning this league?

You have to remember where this team is now, compared to last season, for that alone they need to be cut a little slack. As for Hogg as a right back, there was a clamour for him to be tried there early on in the season, and perhaps yogi thinks its just the time to give Wotherspoon a little rest, hopefully to come back stronger for the run in. Or maybe we should just play the same eleven every week.

As I've said before, if it aint broke don't fix it.

Personally I don't think any of the criticism has been over the top, but the reaction to the critisism has.

[Phil MaGlass]

2-0 M,well,then onto another doing by St.J me thinks.

[1875 NO 1]

Not sure why Yogi has had to tinker with the team, particularly defence? He seems to be suffering from something that McLeish, Mowbray and Collins all did in believing his own hype and thinking he is a better manager than he is and therefore trying to be too clever.

The defence (I would never have thought this before the season started) was solid when it was Wotherspoon, Hogg, Bamba and Murray accross the backline. This should be the backline or, as Bamba appears to be off form, replace him with Hanlon or play Hanlon LB and Murray at CH.

People say DW is not a RB but he has done alright there as far as I can see and is more of a RB than Hogg, who we actually seem to miss when he is not in the centre. DW has been dropped unfairly IMHO.

The midfield has been ticking along well but sometimes we seem to revert back to Mixu's era of a non-existent midfield but at least this only happens sometimes and not every game as it did under Mixu.

Up front, can't fault Stokes as goals win games but Nish and Benji have flattered to deceive this season and it seems to remain difficult to fit Riordan in at times though we all know his goals in terms of volume and the type he scores, out weigh the negatives.

Trouble with Riordan is that in his first spell his best position was on the left of a front three. Having G O'C in the middle then Sproule/Sheils on the right allowed us to do this. Having three from Brown/Boozy/Thompson/Glass and dare I say Stewart, in the middle also allowed us to play a front three.

I'm not sure if Deek is as good in that posistion as he once was or if we have the players to play it effectively as I'm not sure about the midfield and don't know if Stokes is the type of player to be effective wide right or in the middle of a front three.

Maybe time to try Riordan and Stokes together as a pair and four in midfiled with Galbraith getting a shot wide left, Zemamma on the right and Miller and Rankin in the middle.

he said after preston pre season, we are a soft touch but wont happen again. He hasn't signed players to address that issue.

We have a midfleid that gets bullied and can't tackle. They are good when it is a silky fiba game but when it is battle we fall short. The midfield you suggest for me would struggle on Sat at Motherwell. Who is going to win the ball and compete? Also, on that pitch there won't be mush fiba getting played.

Yogi signed Gow when there are many other things that need fixed before signing another ball player.

[1875 NO 1]

Yes Yogi got it wrong, well done to him for admitting it. The over the top criticism is that of the players, and manager ffs even when we were winning they were getting it, is 3rd place and in the last 8 of the cup not good enough now? Should we be winning this league?

You have to remember where this team is now, compared to last season, for that alone they need to be cut a little slack. As for Hogg as a right back, there was a clamour for him to be tried there early on in the season, and perhaps yogi thinks its just the time to give Wotherspoon a little rest, hopefully to come back stronger for the run in. Or maybe we should just play the same eleven every week.

so we have to be happy we got pumped 5 - 1 and he has done nothing to address the point that we are easily bullied and if teams get in our faces we dont have a plan b.

[ahibby]

Tinkered he certainly did one of the reasons I thought might have been to start giving PH the experience he will need to fill the CB role and the other reason was to help prevent DW from suffering burn out. CN showed his temprament isn't up to that kind of game and maybe Yogi was right to play Benji instead of him. If this tinkering continues why not try Stokes and Riordan up front and just play a straight 4-4-2.

[blackpoolhibs]

so we have to be happy we got pumped 5 - 1 and he has done nothing to address the point that we are easily bullied and if teams get in our faces we dont have a plan b.

I never said anything about being happy after last night? Again i hear this myth about being easily bullied.:confused: Correct me if i'm wrong, but we are 3rd, does that mean the other teams are bullied easier? As for a plan B, were you saying that when the manager changed tactics last Wednesday against Aberdeen when 2-0 down? I suppose we are 3rd because we have been lucky, and teams have not got in our faces much.

[Bad Martini]

We shipped more goals than is healthy in 2 games. If we ship another barrel load against Motherwell, our goal difference (which was quite good beforehand) will be right doon.

Til this point, we'd been right up there with goals lost and this isn't good for keeper or defence.

Not good. Not dire as BH points out but complacency is not to be had. That said, we ARE gonna win the Scottish Cup :greengrin

ENDOF

[silverhibee]

As I've said before, if it aint broke don't fix it.

Personally I don't think any of the criticism has been over the top, but the reaction to the critisism has.

Bit in bold, with you on that,why Yogi thought to make four changes after the Aberdeen game puzzled me, and since the changes it has went a bit peared shape.

