Was tinkering to blame?

[hibeemikey21]

Interesting points raised by a few pundits over the past few days - I.e. that messi/ ronaldo/Suarez etc never get "rested" or ask for games off and that it seems to be unique to British football (this was all in relation to Man City's 2nd XI getting pumped by Chelsea in the FA Cup.)

Given that this is almost certainly our worst result of the season, it is a bit funny that it follows the reinstatement of some key players following a short break. Wonder if it is a better idea to keep momentum and play your strongest 11 until you're forced to change things. Maybe a rest doesn't actually help matters and players come back in a bit 'cold'

[Hermit Crab]

Interesting points raised by a few pundits over the past few days - I.e. that messi/ ronaldo/Suarez etc never get "rested" or ask for games off and that it seems to be unique to British football (this was all in relation to Man City's 2nd XI getting pumped by Chelsea in the FA Cup.)

Given that this is almost certainly our worst result of the season, it is a bit funny that it follows the reinstatement of some key players following a short break. Wonder if it is a better idea to keep momentum and play your strongest 11 until you're forced to change things. Maybe a rest doesn't actually help matters and players come back in a bit 'cold'


Yes it was to blame. Play your strongest team every week. Bartley should never have been dropped, nor should hanlon. MB and DC can count themselves unlucky not to be in the team tonight.

[djs69]

No, just beaten by a better team on the day, tactically they done us and their wide men were really good

[lyonhibs]

Pretty much any combination of our first team squad should be putting in a decent performance against anyone and everyone in this league.

Tinkering had got **** all to do with it.

[Dom'sFirstTouch]

We've got too many games in close succession to not try some squad rotation. That team tonight should have had more than enough to win, too many of our players simply didn't turn up.

[Hi Heid Yin]

I recall sides of old playing, seemingly, the same line up week-in, week-out. Think of Turnbull's Tornadoes, or that great Leed United side of the 1970's (yes, showing my age). Other players did come off the bench but manager's relied on the old guard to do the business right through the season. Squad rotation is now a given and I do believe that it can impact on momentum. We sent out a quality side against Morton, but it was ring rusty and carrying no momentum from the previous game. It's a risky business chopping and changing and sometimes, just sometimes, it can back-fire.

[SeanWilson]

No, just beaten by a better team on the day, tactically they done us and their wide men were really good

They didn't 'tactically do us'. We lost a stupid goal and completely rushed the game from then on in. We were in and about there box umpteen times and seemed to have no cohesion. Chasing the game, we were always open to the counter and I'm not sure how on earth you expect Stubbs to go up against a team that set up with 10 men behind the ball until a break away?

[Nicho87]

No

[lord bunberry]

We should always play our best team, the squad can be used when players get injured. Professional footballers should be able to manage 2 games a week, they won't be doing much in training in between.

[Brightside]

The issue tonight was certain players not putting in the effort required. We were 2nd to every ball. That's not a tinkering issue, its a players attitude issue.

[matty_f]

The issue tonight was certain players not putting in the effort required. We were 2nd to every ball. That's not a tinkering issue, its a players attitude issue.

I thought we started pretty well and I think some players thought victory was a given, then they found it hard to get going when it became evident that Morton had the upper hand.

[J-C]

Not really anything to do with best players as AS has said that any player not picked is good enough to play when asked, he wanted competition for places and he's got that.

Stubbs main fault is he continues with the diamond which he's played 99% of the time with 3-5-2 his other choice. For me the diamond struggles against teams who sit in with 2 banks of 4 and hit on the break, we saw on sunday how effective 3-5-2 works, giving us width and pace as it stretches the teams who sit in. All you have to do with the diamond is to play narrow and clog up the middle of the park allowing zero space for midfield and strikers.

This is why we've only averaged just over 1.5 goals per game this season, we don't stretch teams and we struggle to break them down.

[Iain G]

Interesting points raised by a few pundits over the past few days - I.e. that messi/ ronaldo/Suarez etc never get "rested" or ask for games off and that it seems to be unique to British football (this was all in relation to Man City's 2nd XI getting pumped by Chelsea in the FA Cup.)

