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heretoday
13-11-2012, 08:57 AM
We are top of the league and yet I'm not convinced.

Second half on Sunday and panic set in. Should have been a draw let's face it.

God Petrie
13-11-2012, 09:01 AM
Hibs would have lost that game last season. We aren't the finished article but we have a lot more fight and resilience which is what a lot of people were looking for.

Steve20
13-11-2012, 09:01 AM
I wouldn't have said it should have been a draw. If anything, we should have been more than two goals up before they even looked like threatening.

DaveF
13-11-2012, 09:02 AM
I'm not convinced either and I don't think any Hibs fan is.

Surely you understand that this is still very much a work in progress? Personally, following the last few years if we got close to the Top 6 this season I would have been happy. The progress we have made has been outstanding and now the job is build on the confidence we have gained, add to the squad in the right way and keep the momentum going.

Fenlon and the players have done the club and the fans proud. But there is still a long way to go so sit back and enjoy it.

I know I am :flag:

Hibs7
13-11-2012, 09:03 AM
A defensive error let them back in the game, it would have been different if we had stayed at 2-0, we might have gone on and scored more as we were playing really well. A punt up the park and a stupid mistake and we lose a goal and let them back into it.

Bohemian_Hibee
13-11-2012, 09:07 AM
We are top of the league and yet I'm not convinced.

Second half on Sunday and panic set in. Should have been a draw let's face it.


What exactly do you need convincing about? That Hibs are far and away the best team in the league and will romp home to the league title? As if.

This is a work in progress, Fenlon is no messiah, and he know's that Hibs still need strenghtening in certain areas. What we did see though, on Sunday, was some lovely flowing entertaining football followed by the ability to dig in deep to grind out a result. These were two traits that were not evident last season, so maybe we should look at the positives rather than highlightening the negatives. No one expected Hibs to be in this position after the opening day defeat to Utd, no one expects Hibs to stay there, so enjoy the moment. As the Fianna Fail party over here used to say on election posters; "A lot done, More to do".

Taz_hibee
13-11-2012, 09:15 AM
Lets just enjoy being top of the league, we all know deep down this will not last all season and we will have our chance to moan about performances later in the season.

On the other hand how good would it be if we finished in top 2 :greengrin :agree: :pfgwa

Golden Bear
13-11-2012, 09:16 AM
Yes, we've had the breaks recently but we were overdue our share of fortune.

A gradual and steady improvement will do for me. A top six finish is acceptable but second place is not beyond our capabilities.

hibs0666
13-11-2012, 09:17 AM
We are top of the league and yet I'm not convinced.

Second half on Sunday and panic set in. Should have been a draw let's face it.

Don't think panic set in at all - quite the opposite in fact.

EuanH78
13-11-2012, 09:31 AM
Dont worry about not being 'convinced' just enjoy the good times when they are here.

God knows they're few and far between.

Scouse Hibee
13-11-2012, 09:55 AM
We are top of the league and yet I'm not convinced.

Second half on Sunday and panic set in. Should have been a draw let's face it.

Not convinced about what?

We are top of the league on merit, it wasn't a draw it was a win that's the difference. So what if we rode our luck a bit that's what happens when you are playing well you sometimes get the breaks to go with it.
No-one is saying that we're top and going to stay there, we might continue to do well or we might yet slump, however the fact remains that we are top of the league through merit and no-one can take that away from us.

KWJ
13-11-2012, 09:59 AM
The players seem to have phases in games where they play attacking, attractive football not seen since the Mowbray era. That first goal was sublime.

I wanted a marked improvement this season, we've had that. League position is a huge bonus.

Stevie Reid
13-11-2012, 10:01 AM
We are top of the league and yet I'm not convinced.

Second half on Sunday and panic set in. Should have been a draw let's face it.

"Let's face it" Seriously?

I don't think us Hibs fans have not faced anything in the last few months, we haven't had a choice after that utterly horrendous day in May. What are your motivations for starting such a thread exactly? Do you think that you are pointing out some truth that everyone else is too blind to see? Or do you simply think that we are enjoying ourselves too much and feel the need to try and spoil it?

As I mentioned in another thread, football over 90 minutes is about attacking and defending, and we did both very well on Sunday - we did not panic at all, in fact we lost a goal because our goalkeeper refused to panic when he should have launched a clearance, and we looked far more secure at the end of that game than we did the week before against St. Mirren (where we did panic a bit).

The first half was amongst the best Hibs performances I've seen in the last few years, and over the whole game we looked dangerous at one end, and fully committed at the other. We scored two superb goals and a back four with half the regular players missing and two players playing out of position restricted an attack featuring Daly, Russell, Mackay-Steven and Skacel to one goal, and you're not convinced? What do you expect exactly? We have won one game less after 13 matches than we did in the whole of last season, won more than twice as many home games out of 7, what more could you possibly want after the disasters of the last two seasons? We are top of the league on merit, and like every season, we will finish where we deserve to finish because the league doesn't lie.

FWIW I have mentioned in two home games this season (Kille and Dundee Utd) that I could have seen us lose an equaliser and drop two points and still be happy because our improvements are so obvious and the games were so good and exciting to watch - something we could only dream of in the last few seasons. Sunday was an excellent game of football played at a high tempo, with lots of good play from both sides - to see us go two points clear at the top of the league in mid November after that, I honestly didn't think anyone could complain. I should've known better :rolleyes:

KWJ
13-11-2012, 10:04 AM
Nice rant Stevie :aok:

SlickShoes
13-11-2012, 10:05 AM
I am 29 years old and in my entire life I have never been "convinced" by hibs.

When we were 5-1 up in the CIS cup final I was still bricking it.

