Jonnyboy
16-09-2017, 06:39 PM
Having walked away from both Dens Park and McDiarmid Park in recent weeks, feeling that we’d played well enough to consider each draw as two points lost, I walked away from today’s game against Motherwell feeling that it was a point gained. Somehow we managed to get a 2-0 lead but by the end of the game we were hanging on and facing a barrage of attacks from the visitors.
Starting the game with the same eleven that took to the field against St Johnstone, it was fair to assume that the good form shown in that game would continue in front of a bumper home crowd. In fact, I felt we started slowly with passes going astray and players being caught in possession whereas Motherwell broke at pace and we had a job containing them.
After a ropey fifteen minutes, Anthony Stokes was hauled down in the box for what to me looked like a stick on penalty but referee Barry Cook waved claims aside. Motherwell’s Carl McHugh was then booked for diving in the Hibs penalty area and minutes later, Boyle raced into the box, going down under a challenge from Tait. At the game my Brother felt there was minimal contact but referee Cook pointed to the spot and Stokes put Hibs 1-0 up. There was a thought that Cook was ‘righting the wrong’ of denying the earlier claim.
One bright spot for Hibs in the first half was the play of Brandon Barker, who tormented the visiting right back and fired in a few decent crosses. If anything though, he tended to hold onto the ball too long at times when an early cross might have caught the Motherwell defenders scrambling back.
Twelve minutes into the second half, Stokes and Barker played a wee give and go at the edge of the Motherwell box. It looked like a defender would step in but the ball found its way to Stokes who cleverly netted with the outside of his boot. At this point, Hibs should have concentrated on keeping the ball but still passes were going astray and it seemed like the midfield had never heard the expression ‘second ball.’ Less than ten minutes later, appalling marking allowed what was a bread and butter cross to be headed home by Louis Moult and a further ten minutes on, he struck again when Hibs failed to clear the ball on the edge of their area.
Motherwell were very much on the front foot now and I genuinely felt we’d concede a third but as the clock ticked slowly down we managed to preserve the point.
In general, I felt far too many players performed below their best and that the introduction of McGeouch arrived too late for him to steady the ship and create from midfield.
The players
Rocky – was all over the place today. Flapped at a few crosses, kicked poorly at times and for my money was at fault for Moult’s first goal when he could and should have come to collect the cross.
David Gray – Solid enough but suffered from the lack of movement ahead of him. Could have done better stopping crosses coming into the Hibs box.
Efe – Took a couple of sore ones and I’ve no idea what he was doing with a high pass back to the keeper and a second clearance attempt going straight up in the air! Didn’t win many headers either which is the minimum I’d expect from a central defender.
Paul Hanlon – As with Gray he seemed solid enough but turning your back instead of closing down allowed Moult the space to shoot his second goal of the game.
Whitty – Very poor from the off in my view. Slack marking and even slacker passing means I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lewis in for the next game.
Boyler – not at his best and in fact I thought that the poorest performance from him in a while. Brilliantly set free down the right by Murray, he looked up, saw Stokes free in the middle and fluffed his pass.
Marv – Did what Marv does. Got in amongst them and broke play up but after their second goal he seemed to be fighting a lone battle in midfield.
SJM – Did well enough early doors but was harried throughout by young Allan Campbell (No. 22) who stuck to the task of stifling our best player. The young lad quickly cottoned on to STM letting the ball run across his body while he planted his feet. As a result, SJM kept turning right into Campbell’s path.
Barker – Excellent first half in which he tormented the Motherwell right flank but was a tad slow at times with his delivery. Tired a lot towards the end and should have set the unmarked Slivka free at the death but fell over the ball instead.
Murray – This laddie has a thankless task. Pumping high balls to him is not the answer but when he did get it to feet he linked the play well enough.
Stokesy – The one player who, in my view, played to form and was named man of the match, a decision I agree with. Stroked home the penalty and it was a very clever finish for the second. Was kinda bizarre though, watching him take corners.
Big Dave – replaced Murray but was unable to use his height and build to effect in their box due to a chronic lack of crosses
Slivka – booked within seconds of coming on when he and a Motherwell player jumped for a ball and clashed heads. I’ve no idea what the booking was for to be honest. Played ok, during his twenty minutes on the park.
Dylan – Got six minutes and you have to ask why when it was obvious we needed to keep possession of the ball and Dylan is excellent at that very thing.
Referee – He may be Cook but he was not Barry. Erratic decisions, none more so than the late one when Motherwell were gifted a free kick when no foul had actually occurred.
The fans – Tremendous numbers again but not a lot of noise. The guys in the upper Famous Five try their best but I sit in the East, roughly level with the home dugout and the loudest noise throughout was from the visiting fans in the South. I’m not having a pop at our guys, I just feel they’re wasted tucked away in that corner and should return to their high up position in S43.
