The 2 things we lack the most at present (IMHO)

[The Voice Of Reason]

1. Pace
2. Physical presence (especially with mcpake missing)

Number 2 worries me as I fear that hearts will bully us and no doubt score from a set piece.

It would be great if we could offload a few in jan and get Michael higdon signed (as well as Leigh obviously!)

Number 2 - apart from sproule (who isnt even in the team) we have no-one with real pace. Our midfield look one paced to be honest.

Still gutted at today's loss - we have beaten better Aberdeen teams than that in the past.

GGTTH

[HibeeN]

:agree: With the physical presence point - it's something that doesn't necessarily have to be a problem if we play it into feet, but too often we're just hitting it up the park and allowing the opposition to collect and come straight back at us. I really like Doyle as a player, he creates space and has good movement and is an intelligent player but I don't think he is strong in the air at all, and Griffiths doesn't fare much better. We had lots of set pieces today but couldn't make any of them count - it was too easy for Aberdeen to clear.

[steakbake]

I agree with the 2nd. Compare some of these guys with the standard EPL player. Petrie needs to get some eggs and porridge down to EM and flush them powder shakes down the cludgie.

I think we've got pace enough but a few of our players don't have the physical presence to make the most of their skills.

I'll be interested who stays, who we get in and who goes in January. I think Fenlon's on the right track. He's put all the right pieces around the edge in place but now he needs to start working his way to fill up the middle. I don't think there's any doubt what the picture is on the box. (Jigsaws available at the club shop: 10.99).

Anyone else stretched a metaphor to breaking point?

[theonlywayisup]

1. Pace
2. Physical presence (especially with mcpake missing)

Number 2 worries me as I fear that hearts will bully us and no doubt score from a set piece.

It would be great if we could offload a few in jan and get Michael higdon signed (as well as Leigh obviously!)

Number 2 - apart from sproule (who isnt even in the team) we have no-one with real pace. Our midfield look one paced to be honest.

Still gutted at today's loss - we have beaten better Aberdeen teams than that in the past.

GGTTH

I don't know why everyone rates Michael Higdon. I watched the whole of Well's game BTG and I thought he was mince. Far too slow and I believe the Well fans don't rate him either. Yes, he is second top SPL goalscorer, but that is only if the ball is played to him so he doesn't have to move for it. Well play with two wide men, who both are quick and deliver good crosses. We would need to buy two wingers to get the best out of a Higdon.

[lord bunberry]

I don't think we should go for higdon he is good at what he does i just don't like his style of player. If we go down the big target man route then the tendency is to punt it long all the time i would rather we kept the ball on the deck

[Hibernia Na Eir]

I don't think we should go for higdon he is good at what he does i just don't like his style of player. If we go down the big target man route then the tendency is to punt it long all the time i would rather we kept the ball on the deck

Higdon is Hearts class;- rough & rout one style.

[truehibernian]

If Hibs were to move for a 'target man' striker, one who has served his apprenticeship and may be hungry to step up is Rory McAllister at Peterhead - very level headed, has strength and pace, and may see a move to the SPL as the right time - if I recall he was studying hence he remained close to home.

Always been impressed with him - there was a young wide player for Queens who impressed too.

That's the market Hibs should be cherry picking in my opinion, as well as getting seasoned pros and youth players. There are some fantastic young, hungry players in the lower leagues - hence scouting them is a crucial investment too, both in time and money.

[lord bunberry]

Higdon is Hearts class;- rough & rout one style.

He's another Kevin Kyle his main attributes are his height and strength

[LioNeilMessi]

Higdon is gash according to my Motherwell mate. Goalscorer yes but not a good footballer, if the ball isn't played exactly to where he can slot it home then it's like playing with one man less.

[hibee-shtuggie]

1. Pace
2. Physical presence (especially with mcpake missing)

Number 2 worries me as I fear that hearts will bully us and no doubt score from a set piece.

It would be great if we could offload a few in jan and get Michael higdon signed (as well as Leigh obviously!)

Number 2 - apart from sproule (who isnt even in the team) we have no-one with real pace. Our midfield look one paced to be honest.

Still gutted at today's loss - we have beaten better Aberdeen teams than that in the past.

GGTTH

As well as retaining Leigh, if hibs signed Murray Davidson and McGin we would be laughing

[hibee-shtuggie]

Meant to add, I appreciate that money won't allow us to do that, but those kind of players....

[renato]

If Hibs were to move for a 'target man' striker, one who has served his apprenticeship and may be hungry to step up is Rory McAllister at Peterhead - very level headed, has strength and pace, and may see a move to the SPL as the right time - if I recall he was studying hence he remained close to home.

