Why 2 points out of 15?

[sunshine1875]

I have tried to make some sense of why we have only picked up 2 points out of 15. This bad run was preceded by a run of three games in a week when we picked up maximum points.

We can all blame players, managers, formations, referees etc and in most cases that would be correct but to me the main reason why we went from 9 points out of 9 to 2 points out of 15 is down to the condition of the football pitches at this stage. Yes - you can argue that it is the same for all, but the physical route one teams do have an advantage on a poor pitch.

Take the two games against St.Johnstone. They had a game plan, which was to get the ball quickly up to the two tall strikers totally by-passing the midfield. They then support those two players by having a physical midfield that was quick to support. Their midfield was also quick in preventing us from playing through the middle. We ourselves also resort to long punts but our midfield does not support as well.

I was not at the Motherwell game, but that pitch is hardly one you would want to get the ball down and pass it. Against Aberdeen at home, they again were physical and again were quick in getting the ball forward, though by hitting it into space rather than punts to the big striker.

You could argue that the St.Mirren and Hamilton games that we won were also played on poor pitches, but the difference was that both teams tried to build play through the team rather than route one. That said St. Mirren were a handful with their two big lads up front.

So, when we play big physical teams on poor pitches we know how the game is going to be played. For these games I think we need as few luxury players as possible and the right mix strong physical presence and creativity in midfield. What do you think?

[seanshow]

I Totally agree with you on the 5th of December we played Motherwell at home won 2 nil, the pitch was showing signs of wear but it was still fine for passing football.
Fast forward 22 days!, to our next home match 27th of Dec, ok we lost to Rangers but if people noticed the Pitch was a disaster, wtf happened.

Roders :grr: should make it a club priority to have the pitch maintained for the whole season, buy the kit that's required to do the job....get rid of some of the squad players to pay for the equipment even, and make sure the pitch is only used for 90 mins on a Saturday.

If the premiership clubs and the oldfirm clubs can maintain theirs why cant we? When its fundamental to the team performance. :wink:

[seanraff07]

I Totally agree with you on the 5th of December we played Motherwell at home won 2 nil, the pitch was showing signs of wear but it was still fine for passing football.
Fast forward 22 days!, to our next home match 27th of Dec, ok we lost to Rangers but if people noticed the Pitch was a disaster, wtf happened.

Roders :grr: should make it a club priority to have the pitch maintained for the whole season, buy the kit that's required to do the job....get rid of some of the squad players to pay for the equipment even, and make sure the pitch is only used for 90 mins on a Saturday.

If the premiership clubs and the oldfirm clubs can maintain theirs why cant we? When its fundamental to the team performance. :wink:

Unfortunately i think you'll need to wait till the start of next season till the pitch is any better, cause i think they are re-laying it completely in the summer whilst the new East stand is getting built.

I also heard that the team have been training on the ER pitch as the pitches at East Mains are completely waterlogged.

[sunshine1875]

I have tried to make some sense of why we have only picked up 2 points out of 15. This bad run was preceded by a run of three games in a week when we picked up maximum points.

We can all blame players, managers, formations, referees etc and in most cases that would be correct but to me the main reason why we went from 9 points out of 9 to 2 points out of 15 is down to the condition of the football pitches at this stage. Yes - you can argue that it is the same for all, but the physical route one teams do have an advantage on a poor pitch.

Take the two games against St.Johnstone. They had a game plan, which was to get the ball quickly up to the two tall strikers totally by-passing the midfield. They then support those two players by having a physical midfield that was quick to support. Their midfield was also quick in preventing us from playing through the middle. We ourselves also resort to long punts but our midfield does not support as well.

I was not at the Motherwell game, but that pitch is hardly one you would want to get the ball down and pass it. Against Aberdeen at home, they again were physical and again were quick in getting the ball forward, though by hitting it into space rather than punts to the big striker.

You could argue that the St.Mirren and Hamilton games that we won were also played on poor pitches, but the difference was that both teams tried to build play through the team rather than route one. That said St. Mirren were a handful with their two big lads up front.

So, when we play big physical teams on poor pitches we know how the game is going to be played. For these games I think we need as few luxury players as possible and the right mix strong physical presence and creativity in midfield. What do you think?

Deeks agrees with me.

"HIBERNIAN striker Derek Riordan insists the biggest threat to the club's European charge and his starting place is the appalling state of the SPL pitches. As surfaces the length and breadth of the country deteriorate, including their own, amid a prolonged period of adverse weather conditions, the Easter Road club have been forced to ditch their expansive style in favour of a more direct approach."

http://sport.scotsman.com/hibernianfc/Derek-Riordan-says-poor-pitches.6126434.jp (http://sport.scotsman.com/hibernianfc/Derek-Riordan-says-poor-pitches.6126434.jp)

[Jack]

Deeks agrees with me.

"HIBERNIAN striker Derek Riordan insists the biggest threat to the club's European charge and his starting place is the appalling state of the SPL pitches. As surfaces the length and breadth of the country deteriorate, including their own, amid a prolonged period of adverse weather conditions, the Easter Road club have been forced to ditch their expansive style in favour of a more direct approach."

http://sport.scotsman.com/hibernianfc/Derek-Riordan-says-poor-pitches.6126434.jp (http://sport.scotsman.com/hibernianfc/Derek-Riordan-says-poor-pitches.6126434.jp)

Yogi duzny :greengrin



JOHN HUGHES today defended the state of the Easter Road pitch after Hibs striker Derek Riordan claimed it could cost him and his team-mates a place in Europe.

Admitting he was a touch disappointed to hear Riordan's criticism, Hughes said: "The problem is that, at this time of year, you just don't get any growth in the grass but that will change again.

I have to disagree with Derek, I see the work that goes on and these guys put in a real, hard shift. They are caring people, they work morning, noon and night, putting in overtime to make it the best they can.

But, unless you have the hundreds of thousands of pounds the likes of Celtic and Rangers have to put in those big lights, you don't get the growth in the grass."

[Petrie's Tache]

Yogi duzny :greengrin


But, unless you have the hundreds of thousands of pounds the likes of Celtic and Rangers have to put in those big lights, you don't get the growth in the grass."

Hundreds of thousands that could be paid for by European football due to having a good pitch.

[Andy74]

Yogi duzny :greengrin

Yogi, or the headline writer, is getting confused between criticism of the pitch and criticism of the people working on it. Deeks is absolutely right.

The industrial teams have certainly prospered at our expense ove the last few weeks.

Think how big a player Zouma was for us in the first few weeks of the season. That sort of thing was a big differentiator between us and the rest.

Now we suffer a huge handicap because our style cannot be played on these pitches and we do not have the physical players to match those who's squads are built that way.

Anyway, the whole pitch structure is being replaced so it should get better next year.

[Aldo]

Cos we are Hibs and make things difficult for oorselves.:wink: