Hibs After Lennon

[One Day Soon]

Putting the St Mirren game to one side as they are bottom of the league and it was immediate aftermath.

Was today's performance against Aberdeen better, worse or no different to the last time we played them at ER?

[CapitalGreen]

Putting the St Mirren game to one side as they are bottom of the league and it was immediate aftermath.

Was today's performance against Aberdeen better, worse or no different to the last time we played them at ER?

Lennon’s record v Aberdeen was 1 win in 8 games so I’m not sure it’s a great barometer.

[One Day Soon]

Lennon’s record v Aberdeen was 1 win in 8 games so I’m not sure it’s a great barometer.


I'm talking about the performance not the record. With new signings and all I'm curious as to whether we performed better or not. It didn't particularly feel like it to me but then all games against Aberdeen are like having teeth pulled without anaesthetic.

[wookie70]

We weren't great but the set up of the team was poor with too many defensive players and an often tried but seldom worked(this season) 3 at the back. May was pretty complimentary about Lennon in the presser and said he had learned a lot from him. I suspect he has been taking tips on how to set a team up badly. It looks like a manager will be in very shortly so let's just get passed this short period, hope we get through in the cup and look again when a new manager is settled. Why did we give May the job when he seems to actively not want to do it. Could Murray not have taken it short term.

[madhatter]

Absolutely the same. We've been devoid of a noticeable playing style for a long time.

[Hiber-nation]

Absolutely the same. We've been devoid of a noticeable playing style for a long time.

Just what I said after the game. Couldn't imagine there being any difference.

[J-C]

We looked set up not to lose, sat too deep with Bartley a passenger until he went off, the passing at times was brutal, who they were passing to baffles me.
Hopefully a new manager that comes in will be more positive and start going to win games.

[Unseen work]

Actually thought we were better as May had the eyes to see it wasn’t working and make early subs - something Lennon rarely done.

We will never know though cause we don’t know what team/formation Lennon would have played and how that would have effected us.

[MWHIBBIES]

Actually thought we were better as May had the eyes to see it wasn’t working and make early subs - something Lennon rarely done.

We will never know though cause we don’t know what team/formation Lennon would have played and how that would have effected us.The subs made us worse. Shaw was doing very well.

[erin go bragh]

Putting the St Mirren game to one side as they are bottom of the league and it was immediate aftermath.

Was today's performance against Aberdeen better, worse or no different to the last time we played them at ER?
The last time at ER , was in the cup (lost on pens) but were far the better side , creating lots of chances and very unlucky to go out .
Better performance in the cup for me .

[bingo70]

Just what I said after the game. Couldn't imagine there being any difference.

I’m not sure Shaw would have scored that a couple of weeks back.

I’ve mentioned before that I felt Shaw was in danger of falling into Danny handling territory. Come on, don’t do anything bad but play it safe too much, typically control it and pass it back 5 yards.

To me, and I know people will disagree but I think he’s looked a different player these last couple of weeks, it’s like the shackles have come off and he’s not scared to make a mistake any more.

[wookie70]

I’m not sure Shaw would have scored that a couple of weeks back.

I’ve mentioned before that I felt Shaw was in danger of falling into Danny handling territory. Come on, don’t do anything bad but play it safe too much, typically control it and pass it back 5 yards.

To me, and I know people will disagree but I think he’s looked a different player these last couple of weeks, it’s like the shackles have come off and he’s not scared to make a mistake any more.

I thought Shaw went into safe mode the minute Flo started getting blamed by Lennon. Hardly surprising really. He is a cracking player and his goals to games ratio is fantastic for such a young player.

[Lewiehas2]

Kind of irrelevant cause it’s not a new manager

[BoyledEgg]

The subs made us worse. Shaw was doing very well.

Bartley was honking and once the new boy came on we were better. Gauld and McNulty never really got going though. Aberdeen seen the game out easily.

[660]

As much as I like his personality, Bartley is utter dross as a football player

[Carheenlea]

Alarmed when I saw the thread title - my first thought was that we had identified Danny Lennon as our main target for new manager.

[Hi Heid Yin]

Putting the St Mirren game to one side as they are bottom of the league and it was immediate aftermath.

Was today's performance against Aberdeen better, worse or no different to the last time we played them at ER?

The BBC stats show Aberdeen enjoyed 69% possession.

We, as the Home team, had 31% possession.