I was at tynecastle when we threw away a 4-2 lead in 2 minutes.

I will enjoy watching a hibs team that seems like it actually cares, players that want to be at the club, fans that want to support the club and a manager that knows what he is doing. We are still hibs, we are still an SPL team on a tiny budget compared to the wider football world.

For the last 3 years I watched some of the worst football I have seen from hibs I can even remember, just enjoy the fact that we are doing well, think about where we were this time last season and realise we are making progress. We have a good spine to the team now, something we have lacked for a long time, if we can get a few more guys signed up for 2/3 years we can hopefully build on our current progress. If you think we are going to win the league because we are top in mid november then you haven't been a hibs fan for very long.

Stevie Reid
13-11-2012, 10:06 AM
Nice rant Stevie :aok:

Haha, thanks - I certainly wasnae happy!

JimBHibees
13-11-2012, 10:11 AM
"Let's face it" Seriously?

I don't think us Hibs fans have not faced anything in the last few months, we haven't had a choice after that utterly horrendous day in May. What are your motivations for starting such a thread exactly? Do you think that you are pointing out some truth that everyone else is too blind to see? Or do you simply think that we are enjoying ourselves too much and feel the need to try and spoil it?

As I mentioned in another thread, football over 90 minutes is about attacking and defending, and we did both very well on Sunday - we did not panic at all, in fact we lost a goal because our goalkeeper refused to panic when he should have launched a clearance, and we looked far more secure at the end of that game than we did the week before against St. Mirren (where we did panic a bit).

The first half was amongst the best Hibs performances I've seen in the last few years, and over the whole game we looked dangerous at one end, and fully committed at the other. We scored two superb goals and a back four with half the regular players missing and two players playing out of position restricted an attack featuring Daly, Russell, Mackay-Steven and Skacel to one goal, and you're not convinced? What do you expect exactly? We have won one game less after 13 matches than we did in the whole of last season, won more than twice as many home games out of 7, what more could you possibly want after the disasters of the last two seasons? We are top of the league on merit, and like every season, we will finish where we deserve to finish because the league doesn't lie.

FWIW I have mentioned in two home games this season (Kille and Dundee Utd) that I could have seen us lose an equaliser and drop two points and still be happy because our improvements are so obvious and the games were so good and exciting to watch - something we could only dream of in the last few seasons. Sunday was an excellent game of football played at a high tempo, with lots of good play from both sides - to see us go two points clear at the top of the league in mid November after that, I honestly didn't think anyone could complain. I should've known better :rolleyes:

Completely agree we are getting a few breaks at present however lets enjoy it as no doubt we will get a few bad ones soon enough.
If we cant enjoy playing well and winning games and being top of the league when can we. Delighted with the way the team is developing. Personally I wanted a bit more hunger, organisation and fight than last year however we have got so much more than that as things are and both goals on Sunday were an absolute joy to watch and showed clearly we are improving markedly. PF is slowly and surely getting us back to where we should be in Scottish football.

matty_f
13-11-2012, 10:11 AM
"Let's face it" Seriously?

I don't think us Hibs fans have not faced anything in the last few months, we haven't had a choice after that utterly horrendous day in May. What are your motivations for starting such a thread exactly? Do you think that you are pointing out some truth that everyone else is too blind to see? Or do you simply think that we are enjoying ourselves too much and feel the need to try and spoil it?

As I mentioned in another thread, football over 90 minutes is about attacking and defending, and we did both very well on Sunday - we did not panic at all, in fact we lost a goal because our goalkeeper refused to panic when he should have launched a clearance, and we looked far more secure at the end of that game than we did the week before against St. Mirren (where we did panic a bit).

The first half was amongst the best Hibs performances I've seen in the last few years, and over the whole game we looked dangerous at one end, and fully committed at the other. We scored two superb goals and a back four with half the regular players missing and two players playing out of position restricted an attack featuring Daly, Russell, Mackay-Steven and Skacel to one goal, and you're not convinced? What do you expect exactly? We have won one game less after 13 matches than we did in the whole of last season, won more than twice as many home games out of 7, what more could you possibly want after the disasters of the last two seasons? We are top of the league on merit, and like every season, we will finish where we deserve to finish because the league doesn't lie.

FWIW I have mentioned in two home games this season (Kille and Dundee Utd) that I could have seen us lose an equaliser and drop two points and still be happy because our improvements are so obvious and the games were so good and exciting to watch - something we could only dream of in the last few seasons. Sunday was an excellent game of football played at a high tempo, with lots of good play from both sides - to see us go two points clear at the top of the league in mid November after that, I honestly didn't think anyone could complain. I should've known better :rolleyes:


:top marks


We are very much a work in progress, and while things are good just now I don't think anyone is under any illusions that we'll stay where we are at the moment.

I'm not really sure what people would want convinced of?

hibsbollah
13-11-2012, 10:15 AM
To be a Hibby, you need to be borderline bipolar. See below;


I am totally convinced. I am wandering about shouting my mouth off to every yam who will listen (and some who will not) that the league title is in the bag, and Euro domination will soon follow, blissfully unaware that all this showing off will come back to bite me on the ass.

We're going to lose this weekend to Dundee, there's no doubt in my mind.

Brizo
13-11-2012, 10:18 AM
Having been up to Tannadeechie first game of season where we were abysmal the improvement has been very impressive. The Arabs are returning to their early season form and yet on this ocassion particularly in the first half we matched them for skill and workrate and bettered them in the finishing department. Yes the last 30 minutes felt like 2 hours and I kept expecting them to equalise; but the point is they didnt.

