First Half Vs Second Half

[Centre Hawf]

First off all well done lads, an excellent victory and hopefully the start of what we initially were looking for. And well done Stubbs on sticking with 3-5-2.

But can we please get out this habbit of dropping off in the Second Half? They were still there for a few more goals (greedy?) and would have loved one more to make sure the game was fully done. This isn't the first time we've done this last week against Ross County we sat deep and let them attack, Cowdenbeath we let them take the lead, Livi we were holding on at times.

But nevertheless i'm excited to see us on Saturday!!

[BoomtownHibees]

First off all well done lads, an excellent victory and hopefully the start of what we initially were looking for. And well done Stubbs on sticking with 3-5-2.

But can we please get out this habbit of dropping off in the Second Half? They were still there for a few more goals (greedy?) and would have loved one more to make sure the game was fully done. This isn't the first time we've done this last week against Ross County we sat deep and let them attack, Cowdenbeath we let them take the lead, Livi we were holding on at times.

But nevertheless i'm excited to see us on Saturday!!

Don't think we 'dropped off'. They were always going to come at us, especially playing at Ibrox

[B.H.F.C]

Didn't think we dropped off at all. We should have had a penalty. Forster missed a great chance and Harris missed a one on one. No matter how bad Rangers are they are always going to put you under pressure at some point through there. We defended properly and saw the game out without any real onslaught.

[Billy Whizz]

We're never happy

[Callum_62]

You can never expect to dominate the full 90 against any Rangers side at Ibrox

We seen the game out reasonably comfortably

Should have had the chance to make it 0-4 from the penalty spot too

Job more than well done

[SunshineOnLeith]

Spending the 2 and a half hours since full time trying to think of something negative and only being able to come up with that, lol.

[BoomtownHibees]

Spending the 2 and a half hours since full time trying to think of something negative and only being able to come up with that, lol.

Suspicious in his absence

[Centre Hawf]

I think we played well first half and the second half defended well. Not really picking out tonight as a main example. Just more of an observation that we sat a bit to deep and invited pressure on us.

But i take what others say regarding the fact we're against Rangers at Ibrox and its always a difficult place to go and dominate. Onwards and upwards.

[hibbytam]

First off all well done lads, an excellent victory and hopefully the start of what we initially were looking for. And well done Stubbs on sticking with 3-5-2.

But can we please get out this habbit of dropping off in the Second Half? They were still there for a few more goals (greedy?) and would have loved one more to make sure the game was fully done. This isn't the first time we've done this last week against Ross County we sat deep and let them attack, Cowdenbeath we let them take the lead, Livi we were holding on at times.

But nevertheless i'm excited to see us on Saturday!!

I couldn't disagree more, I thought the second half was a solid defensive performance, and with the opportunities on the break. We had no need to score more, and indeed trying to do so would be naive and dangerous. Instead we set up a white wall, which they struggled to break down, apart from a fluky deflection from a speculative shot.
While I would have loved it to have been more than 3, we did exactly what we needed to do second half.

[Lee Marvin]

First off all well done lads, an excellent victory and hopefully the start of what we initially were looking for. And well done Stubbs on sticking with 3-5-2.

But can we please get out this habbit of dropping off in the Second Half? They were still there for a few more goals (grueedy?) and would have loved one more to make sure the game was fully done. This isn't the first time we've done this last week against Ross County we sat deep and let them attack, Cowdenbeath we let them take the lead, Livi we were holding on at times.

But nevertheless i'm excited to see us on Saturday!!

Couldnt disagree more. I said to my mate as the game drew to a close that I was almost happier with our 2nd half that 1st. It shows we can be organised, battle and see out big games. Something that has been severely lacking over recent seasons

[Steve20]

When you're 3-0 up at half time at Ibrox, you know you have to defend at some points, especially after they got their goal back. That's what we did and we did it very well.

We were brilliant throughout the game.

[Northern Hibby]

We defended a 3 goal lead, we can't normally defend leads of any sort, how many times have you seen us capitulate in the 2nd half?

[SneakersO'Toole]

First off all well done lads, an excellent victory and hopefully the start of what we initially were looking for. And well done Stubbs on sticking with 3-5-2.

But can we please get out this habbit of dropping off in the Second Half? They were still there for a few more goals (greedy?) and would have loved one more to make sure the game was fully done. This isn't the first time we've done this last week against Ross County we sat deep and let them attack, Cowdenbeath we let them take the lead, Livi we were holding on at times.

But nevertheless i'm excited to see us on Saturday!!

Might be a contender for .net worst post of 2014 - and there have been a few.

