The positives to take from today

[Northernhibee]

I actually quite enjoyed today. The football wasn't the prettiest but we looked as if we wanted to win the game - we were taking shots and although inconsistent we had some decent link up play - Jones was decent, McGivern was able to overlap Stevenson and get into good positions and we looked to get crosses in.

Once Terry and Maurice get the team clicking with the new style and Marsella finds the odd gem here and there I think we're going to be in a nice place twelve months from now.

So aye, not the prettiest game today but some huge over-reactions. I'm looking forward to seeing us progress.

[SaulGoodman]

:agree:

Think I'll agree as quick as I can before people shoot you down! But I was saying the same, work rate is 10x better.

[Ronniekirk]

I actually quite enjoyed today. The football wasn't the prettiest but we looked as if we wanted to win the game - we were taking shots and although inconsistent we had some decent link up play - Jones was decent, McGivern was able to overlap Stevenson and get into good positions and we looked to get crosses in.

Once Terry and Maurice get the team clicking with the new style and Marsella finds the odd gem here and there I think we're going to be in a nice place twelve months from now.

So aye, not the prettiest game today but some huge over-reactions. I'm looking forward to seeing us progress.
You must be one of the few That performance confirms we are still bottom six team One goal in past seven games and inability to win at home tells you where the main problems are but those who came along for the first time since Fenlon left won't be thinking that they will hurray back The Myth that we have a really strong squad was finally exposed today as on paper maybe but in reality it's a long way off What is it that is so intimidating at home Crowds are that big or vocal and Patrick thistle didn't seem to be affected. so it's down to Mentality of players? lack of Quality ? lack of Confidence ? poor Tactics ? Or what ?

[Bostonhibby]

James Collins huge effort throughtout finally got the goal it deserved, and he will push on. Paul cairney became the player that can take a man on, Zoubir could possibly be heading even further south than England and the manager might be looking for someone to fill the McGivern role after January, great buzz today because lacking in some respects though we were, we weren't F in about knocking it across defensive midfield for no apparent reason. Other positive was my belief there will be more than 4 scored in any game the yam play between last week and next season. Another free weekend :-)

[Northernhibee]

You must be one of the few That performance confirms we are still bottom six team One goal in past seven games and inability to win at home tells you where the main problems are but those who came along for the first time since Fenlon left won't be thinking that they will hurray back The Myth that we have a really strong squad was finally exposed today as on paper maybe but in reality it's a long way off What is it that is so intimidating at home Crowds are that big or vocal and Patrick thistle didn't seem to be affected. so it's down to Mentality of players? lack of Quality ? lack of Confidence ? poor Tactics ? Or what ?

The clean sheet for a new manager doesn't count for much, does it?

TB's taken a team he's still learning about that had lost four in a row and is still undefeated with them, and he also showed a plan B with the change of shape his subs made.

[Craig_in_Prague]

On the 5 mins youtube highlights, we seemed to have a few digs at goal and worked their goalie a bit. Certainly much better than previous home games which was usually highlights of Ben Williams v Away team.

Fair play to them for going right to the final whistle. Nice finish from Collins.

Yes Partick could have scored more, Cummings and Collins may have got us more to,
Football I believe was not pretty at times but the shots on goal is a nice change!

[Jonnyboy]

Biggest positive for me is that we kept going right to the end, scored a deserved equaliser. I'm convinced we'd have lost that game under Pat

[Bostonhibby]

Unless you were trying to find it, harder to find a negative today than previously, onward and upward?

Did james look like he enjoyed his goal? :-) Glory Glory

[Northernhibee]

Unless you were trying to find it, harder to find a negative today than previously, onward and upward?

Did james look like he enjoyed his goal? :-) Glory Glory

It took the roaster behind me six minutes to declare Handling was 'Never a player'.

[Bostonhibby]

It took the. roaster behind me six minutes to declare Handling was 'Never a player'.

Roaster? There were big team fans at Easter road today?

[Northernhibee]

Roaster? There were big team fans at Easter road today?

**** knows, giving Lewis it tight all game long too.

[Liams]

Seeen people slating collins during the update saying he usless but he ran for the full 90 mins!! Chasing deffender and goalies!! And truely deserved a goal!!!

[bighairyfaeleith]

Today wasn't great and our lack of pave was evident going forward, pointless giving the ball to cairney at half way line, need to push further up the pitch. Compare that to partick who kept putting the ball down the flanks and letting there players outrun our defenders.

However, we knew all this before today, what we hadn't really seen before was a team that kept pushing for an equaliser right until the last minute. I was also impressed by young cummings movement and energy when he came on, missed a sitter but that happens. Would like to see him given more game time.

