Is it time for a new strategy?

[H18 SFR]

In recent times we've seen Hearts with the SC with a team of bruisers, Dundee Utd with a team of hammer throwers, ICT with the same although to a lesser extent (they were certainly physical last week).

Too many times as a team we are unable to implement our preferred softly, softly approach of a passing game, simply steamrollered away or unable to break physical teams down.

Is it time to bite the bullet and go down the route Hearts are of building a team of giants who simply stop other teams getting a hold of the game and then grind them down?

[greenlex]

No

[JimBHibees]

In recent times we've seen Hearts with the SC with a team of bruisers, Dundee Utd with a team of hammer throwers, ICT with the same although to a lesser extent (they were certainly physical last week).

Too many times as a team we are unable to implement our preferred softly, softly approach of a passing game, simply steamrollered away or unable to break physical teams down.

Is it time to bite the bullet and go down the route Hearts are of building a team of giants who simply stop other teams getting a hold of the game and then grind them down?

Jeezo.

[liamh2202]

We need a solid 4 at the back and wingers with pace..... Hoofball is never the answer

[Stokesy's on fire]

I think Scottish football so bad anyone can beat anyone

[Jdawg]

In recent times we've seen Hearts with the SC with a team of bruisers, Dundee Utd with a team of hammer throwers, ICT with the same although to a lesser extent (they were certainly physical last week).

Too many times as a team we are unable to implement our preferred softly, softly approach of a passing game, simply steamrollered away or unable to break physical teams down.

Is it time to bite the bullet and go down the route Hearts are of building a team of giants who simply stop other teams getting a hold of the game and then grind them down?

Pish, we face hearts And Dundee Utd a going over, beat Aberdeen and ICT were fortunate to draw with us.

Ross County were minging today too.

We do need to make more clear cut chances though.

[Pete]

We need people to kick the ball really hard in the direction of the goal more often. You could throw your cap over 90% of our efforts on goal.

[marinello59]

In recent times we've seen Hearts with the SC with a team of bruisers, Dundee Utd with a team of hammer throwers, ICT with the same although to a lesser extent (they were certainly physical last week).

Too many times as a team we are unable to implement our preferred softly, softly approach of a passing game, simply steamrollered away or unable to break physical teams down.

Is it time to bite the bullet and go down the route Hearts are of building a team of giants who simply stop other teams getting a hold of the game and then grind them down?

I guess I picked the wrong night to give up sniffing glue.

[Michael]

Predictable reaction of 'this doesn't work so let's try the complete opposite'. The direction we're going in is fine in principle...but I think Stubbs weakness is tactical.

[high bee]

We need people to kick the ball really hard in the direction of the goal more often. You could throw your cap over 90% of our efforts on goal.

This has been winding me up lately, why don't we just stick our laces through it sometimes. The tameness of our efforts by our strikers are so frustrating, Stokes was a class act in his last spell yet every effort seems to trickle towards goal nowadays.

[hibbytam]

yes, but not that one. We need to have some width in the middle of the park, as we're far far too narrow, far too often. We also need our strikers to start taking their chances, and our defenders to stop having brainfarts.

[emerald green]

Can I suggest a new super duper strategy? One which all the top coaches in the world will want to know about. Here it is:

a) You put the ball in the back of the net more often than the opposition, and

b) You don't gift the opposition a goal of a start, and a goal in the 90th minute to finish off.

[Eyrie]

Never.

We need to play with pace and width, and to be willing to shoot rather than make yet another pass.

[rcarter1]

We need people to kick the ball really hard in the direction of the goal more often. You could throw your cap over 90% of our efforts on goal.

THIS!!! :clapper:

[SlickShoes]

Are there stats for games where we actually score the first goal vs ones where we dont?

If we score first the opposition has to come out and attack and not sit in, I suspect we win the majority of these or at least don't lose. In games where the opposition score first, we seem almost incapable of a full comeback, draws at best.

[SeanWilson]

We were a Dylan Mcgeouch and Fraser Fyvie away from hammering them yeterday. Our football is good, we just lack cohesion betweem mid and attack without these two in the team. If you add Hanlon to that equation, we'd have strolled it.

[CentreLine]

We were a Dylan Mcgeouch and Fraser Fyvie away from hammering them yeterday. Our football is good, we just lack cohesion betweem mid and attack without these two in the team. If you add Hanlon to that equation, we'd have strolled it.