I came away from the game thoroughly entertained and thats a phrase I couldnt use for the previous couple of seasons. We are playing some great passing football at times in games and Fenlons buys / loans are showing a commitment to play for the jersey sadly lacking in so many previous teams. The ability come the transfer window to hang onto our loanees and keep the signed players who have made a big impression so far might be the difference between us staying in the top two or three in the table or not.

Of course we are Hibs so it could go **** up before we know it .... but lets enjoy it when we can.

Monopolyguy
13-11-2012, 10:22 AM
If we are still up there at the end of the year and can keep hold of our players in January, then i don't see why we can't make a realistic challenge. There's somthing special about the team this year, and i haven't felt this optimistic about Hibs in years.

If we get good results in the next few weeks, especially against Aberdeen and Celtic then i think we will be considered serious contenders.

No matter what happens though, I think we have to be grateful for the attitude shown by the Players and manager compared to the ***** that was on display last season.

Saorsa
13-11-2012, 10:25 AM
We are top of the league and yet I'm not convinced.

Second half on Sunday and panic set in. Should have been a draw let's face it.:rolleyes:

hibee_girl
13-11-2012, 10:27 AM
I don't think we need to be convinced, we just need to enjoy it!

scoopyboy
13-11-2012, 10:27 AM
We are top of the league and yet I'm not convinced.

Second half on Sunday and panic set in. Should have been a draw let's face it.

I could probably argue most of our wins could have been draws, apart from Dundee.

Both St.Mirren games we have been 2-1 and glad to hear the final whistle.

Same for Killie and Dundee Utd.

St.Johnstone we weren't hanging on for grim death but we scored at the end of a first half when we could easily have been 2 or 3 down.

If Higdon had scored his penalty then Motherwell could easily have got an equaliser.

All ifs and buts but the facts are that we held on and have seven wins out of thirteen games, we should enjoy IMO as we have suffered a lot in recent times.

I'm not thinking for a minute we will win the league but if you look at the Premiership for example the winners each season whether it be Utd, City or Chelsea get a good share of late winners, dodgy refereeing decisions, etc so I don't see any problem in us having collected more points than our play has possibly deserved.

Alex Trager
13-11-2012, 10:35 AM
I could probably argue most of our wins could have been draws, apart from Dundee.

Both St.Mirren games we have been 2-1 and glad to hear the final whistle.

Same for Killie and Dundee Utd.

St.Johnstone we weren't hanging on for grim death but we scored at the end of a first half when we could easily have been 2 or 3 down.

If Higdon had scored his penalty then Motherwell could easily have got an equaliser.

All ifs and buts but the facts are that we held on and have seven wins out of thirteen games, we should enjoy IMO as we have suffered a lot in recent times.

I'm not thinking for a minute we will win the league but if you look at the Premiership for example the winners each season whether it be Utd, City or Chelsea get a good share of late winners, dodgy refereeing decisions, etc so I don't see any problem in us having collected more points than our play has possibly deserved.

And of course if you look at Celtic this happens aswell. This is exactly the kind of thing that happens when you're up the top of the league. If we play well and win we look awesome if we don't play so well but can still win then to me that's the sign of a champion. Not saying that will be the result at the end but right now it's why we're top

Stevie Reid
13-11-2012, 10:35 AM
I could probably argue most of our wins could have been draws, apart from Dundee.

Both St.Mirren games we have been 2-1 and glad to hear the final whistle.

Same for Killie and Dundee Utd.

St.Johnstone we weren't hanging on for grim death but we scored at the end of a first half when we could easily have been 2 or 3 down.

If Higdon had scored his penalty then Motherwell could easily have got an equaliser.

All ifs and buts but the facts are that we held on and have seven wins out of thirteen games, we should enjoy IMO as we have suffered a lot in recent times.

I'm not thinking for a minute we will win the league but if you look at the Premiership for example the winners each season whether it be Utd, City or Chelsea get a good share of late winners, dodgy refereeing decisions, etc so I don't see any problem in us having collected more points than our play has possibly deserved.

All very good points Scoopy, though you could also add that Hearts should have had Templeton sent off, we were undone by a very poor refereeing decision when 2-0 up and cruising against ICT, we suffered from a bad decision up at Ross County for their winning goal. They don't even themselves out exactly over the course of the season, but the league table doesn't lie.

We've definitely been far, far less convincing at times this season (as you mentioned, we didn't get a kick of the ball against St. Johnstone in the first half at ER) than we were on Sunday - we've actually started many games slowly but developed a good habit of scoring during periods in games that we've not been in control of. We are improving and it's great to see - the highest finishing non OF team typically does ok with injuries, suspensions and wee breaks over the course of the season, I really hope it's us this year. But you don't get there without playing very well too.

YehButNoBut
13-11-2012, 10:51 AM
Have to agree with the tweet below

Inside the SPL‏@AgentScotland
The SPL team of the year so far has to be Hibs, utter shambles last year saved by an extraordinary poor Dunfermline side, what a turn around

essexhibee
13-11-2012, 10:57 AM
Had we not given away a silly goal I'm sure we would have been cruising.

Enjoying being in this position while it lasts :agree:

Just_Jimmy
13-11-2012, 10:59 AM
We're going to win the league.

Pretty Boy
13-11-2012, 11:03 AM
Not convinced about what exactly?

That we will win the league? Neither am I and we most likely won't.

That we will finish second? Neither am I but we might.

That we will finish top 6? I'm fairly sure we will and that in itself is a great improvement.

The we are better than last year? Stevie Wonder can see we are a completely different team and he knows nowt about football.