I thought Taiwo looked good as well when he came on, always looking to get forward, loads of energy.

So definitely not all bad, good for butcher to see our deficiencies as well, now he can get to work on sorting them out.

[bighairyfaeleith]

Seeen people slating collins during the update saying he usless but he ran for the full 90 mins!! Chasing deffender and goalies!! And truely deserved a goal!!!

The problem with collins was the play around him, can't fault his effort but he needs better service and support. Trouble was we where playing too deep and far enough up into particks half.

He looks to me like a forward that likes being in the box but he is picking the ball up 30-40 yards out with little support.

[Gustavo Fring]

positives for me were 16 shots , 6 on target - under fenlon we would have needed to watch at least 3 games to see that many shots from hibs

cairney gettin better every week , cummings looked lively and got into some good positions . good to see collins get a goal after the shift he put in

negatives for me were , defence looked a bit shaky . handling wasnt at the races , hanlons hoofing it up the park , the boo boys starting in butchers 1st game at easter road

[offshorehibby]

Today wasn't great and our lack of pave was evident going forward, pointless giving the ball to cairney at half way line, need to push further up the pitch. Compare that to partick who kept putting the ball down the flanks and letting there players outrun our defenders.

However, we knew all this before today, what we hadn't really seen before was a team that kept pushing for an equaliser right until the last minute. I was also impressed by young cummings movement and energy when he came on, missed a sitter but that happens. Would like to see him given more game time.

I thought Taiwo looked good as well when he came on, always looking to get forward, loads of energy.

So definitely not all bad, good for butcher to see our deficiencies as well, now he can get to work on sorting them out.

When did Taiwo come on.

[Beefster]

When did Taiwo come on.

He didn't.

[theonlywayisup]

I actually quite enjoyed today. The football wasn't the prettiest but we looked as if we wanted to win the game - we were taking shots and although inconsistent we had some decent link up play - Jones was decent, McGivern was able to overlap Stevenson and get into good positions and we looked to get crosses in.

Once Terry and Maurice get the team clicking with the new style and Marsella finds the odd gem here and there I think we're going to be in a nice place twelve months from now.

So aye, not the prettiest game today but some huge over-reactions. I'm looking forward to seeing us progress.

Taking into consideration the last couple of years, yes I actually enjoyed yesterday's game. The style of play was not great, but playing the ball quicker upfield is better than watching very depressing slow passing between midfielders and defenders followed by the aimless hoof! At least we cut out the slow passing! In many of Fenlon's games, I kept saying "who does Fenlon think we are, Barcelona". We don't have the players to play like Barcelona, so just get the ball forward quick and into the box and take shots. So for me, yesterday is a big improvement from Fenlon's style of football.

Is it the way I want Hibs to play. No! No! No! But it is going to take Butcher a few months before he will get in the players he wants to play the style of football he wants. The lack of support shown by some fans, after one home game, depresses me, but it is what I now expect.

[theonlywayisup]

Today wasn't great and our lack of pave was evident going forward, pointless giving the ball to cairney at half way line, need to push further up the pitch. Compare that to partick who kept putting the ball down the flanks and letting there players outrun our defenders.

However, we knew all this before today, what we hadn't really seen before was a team that kept pushing for an equaliser right until the last minute. I was also impressed by young cummings movement and energy when he came on, missed a sitter but that happens. Would like to see him given more game time.

I thought Taiwo looked good as well when he came on, always looking to get forward, loads of energy.

So definitely not all bad, good for butcher to see our deficiencies as well, now he can get to work on sorting them out.

I assume you meant Cummings. Was impressed by Cummings, but how did he miss from a yard out.

[offshorehibby]

He didn't.

I know he didn't but somebody thinks he did.

[bighairyfaeleith]

He didn't.

Sorry, who came on for handling then, I thought it was taiwo?

I then thought cummings came on as the second sub.

I wasn't even drinking yesterday!!

[bighairyfaeleith]

ok sorry, it was zoubir that looked lively, not taiwo.

[theonlywayisup]

Sorry, who came on for handling then, I thought it was taiwo?

I then thought cummings came on as the second sub.

I wasn't even drinking yesterday!!

Zoubir

[eastterrace]

surprised there has been no comment about our throw ins,they were a lot better. taken quicker so not to give the opponents time to organize. more shots on goal ( maybe some not very good) but big difference to the fenlon days.

[theonlywayisup]

surprised there has been no comment about our throw ins,they were a lot better. taken quicker so not to give the opponents time to organize. more shots on goal ( maybe some not very good) but big difference to the fenlon days.

Did you not see the throw in two yards from their goal line that twenty seconds later resulted in the ball in the back of our net?

Yes, apart from that one, they were an improvement.