[Golden Bear]

The injury to David Gray upset the balance of the side as we missed Lewis Stevenson's attacking play on the left flank after he was forced to switch positions. We're really lucky to have a player with such versatility.

Nevertheless it was still a credible performance and the result was never really much in doubt.

[Keith_M]

I agree, the second half collapse was a total disgrace.

I threw my Dad's Season Ticket in the Bin in disgust!!



:grr:

[gegs70]

I think we had some really good opportunities in the second half with the penalty, forster shot and Harris should have done a little better when he was through on goal. We weren't going to have it all our own way, I'm hopefully we can take this form onto the Raith Rovers game.

[heretoday]

It was certainly a game of two halves but, as has been said, we actually had more chances than they did despite their pressure.

Harris, Forster and, I think, Cummings should have killed the match.

And of course the penalty.....

[Hibby70]

Might be a contender for .net worst post of 2014 - and there have been a few.

This isn't even in the top 200.

[Brightside]

First off all well done lads, an excellent victory and hopefully the start of what we initially were looking for. And well done Stubbs on sticking with 3-5-2.

But can we please get out this habbit of dropping off in the Second Half? They were still there for a few more goals (greedy?) and would have loved one more to make sure the game was fully done. This isn't the first time we've done this last week against Ross County we sat deep and let them attack, Cowdenbeath we let them take the lead, Livi we were holding on at times.

But nevertheless i'm excited to see us on Saturday!!

We didnt drop off...just ensured we didnt leave gaps at the back, its what any coach would do in that situation. You are 3-0 you look to close down the game. Their goal came from a deflection. Almost everything is was balls lumped in that our defence dealt with.

I would have liked to have seen Harris or Kennedy on earlier for Cummings as there were chances on the break and we didnt have the legs.

[Stewboy]

Decent penalty shout, Harris and Forster missing sitters. If that is sitting back at Ibrox then I will take that

[J-C]

I'd like to think we'd not sit that deep if we had a 1-0 lead, did the fact it was 3-0 give us a different mindset ? We still hit them on the break but sat 10 yeards deeper than in the 1st half, Robertson and Malonga started to tire and should have been replaced but as we'd used a sub for Gray they had to stay on, we didn't press from the front enough in the 2nd.

[JimBHibees]

Defence was excellent in the aerial onslaught. Both Forster and Hanlon looked more comfortable alongside Fontaine who will IMO be a good signing as he has leadership qualities which we lack.

[SanFranHibs]

We're never happy

Only when we're losing :wink:

If I am honest, I got a little uncomfortable in the first 15 minutes of the second half. I thought we were getting tentaitve and you can see that by the way we were not playing the ball out from the back like we wre in the first half and I noticed the defensive headers which in the first half were powerful and effective became weak and did not clear the lines as evidenced by their goal. But as people have aid we could not expect Rangers not to have a go at it, especially at home and it was obvious it was going to have to be right from the start of the second half. However, we had to make what effectively was a double change at the half becasue of Gray's injury and after the first fifteen minutes of the second half settled and completed a good job.

I hope this team took a good look at themselves in the mirror today (Only if they are over 16 of course :wink:) and realise how well they played and that they are capable of playing like this every week. Fortune may not favour us in every game but if we play like this knowing that although Rangers looked pedestrian last night they are about as good as we will face in this diviision, we should win a lot more than we will lose. Not getting carried away as I recall how optimistic I was after our 2-1 defeat there just a couple of months ago but I believe there is more to come. I said just a couple of weeks ago that if you look at the squad on paper, Kennedy, Allan, McGeough, Cummings, Sinclair, Malonga and hopefully get a bit more from Craig and Robertson this team could go toe to toe with Hearts and Rangers all season. And if the lads at the back can play like they did last night then our season could be transformed.

On the defence, I understand Stubb's attempts at trying to get them to be comfortable in different positions/formations but perhaps he should let them settle for a few games and let them firstly get comfortable and confident in their most natural position and in a formation in which they are entirely comfortable and if things go a bit awry they can quickly revert to.

Be interesting to see how we play this weekend against Raith who are joint second but with a minus 2 goal difference. Hopefully Hearts lose but if they do beat QOS and we win we bill be in the top 4! I am sure weall agree and it is NOT being negative, a good performance last night which we all should enjoy but we do need to follow it up this weeeknd with a good performance at home.

Can hardly wait for the Raith game!! I had better go and look at MYSELF in the mirror :greengrin

[Unseen work]

Dropped off?!?!

It's because of the attitude we went out with in the second half we won the game, which was similar to the first, we do not conceed a goal. First and foremost get behind the ball and make it impossible for them to break us down which worked a treat.