That, frankly, is unacceptable.

I'm not sure we had so little possession under Neil Lennon in previous games at home against this lot.

Maybe the statisticians can enlighten us.

[Inconsequential]

Alarmed when I saw the thread title - my first thought was that we had identified Danny Lennon as our main target for new manager. Maybe it's Neil??? :wink:

[BILLYHIBS]

The last time at ER , was in the cup (lost on pens) but were far the better side , creating lots of chances and very unlucky to go out .
Better performance in the cup for me .

Guys! Remember this game?

Totally out played the sheep 22 shots on goal.

I remember they were playing for penalties after about twenty minutes.

We missed chance after chance totally dominated possession

As the OP said very unlucky to go out.

I would say that this performance although somewhat toothless was better than Saturdays poor attempt

I am convinced that Olly Shaw would take one of those chances now

I also remember McInnes gloating after the game saying it was all part of the master plan and penalties is a science

[elevengoats]

The subs made us worse. Shaw was doing very well.

I thought McNulty was okay, we still created some chances after he came on. After Gauld came on for Mallan we stopped playing though.

[jacomo]

The BBC stats show Aberdeen enjoyed 69% possession.

We, as the Home team, had 31% possession.

That, frankly, is unacceptable.

I'm not sure we had so little possession under Neil Lennon in previous games at home against this lot.

Maybe the statisticians can enlighten us.


If those stats are right, they are very poor.

I can’t imagine we had less of the ball in any game under Lennon (or indeed Stubbs)

[Michael]

Maybe it's Neil??? :wink:

Did well in his last job. Worth a punt.

[CentreLine]

I thought McNulty was okay, we still created some chances after he came on. After Gauld came on for Mallan we stopped playing though.

McNulty was excellent. Was in the right back position defending at one point. Tracked the Aberdeen player all the way. Then back at the top of the pitch. He put a terrific shift in for his time on the pitch.

[we are hibs]

If those stats are right, they are very poor.

I can’t imagine we had less of the ball in any game under Lennon (or indeed Stubbs)

We certainly did against Celtic and rangers the majority of the time under both but on most occasions we had enough pace in the team to catch them on the break.

[Liberal Hibby]

My gut feeling (based on nothing but highlights, the St Mirren game live on tv and Johnnyboy's match reports) is that we'll struggle to fit Gauld and Mallan in the same team - they both just want to be off a front two and I don't think there's room for both. Mallan isn't like SJM who could play deeper - he needs to be high up the pitch (as does Gauld). Can Gauld play effectively out wide? Could we develope a narrow 4-2-2-2 format that plays both Gauld and Mallan off the front two?

[wookie70]

McNulty was excellent. Was in the right back position defending at one point. Tracked the Aberdeen player all the way. Then back at the top of the pitch. He put a terrific shift in for his time on the pitch.


He chased back after making a mistake and then committed a stupid and needless foul. Can't give him too much credit there but at least he got annoyed when making a mistake.He looked sharp for a player who hasn't had much game time and should be a good signing

[Jones28]

The BBC stats show Aberdeen enjoyed 69% possession.

We, as the Home team, had 31% possession.

That, frankly, is unacceptable.

I'm not sure we had so little possession under Neil Lennon in previous games at home against this lot.

Maybe the statisticians can enlighten us.

Interestingly though, both teams had the exact same shots/shots on target of 6/3.

We also had more corners than Aberdeen.

FWIW, I actually thought the game was not as poor as is made out. All things considered I think we were ok, and have a lot to build on as the team rediscovers it's personality.

[NAE NOOKIE]

Actually thought we were better as May had the eyes to see it wasn’t working and make early subs - something Lennon rarely done.

We will never know though cause we don’t know what team/formation Lennon would have played and how that would have effected us.

I'm absolutely the opposite of this. I agree that a manager who can see his system isn't working or that he needs to make player changes to combat what's happening on the pitch is a bonus to any club … its a sign of a good manager.

However …. When a manager is having to do this in over half his games then it stops becoming an admirable trait and starts becoming a concern. A good manager can make positive changes during a game, a better manager knows the opposition he is about to play, how they play, and is able to set up his team with the appropriate personnel and appropriate tactics before the game starts.

In the Scottish Premiership more than most leagues in Europe you get a chance to size up your opponents more than twice in a season. A competent club should also have dossiers on and ready available film of their opponents, how they play, the attributes and weaknesses of each individual player and what their manager likes to do in games.