[Franck Stanton]

surprised there has been no comment about our throw ins,they were a lot better. taken quicker so not to give the opponents time to organize. more shots on goal ( maybe some not very good) but big difference to the fenlon days. Other than the one that we gave them the ball, went straight upfield and scored from.

[LancsHibs]

Agree with OP, quite enjoyed the game. Was impressed with our fight and endeavour! Collins looked decent and worked hard, Handling however I thought was poor! Stevenson/McGivern/Craig all seemed to link up well. Cairney is improving and looked direct and strong. With Harris & Heff to come back into the team and hopefully TB to bring a couple in January I really think we will be moving in the right direction. First target are St Johnstone and a top 6 spot. Come on the Hibees:tbgwa:

[weonlywon6-2]

When did Taiwo come on.


Maybe its to do with match fixing and fooling the bookies??

[eastterrace]

Other than the one that we gave them the ball, went straight upfield and scored from.

glad you agree.

[--------]

I actually quite enjoyed today. The football wasn't the prettiest but we looked as if we wanted to win the game - we were taking shots and although inconsistent we had some decent link up play - Jones was decent, McGivern was able to overlap Stevenson and get into good positions and we looked to get crosses in.

Once Terry and Maurice get the team clicking with the new style and Marsella finds the odd gem here and there I think we're going to be in a nice place twelve months from now.

So aye, not the prettiest game today but some huge over-reactions. I'm looking forward to seeing us progress.


I watched it on Alba after reading the match thread. I don't think that they were as bad as some were making out, but it wasn't a game I'll keep recorded on the box to watch it again and again.

Partick got clear once in the game (from a sloppy Hibs throw-in) and scored. They were closing our midfield down very quickly and we were struggling in that area because we had too many similar players in that part of the team.

I think we missed Robertson - he's got more pace than the others - and the ball didn't seem to be getting through to either Collins or Handling quick enough.

Cairney looked useful in patches, and we definitely improved when Zoubir and Cummings came on. It was just unfortunate that that chance came to Cummings as quick as it did - he had had no chance to get up to the pace of the game, though it was a glaringly easy chance and he'll be furious to have missed it.

I thought Cummings looked very promising - he's a biggish lad and when he started running at them with the ball he looked dangerous. Collins and Cummings next weekend, maybe?

Heffernan was interviewed at HT and said he's 2 weeks away from full training, so he may be back for the derby.

TB was also interviewed. He said he saw the job this season as two-fold. From now until January he's assessing the players he has before deciding whether or not to bring anyone new in then. He's told the players that it's up to them to convince him that they're good enough, and they have until January to do so. Then after January it's a case of settling down to win as many games as possible. He didn't say it, but I'd assume that there'll be a bit of a clear-out in June (same old, same old) and new guys coming in to replace those who leave. He said that a lot of the problems are to do with confidence.

One other thought I had watching the game - Calderwood signed the wrong Osbourne brother. (No surprise there.)

Isaac was putting himself about very effectively as a defensive midfielder, dirty so-an-so that he was. But I guess we REALLY don't need another defensive midfielder right now ...

One thing - if anyone thinks I've got it all wrong, don't shout at me. It was about all I could do to keep my eyes open for the 90 minutes, and I still don't feel terribly well.

It wasn't rivetting stuff, and I now rather wish I'd watched the Sunderland match instead.

[MB62]

I watched it on Alba after reading the match thread. I don't think that they were as bad as some were making out, but it wasn't a game I'll keep recorded on the box to watch it again and again.

Partick got clear once in the game (from a sloppy Hibs throw-in) and scored. They were closing our midfield down very quickly and we were struggling in that area because we had too many similar players in that part of the team.

I think we missed Robertson - he's got more pace than the others - and the ball didn't seem to be getting through to either Collins or Handling quick enough.

Cairney looked useful in patches, and we definitely improved when Zoubir and Cummings came on. It was just unfortunate that that chance came to Cummings as quick as it did - he had had no chance to get up to the pace of the game, though it was a glaringly easy chance and he'll be furious to have missed it.

I thought Cummings looked very promising - he's a biggish lad and when he started running at them with the ball he looked dangerous. Collins and Cummings next weekend, maybe?

Heffernan was interviewed at HT and said he's 2 weeks away from full training, so he may be back for the derby.

TB was also interviewed. He said he saw the job this season as two-fold. From now until January he's assessing the players he has before deciding whether or not to bring anyone new in then. He's told the players that it's up to them to convince him that they're good enough, and they have until January to do so. Then after January it's a case of settling down to win as many games as possible. He didn't say it, but I'd assume that there'll be a bit of a clear-out in June (same old, same old) and new guys coming in to replace those who leave. He said that a lot of the problems are to do with confidence.