Even in the second half I would argue we still made the better of chances with booth, Forster, harris and a claim for a pen. Malonga and Cummings were always a threat too

Just because we don't have as much of the ball doesn't mean we drop off, it's the game plan, soak it up and counter

[Smartie]

We have definitely dropped off in the second half in other games, to our cost, but that cannot be levelled at the team last night.

Rangers were always going to come back at us, we were never going to be as dominant again in the second half but what we needed to do was to be resolute and defend well whilst offering a threat on the break. I thought we did that brilliantly, albeit we lost another goal from a set piece and none of our chances went in.

I'd love to see us go to Ibrox and dominate for 90 minutes but it's just not a realistic expectation and I'd take a victory there every day of the week regardless of how it was achieved.

[Centre Hawf]

If I am honest, I got a little uncomfortable in the first 15 minutes of the second half. I thought we were getting tentaitve and you can see that by the way we were not playing the ball out from the back like we wre in the first half and I noticed the defensive headers which in the first half were powerful and effective became weak and did not clear the lines as evidenced by their goal.

This was the point i was trying to make. Wasn't really meaning to degrade the victory but it was just something that i think Hearts especially or Rangers with a tactically astute manager or in form players would probably have had a better time against the way we set out second half.

Just personal opinion.

[Sir David Gray]

I've been as critical as anyone of Hibs lately but I don't think it's fair to criticise anything after a comfortable victory at Ibrox.

[bigwheel]

Actually. For me , it is the second half performance that gave me the most pleasure ...when we were up against it , and had to get to work at heading balls , blocking shots , working hard off the ball - we stood up big time and were so solid . That is something I've not seen from us for a few years. Delighted ! Great defensive performance

[ahibby]

You might have something there, it's not the first time that we have lost a goal or goals early in the second half. Remember the first ten minutes of the second half at home against Cowdenbeath? Last night and against Beath we held half time leads, so maybe we change our game, invite them on and hit them on the break, but that was our plan from the outset last night. If we had taken our chances and had been awarded the penalty, we would have been out of sight. It's one thing winning 5 1 at home against Livi but to have had a great chance of winning 5 1 away to Rangers is a different class :wink:

[Franck Stanton]

We had done our job in the first half, scored three without reply. No need for us to go out all gung-ho - just what would have been the point ? We would be leaving gaps at the back, it was them that had to raise their game, increase the tempo and hope they could unsettle us. Stubbs got his tactics, [and team selection/formation spot on imo]. Rangers did as expected second half, lets face it , they had to try something, but we soaked it up and still managed to create at least three good chances, [that spring instantly to mind, may have been more]. Really great performance which hopefully kick-starts our season. No point in getting 3 points at castle greyskull one week and dropping 3 v Raith Rovers the next.

[southsider]

I was only able to listen to the game on the wireless. Young Jason scored 2 (including his angel touch) but his best piece of work all evening was to boot that pr*ck Black. Black had two really heavy kicks at our midfield players in the first 30 seconds without one word from the Ref. Jason clobbered him, took a booking for the team after about 15 minutes. A striker can go through the next 75 without making a tackle, if he is careful. Black had a rush of blood and was quickly booked. That was him out of the game as his next bad tackle (and it had to come) and he was off. With Black now out the game our midfield were able to get a real grip of midfield as there was no The rangers tackles going in. Well done son, take a bow.

[MWHIBBIES]

Could write a 3000 word essay on why defending is just as important as attacking and defending your lead well is just as important as getting one in the first place. Thankfully Alan Stubbs knows this stuff and set the team up to do it well. We could easily have let them back into the game by going for a 4th (should have had it anyway with pen and Harris chance) but we held off and won comfortably.

[Centre Hawf]

Could write a 3000 word essay on why defending is just as important as attacking and defending your lead well is just as important as getting one in the first place.

Totally get that and like I said earlier. We did defend really really well and the back 3 appeared at times to be reminiscent of the Berlin Wall. My point wasn't so much based on last nights performance entirely but more the trend so far. Probably my timing of such a post wasn't great but I maintain that we shouldn't probably sink so far back as to have 9 men in our box during open play.

[craigmounthibby]

It certainly wasn't a case of dropping off, but the second half was a pretty tough watch - I was nervous we would chuck it, especially after they scored. Just delighted they couldn't create anything & we dealt comfortably with what little threat they had - in hindsight we had the better chances, but I wish I'd been able to enjoy the 2nd half more.

[Forza Fred]

You can never expect to dominate the full 90 against any Rangers side at Ibrox

We seen the game out reasonably comfortably

Should have had the chance to make it 0-4 from the penalty spot too

Job more than well done

You can never expect to dominate the full 90 minutes against ANYBODY

There will always be a time in the match when the opposition has possession.