Yes but would we have been allowed 14 on the park? :greengrin

[Smartie]

We need people to kick the ball really hard in the direction of the goal more often. You could throw your cap over 90% of our efforts on goal.

It's somewhat depressing that this is far and away the most sensible suggestion I've heard since the game.

[Since90+2]

We were a Dylan Mcgeouch and Fraser Fyvie away from hammering them yeterday. Our football is good, we just lack cohesion betweem mid and attack without these two in the team. If you add Hanlon to that equation, we'd have strolled it.

If McGeouch was fit yesterday we win the game IMO, he can change the tempo of a move quickly in a way most other players can't.

[SeanWilson]

Yes but would we have been allowed 14 on the park? :greengrin

:greengrin:greengrin

don't think that plonker of a ref would have noticed mind you. :wink:

[J-C]

We were a Dylan McGeouch and Fraser Fyvie away from hammering them yesterday. Our football is good, we just lack cohesion between mid and attack without these two in the team. If you add Hanlon to that equation, we'd have strolled it.


Those three were a big loss yesterday but who would you leave out of midfield, Thomson would be a gimme but would you drop Henderson? McGinn? or Barley?

[Giro Playboy]

We need a solid 4 at the back and wingers with pace..... Hoofball is never the answer I don't think the OP is advocating that we turn into Vinny Jones Wimbledon but we certainly need a bit more muscle in the team.

[SeanWilson]

If McGeouch was fit yesterday we win the game IMO, he can change the tempo of a move quickly in a way most other players can't.

Its so obvious that since these two have been out of the team, the front two/three have to play a different game. You very rarely see the strikers in the box now and if it wasn't for the fact that Stokes is willing to run and make space to take the ball, they'd barely touch the it.

[SeanWilson]

Those three were a big loss yesterday but who would you leave out of midfield, Thomson would be a gimme but would you drop Henderson? McGinn? or Barley?

I'd have gone - DM for KT and its a tough call on Bartley having now seen the match as he played a blinder but i think Fyvie offers more to our overall game whens he's on it.

[CentreLine]

:greengrin:greengrin

don't think that plonker of a ref would have noticed mind you. :wink:

:faf: Fair point. And how Ross County managed to finish the game without even a single yellow card is beyond me.

[SeanWilson]

:faf: Fair point. And how Ross County managed to finish the game without even a single yellow card is beyond me.

He booked McGinn for basically having the audacity to skin the boy trying to tackle him.... bananas. :rolleyes:

[Jones28]

Nah, just need to score some ****ing goals. I know it was a cup final yesterday but Cummings and Stokes haven't clicked and don't look like they ever will. Keatings works better with both of them.

[crash]

We were a Dylan Mcgeouch and Fraser Fyvie away from hammering them yeterday. Our football is good, we just lack cohesion betweem mid and attack without these two in the team. If you add Hanlon to that equation, we'd have strolled it.
Always what ifs. The players you mentioned all played in our previous Hampden disaster (v Falkirk same consequence.
You can have as much possession as you want,but the tempo is painfully slow.Everybody wants 2 or3 touches of the ball,that doesn't frighten anybody and thats why we dont score goals.

[carnoustiehibee]

I'd get them to stop doing so much media work. Especially Stubbs, is too naive for it and his in treble talk and the team ain't bottlers make him look daft.

Also cut out the share scheme, season ticket stuff till after we've won something. Doing it all last few weeks was wrong time. Just get a team of winners on the park first the rest will follow

[SeanWilson]

Always what ifs. The players you mentioned all played in our previous Hampden disaster (v Falkirk same consequence.
You can have as much possession as you want,but the tempo is painfully slow.Everybody wants 2 or3 touches of the ball,that doesn't frighten anybody and thats why we dont score goals.

They were and we also battered Falirk that whole match and should have won (i know, should have...). Difference is, we don't look like a team thats ever going to win a game 3-0 right now, the attack are not playing to the same tune as midfield and nobody knows what to do in the final 3rd. How many times did we get in or around the 18 yard yesterday and try one pass to many, absolutely no cutting edge and having the likes of DM in the team gives you that.

