Midfield - big decisions to be made

[Capt Mainwaring]

Think Stubbsy will have some key decisions to make over the next few weeks on what the best midfield balance is.

A nice headache to have and for me Liam Craig's performance today shows that he brings a better counterbalance with Allen and Roberson. So If all fit I think Fvyie should start from the bench and we start with Allen Robertson and Craig.

Then the final bit of the jig saw is whether you play Boyle or McGeough wide. I'm inclined to start with Boyle for straight forward pace. Might take a different view if Gray or Watson come back into contention but Liam Craig's return to form has come at a great time and provides good options

[gaz1875]

It's a tough choice, Craig did play well, as long as he keeps away from Stevenson he does become more attacking minded. I think the two of them when playing beside each other stop going forward and play sideways football on the half way line. The best example was the Hamilton play off game at ER both were scared to make a run forward it was eye bleeding watching them play 2 yard passes back and sideways. Today Lewis really pushed forward with Scott Allan beside him, and as you say Craig played very well, again much more attacking minded than previous games ( although Alloa were poor today).

[RCNG]

Dylan a starter for me. He is different class and gives us a lot of drive in the middle that we have missed recently.

[HappyAsHellas]

I like Fyvie as he brings a fresh approach in the middle but it sometimes just doesn't work as well as it should. Watching the game today, and Craig in particular I was rather impressed with his performance. He knows when he has to stay put, when to run past the forwards and most importantly he rarely misses with his passes. I know some of his detractors will say that's because most of his passes are sideways or backwards but that isn't the point. His mopping up, and turning defense into attack is actually rather impressive. He very rarely loses possession, something that was very obvious today. I actually believe that he is one of the main reasons behind our best performances this season - his ability to read the game is what gives Scotty his free role to roam and exploit, knowing he is always covered. This is something that Fyvie and McGeough don't have as was evident at Falkirk's goal last weekend.

Over to you Mr Stubbs, nice headache to have by the way.

[AlbertK86]

Let's put it in perspective. We were sting Alloa

When we beat Hearts the other week the middle 3 of Allan, McGeoch and Fyvie were superb and dominated the game.

If all thre e fully fit them in a 3-5-2 with Gray and Stevenson at wing backs is in my opinion out most productive and best midfield.

If 4-4-2 then Robbo in the diamond.

Yep Liam played well yesterday but not a first pick for me

[The_Sauz]

Let's put it in perspective. We were sting Alloa

When we beat Hearts the other week the middle 3 of Allan, McGeoch and Fyvie were superb and dominated the game.

If all thre e fully fit them in a 3-5-2 with Gray and Stevenson at wing backs is in my opinion out most productive and best midfield.

If 4-4-2 then Robbo in the diamond.

Yep Liam played well yesterday but not a first pick for me
Then you have to look at the games against The Rangers, when LC played, we bossed the midfield and played really well, but in the last 2 games with out LC, we road our luck in the 2-0 win at Ibrox, and did not even start in the defeat at ER!

[The_Sauz]

It's a tough choice, Craig did play well, as long as he keeps away from Stevenson he does become more attacking minded. I think the two of them when playing beside each other stop going forward and play sideways football on the half way line. The best example was the Hamilton play off game at ER both were scared to make a run forward it was eye bleeding watching them play 2 yard passes back and sideways. Today Lewis really pushed forward with Scott Allan beside him, and as you say Craig played very well, again much more attacking minded than previous games ( although Alloa were poor today).
LS plays better when LC plays on the same side of the pitch, as LS knows that when he goes forward LC will cover for him :agree:

[Tyler Durden]

Let's put it in perspective. We were sting Alloa

When we beat Hearts the other week the middle 3 of Allan, McGeoch and Fyvie were superb and dominated the game.

If all thre e fully fit them in a 3-5-2 with Gray and Stevenson at wing backs is in my opinion out most productive and best midfield.

If 4-4-2 then Robbo in the diamond.

Yep Liam played well yesterday but not a first pick for me

In a nutshell.

Stubbs knows his best team and Craig isn't in it. I was a bit surprised he didn't bring him on at Hampden but that said a lot for me.

[Ell_Chrisso]

Put it this way...

The 352 works a treat against teams like Rangers & Hearts where we are happy to allow there full backs to get on the ball. We pack out the middle of the park and force teams to have to go long. Our advantage is we have 3 CBs to win jump balls instead of two. It becomes a problem when teams do work the ball down a side of the park and get get crosses deep into our box. The goal from Falkirk came from McGeoch losing his man.

We should be playing a more positive 433 or 4312 with the two CFs splitting the field when we don't have the ball. Falkirk are not a good footballing side and had no answer when we pressed them high up the park. This is something we must do next week and Alan Stubbs has to choose the correct line up in order to do that.

[gaz1875]

LS plays better when LC plays on the same side of the pitch, as LS knows that when he goes forward LC will cover for him :agree:

That is the problem, they end up standing beside each other, like I say look how bad they were last season as an attacking partnership. Lewis needs someone beside him going forward, he doesn't have the speed or guile to take players on, not someone standing behind him, as happened last season.

[J-C]

That is the problem, they end up standing beside each other, like I say look how bad they were last season as an attacking partnership. Lewis needs someone beside him going forward, he doesn't have the speed or guile to take players on, not someone standing behind him, as happened last season.


It's not a problem, Craig allows Stevenson to bomb forward and playing the deeper role he moves over to fill the gap left.