HUTCHYHIBBY
13-11-2012, 11:03 AM
I've still not recovered from that day in May and have only been to the pre-season game against Leuven since then, but, I was quite impressed with what I watched on the tv on Sunday, so, I'm heading up to Dundee this week. Looking forward to it.

jacomo
13-11-2012, 11:06 AM
Have to agree with the tweet below

Inside the SPL‏@AgentScotland
The SPL team of the year so far has to be Hibs, utter shambles last year saved by an extraordinary poor Dunfermline side, what a turn around

Spot on. We are by no means the finished article but the distance traveled from last season to now is incredible.

We've been lucky, especially v Motherwell when everything went for us and against the opposition. But to an extent, you do earn your luck - the team's attitude is transformed, we now seem to be going into games determined to compete for the entire 90 minutes. As the famous saying goes, "The harder I work, the luckier I get."

We still lack quality in depth and it's possible we'll lose players in January. But things are going way better than expected.

Ozyhibby
13-11-2012, 11:10 AM
If we can cut out the silly mistakes at the back then I'll start to be convinced. Right now we are relying on the fact that our strikers are on form. Need to toughen up at the back.
My only complaint just now.

DC_Hibs
13-11-2012, 11:19 AM
Enjoy it while it lasts.

I still look for Celtc to win every game as they are not who were are competing against in the long term and its better if they take points off the other teams we need to stay ahead of.

Hibs have mostly recorded narrow wins with a fair bit of good fortune thrown in but we are massively improved from the last two seasons so that's a good start in my view. It also helps that the other teams are no great shakes and there's no sign of anyone else putting together a sustained run albeit St J and ICT improved on their early form to move up the league.

If we can get 1 or 2 in January - and not lose any loan signings - then it could make a difference to our finishing position as I reckon we are heading for anything between 4th and 6th just now. Saturdays game will give us a good idea of whether we can pick up away wins against lesser teams as Ross County showed its no gimme.

I'm pretty sure Fenlon will look to strengthen again in the summer then we should really be heading for the best of the rest in the near future. Cup runs and European places should have been the norm for us of late with our decent financial situation and wage outlay but mismanagement ruled that out. Fenlon has us heading in the right direction finally to take advantage of that and a seriously poor SPL.

Stevie Reid
13-11-2012, 11:39 AM
If we can cut out the silly mistakes at the back then I'll start to be convinced. Right now we are relying on the fact that our strikers are on form. Need to toughen up at the back.
My only complaint just now.

I've watched Barcelona, Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea to name but a few concede shocking goals this season, it always happens and Hibs will certainly never cut out mistakes completely. It's interesting to note that you talk about our strikers being in form like it's a criticism. We have a goal difference of +8 after 13 games, and we have the whole team to thank for that - Williams and the back four that have played have cost us goals at times for sure, but they've also made crucial saves and defended well when they've needed to, and won us points just like the forwards have.

Incidentally, in 13 games we've been forced to change the back four a lot - 6 times I make it - so we've adapted very well I think.

JimBHibees
13-11-2012, 11:45 AM
I've watched Barcelona, Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea to name but a few concede shocking goals this season, it always happens and Hibs will certainly never cut out mistakes completely. It's interesting to note that you talk about our strikers being in form like it's a criticism. We have a goal difference of +8 after 13 games, and we have the whole team to thank for that - Williams and the back four that have played have cost us goals at times for sure, but they've also made crucial saves and defended well when they've needed to, and won us points just like the forwards have.

Incidentally, in 13 games we've been forced to change the back four a lot - 6 times I make it - so we've adapted very well I think.

Especially on Sunday with McPake and Clancy out against Daly who has terrorised us in the past. McGivern and Stevenson were both excellent.

DunblaneHibby
13-11-2012, 11:47 AM
"Let's face it" Seriously?

I don't think us Hibs fans have not faced anything in the last few months, we haven't had a choice after that utterly horrendous day in May. What are your motivations for starting such a thread exactly? Do you think that you are pointing out some truth that everyone else is too blind to see? Or do you simply think that we are enjoying ourselves too much and feel the need to try and spoil it?

As I mentioned in another thread, football over 90 minutes is about attacking and defending, and we did both very well on Sunday - we did not panic at all, in fact we lost a goal because our goalkeeper refused to panic when he should have launched a clearance, and we looked far more secure at the end of that game than we did the week before against St. Mirren (where we did panic a bit).

The first half was amongst the best Hibs performances I've seen in the last few years, and over the whole game we looked dangerous at one end, and fully committed at the other. We scored two superb goals and a back four with half the regular players missing and two players playing out of position restricted an attack featuring Daly, Russell, Mackay-Steven and Skacel to one goal, and you're not convinced? What do you expect exactly? We have won one game less after 13 matches than we did in the whole of last season, won more than twice as many home games out of 7, what more could you possibly want after the disasters of the last two seasons? We are top of the league on merit, and like every season, we will finish where we deserve to finish because the league doesn't lie.

FWIW I have mentioned in two home games this season (Kille and Dundee Utd) that I could have seen us lose an equaliser and drop two points and still be happy because our improvements are so obvious and the games were so good and exciting to watch - something we could only dream of in the last few seasons. Sunday was an excellent game of football played at a high tempo, with lots of good play from both sides - to see us go two points clear at the top of the league in mid November after that, I honestly didn't think anyone could complain. I should've known better :rolleyes:

Spot on Stevie

JeMeSouviens
13-11-2012, 11:48 AM
If we can get 1 or 2 in January - and not lose any loan signings

Key point. Taking out Griffiths, Claros and McGivern would severely weaken things.

So far, way ahead of any realistic expectation in terms of league place and points gained. I just hope folk remember what an incredibly low base Fenlon started from when we have an inevitable sticky patch.