Given that this is almost certainly our worst result of the season, it is a bit funny that it follows the reinstatement of some key players following a short break. Wonder if it is a better idea to keep momentum and play your strongest 11 until you're forced to change things. Maybe a rest doesn't actually help matters and players come back in a bit 'cold'

Is the question not, did we pick the right team for this game, seems the answer was no.

Pick it up again in training tomorrow and we go again, bad day at the office acknowldged and we move on as we have with other setbacks this season. The team is more resilient than many of recent years but like all teams is not beyond a flat, missfiring performance.

[Andy74]

One thing is Thomson can't play as a holding player when he can't match the runs. Bartley is a player just now that shouldn't have been dropped.

We aren't good enough yet to win a league by rotating people too much.

[shetlandhibee]

:top marks
One thing is Thomson can't play as a holding player when he can't match the runs. Bartley is a player just now that shouldn't have been dropped.

We aren't good enough yet to win a league by rotating people too much.

[MWHIBBIES]

We should always play our best team, the squad can be used when players get injured. Professional footballers should be able to manage 2 games a week, they won't be doing much in training in between.The best teams in the world don't do this and for good reason. It isn't the 2 games in a week that does it, it's the 8 games in 1 month.

[Crammond Hibee]

No, just beaten by a better team on the day, tactically they done us and their wide men were really good

Exactly
Too much tinkering
And we do have weaknesses which were cruelly exposed tonight by Morton and their manager
Bartley and Hanlon should have started
Our two top performers that give the team drive.

[Onion]

No, just bad defending at the corner and our best attackers couldn't put the ball in the net.

[KeithTheHibby]

Stubbs got it wrong simple as.

I get the need for rotating players however 7 changes game on game is too much. We got away with it against Alloa as they are pish however for me he should have played Hanlon and Bartley last night. 2 form players and basically the spine of the team. If there was a game to rest them it was against Alloa, not Morton.
Play offs it is.

[andy1875]

Was Stubbs to blame? Not for me.

He picked a strong 11 that should have been more than good enough to win the game. The team was poor on the night and Morton deservedly won. Not sure how that is the managers fault that quite a few had an off night.

[Golden Bear]

I wasn't at the game last night so can't really comment on either the tactics or individual performances. However did I not read that Bartley is a player who has fitness issues and can't play too many games in a short period of time? If so, that might explain why he didn't play last night.

[O'Rourke3]

We should have been 3 up in the first 15 minutes. Not sure about the disallowed goal offisde before or after the cut back? Or the missed header by Cummings. From the other side of the ground looked like it could have been a penalty for a clear push. Couple of great saves from their keeper. So a different game when we take our chances and no-one would be saying weaker/stronger/tinker etc.

Poor defending and keeping goal 1. Poor refereeing before they got up the park then helped by poor keeping. Poor decision making by as good as last man for goal no 3. One of those nights. so long as we don't repeat Saturday a disappointing game, poor result. We've had these before.

[Super_JMcGinn]

Interesting points raised by a few pundits over the past few days - I.e. that messi/ ronaldo/Suarez etc never get "rested" or ask for games off and that it seems to be unique to British football (this was all in relation to Man City's 2nd XI getting pumped by Chelsea in the FA Cup.)

Given that this is almost certainly our worst result of the season, it is a bit funny that it follows the reinstatement of some key players following a short break. Wonder if it is a better idea to keep momentum and play your strongest 11 until you're forced to change things. Maybe a rest doesn't actually help matters and players come back in a bit 'cold'
100% and hopefully Stubbs learns from this. We still have lots to play for :flag:

[leggeto]

I think some players are just lazy and think they have it hard,don't think they really need much rest unless they get knocks and bruises, they will be in top fitness condition too mind

[1987kev]

My thoughts on what's wrong with the team.

Lack of width and pace we can't stretch a team when they park the bus against us, in the cup games it's perfect for us everyone has came to have go.

The midfield apart from Bartley are all the same some times mcginn it's nice and tidy passing but there is nobody that will drive at defence find that killer pass, we need a goals from midfield.