[blackpoolhibs]

Bit in bold, with you on that,why Yogi thought to make four changes after the Aberdeen game puzzled me, and since the changes it has went a bit peared shape.

There were numerous threads after the huns game, praising our display against them. Last night was terrible, we could all see that, but lets not exaggerate things. We cant play the same 11 every week, he has to try and keep players fit, and especially with Wotherspoon, keep him from burning out. Lets see how the next 5 or 6 games go, we have had a hard run of games, the next few should be slightly easier.

[erskine-hibby]

There were numerous threads after the huns game, praising our display against them. Last night was terrible, we could all see that, but lets not exaggerate things. We cant play the same 11 every week, he has to try and keep players fit, and especially with Wotherspoon, keep him from burning out. Lets see how the next 5 or 6 games go, we have had a hard run of games, the next few should be slightly easier.

Had his form dipped to a level that would suggest that, then yes, i would agree, but it hasn't. If he thought Wotherspoon was begining to struggle in the LB position why not move him to his preferred RM??

[blackpoolhibs]

Had his form dipped to a level that would suggest that, then yes, i would agree, but it hasn't. If he thought Wotherspoon was begining to struggle in the LB position why not move him to his preferred RM??

I'd say his form had dropped, he couldn't find a player with a sat nav.

[JimBHibees]

There were numerous threads after the huns game, praising our display against them. Last night was terrible, we could all see that, but lets not exaggerate things. We cant play the same 11 every week, he has to try and keep players fit, and especially with Wotherspoon, keep him from burning out. Lets see how the next 5 or 6 games go, we have had a hard run of games, the next few should be slightly easier.

Agree with that. I thought Hibs played excellently at Ibrox for long spells and 1-0 or so would have been about right. I thought defensively we looked fine for much of the game and didnt really see any need to change much. Bringing in Deek for Gow who played poorly at Ibrox seemed about right IMO. In saying that away to St J's is obviously a different game from playing at Ibrox.

It sounded like we started poorly and the heads went down worryingly quick and to be honest we do have a number of players who can be described as confidence players. In saying that St's IMO are a half decent side.

[erskine-hibby]

I'd say his form had dropped, he couldn't find a player with a sat nav.

So to that end lets just drop the whole team eh??

I do not think his form was any worse than those around him, it certainly didn't suggest that he was about to burn out. Struggle with the RB position, maybe, but nothing more than that.
I will go with what Yogi has admitted, he got the team selection wrong. Get it fixed for Sat and Yogi's yer uncle:agree:

[JimBHibees]

So to that end lets just drop the whole team eh??

I do not think his form was any worse than those around him, it certainly didn't suggest that he was about to burn out. Struggle with the RB position, maybe, but nothing more than that.
I will go with what Yogi has admitted, he got the team selection wrong. Get it fixed for Sat and Yogi's yer uncle:agree:

Wotherspoon IMO wasnt chosen against Rangers as he was being murdered physically by Lafferty in the 1-1 game at Ibrox and was hooked in that game because of it.

[erskine-hibby]

Wotherspoon IMO wasnt chosen against Rangers as he was being murdered physically by Lafferty in the 1-1 game at Ibrox and was hooked in that game because of it.

So do you not think he has come on since then??
If this is so then the question must be put back, why not?

[blackpoolhibs]

So to that end lets just drop the whole team eh??

I do not think his form was any worse than those around him, it certainly didn't suggest that he was about to burn out. Struggle with the RB position, maybe, but nothing more than that.
I will go with what Yogi has admitted, he got the team selection wrong. Get it fixed for Sat and Yogi's yer uncle:agree:

Well if you listen to this board, we'd have 5 or 6 changes every week.:bitchy:
It seems to me Yogi has a balancing act to do, he cant play the same team every week, and has to keep players fit, he will be judged over the course of the season, as he says its an ongoing process. Wotherspoons form imho had dipped, and with this being his first season in the SPL, perhaps Yogi thought it best to give him a rest, he's certainly one for the future, we dont want him to turn out like stevenson, maybe this is Yogis way of ensuring that?

[JimBHibees]

So do you not think he has come on since then??
If this is so then the question must be put back, why not?

I think he has however I think Yogi would have been wary of the same happening if they played Lafferty against him again. He is young and that experience would have been confidence sapping for the guy so I could understand why he wasnt playing.

[erskine-hibby]

Well if you listen to this board, we'd have 5 or 6 changes every week.:bitchy:
It seems to me Yogi has a balancing act to do, he cant play the same team every week, and has to keep players fit, he will be judged over the course of the season, as he says its an ongoing process. Wotherspoons form imho had dipped, and with this being his first season in the SPL, perhaps Yogi thought it best to give him a rest, he's certainly one for the future, we dont want him to turn out like stevenson, maybe this is Yogis way of ensuring that?