Stevie Reid
13-11-2012, 11:49 AM
Especially on Sunday with McPake and Clancy out against Daly who has terrorised us in the past. McGivern and Stevenson were both excellent.

:agree:

Was really impressed with Hanlon at RCB, he looked fine playing out of position and without McPake alongside him.

Spike Mandela
13-11-2012, 11:54 AM
Why do we have to be convinced or unconvinced? Get along to the games and enjoy the absurdly unpredictable nature of football.

All Hibs can do is put the best team on the park that they can afford.

Mac
13-11-2012, 11:55 AM
We are top of the league and yet I'm not convinced.

Second half on Sunday and panic set in. Should have been a draw let's face it.

Can I point out that we had 3 key players missing, we looked more impressive than Celtic did again them the week before and we held on, unlike Celtic.

Sometimes I just dinnae get how people still look at the negatives considering how far we have come, no one is shouting about winning the league and there is no doubt we will hit a sticky patch, but I cannot believe the transformation and players we have now in our team, Fenlon has worked miracles in a short space of time and we are certainly as good if not better than the rest at the moment.

Stevie Reid
13-11-2012, 11:55 AM
Also worth noting that Dundee Utd had 7 corners at the weekend and we coped just fine, just as we have done with the majority of set pieces this season. In previous years we were terrified when the ball came into the box from any angle, be it a cross or an up and under. We now have a considerable aerial presence at both ends at set pieces.

Golden Bear
13-11-2012, 11:58 AM
:agree:

Was really impressed with Hanlon at RCB, he looked fine playing out of position and without McPake alongside him.

I'll volunteer a shout for Alan Maybury - I thought he played brilliantly and that was his best game in a Hibs shirt.

Greendub
13-11-2012, 12:00 PM
It's good to be top of the league

But I'll be more than happy with a top 6 finish.

As confident as I want to be that we'll pump smeltic for the title, considering our last few seasons I'm not gonna be gutted if we dont

Stevie Reid
13-11-2012, 12:01 PM
I'll volunteer a shout for Alan Maybury - I thought he played brilliantly and that was his best game in a Hibs shirt.

Been an excellent acquisition as proven by his covering of positions in various games - apparently a good influence in the dressing room too. Has made mistakes at times of course, but is also a very experience and composed player. Agree he was very good on Sunday.

Franck Stanton
13-11-2012, 12:37 PM
What exactly do you need convincing about? That Hibs are far and away the best team in the league and will romp home to the league title? As if.

This is a work in progress, Fenlon is no messiah, and he know's that Hibs still need strenghtening in certain areas. What we did see though, on Sunday, was some lovely flowing entertaining football followed by the ability to dig in deep to grind out a result. These were two traits that were not evident last season, so maybe we should look at the positives rather than highlightening the negatives. No one expected Hibs to be in this position after the opening day defeat to Utd, no one expects Hibs to stay there, so enjoy the moment. As the Fianna Fail party over here used to say on election posters; "A lot done, More to do".

Nothing more needed to be said on the subject, this post hits the nail right on the head.

MoscowHibs
13-11-2012, 01:03 PM
Football, as they say, is a funny old game. Whilst delighted with the position we are in, I'm no goin tae rush down to the bookies and put my life savings on us winning the league. However, never say never. In previous seasons a lot of teams, us included, would go into the season pretty much having third place on the radar, knowing that the in-firm would be fighting it out for the top 2 places. Obviously things have changed, and I think Celtic are there for the taking.They have already dropped 7 points at home, and who would have thought that.If the sheep get something against them on Saturday then if,sorry when we beat Dundee we could be 5 in front of them. I think when we play them in December, getting a positive result would be a measure to see where we are. In sport in general, the underdog can, and does win.Who would have thought that going into the Sunday singles in the ryder cup Europe would walk away with the trophy, indeed who would have thought Andy Murray would be Olympic and US Open champion? No me.As I said, never say never, meantime enjoy where we are, and enjoy the yamboids going chest up.

SunshineOnLeith
13-11-2012, 01:23 PM
Last season we almost got relegated.

This season we're top of the league a third of the way through.

And people 'aren't convinced'? Even if we collapse now we'd probably end up mid table, and at the start of the season most of us would have taken that.

I know it feels wrong, but we are allowed to enjoy being Hibs supporters sometimes! :wink:

hibbysam
13-11-2012, 02:01 PM
Surely a good sign no?

Far from 90 minutes of scintilating football, were seeing it in fits and starts, but imagin when it all comes together?

Were top playing at 70% ish.. when we hit 100% the champions league is ours!!:greengrin:greengrin

dangermouse
13-11-2012, 02:32 PM
Had we not given away a silly goal I'm sure we would have been cruising.

Enjoying being in this position while it lasts :agree:

United's first shot on target up to that point. They only had 2 more IIRC, one which Williams saved and Rudi's non goal :greengrin

euansdad
13-11-2012, 02:39 PM
We might not have totally dominated games but what's exciting about the league is that potentially Celtic apart, the league is much of a muchness and anyone is capable of beating anybody so it will be difficult for teams to dominate matches any way

Heisenberg
13-11-2012, 02:47 PM
We've done exceptionally well to be where we are now after last season. We've been lucky at times but also unlucky as well. Bohs fans said when we signed Fenlon that he was always grinding out results like we are doing just now with them, there is definite room for improvement in certain area's but I, for one, am certainly convinced that Fenlon ken's what he's doing.

hibeedonald
13-11-2012, 02:50 PM
Hibs would have lost that game last season. We aren't the finished article but we have a lot more fight and resilience which is what a lot of people were looking for.