One other thought I had watching the game - Calderwood signed the wrong Osbourne brother. (No surprise there.)

Isaac was putting himself about very effectively as a defensive midfielder, dirty so-an-so that he was. But I guess we REALLY don't need another defensive midfielder right now ...

One thing - if anyone thinks I've got it all wrong, don't shout at me. It was about all I could do to keep my eyes open for the 90 minutes, and I still don't feel terribly well.

It wasn't rivetting stuff, and I now rather wish I'd watched the Sunderland match instead.

Think you are being a bit harsh on Partick, they certainly had more than one chance in the game.
Apart from that though, pretty much spot on from what I saw. I watched the game again Sunday on ALBA and thought OTJ looked have a better game than I gave him credit for at the game. I really felt that Thomson would have been a better option in there than OTJ and would have done more to combat Osbourne, who ran the show in midfield IMO.
Danny Handling was having a bit of a nightmare game, might have been trying too hard, if that's possible, but he possibly needed hooked a bit earlier. It's good to see though that the manager is actually trying to change things when things are not working and there doesn't seem to be 'favourites' at the moment.
Butcher is probably still trying to assess his playing staff and we might see the team changing a wee bit once he finds out more who can do what to fit in with his tactics.

[--------]

Think you are being a bit harsh on Partick, they certainly had more than one chance in the game.
Apart from that though, pretty much spot on from what I saw. I watched the game again Sunday on ALBA and thought OTJ looked have a better game than I gave him credit for at the game. I really felt that Thomson would have been a better option in there than OTJ and would have done more to combat Osbourne, who ran the show in midfield IMO.
Danny Handling was having a bit of a nightmare game, might have been trying too hard, if that's possible, but he possibly needed hooked a bit earlier. It's good to see though that the manager is actually trying to change things when things are not working and there doesn't seem to be 'favourites' at the moment.
Butcher is probably still trying to assess his playing staff and we might see the team changing a wee bit once he finds out more who can do what to fit in with his tactics.


Yup - on mature reflection I agree that Ben Williams did have to make some good saves and did so competently. Their keeper was just the busier, though, on balance, I think.

I agree OTJ has been unfairly criticised by some - he did a lot better than he was given credit for, and you're right, we didn't deal with Osbourne at all.

I agree about Butcher assessing the squad. He's made no secret of the fact that right now he's running his eye over the squad, assessing who he wants to keep and who he wants to move on, and it's depressing that three games into his reign some of us appear to be sharpening the knives for him already.

Why didn't he play Tom Taiwo? Maybe he wanted to look at OTJ over a whole match. Why not Zoubir from the start? Maybe he wants Cairney to get proper match-time. Why not Nelson from the start? Forster did OK at Dingwall, and we don't know just how fir Mike is. Maybe next weekend at Parkhead? This is what "assessment" means, surely.

The team's going to take a lot of time to sort out, frankly, but I think he and Malpas DO know what they're doing. The team on Saturday looked very one-paced but Harris, Robertson and Heffernan are all injured and unavailable, and they're our main pace-men in midfield. We're going to be puzzled by some selections for a while, I think, but Butcher again has been clear - everyone has started with a clean sheet, no one has been discounted sight unseen, which is the right way to go about things, IMO.

Zoubir and Cummings made a difference when they came on; they held onto the ball and ran at the Thistle defenders and caused problems. Whether they're ready to play 90 minutes is another matter.

But I do think Terry and Mo will sort things out - if they're given time to do so. My worry is that the boo-boys have already started to work up a head of steam. Most of the ones I know are as ignorant as they are malignant, nasty, angry people who have little or no clue about the game.

Last thought - slightly surreal, I know, but Ozil's goal for the Gunners on Sunday was almost a carbon copy of James Collins' counter for us on Saturday. What should we make of THAT, then? :wink:

[MB62]

Last thought - slightly surreal, I know, but Ozil's goal for the Gunners on Sunday was almost a carbon copy of James Collins' counter for us on Saturday. What should we make of THAT, then? :wink:

That maybe Arsenal will want to sign Collins for £800m but Rod will probably hold out for more :greengrin

[brog]

It was my first visit up this year. I took a lot of positives from the game. The number of shots & corners, the commitment of the players, equalising in added time, when did that last happen? Jason Cummings, I didn't know he was left footed & I loved his attitude. The support from the bench, TB getting all his subs right & the inspiration of putting Nelson on.
I'm not keen on being negative about players but I was disappointed in Danny & Lewis. One other quibble, Liam C took all the corners from the right side. This is a waste as he's good in the air. If our left sided player, Lewis, cannot be trusted to deliver a set piece then he probably shouldn't be in the team.