Always been impressed with him - there was a young wide player for Queens who impressed too.

That's the market Hibs should be cherry picking in my opinion, as well as getting seasoned pros and youth players. There are some fantastic young, hungry players in the lower leagues - hence scouting them is a crucial investment too, both in time and money.

Fenlon was quoted as having an interest TH, the winger was probably their best player in the cup game and I wouldn't be surprised to see him at ER in Jan or the summer.

I agree wholeheartedly that we should have been much more active in this market previously. I'm glad Fenlon agrees too, with the likes of Cairney proving a quality addition. Utd's cup winning team was built on developed SFL talent and this is the way we should go too, augmenting our best youngsters and experienced heads with the best of the lower divisions. Decent fees in future will be vital.

[Devilstorment]

Hibs have always struggled with Physical presence in recent memory. Our youth academy must have pick of Hobbiton I am sure!

I dont think our style of play suits a big target man right now as our wingers dont put a lot of balls in to the box. However we could potentially work something looking at flick on from a big target man on to LG

I think we need proper wing backs who are not afraid to get forward a la David Murphy. Maybury gets to the half way line then i think runs out of puff!

If Claros goes, we need to get someone in the middle of the park who can diffuse tight situations, he in my opinion is an expert and taking a ****ty ball that pops out to him at a seconds notice and he can redirect it or work a bit of space so that the rest of the team can compose themselves. If we lose this in January we will struggle IMO

[Hibeesmad]

We will beat hearts, if we defend well on the day, keep possession and retain pressure on them. We will rip them to pieces! 3 or 4 nil! Trust me

[Phil MaGlass]

I dont see hertz as a threat, we are better than them, we have better players and we will not be bullied off the ball as easy as we have been in the past, do you think McPake or Maybury will let that happen again, NO I dont.
We were much better than our rivals Aberdeen (although we lost) and they are supposed to be favourites to compete at the top this year, where as hertz are struggling, I am confident of a Hibs win and I am sure the Hibs players are aswell.

[The Voice Of Reason]

I dont see hertz as a threat, we are better than them, we have better players and we will not be bullied off the ball as easy as we have been in the past, do you think McPake or Maybury will let that happen again, NO I dont.
We were much better than our rivals Aberdeen (although we lost) and they are supposed to be favourites to compete at the top this year, where as hertz are struggling, I am confident of a Hibs win and I am sure the Hibs players are aswell.

I wish I was as confident mate !

Hearts have big physical players (Webster, Zaliukus, McGowan, Paterson, Grainger) as well as pace with the likes of Driver and the wee foreign lad with the big nose (cannae mind his name). These are the 2 things we don't have.

I am very nervous about the Hearts game and I do have good reason to feel this way given our recent (abysmal) record against them !!!!! I hope you are right - fingers and everything else crossed !

P.S Imagine if Leigh gets ingured at Perth on Wed night ?!?!?! OK, I will stop there, enough bad vibes in one post !

[Stevie Reid]

In wide areas I think both Wotherspoon and Cairney do lack pace, but given the skill and ability that they have to beat a man, if they pace to go with it, they would never have been at Hibs in the first place. Griffiths and Doyle are quick and sharp up front, Griffiths being especially quick. At the back, at Maybury's age he isn't likely to be especially fast but he still beat McGinn easily in a foot race at the weekend; Stevenson is no slouch - when Clancy and McPake return I'll be happy with the back four. In midfield Claros and Taiwo are certainly sharp enough.

As for physical presence, whilst I agree that Hanlon is too easily bullied at times, McPake certainly isn't (though he does have his flaws), and the two compliment each other well. We play in the SPL where a lot of the game can be played in the air, and there is no way that our centre halfs will win every aerial challenge (which some people seem to expect), that just isn't realistic - we can only hope that they win the majority of the battles, of which I think we do just fine. We have a real presence at set pieces at both ends of the park, and despite conceding many corners this season, we look secure due to the presence we have - for the last couple of seasons any high ball from anywhere caused us a problem. I think it's worth noting as well that Isaac Osbourne was probably the most imposing physical presence on the park on Saturday, and he was substituted - add to that the fact that Fallon would never have caused us so much bother had the referee gotten control of him from the first bad challenge.

Would I like to see more pace and more physical presence added to the squad? Of course, but that doesn't mean that I think we necessarily lack either. Given the size of our squad I think we have coped superbly well with the loss of important players, and as I have mentioned before, have had to play with a different back four 6 or 7 times this season, which is a hell of a lot in 15 games.