I agree that we show more fight, but fight had nothing to do with the linesman chalking that goal off, or skacel's volley hitting the bar and not dipping in!

hibeedonald
13-11-2012, 02:55 PM
You could also argue that we were unlucky to mess a 2 goal lead up against ICT (poor refereeing), The goal Hearts scored against us was pretty lucky and we deserved more then a point, Ross county we were unlucky to get a point, Aberdeen there first goal 9/10 we would of got a free kick, so it works both ways!

blackpoolhibs
13-11-2012, 03:42 PM
We have been riding our luck, the opposition will rumble our tactics probably around the middle of February? :devil:

Pete
13-11-2012, 04:36 PM
We're going to win the league.

YAS!

Hearts were a bunch of average players with a top striker when they won the league in 1986. They had fight and desire which carried them through a lot of games and everyone was waiting and waiting for their bubble to burst.

If they can do it then so can we!

Hibercelona
13-11-2012, 04:39 PM
We are top of the league and yet I'm not convinced.

Second half on Sunday and panic set in. Should have been a draw let's face it.

We don't need to win convincingly. We just need to win.

Teams at the top of any league in the world, don't always win convincingly. They're at the top of the table because they don't have to.

I'll happily take a scrappy 1-0 win over Dundee please, as long as its another 3 points on the board.

soproni1
13-11-2012, 04:52 PM
We are top of the league and yet I'm not convinced.

Second half on Sunday and panic set in. Should have been a draw let's face it.

Have to disagree, afetr they scored (which was well against the run of play) they threw all their attacking players on and it forced us to play a bit deeper. We perhaps got a bit too deep but defended pretty well considering they were throwing balls into the box for 30 mins. Had sproule ran the counter attack properly we would have scored a 3rd goal with 10 to go and finished the game.

Not for a second to I think we can win the league but I think we thoroughly deserve to be top, just as we thoroughly deserved to be 2nd bottom last year.

in fact in hindsight we dropped 2 points to hearts and at least 1 to Ross county which perhaps we shouldn't have.

Lets keep up the performances and the reults will see us in a good position come the end of the season.

green tinted specs are wonderful things

shetlandhibee
13-11-2012, 04:58 PM
Dont worry about not being 'convinced' just enjoy the good times when they are here.

God knows they're few and far between.

:agree:

HibeeEmma
13-11-2012, 05:56 PM
To be a Hibby, you need to be borderline bipolar. See below;


I am totally convinced. I am wandering about shouting my mouth off to every yam who will listen (and some who will not) that the league title is in the bag, and Euro domination will soon follow, blissfully unaware that all this showing off will come back to bite me on the ass.

We're going to lose this weekend to Dundee, there's no doubt in my mind.

love the bipolar part

lord bunberry
13-11-2012, 07:03 PM
YAS!

Hearts were a bunch of average players with a top striker when they won the league in 1986. They had fight and desire which carried them through a lot of games and everyone was waiting and waiting for their bubble to burst.

If they can do it then so can we!


I don't remember that what happened

HibeeMG
13-11-2012, 07:19 PM
We are top of the league and yet I'm not convinced.

Second half on Sunday and panic set in. Should have been a draw let's face it.


4,924 posts and I'm not convinced! :cb

Greenblood70
13-11-2012, 07:50 PM
Personally, loving this season..it's been a breath of fresh air..

Was totally disillusioned (with football as a whole)and as close as I've ever come to walking away from going to games but decided to give it one last shot (as much because we'd voted to horse Zombie bigots down the leagues as any real belief we'd be much improved).

However, gradually, week on week the performances and results have improved. Some of the stuff we play in the final third is sublime, the form of our 4 front players, Spoony, Cairney, Leigh and Doyle has been outstanding with all making a real contribution. We sometimes struggle to get them into the game in the hurly burly of the first 20 mins in the SPL, but once the game settles down 40 odd minutes of magic from 2 or 3 of the aforementioned often has us in a winning position.

We've improved the goalkeeping position, all be it sometimes decision making could be questioned..overall tho I'm satisfied Big Ben will only get better as the season progresses. We seem to have made a very shrewd loan signing in McGivern who has given us a bit of strength, composure and the ability to slot in to different positions. McPake , while not maybe reaching the level of performance he did last season is still imo the perfect club captain and his influence on the players and the clubs upturn in fortunes shouldn't be underestimated. Hanlon, on the whole has looked more comfortable and has at times covered well in the games where McPake erred.

I was worried when Deegan was banjoed that we would lose something in midfield but we've had Claros turn in some MOTM performances in his absence. Taiwo after a quiet start is starting to exert more influence as his match sharpness returns and looks a useful signing.

We've also carefully introduced some of the young guns where possible giving them invaluable experience..

All in all there are an awful lot of positives there..granted we could probably retain the ball better and for longer when we're leading at home. We also have a bit of a habit of camping on our own 18 yard box inviting pressure. However, given we're top of the league I'm delighted there are areas we can still improve on..it means we can only improve from a position of strength.

There's been some cracking football on display so far this season..not just from us either..ICT , Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, all have pretty useful and creative front players . The only team who don't seem to have any real entertainers are the Gorgie Gonads..however their support will no doubt be too busy slurping the water up from the puddles to notice.

Baldy Foghorn
13-11-2012, 08:55 PM
No-one to my knowledge has ever claimed we are the finished article.....However, it is fabulous seeing us at the right end of the table this season, can we not just enjoy it?

euansdad
13-11-2012, 08:58 PM
No-one to my knowledge has ever claimed we are the finished article.....However, it is fabulous seeing us at the right end of the table this season, can we not just enjoy it?


Agreed. Lets have a party with jelly, ice cream, bunting, sausages on sticks and balloons!