I cant believe Hibs with all the resources available to them didn't have chapter and verse on the opposition available to the manager prior to kick off and yet time after time we were having to change formation and personnel during games to adjust a pre game plan that clearly hadn't worked. That says to me that we either had a manager who was unable to interpret the information available or who was choosing to ignore it. Well before his departure from the club fans were scratching their heads at the sometimes bizarre team selections and formations. If our last load of results were anything to go by they were right to be concerned.

So yes, a manager who can react to circumstances during games is a good thing, a manager who is always having to do it isn't.

[AllyF]

One of our best performances this season (IMO) was against Aberdeen in the League Cup. I still don't know how we didn't win that night.

Saturday paled in comparison. We created nothing more than a couple of half chances and barely caused their defence any problems. The loss of Boyle and Agyepong has never been more stark.

[G B Young]

Lennon’s record v Aberdeen was 1 win in 8 games so I’m not sure it’s a great barometer.

It's actually one in nine, but as I've suggested on another thread, the bare stats tend to mask the fact that until last Saturday I never thought Aberdeen were significantly better than us.

Lennon's record v them is:

Hibs 2 Aberdeen 3 (Scottish Cup semi-final 2017. A game where we only woke up after going two down and one we really could have ended up winning despite being a Championship side)
Hibs 0 Aberdeen 1 (a real smash and grab raid by the sheep, with Hibs having almost all the pressure)
Aberdeen 4 Hibs 1 (a major off day for Hibs. Well and truly thumped)
Hibs 2 Aberdeen 0 (could easily have been 3 or 4)
Aberdeen 0 Hibs 0 (Maclaren missed penalty saw us miss out on all three points)
Hibs 1 Aberdeen 1 (pretty fair result)
Hibs 0 Aberdeen 0 (League Cup. Sheep win undeservedly on pens after being bombarded by Hibs for most of the game)
Abderdeen 1 Hibs 0 (dire game, dire conditions. A draw would have been fair)
Hibs 1 Aberdeen 2 (close scoreline belies Aberdeen's superiority)

So in answer to the OP's question I'd suggest we were worse on Saturday than under Lennon.

[Smartie]

One of our best performances this season (IMO) was against Aberdeen in the League Cup. I still don't know how we didn't win that night.

Saturday paled in comparison. We created nothing more than a couple of half chances and barely caused their defence any problems. The loss of Boyle and Agyepong has never been more stark.

If we'd had more performances like that, even if results had been the same, then I'd have been far more willing to give Lennon the benefit of the doubt.

As it is performances have been as bad as results, especially that run we had at home against St Johnstone, Dundee and St Mirren.

[Stokesy's on fire]

Putting the St Mirren game to one side as they are bottom of the league and it was immediate aftermath.

Was today's performance against Aberdeen better, worse or no different to the last time we played them at ER?

The fact we lost to Aberdeen shows we need to sort our club out. Even with Lennon in we managed to get beat by that shower

[CapitalGreen]

Lennon’s record v Aberdeen was 1 win in 8 games so I’m not sure it’s a great barometer.


It's actually one in nine, but as I've suggested on another thread, the bare stats tend to mask the fact that until last Saturday I never thought Aberdeen were significantly better than us.

Lennon's record v them is:

Hibs 2 Aberdeen 3 (Scottish Cup semi-final 2017. A game where we only woke up after going two down and one we really could have ended up winning despite being a Championship side)
Hibs 0 Aberdeen 1 (a real smash and grab raid by the sheep, with Hibs having almost all the pressure)
Aberdeen 4 Hibs 1 (a major off day for Hibs. Well and truly thumped)
Hibs 2 Aberdeen 0 (could easily have been 3 or 4)
Aberdeen 0 Hibs 0 (Maclaren missed penalty saw us miss out on all three points)
Hibs 1 Aberdeen 1 (pretty fair result)
Hibs 0 Aberdeen 0 (League Cup. Sheep win undeservedly on pens after being bombarded by Hibs for most of the game)
Abderdeen 1 Hibs 0 (dire game, dire conditions. A draw would have been fair)
Hibs 1 Aberdeen 2 (close scoreline belies Aberdeen's superiority)

So in answer to the OP's question I'd suggest we were worse on Saturday than under Lennon.

It’s 8 games. Lennon wasn’t manager for Saturdays 2-1 defeat.