I think people are very quick to make judgements on players, the team and the squad overall in wake of our defeats this season - given what Fenlon has had to work with in terms of a budget he has supplied us with a much smaller squad with much more depth than we have had for a long time. 15 games in we have won as many games as the team who everyone expects to run away with the title - we are doing just fine, and have important players to come back too.

A year ago Fenlon took over when we were sitting in 9th place with 13 points from 16 games, we are now sitting in 3rd on goal difference with 24 points from 15 games, have a good squad, are scoring goals, and and are playing at times some of the best football seen at ER since the Mowbray/Collins days. Whatever we lack I have every faith in Fenlon to provide us with it.

[truehibernian]

I wish I was as confident mate !

Hearts have big physical players (Webster, Zaliukus, McGowan, Paterson, Grainger) as well as pace with the likes of Driver and the wee foreign lad with the big nose (cannae mind his name). These are the 2 things we don't have.

I am very nervous about the Hearts game and I do have good reason to feel this way given our recent (abysmal) record against them !!!!! I hope you are right - fingers and everything else crossed !

P.S Imagine if Leigh gets ingured at Perth on Wed night ?!?!?! OK, I will stop there, enough bad vibes in one post !

If memory serves me right, Leigh hit the post, sclaffed a shot wide when it was easier to hit target, and scored a calm, composed finish last time we played them at ER - cant recall Hearts having much of a sniff other than a Templeton set piece.

I'm certain that Webster and Zaliukas will be nervous about Leigh, and McGowan will have to be on his toes with Cairney - Doyle is always capable of finding a yard and scoring.

Like all derbies the game will be won or lost in midfield - we're a wee bit stronger this season in that department, and Hearts have started to play youth in there the last two games.

Set pieces are of course their strength, but don't underestimate the pace Hibs have - the first against United proved that bud.

[Stevie Reid]

In wide areas I think both Wotherspoon and Cairney do lack pace, but given the skill and ability that they have to beat a man, if they pace to go with it, they would never have been at Hibs in the first place. Griffiths and Doyle are quick and sharp up front, Griffiths being especially quick. At the back, at Maybury's age he isn't likely to be especially fast but he still beat McGinn easily in a foot race at the weekend; Stevenson is no slouch - when Clancy and McPake return I'll be happy with the back four. In midfield Claros and Taiwo are certainly sharp enough.

As for physical presence, whilst I agree that Hanlon is too easily bullied at times, McPake certainly isn't, and the two compliment each other well. We play in the SPL where a lot of the game can be played in the air, and there is no way that our centre halfs will win every aerial challenge (which some people seem to expect), that just isn't realistic - we can only hope that they win the majority of the battles, of which I think we do just fine. We have a real presence at set pieces at both ends of the park, and despite conceding many corners this season, we look secure due to the presence we have - for the last couple of seasons any high ball from anywhere caused us a problem. I think it's worth noting as well that Isaac Osbourne was probably the most imposing physical presence on the park on Saturday, and he was substituted - add to that the fact that Fallon would never have caused us so much bother had the referee gotten control of him from the first bad challenge.

Would I like to see more pace and more physical presence added to the squad? Of course, but that doesn't mean that I think we necessarily lack either. Given the size of our squad I think we have coped superbly well with the loss of important players, and as I have mentioned before, have had to play with a different back four 6 or 7 times this season, which is a hell of a lot in 15 games.

I think people are very quick to make judgements on players, the team and the squad overall in wake of our defeats this season - given what Fenlon has had to work with in terms of a budget he has supplied us with a much smaller squad with much more depth than we have had for a long time. 15 games in we have won as many games as the team who everyone expects to run away with the title - we are doing just fine, and have important players to come back too.

A year ago Fenlon took over when we were sitting in 9th place with 13 points from 16 games, we are now sitting in 3rd on goal difference with 24 points from 15 games, have a good squad, are scoring goals, and and are playing at times some of the best football seen at ER since the Mowbray/Collins days. Whatever we lack I have every faith in Fenlon to provide us with it.

In addition, after 16 games last season we had a goal difference of - 10, after 15 games this season (and on the back of two straight defeats), we are plus 5.

[Captain Trips]

The pressure is all on us. Hearts have bought a few defeats against us after May. The pressure for some form of revenge will be there amongst the players added in front of a home support will be tough. We might have been better away in this one.

[frazeHFC]

Higdon is gash according to my Motherwell mate. Goalscorer yes but not a good footballer, if the ball isn't played exactly to where he can slot it home then it's like playing with one man less.


Been told the same, he gets a lot of stick. His goal record makes him look good but bar the odd goal he is useless according to them.

[hibsbollah]

Higdon is a musclier Nish. It would be a step back IMO.