Well of course it is an ongoing process, it always is.
I agree it is a balancing act, but the balance was ok up to the last couple of games so why change it??
I for one am not calling for wholesale changes that would be suicide...hey whats happened in the last couple of games????

[erskine-hibby]

I think he has however I think Yogi would have been wary of the same happening if they played Lafferty against him again. He is young and that experience would have been confidence sapping for the guy so I could understand why he wasnt playing.

So why not play the guy and see how he gets on, with perhaps a back up plan??
To put Hogg there instead is just baffling, then to stick with it the next game:confused::confused::confused:

[Phil MaGlass]

Am I the only one that wonders why WE are the ones trying to counter other teams selections when it should be them doing it,why should we keep changing a winning team?

[Expecting Rain]

Am I the only one that wonders why WE are the ones trying to counter other teams selections when it should be them doing it,why should we keep changing a winning team?

Phil, i think Hibs are equipped for playing football on a decent surface, there seems to be no plan B, St Johnstone who are a decent side at times play the same way every week, i don`t think our away form has been that good bar the one performance against Motherwell, we had a great result against Celtic but that was more or less down to a good bit of fortune, on these crap pitches we need to be able to adapt and unfortunately that means changing the team to suit the occasion.

[Craig_in_Prague]

We've done incredibly well to be in 3rd place late February, no matter how we have. But to do it with the attacking line-up in nearly all the games, has been exceptional, and has got most fans excited again..... but, let's not throw away all the good work thus far.....
I think Yogi needs to think hard though and change things a bit, at least in the short term. Some more midfielders in midfield, give Deek a chance up front, start games fighting hard, and the longer any match is at 0-0, the better for Hibs, coz we have players that can come on and win games.

It seems now we're in danger of losing games before half-time.
This needs to stop pronto.

The pitches / winter haven't helped us get the ball down and pass, so as I said we need to remember we're playing in the SPL and need to win the battle before earning the right to play football. Yogi says this a lot, but hasn't really got round to fixing his team to do so.

Yogi, we've seen some sublime play, great goals etc, but fans won't mind us playing Yam style for a month or two, and make sure we get the points to secure 3rd.

[silverhibee]

Not sure why Yogi has had to tinker with the team, particularly defence? He seems to be suffering from something that McLeish, Mowbray and Collins all did in believing his own hype and thinking he is a better manager than he is and therefore trying to be too clever.

The defence (I would never have thought this before the season started) was solid when it was Wotherspoon, Hogg, Bamba and Murray accross the backline. This should be the backline or, as Bamba appears to be off form, replace him with Hanlon or play Hanlon LB and Murray at CH.

People say DW is not a RB but he has done alright there as far as I can see and is more of a RB than Hogg, who we actually seem to miss when he is not in the centre. DW has been dropped unfairly IMHO.

The midfield has been ticking along well but sometimes we seem to revert back to Mixu's era of a non-existent midfield but at least this only happens sometimes and not every game as it did under Mixu.

Up front, can't fault Stokes as goals win games but Nish and Benji have flattered to deceive this season and it seems to remain difficult to fit Riordan in at times though we all know his goals in terms of volume and the type he scores, out weigh the negatives.

Trouble with Riordan is that in his first spell his best position was on the left of a front three. Having G O'C in the middle then Sproule/Sheils on the right allowed us to do this. Having three from Brown/Boozy/Thompson/Glass and dare I say Stewart, in the middle also allowed us to play a front three.

I'm not sure if Deek is as good in that posistion as he once was or if we have the players to play it effectively as I'm not sure about the midfield and don't know if Stokes is the type of player to be effective wide right or in the middle of a front three.

Maybe time to try Riordan and Stokes together as a pair and four in midfiled with Galbraith getting a shot wide left, Zemamma on the right and Miller and Rankin in the middle.

And more tinkering for game tomorrow.

[Danderhall Hibs]

And more tinkering for game tomorrow.

He had to make changes after Wednesday night. Unless he's going 2-3-5 I don't think it can be called tinkering.

[CapitalHibs]

http://sport.scotsman.com/hibernianfc/St-Johnstone--knew-what.6087139.jp


Looks like other teams have got Hibs all sussed out. So,Spoony, Hogg. Hanlon, Murray at the back; a solid midfield trio of Miller, Thicot and Bamba with Zoomer and Gow wide to feed Stokes up front.

[Beefster]

And more tinkering for game tomorrow.

If he played the same team on Saturday, in addition to being pig-headed himself and letting the players off the hook, he'd get absolutely slaughtered by the support.

There's only a couple of players could be dropped for tomorrow and have much/any complaint.

[silverhibee]

If he played the same team on Saturday, in addition to being pig-headed himself and letting the players off the hook, he'd get absolutely slaughtered by the support.

There's only a couple of players could be dropped for tomorrow and have much/any complaint.

Agree.