Also - I've avoided having a dig at AS thus far, however McGinn was quite clearly having a job done on him and could not get in to the game at all in the formation, he should have changed it up to play to our strenghths and didn't.

[MB62]

Nah, just need to score some ****ing goals. I know it was a cup final yesterday but Cummings and Stokes haven't clicked and don't look like they ever will. Keatings works better with both of them.

Agree. Partnerships can take a while to gel but we don't have a while for this to gel. Neither Stokes nor Cummings are much cope with the high ball, which they tend to get a good fair bit of, and I think it's time to change. I thought after about 60 minutes yesterday, we should have changed one or both of the front two, but I would most certainly have given Al Alagui a chance as their centre half had Cummings in his back pocket with the high balls.
I didn't like our line up from the start as I don't believe we can play K.T. and Marvin in the same team as it asks a lot of Henderson and McGinn.
I thought at the very least in the 2nd half we should have gone to three at the back and brought on Gunnerson for Thomson, but whatever, we had to change something as what we were doing wasn't working.

[percy veer]

yes, but not that one. We need to have some width in the middle of the park, as we're far far too narrow, far too often. We also need our strikers to start taking their chances, and our defenders to stop having brainfarts.



If only only we had 2 wingers at our disposal some like Boyle and Carmichael who had great games 2 weeks ago and not really been seen since

[HairyBrain]

Personally I've liked when we've went 3-5-2. Only once that I've seen this year but worked a good few times last season.

We have three decent-centre backs. Allows holding mid and two others. Plus gives us much needed width, 2 out of Boyle Gray Stevenson and Carmichael.

The narrow diamond is fine against lower opposition, but against half decent teams with good movement we're vulnerable.

Anywho
GGTTH

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

[The Sundance Kid]

Are there stats for games where we actually score the first goal vs ones where we dont?

If we score first the opposition has to come out and attack and not sit in, I suspect we win the majority of these or at least don't lose. In games where the opposition score first, we seem almost incapable of a full comeback, draws at best.

For this season in games where we've scored first our record is: won 23, drawn 1 and lost 2.

Our record when the opposition scores first is won 1, drawn 4 and lost 6

[emerald green]

For this season in games where we've scored first our record is: won 23, drawn 1 and lost 2.

Our record when the opposition scores first is won 1, drawn 4 and lost 6

First goal is the most important one in the majority of games. Give your opponents a goal of a start, especially in a cup final, and you are toiling.

[SlickShoes]

For this season in games where we've scored first our record is: won 23, drawn 1 and lost 2.

Our record when the opposition scores first is won 1, drawn 4 and lost 6

Cheers mate, it's as I thought, the first goal really is key to us winning games, was gutted yesterday when they scored first.

[CockneyRebel]

If only only we had 2 wingers at our disposal some like Boyle and Carmichael who had great games 2 weeks ago and not really been seen since

Carmichael is injured

[Lancs Harp]

We literally did give them the first goal, well both goals in fact. The first goal was a comedy of errors, McGinn, then Thomson and then I think it was Fontaine all gave the ball away in the space of about 10 seconds. The second goal Gray and Bartley managed to fluff a tackle between them on the half way line resulting in the Staggies counter attacking down our right and it took McGregor an eternity to try and get over to make a challenge, he seemed to want to leave it to Bartley steaming back from he halfway line (who was never gong to get back in time). Gray was trying to get back to the middle obviously thinking that someone from the middle would get over to cover and was best heading for the shortest route back to cover the centre. Really poor decision making from McGregor for me.

Thought we really missed Hanlon and McGeouch, but even so if you make crucial mistakes its going to cost you and it surely did, the really annoying thing for me was that considering Ross County are currently the fourth best team in Scotland and we're a second tier side I thought they were extremely poor and offered next to nothing. There for the taking. Having said that I thought Irvine in their midfield had an excellent match, he had McGinn in his pocket.

Defensively McGregor and Fontaine both look ok when they play next to Hanlon but when they play together they give me a heart attack.

Bartley and Hendo were the picks of the Hibs players and personally I thought we played quite well in the first half and although we never got a flow going in the second half Premier side County still offered very little.

Gutted we lost that.

To add to previous posts over he past few weeks, Stubbsy has rightly taken a lot of plaudits over the majority of this season but questions are rightly being asked at the moment Alan and you're not finding the answers.