Stadium Announcer – Step aside Barry because young Jack was the star of the day!
Starting the game with the same eleven that took to the field against St Johnstone, it was fair to assume that the good form shown in that game would continue in front of a bumper home crowd. In fact, I felt we started slowly with passes going astray and players being caught in possession whereas Motherwell broke at pace and we had a job containing them.
After a ropey fifteen minutes, Anthony Stokes was hauled down in the box for what to me looked like a stick on penalty but referee Barry Cook waved claims aside. Motherwell’s Carl McHugh was then booked for diving in the Hibs penalty area and minutes later, Boyle raced into the box, going down under a challenge from Tait. At the game my Brother felt there was minimal contact but referee Cook pointed to the spot and Stokes put Hibs 1-0 up. There was a thought that Cook was ‘righting the wrong’ of denying the earlier claim.
One bright spot for Hibs in the first half was the play of Brandon Barker, who tormented the visiting right back and fired in a few decent crosses. If anything though, he tended to hold onto the ball too long at times when an early cross might have caught the Motherwell defenders scrambling back.
Twelve minutes into the second half, Stokes and Barker played a wee give and go at the edge of the Motherwell box. It looked like a defender would step in but the ball found its way to Stokes who cleverly netted with the outside of his boot. At this point, Hibs should have concentrated on keeping the ball but still passes were going astray and it seemed like the midfield had never heard the expression ‘second ball.’ Less than ten minutes later, appalling marking allowed what was a bread and butter cross to be headed home by Louis Moult and a further ten minutes on, he struck again when Hibs failed to clear the ball on the edge of their area.
Motherwell were very much on the front foot now and I genuinely felt we’d concede a third but as the clock ticked slowly down we managed to preserve the point.
In general, I felt far too many players performed below their best and that the introduction of McGeouch arrived too late for him to steady the ship and create from midfield.
The players
Rocky – was all over the place today. Flapped at a few crosses, kicked poorly at times and for my money was at fault for Moult’s first goal when he could and should have come to collect the cross.
David Gray – Solid enough but suffered from the lack of movement ahead of him. Could have done better stopping crosses coming into the Hibs box.
Efe – Took a couple of sore ones and I’ve no idea what he was doing with a high pass back to the keeper and a second clearance attempt going straight up in the air! Didn’t win many headers either which is the minimum I’d expect from a central defender.
Paul Hanlon – As with Gray he seemed solid enough but turning your back instead of closing down allowed Moult the space to shoot his second goal of the game.
Whitty – Very poor from the off in my view. Slack marking and even slacker passing means I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lewis in for the next game.
Boyler – not at his best and in fact I thought that the poorest performance from him in a while. Brilliantly set free down the right by Murray, he looked up, saw Stokes free in the middle and fluffed his pass.
Marv – Did what Marv does. Got in amongst them and broke play up but after their second goal he seemed to be fighting a lone battle in midfield.
SJM – Did well enough early doors but was harried throughout by young Allan Campbell (No. 22) who stuck to the task of stifling our best player. The young lad quickly cottoned on to STM letting the ball run across his body while he planted his feet. As a result, SJM kept turning right into Campbell’s path.
Barker – Excellent first half in which he tormented the Motherwell right flank but was a tad slow at times with his delivery. Tired a lot towards the end and should have set the unmarked Slivka free at the death but fell over the ball instead.
Murray – This laddie has a thankless task. Pumping high balls to him is not the answer but when he did get it to feet he linked the play well enough.
Stokesy – The one player who, in my view, played to form and was named man of the match, a decision I agree with. Stroked home the penalty and it was a very clever finish for the second. Was kinda bizarre though, watching him take corners.
Big Dave – replaced Murray but was unable to use his height and build to effect in their box due to a chronic lack of crosses
Slivka – booked within seconds of coming on when he and a Motherwell player jumped for a ball and clashed heads. I’ve no idea what the booking was for to be honest. Played ok, during his twenty minutes on the park.
Dylan – Got six minutes and you have to ask why when it was obvious we needed to keep possession of the ball and Dylan is excellent at that very thing.
Referee – He may be Cook but he was not Barry. Erratic decisions, none more so than the late one when Motherwell were gifted a free kick when no foul had actually occurred.
The fans – Tremendous numbers again but not a lot of noise. The guys in the upper Famous Five try their best but I sit in the East, roughly level with the home dugout and the loudest noise throughout was from the visiting fans in the South. I’m not having a pop at our guys, I just feel they’re wasted tucked away in that corner and should return to their high up position in S43.
Stadium Announcer – Step aside Barry because young Jack was the star of the day!