Signing crocks has cost us dear

[Forza Fred]

No doubt today's result will see all sorts of over reaction, but seriously, losing to Dumbarton is unacceptable.

But irrespective of today's loss, and even if we had won today I am still concerned about certain basic aspects of professionalism at Easter Road.

I'll simplistically put it.

The management team have known since the end of last season the exact date the new season would kick off.

They knew that we needed to have our best team prepared and ready to play from the very FIRST game.

Why then did we sign players, who basically were not fit enough to kick a ball pre season and indeed either haven't played yet or were rushed in and don't seem match fit.

I don't see it as 'bad luck' I see it more as poor management.or is our medical advice so poor that we would be better when signing players to use the Golden Rods method our neighbours did?

The players who are out May come in in a few weeks and play like Ronaldo..but we needed a full squad from day ONE...then we might have scraped a point off the mighty Dumbarton.

It's too late in two or three weeks...the season started TODAY and if the players were not likely to be fit by then, then we should have looked at alternatives

It is absolutely useless to have them signed but not available, and even an amateur team would reconsider signing players that they knew were unlikely to be fit for the start of the season.

Just what sort of medical advice do we get or do we sign them regardless, hoping a depleted squad will somehow see us through?

Sorry it's so long, Zi'm pissed off, and off to bed now.

[Diclonius]

I think we've been considerably unlucky this pre season, and the management has at least tried to strengthen early.

I really don't know what we can do better. Still ****ing pissed off though.

[Beefster]

The squad today should have been easily good enough to beat Dumbarton. If a few injuries mean that we can't cope with the mid to lower table Championship sides, we'd be as well packing up now.

[Forza Fred]

I think we've been considerably unlucky this pre season, and the management has at least tried to strengthen early.

I really don't know what we can do better. Still ****ing pissed off though.

I don't think it is luck.

We know when the season starts yet we seem unable to get a few squad members fit for the start.....not talking about injuries sustained pre season or at training, but we seem to sign them KNOWING that they won't be ready for season kick off

If I missed a critical deadline like that at my work, Id get the sack.

[bingo70]

I think we've been considerably unlucky this pre season, and the management has at least tried to strengthen early.

I really don't know what we can do better. Still ****ing pissed off though.

Play with proper natural width with players that'll beat a man.

We're still unnecessarily crowding the centre of midfield which is easy to defend against. Was obvious we needed that last season but we've not done enough about it.

[One Day Soon]

I don't think it is luck.

We know when the season starts yet we seem unable to get a few squad members fit for the start.....not talking about injuries sustained pre season or at training, but we seem to sign them KNOWING that they won't be ready for season kick off

If I missed a critical deadline like that at my work, Id get the sack.


We always try to do things on the cheap and I suspect that has something to do with our signings. Whether it is the fee paid or the salary agreed, the chances are that an injured player will command a lower price because he is always going to be a risk. There's your answer.

[liamh2202]

Play with proper natural width with players that'll beat a man.

We're still unnecessarily crowding the centre of midfield which is easy to defend against. Was obvious we needed that last season but we've not done enough about it.

Agree with this. I also think its affecting the defence as full backs are having to do too much

[The_Horde]

Pish. Team today was more than good enough, they just didn't play well or with urgency.

[bill the hibby]

I agree with this to an extent, but like another poster says, we should still have enough to beat Dumbarton injuries or not.

[tamig]

We always try to do things on the cheap and I suspect that has something to do with our signings. Whether it is the fee paid or the salary agreed, the chances are that an injured player will command a lower price because he is always going to be a risk. There's your answer.
Garbage.

[hiberactive]

The squad today should have been easily good enough to beat Dumbarton. If a few injuries mean that we can't cope with the mid to lower table Championship sides, we'd be as well packing up now.
That's the main problem though,the squad is not good enough.Oxley is a poor goalkeeper,Hanlon and Stevenson will cost you goals,Fontaine is ok but not great-we are kidding ourselves on if we think we have a squad capable of winning this league.

[One Day Soon]

Garbage.

You're right.

They're not injured and our signings have been effective, strengthened the team and squad and put us on course to win the title. Oh wait....

[GreenCastle]

I was surprised Malonga played today - still carrying an injury.

Allan - our best player but not played 90 for 3 weeks.

Boyle - been out for ages and thrown into a full competitive game - not even played a closed doors game as far as I'm aware!

Add Keatings recurrence of a hamstring injury earlier - it's all very frustrating.

Not great injury management by staff!

[scuttle]

No doubt today's result will see all sorts of over reaction, but seriously, losing to Dumbarton is unacceptable.

But irrespective of today's loss, and even if we had won today I am still concerned about certain basic aspects of professionalism at Easter Road.

I'll simplistically put it.

The management team have known since the end of last season the exact date the new season would kick off.

They knew that we needed to have our best team prepared and ready to play from the very FIRST game.

Why then did we sign players, who basically were not fit enough to kick a ball pre season and indeed either haven't played yet or were rushed in and don't seem match fit.

I don't see it as 'bad luck' I see it more as poor management.or is our medical advice so poor that we would be better when signing players to use the Golden Rods method our neighbours did?

The players who are out May come in in a few weeks and play like Ronaldo..but we needed a full squad from day ONE...then we might have scraped a point off the mighty Dumbarton.

It's too late in two or three weeks...the season started TODAY and if the players were not likely to be fit by then, then we should have looked at alternatives

It is absolutely useless to have them signed but not available, and even an amateur team would reconsider signing players that they knew were unlikely to be fit for the start of the season.