[ballengeich]

Allan, McGeoch and Fyvie are all skillful and good passers but none of them scores often, particularly from long-range. Good teams do need some goals from their midfielders.

Craig, as we saw yesterday, can shoot from distance. Handling was unlucky that his effort was chalked off for Malonga being offside - it's unlikely that any of Allan, McGeoch or Fyvie would have made Danny's forward run. Stanton also is a scorer from midfield.

Stubbs has to decide whether to field his usual first choice midfield or perhaps sacrifice a bit of ball retention to get more scoring threat. I'm happy that for the first time in a while the manager has to choose between positive options.

[Fergus52]

Allan, McGeoch and Fyvie are all skillful and good passers but none of them scores often, particularly from long-range. Good teams do need some goals from their midfielders.

Craig, as we saw yesterday, can shoot from distance. Handling was unlucky that his effort was chalked off for Malonga being offside - it's unlikely that any of Allan, McGeoch or Fyvie would have made Danny's forward run. Stanton also is a scorer from midfield.

Stubbs has to decide whether to field his usual first choice midfield or perhaps sacrifice a bit of ball retention to get more scoring threat. I'm happy that for the first time in a while the manager has to choose between positive options.

Those 3 are without a doubt our 3 best central midfielders but I don't know if they make the best combination.

Craig and Robertson are more solid defensively, but funnily enough both offer more of a goal threat as well.

[Unseen work]

Those 3 are without a doubt our 3 best central midfielders but I don't know if they make the best combination.

Craig and Robertson are more solid defensively, but funnily enough both offer more of a goal threat as well.


Personally would say fyvie is better defensively than Craig

[Fergus52]

Personally would say fyvie is better defensively than Craig

He maybe tackles more, but I think Craig's defensive positioning is better.

We have a lot more gaps in our midfield when Fyvie McGeouch and Allan are all playing.

[J-C]

Fyvie/McGeouch and Allan are all roaming midfielders so positioning is a problem when they all play as we don't have a defensive minded midfielder, something Craig and Robertson can do as they're more disciplined, so it depends if Stubbs wants all out attack and gaps in the iddle or more controlled attacking and a holding deeper midfielder.

[gaz1875]

It's not a problem, Craig allows Stevenson to bomb forward and playing the deeper role he moves over to fill the gap left.

It was a huge problem last season but opinions eh :greengrin

[Unseen work]

The main thing Craig offers that the others don't is he can score goals, his finish against rangers with his weak foot was exceptional. If we are finding teams hard to break down he has the ability to hit one from distance on target, if it doesn't go in, Cummings will be on hand to tap it in

[J-C]

It was a huge problem last season but opinions eh :greengrin

Last season McGivern was our LB with Stevenson filling in when McGivern (39 games played) was injured, Stevenson has been given the LB slot as his own this season and obviously his positioning there is a lot better.

[NadeAteMyLunch!]

Allan, McGeoch and Fyvie are all skillful and good passers but none of them scores often, particularly from long-range. Good teams do need some goals from their midfielders.

Craig, as we saw yesterday, can shoot from distance. Handling was unlucky that his effort was chalked off for Malonga being offside - it's unlikely that any of Allan, McGeoch or Fyvie would have made Danny's forward run. Stanton also is a scorer from midfield.

Stubbs has to decide whether to field his usual first choice midfield or perhaps sacrifice a bit of ball retention to get more scoring threat. I'm happy that for the first time in a while the manager has to choose between positive options.

I agree, however we were the width of a post and bar away from Fyvie and Allan both scoring crackers at Hampden. They've got decent shots on them, particularly Allan-they just don't take a ping often enough

[jacomo]

That is the problem, they end up standing beside each other, like I say look how bad they were last season as an attacking partnership. Lewis needs someone beside him going forward, he doesn't have the speed or guile to take players on, not someone standing behind him, as happened last season.

LC was scoring more goals for us than anyone else when he first came to Hibs, but then a change of manager and poor form did for him. Frustratingly inconsistent player for us, but there's been good as well as bad.

[ekhibee]

LC was scoring more goals for us than anyone else when he first came to Hibs, but then a change of manager and poor form did for him. Frustratingly inconsistent player for us, but there's been good as well as bad.
This. He can be a really influential player as he was against Alloa on Saturday, but he lacks consistency. I think Craig has shown more this season than he did in most of last season, and he is a decent player with a good shot on him, I just don't know if he would be better than either Fyvie or McGeouch in the playoff games, my suspicion is he wouldn't, but if I'm proved wrong I've no problem with that obviously.

[Smartie]

I think Craig has changed his game since he came to us, when he first came he was very attack-minded - almost a number 10, best playing just off a striker/ strikers.

Having been (wrongly) deployed by Butcher as a holding midfielder he has changed his game to become more defensive - something he was quite poor at to begin with but has actually become very good at.

His positional discipline allows players like Stevenson, Allan or McGeoch to tank forward knowing that there will be cover for them should they lose the ball.

He is a good passer, can get a foot in and still offers a goal threat and threat from set-piece delivery when he needs to.

Whilst I think we have better players than him, I always think we look a better team when he's playing. His mistakes during games (which every player will make) unfortunately still attract a disproportionate amount of moans and abuse though.

[ancient hibee]

Difficult.I think the midfield is better when there is less "sameness" about it.Allan,McGeouch and Fyvie all want to run with the ball.On Saturday even allowing for it being Alloa the ball was allowed to do the work with some very crisp quick passing and Malonga joining in by dropping back.I think the 3 above are 1 too many for a balanced midfield.