Stokes and Cummings are too similar it doesn't work. Thought in the semi final it's the most dangerous we are been for a while.

[heretoday]

We missed several chances and the game would have been over had we taken them.

That said, I'd question Stubbs' squad rotation policy. Okay if you're Chelsea or whatever but we cannot afford to be so flexible.

You really shouldn't change a winning team.

[J-C]

We missed several chances and the game would have been over had we taken them.

That said, I'd question Stubbs' squad rotation policy. Okay if you're Chelsea or whatever but we cannot afford to be so flexible.

You really shouldn't change a winning team.


We changed a winning team on sunday and also won.

[heretoday]

We changed a winning team on sunday and also won.

Aye but Hanlon and Bartley were in the side.

[MWHIBBIES]

Aye but Hanlon and Bartley were in the side.Those players alone don't cause a 6 goal swing. Both (and most of the crowd) would have scored the 2 headers Jason missed at 0-0 though...

[Greenworld]

Yes it was to blame. Play your strongest team every week. Bartley should never have been dropped, nor should hanlon. MB and DC can count themselves unlucky not to be in the team tonight.
100 percent correct

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk

[Lago]

Yes it was to blame. Play your strongest team every week. Bartley should never have been dropped, nor should hanlon. MB and DC can count themselves unlucky not to be in the team tonight.
Yip no need for squad rotation at thiss level of football.

[MWHIBBIES]

Yip no need for squad rotation at thiss level of football.There is a need for it at every level of football...that is why everyone does it.

[Waxy]

Perhaps playing 3 important cup games in front of sellouts has a bit to do with it? Its been a huge few weeks in the cups for us and the team have come through superbly. Bit of a comedown/hangover partly to blame going back to playing for smaller crowds?

[Hibernia&Alba]

Yip no need for squad rotation at thiss level of football.

When participating in three competitions, it's necessary to use your squad, due to fatigue or slight knocks. That's what a squad is for. Stubbs, IMO rightly, felt that a home game against Morton was a good time to rest a couple - and it was only a couple. We should have had more than enough to have still won the match. IMO, it wasn't exactly 'tinkering' and it can't be used as an excuse for a poor performance. It happens.

[hibbymick]

When participating in three competitions, it's necessary to use your squad, due to fatigue or slight knocks. That's what a squad is for. Stubbs, IMO rightly, felt that a home game against Morton was a good time to rest a couple - and it was only a couple. We should have had more than enough to have still won the match. IMO, it wasn't exactly 'tinkering' and it can't be used as an excuse for a poor performance. It happens.


I agree about squad rotation but Bartley Has started less games than most and wouldve been one of the first names on my teamsheet after his recent performances.

[Big L]

If we had got the pen when JC pushed in the back missing the header it would have been a different game, we wouldn't have had to chase the game.their first goal should have been Oxleys, their 2nd was an Oxley mistake and their 3rd he was to slow in reacting, I'm not just saying it now, I've said it from the start, I don't think he's good enough never have done, Mcgregor and Hanlon should not be out the side. The constant changes have cost us dearly IMO.

[Lago]

There is a need for it at every level of football...that is why everyone does it.
Everyone, Leicester effective have played the same, strongest, team apart from when injuries intervene.

[MWHIBBIES]

Everyone, Leicester effective have played the same, strongest, team apart from when injuries intervene.Leicester are competing on 1 front with 1 game a week.

[Lago]

Leicester are competing on 1 front with 1 game a week.
They are now following a replay defeat in the FA cup.

[Captain Trips]

The 11 selected should not be losing 3-0 at home to Morton, have they tinkered with team? These things happen and they just didnt play well they have had loads of praise a bit of stick is sometimes warrented, 3-0 at home to Morton is one of those times.

[theonlywayisup]

Can someone confirm the last time we played the same starting 11 in successive games?

[hibeemikey21]

Can someone confirm the last time we played the same starting 11 in successive games?

But it's only over the last week when mass changes have been made. We then end up getting pumped at home in the league for the first time in nearly a year.

[Danderhall Hibs]

They are now following a replay defeat in the FA cup.

They put the reserves out in the cup though didn't they?