Just what sort of medical advice do we get or do we sign them regardless, hoping a depleted squad will somehow see us through?

Sorry it's so long, Zi'm pissed off, and off to bed now.

Stubbs has signed some decent players, its our inability to defend that is our biggest problem IMHO

[GreenCastle]

Stubbs has signed some decent players, its our inability to defend that is our biggest problem IMHO

There is that famous quote "defence wins championships" - our defence has zero competition - play crap and you still start next week.

[Cabbage East]

Crocks? Why are you talking like a tabloid newspaper?

[inglisavhibs]

Play with proper natural width with players that'll beat a man.

We're still unnecessarily crowding the centre of midfield which is easy to defend against. Was obvious we needed that last season but we've not done enough about it.
Yip agreed, posted this on match thread. Still nothing for any opponents to worry them down our whole left and side.

[GreenCastle]

It's worrying also our hopes are being put on these injured players.

As others stated we should have enough in our FULL time professional team to beat a bunch of PART TIME players who only train a few nights a week.

[Alfred E Newman]

The whole pre season has been a total mess. Signing players who have long term injuries or are injury prone. Re signing a goalkeeper who lets in any shot that is on target. The Scott Allan fiasco which is obviously having a serious effect on team moral. A rediculous jaunt to Spain for a training jolly which has obviously been of no benifit what so ever and of course the 6-2 hammering from Rangers.
Just not good enough at all and the supporters deserve better.

[Thecat23]

I think we've been considerably unlucky this pre season, and the management has at least tried to strengthen early.

I really don't know what we can do better. Still ****ing pissed off though.

Start by beating Dunbarton, quite simple really! Hibs second string team should be beating a part time side! No excuses we're just awful!! We are the new Leeds.

[Bostonhibby]

Crocks? Why are you talking like a tabloid newspaper?
Agree.It would probably have been better to say that all of the players we signed in the pre season plus those we were relying on being fit as a result of how we prepared close season were unable to appear.

However you dress it up the close season strategy looks a bit questionable if the aim was to "hit the ground running". We certainly hit the ground today

[Andy74]

Our preparation in all aspects has looked quite odd this year and this performance sort of sums it up. Lots of injured or half fit players. No change to a dodgy defence. Not really what I had expected from us in terms of starting this season.

[Franck Stanton]

Today we should have been playing at a high tempo from the first whistle, get into the oppositions faces at every opportunity. But no, we seem to have an unwritten rule that whenever we gain possession of the ball, irrespective of whereabouts on the pitch, we must make a minimum of 10 passes between ourselves, give the opposition time to organize their defence and then try to score, however, we have no width and not got a clue what to do in the last 3rd of the pitch. As for the injuries - there seems to be some serious questions needing answered about them, is it the style of training that is causing them ? We sign a player [Keatings] who hardly missed a game the last two years through injury, we sign him and suddenly he has hamstring injuries wtf ? He is not the only one either. My local pub team would be able to beat Dumbarton .

[zlatan]

I can't help but think back to that fitness guy slating our pre season approach a few weeks ago. Could be a coincidence of course but it really looks like he got his criticism of Stubbs spot on.

[Hibby 2005]

That's the main problem though,the squad is not good enough.Oxley is a poor goalkeeper,Hanlon and Stevenson will cost you goals,Fontaine is ok but not great-we are kidding ourselves on if we think we have a squad capable of winning this league.

This.

It surprised me that Oxley was signed and even more surprising that Hanlon is a regular CH. Stevenson had a good season last year so I can see why he's there.

The defence is not solid enough to win the title and more worryingly Stubbs has not seemed to recognise this.

[Brightside]

This.

It surprised me that Oxley was signed and even more surprising that Hanlon is a regular CH. Stevenson had a good season last year so I can see why he's there.

The defence is not solid enough to win the title and more worryingly Stubbs has not seemed to recognise this.
Well that didn't take long. Which goal was down to Stevenson and Hanlon?? Fontaine had a couple of howlers today but best to have a bash at Lewis and Paul again.

[KeithTheHibby]

Defensively we are all over the place. The Huns result was worrying, today emphasised that.

[liamh2202]

Well that didn't take long. Which goal was down to Stevenson and Hanlon?? Fontaine had a couple of howlers today but best to have a bash at Lewis and Paul again.

Hanlon was poor today along with fontaine. Lewis was one of our best players though

[Thecat23]

Well that didn't take long. Which goal was down to Stevenson and Hanlon?? Fontaine had a couple of howlers today but best to have a bash at Lewis and Paul again.

As you know I like both Hanlon and Stevenson. But if we can't defend against part timers you have to ask the question are they really good enough to get us out this league?

These guys should be strolling through games with ease if we are being honest. But Paul seems to get brushed off the ball too easy and Lewis gets caught out a lot too. I'm not saying they are not good enough but they certainly need to start proving that they can deal with teams like Dunbarton.

[Sammy7nil]

Crocks? Why are you talking like a tabloid newspaper?

Sports Direct are selling CROCS for £12.99 I saw that in a tabloid

[The Green Goblin]

Stubbs has signed some decent players, its our inability to defend that is our biggest problem IMHO

Then maybe he should have signed some decent defenders?

[Borderhibbie76]

Well that didn't take long. Which goal was down to Stevenson and Hanlon?? Fontaine had a couple of howlers today but best to have a bash at Lewis and Paul again.

Don't know how u can defend Hanlon today mate. . I was there and he was bullied the entire 90 mins by the Dumbarton no 12...