Baldy Foghorn
13-11-2012, 09:03 PM
Agreed. Lets have a party with jelly, ice cream, bunting, sausages on sticks and balloons!

Whatever floats your boat.....Sausages on sticks are dangerous mind, and they balloons popping can make some real serious noise:cb

erin go bragh
13-11-2012, 09:05 PM
No-one to my knowledge has ever claimed we are the finished article.....However, it is fabulous seeing us at the right end of the table this season, can we not just enjoy it?
Were top of the league,undefeated at home ,Hearts are self imploding and some folk are still not happy :cb

Im happy as Larry :thumbsup:

ggtth:pfgwa

Fergus52
13-11-2012, 09:32 PM
Personally, loving this season..it's been a breath of fresh air..

Was totally disillusioned (with football as a whole)and as close as I've ever come to walking away from going to games but decided to give it one last shot (as much because we'd voted to horse Zombie bigots down the leagues as any real belief we'd be much improved).

However, gradually, week on week the performances and results have improved. Some of the stuff we play in the final third is sublime, the form of our 4 front players, Spoony, Cairney, Leigh and Doyle has been outstanding with all making a real contribution. We sometimes struggle to get them into the game in the hurly burly of the first 20 mins in the SPL, but once the game settles down 40 odd minutes of magic from 2 or 3 of the aforementioned often has us in a winning position.

We've improved the goalkeeping position, all be it sometimes decision making could be questioned..overall tho I'm satisfied Big Ben will only get better as the season progresses. We seem to have made a very shrewd loan signing in McGivern who has given us a bit of strength, composure and the ability to slot in to different positions. McPake , while not maybe reaching the level of performance he did last season is still imo the perfect club captain and his influence on the players and the clubs upturn in fortunes shouldn't be underestimated. Hanlon, on the whole has looked more comfortable and has at times covered well in the games where McPake erred.

I was worried when Deegan was banjoed that we would lose something in midfield but we've had Claros turn in some MOTM performances in his absence. Taiwo after a quiet start is starting to exert more influence as his match sharpness returns and looks a useful signing.

We've also carefully introduced some of the young guns where possible giving them invaluable experience..

All in all there are an awful lot of positives there..granted we could probably retain the ball better and for longer when we're leading at home. We also have a bit of a habit of camping on our own 18 yard box inviting pressure. However, given we're top of the league I'm delighted there are areas we can still improve on..it means we can only improve from a position of strength.

There's been some cracking football on display so far this season..not just from us either..ICT , Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, all have pretty useful and creative front players . The only team who don't seem to have any real entertainers are the Gorgie Gonads..however their support will no doubt be too busy slurping the water up from the puddles to notice.

Great Post! :top marks




:flag:

Fergus52
13-11-2012, 09:33 PM
Personally, loving this season..it's been a breath of fresh air..

Was totally disillusioned (with football as a whole)and as close as I've ever come to walking away from going to games but decided to give it one last shot (as much because we'd voted to horse Zombie bigots down the leagues as any real belief we'd be much improved).

However, gradually, week on week the performances and results have improved. Some of the stuff we play in the final third is sublime, the form of our 4 front players, Spoony, Cairney, Leigh and Doyle has been outstanding with all making a real contribution. We sometimes struggle to get them into the game in the hurly burly of the first 20 mins in the SPL, but once the game settles down 40 odd minutes of magic from 2 or 3 of the aforementioned often has us in a winning position.

We've improved the goalkeeping position, all be it sometimes decision making could be questioned..overall tho I'm satisfied Big Ben will only get better as the season progresses. We seem to have made a very shrewd loan signing in McGivern who has given us a bit of strength, composure and the ability to slot in to different positions. McPake , while not maybe reaching the level of performance he did last season is still imo the perfect club captain and his influence on the players and the clubs upturn in fortunes shouldn't be underestimated. Hanlon, on the whole has looked more comfortable and has at times covered well in the games where McPake erred.

I was worried when Deegan was banjoed that we would lose something in midfield but we've had Claros turn in some MOTM performances in his absence. Taiwo after a quiet start is starting to exert more influence as his match sharpness returns and looks a useful signing.

We've also carefully introduced some of the young guns where possible giving them invaluable experience..

All in all there are an awful lot of positives there..granted we could probably retain the ball better and for longer when we're leading at home. We also have a bit of a habit of camping on our own 18 yard box inviting pressure. However, given we're top of the league I'm delighted there are areas we can still improve on..it means we can only improve from a position of strength.

There's been some cracking football on display so far this season..not just from us either..ICT , Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, all have pretty useful and creative front players . The only team who don't seem to have any real entertainers are the Gorgie Gonads..however their support will no doubt be too busy slurping the water up from the puddles to notice.

Great Post! :top marks
:flag:

Baldy Foghorn
13-11-2012, 09:34 PM
Were top of the league,undefeated at home ,Hearts are self imploding and some folk are still not happy :cb

Im happy as Larry :thumbsup:

ggtth:pfgwa

Snap........:agree:

S.sct
13-11-2012, 09:39 PM
"Let's face it" Seriously?

I don't think us Hibs fans have not faced anything in the last few months, we haven't had a choice after that utterly horrendous day in May. What are your motivations for starting such a thread exactly? Do you think that you are pointing out some truth that everyone else is too blind to see? Or do you simply think that we are enjoying ourselves too much and feel the need to try and spoil it?

As I mentioned in another thread, football over 90 minutes is about attacking and defending, and we did both very well on Sunday - we did not panic at all, in fact we lost a goal because our goalkeeper refused to panic when he should have launched a clearance, and we looked far more secure at the end of that game than we did the week before against St. Mirren (where we did panic a bit).