I think we saw it out well.

[Wighty76]

I thought the second half was just as good as the first. The priority for me was to defend the lead we had especially after they scored. I watched it in the pub and everyone thought Hibs would crumble. Credit to the boys for maintaining their composure and seeing the game out at one of the hardest away venues.

:flag:

[TheFamous1875]

It was honestly the most complete Hibs performance I have seen for about...I'm stuggling to remember! Possibly early Yogi era? There were only two mistakes for the entire match - Scott Allan's defending at their goal and Stubb's reluctance to make a sub.

Scott has to do better in that situation. I know he's only young, but I hope it'll help him learn how costly it can be to take your eye of your marker for a split-second. If Rangers weren't so ****ing pish, they could've built on that momentum and came back and caused us a lot of problems.

In my opinion, Stubbs should've had fresh legs on about 5-10 minutes before he did. Cummings, as well as he played, is still just a young lad and he was tired and out of it by then. As an attacking option, Jason had lagged by that point and he no longer had the energy to keep momentum up that end of the park - Kennedy or Harris would've been perfect remedies to that lack of penetration in the final third which in turn would keep the pressure off of us at the back.

By the time Boozy came on, we had a new threat up there and he could've got two goals in those 10 minutes if it weren't for his lack of recent game time. A fully-flying Harris would've put that excellent through ball by Allan away and completely killed the game stone dead. I was really pleased with his contribution when he was on, he looked willing and sharp, but it is understandable that a game-killing goal at Ibrox was probably too much of an ask for him given he was 5 minutes into his first team return after a relatively extended sojourn on the bench.

All in all, I thought we coped extremely well given we had one of our wing-backs subbed off and had to make do with his counterpart covering for him. We maybe lost a bit of attacking momentum on the right hand side, but every player defended consummately and we showed the strength, the character and the determination and discipline to see the game through despite those changes. If there were no injuries and they never got their goal and the subs were made earlier I would've been shocked if we hadn't beaten them by 5 or 6 goals to nil.

Every player was spot on in their attitude in the second half and we got everything we deserved. Well, apart from their goal and possibly a late, high-speed goal rush courtesy of Harris and Kennedy!

Onwards and upwards. I can't wait for Saturday!

[Centre Hawf]

Exact same. This time against an "inferior" opposition. It seems irrelevent who we play, we just can't seem to maintain a decent level into a second half.

[R11Loaded]

Exact same. This time against an "inferior" opposition. It seems irrelevent who we play, we just can't seem to maintain a decent level into a second half.

I was saying this at half time

Is it fitness perhaps?

Countless times this season now


Class doesn't show on a maroon jersey

[emerald green]

What do Hibs talk about in the dressing room at half time? They seem to start the second half looking half asleep, slow, and sluggish, and seem to let the opposition overwhelm them.

I'm not going to go back to last season, but here's some games and goals conceded this season alone and it's only 8 games old:

V Livingston (H) - lost goal early in 2nd half but held on to win due to flook goal from keeper.

V Dumbarton (League Cup) (H) - lost 2 quick goals early 2nd half.

V Alloa (A) - lost two goals in 2nd half to lose the lead at HT and lost the match.

V Cowdenbeath (H) - lost two goals early in 2nd half - fought back to win in 94th minute.

V Raith Rovers today (H) - lost equaliser about 20 mins into 2nd half. Two more points dropped.

Does anyone see a pattern here?

These teams are not exactly world beaters FFS, and 4 out of these 5 games were at home.

What's the point in taking all three points at Ibrox, then turning in an insipid display like today? I hate to say it, but I've often seen Hibs teams down through the years follow up a win against one of the Old Firm with a very disappointing result and display like this today.

[matty_f]

It's definitely an issue. The two halves were like night and day again this afternoon first half we were very comfortable, and deserved the lead. Second half was horrendous and Raith were well worth their point.

[emerald green]

It's definitely an issue. The two halves were like night and day again this afternoon first half we were very comfortable, and deserved the lead. Second half was horrendous and Raith were well worth their point.

:agree: I just cannot figure it out.

[Ronniekirk]

It's definitely an issue. The two halves were like night and day again this afternoon first half we were very comfortable, and deserved the lead. Second half was horrendous and Raith were well worth their point.
Even my wife commented on it ,but she still said it was better performance than against Cowdenbeath .However in that game the three subs came on and turned game today he left it too late and apart from some clever skill by Dylan it looked like we weren't going to score and we can't always be leaving it so late when we need to win home games Subs should of been on a lot earlier

[ancient hibee]

Must be something in the tea-or the team talk.