The first half was amongst the best Hibs performances I've seen in the last few years, and over the whole game we looked dangerous at one end, and fully committed at the other. We scored two superb goals and a back four with half the regular players missing and two players playing out of position restricted an attack featuring Daly, Russell, Mackay-Steven and Skacel to one goal, and you're not convinced? What do you expect exactly? We have won one game less after 13 matches than we did in the whole of last season, won more than twice as many home games out of 7, what more could you possibly want after the disasters of the last two seasons? We are top of the league on merit, and like every season, we will finish where we deserve to finish because the league doesn't lie.

FWIW I have mentioned in two home games this season (Kille and Dundee Utd) that I could have seen us lose an equaliser and drop two points and still be happy because our improvements are so obvious and the games were so good and exciting to watch - something we could only dream of in the last few seasons. Sunday was an excellent game of football played at a high tempo, with lots of good play from both sides - to see us go two points clear at the top of the league in mid November after that, I honestly didn't think anyone could complain. I should've known better :rolleyes:

Bang on....

basehibby
13-11-2012, 09:44 PM
We are top of the league and yet I'm not convinced.

Second half on Sunday and panic set in. Should have been a draw let's face it.

So you think we're in for another relegation fight do you???

Otherwise I cannot for the life of me see what you're not convinced about - unless you're talking about Hibs for the title of course, in which case I'm afraid I'd have to agree.

weecounty hibby
13-11-2012, 10:22 PM
Something that has got on my tits since hearts shed thier yoyo club tag early 80s is this. If they were in this position they, and the press would have been banging on about being title contenders. We on the other hand are "not convinced"!!!
Im not saying we will win the league but ffs lets be positive about our team and club. We are on the up at a time when most of our rivals are spiraling downwards

euansdad
13-11-2012, 10:28 PM
After watching some painful games last season, I'm just made up we can see a team that's together and sable have a wee bit more fight about them. We will see what the rest of the season brings but for now, made up with what has happened this season

Kaff
13-11-2012, 10:46 PM
Something that has got on my tits since hearts shed thier yoyo club tag early 80s is this. If they were in this position they, and the press would have been banging on about being title contenders. We on the other hand are "not convinced"!!!
Im not saying we will win the league but ffs lets be positive about our team and club. We are on the up at a time when most of our rivals are spiraling downwards

Especially since the difference between 2nd and 3rd has been about £900k in the recent seasons, even if we struggle to do it lets get the crowd fired up, what a difference games have been when the crowd have been buoyed up from the start.
We've gone a third of the season so its not a complete fluke, i think the players are loving it too.
I have to say the biggest improvement has been with Sect43, i think they have given a 'background' which is not negative and when the positives come along the whole crowd picks up on it, players will appreciate that i'm sure

LioNeilMessi
13-11-2012, 11:36 PM
Those were the best 2 consecutive Hibs goals I've ever seen scored at Easter Road.. I don't know how anyone is not 'convinced' by that team, can't you be happy Hibs are actually playing football as it should for the first time in 5 years? :confused: Last year if we played 2nd/3rd choice full backs, left back playing centre back and Hanlon as captain we would of shipped 3 goals minimum. I'm delighted with how much we've come on! Long may it continue:thumbsup:

Lucius Apuleius
14-11-2012, 08:24 AM
Papering over the cracks. ;-)

Keith_M
14-11-2012, 10:36 AM
We have been riding our luck, the opposition will rumble our tactics probably around the middle of February? :devil:


Yep, then we'll just scrape third (to qualify for Europe) on the last day of the season and THEN the knives will be out for Yog.. eh, sorry, I mean Fenlon!!

:greengrin

Jim44
14-11-2012, 10:44 AM
'Riding your luck' ....... Gary Player had an interesting slant on that.

Keith_M
17-11-2012, 04:18 PM
Looks like the guy was right enough not to be convinced. Being humped comprehensively by the team at the bottom of the league is reason to doubt the progress.


As with the County game, we need a big reaction next week.

Dalianwanda
17-11-2012, 04:26 PM
Work in progress....that is all

euansdad
17-11-2012, 04:57 PM
I hope there is a big turn out next week and we continue to back the side. Today was poor but we are still second. I honestly feel that anyone can beat anyone else in this league ( though Celtic will probably win it comfortably) so it isn't a huge shock. A good result next week will put us back on track

danhibees1875
17-11-2012, 05:28 PM
I hope there is a big turn out next week and we continue to back the side. Today was poor but we are still second. I honestly feel that anyone can beat anyone else in this league ( though Celtic will probably win it comfortably) so it isn't a huge shock. A good result next week will put us back on track

:agree:

Short term disappointment with todays result is innevitable.

Give it until Wednesday or so and the bigger picture will be clear, we are second TOP of the league and have a big game against third place coming up with a squad who has 90% of the time looked far more capable and have a lot more fight about them than last season. :aok:

Bishop Hibee
17-11-2012, 06:17 PM
As I've said in previous posts, it'll be 2 steps forward and 1 back throughout the season. GIven last season was, in my opinion, the worst in the club's history, I'll be delighted with a top 6 spot in April. I predicted 8th at the start of the season and after the Utd game I thought that was optimistic. On form and with McPake back we can beat the Dons next week.

Keith_M
17-11-2012, 06:35 PM
Strange as it may seem, I'd still be happy if we just finish in the top six. After 2-3 seasons of dissapointment, I've lowered my definition of what constitutes success for Hibs.

chrisski33
17-11-2012, 06:40 PM
Im convinced we are heading in the right way! Despite losing to dundee we are 2nd when unlike last season so definately progress is being made. We maybe aint gonna win the league this season but do we really expect to whilst celmtic are in the league?