We miss Boyle immensely

[California-Hibs]

I said it at the time of his injury and it's no coincidence just how bad we've been since. We miss the out ball Martin offers the team, big time! He's key in all we do in the final 3rd.

Can't WAIT to have him back next season!

[Hibeesmad]

Having no players available with pace who can beat a player is infuriating. Agyepong, Horgan and Boyle when fully fit would create loads of chances/goals

[Real Emerald]

I said it at the time of his injury and it's no coincidence just how bad we've been since. We miss the out ball Martin offers the team, big time! He's key in all we do in the final 3rd.

Can't WAIT to have him back next season!

Agree, but we also missed him in a lot of games earlier in the season when he was used as a striker due to our poor recruitment. We lost a a striker and winger as a double whammy. The whole season has been a disaster due to all sorts of things, Boyle being out now is one of the biggest losses though.

[tonyrougier123]

I said it at the time of his injury and it's no coincidence just how bad we've been since. We miss the out ball Martin offers the team, big time! He's key in all we do in the final 3rd.

Can't WAIT to have him back next season!
correct,and also the play from Ambrose playing out from the back,both combined is making us look bang average or worse.and we don't have the quality in the sqaud to do anything about it new manager or not.its grim but honestly season is capoot.i hope players turn it around or we get a bounce from new manager.but seen this many times to know better.the players brought in on deadline day don't look like what is needed either,early doors but I'm calling it now.

[bigwheel]

We miss last seasons Boyle for sure....this season, up front or out wide, he was largely a shadow of his performances of last season...


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[LaMotta]

We miss last seasons Boyle for sure....this season, up front or out wide, he was largely a shadow of his performances of last season...


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Even the Boyle shadow would be a first name on that team sheet.

He was nowhere near as bad this season as some were making out.

His ability to carry the ball, get back quickly and defend, offer a different type of pass for players over the top and ability to win free kicks and pens have all been massively missed.:boo hoo:

[Beefster]

Boyle bounced between average and mediocre this season.

I know folk like to boil our problems down to one thing (‘Lennon’s moods’, ‘we need Allan’, etc) but our form is not down to one issue. It’s a multitude. Players who we have been able to rely on for years have a horror season, injuries, morale, poor recruitment and terrible decisions in tactics and lineups.

Let’s not start pretending that one player getting fit/joining the club or a new manager is going to fix this overnight. It’s going to take a while.

[gorgie greens]

We miss last seasons Boyle for sure....this season, up front or out wide, he was largely a shadow of his performances of last season...


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Been a very poor shadow of a once fans favourite this season but he is not the only one , we just can't afford to have too many players playing well below average.

[hibee]

Some of our best performances this season have been without Boyle, we miss his pace but it’s not the biggest issue this season.

[ScottB]

Problem is, some players, say, Boyle and Kamberi, looked good in last year’s system, with McGinn, Allan and McGeouch in the centre.

The change in tactics and loss of those 3 totally changed us, in the right setup with the right support, these guys are quality players, but, without that, they can’t do as much alone.

[heretoday]

Boyle's absence is not the problem.

[LaMotta]

Boyle's absence is not the problem.

The lack of pace we have now, that Boyle brought to the team, is a major problem.

The fact we didnt sign anyone with pace in the window is astonishing.

[CRAZYHIBBY]

Its like there's an imaginary ceiling with hibs....we have spells where we are winning games and looking like a solid consistent team but then it just stops and we go into freefall

[Stokesy's on fire]

Boyle is indeed a huge loss that driving pacey outball is lacking hugely and now we see even more so just how much of a vital part he plays in our team.

[The Leith Dutch]

correct,and also the play from Ambrose playing out from the back,both combined is making us look bang average or worse.and we don't have the quality in the sqaud to do anything about it new manager or not.its grim but honestly season is capoot.i hope players turn it around or we get a bounce from new manager.but seen this many times to know better.the players brought in on deadline day don't look like what is needed either,early doors but I'm calling it now.

Good point on Ambrose.
Both he and Boyle have a critical affect on the dynamic shape of our team and the opposition.

When we had a functioning midfield Ambrose linked the defence into midfield well pulling our defenders slightly higher and allowing the midfield to push on.
This forced the opposition midfield back and allows us to operate as a unit further up the field without there being large gaps between us.

The threat of Boyle's pace keeps the opposition defence further back and compacts them into a smaller area of the field where we can apply pressure.

I slightly disagree on the quality in the squad - I actually think we have a pool of decent players.
We're clearly light on numbers in certain areas mind.

The bigger problem for me is whether we have a good team in there - a lot of that is on Omeonga and Bigirimana (possibly Slivka and Milligan depending on your view on those guys).
That group of players absolutely has to be blended with the attacking talent which we do actually have to form a functioning midfield - it's a part of the team that hasn't looked right nearly all season.

I'm firmly of the opinion that the two centre backs and the engine room part of your midfield (likely two players) shouldn't be something you rotate. They need to become familiar with each other and they're the thing you hang all the other attacking play off.

[J-C]

Boyle's absence is only part of the problem.

Defensive players lacking any type of form, Hanlon, Darren etc all looking poor, poor midfield recruitment with no pace, dig or bite,

A system where we don't play to our strengths, everyone wants 2 strikers up top, they also want width and a strong midfield well you can't have all 3 unless you have pretty decent/good players to play 4-4-2. Mallan, Hyndman before he left, Slivka, Bartley and Gauld are not suited to play a 2 in the middle, so we then have to play with 3 midfielders. If we still want width and need 3 midfielders you have to either play 1 up top and 2 wide men or 3 attackers/strikers, just like Celtic had last night with a front 3 of Sinclair, Weah and Burke.

Yes we miss Boyle's pace and directness but Horgan is extremely inconsistent and Agyepong has been permanently injured, to not recruit another wide player was very poor management as it's now left us very limited shape wise with the diamond in the middle and almost zero pace in the team.

[Eyrie]

The reliance on Boyle simply highlights how poorly we recruited in the summer as we don't have a natural replacement now that he is injured.

[Aim Here]

The lack of pace we have now, that Boyle brought to the team, is a major problem.

The fact we didnt sign anyone with pace in the window is astonishing.

We have Boyle, Agyepong AND Horgan, which should have been enough. The annoying thing is that they're all apparently injured at the same time.

[LaMotta]

We have Boyle, Agyepong AND Horgan, which should have been enough. The annoying thing is that they're all apparently injured at the same time.

Boyle and Agyepong are the ones with real pace. Horgan is nippy over short distances, but for longer sprints he is not in their bracket.

And we knew going into the window Boyle was unavailable.....

[Eyrie]

Boyle and Agyepong are the ones with real pace. Horgan is nippy over short distances, but for longer sprints he is not in their bracket.

And we knew going into the window Boyle was unavailable.....

And we knew before we signed him in the summer and again before going into the window that Agyepong is injury prone. Not his fault, but if he's rarely available then he should have gone back to Man City to be treated and we needed to find someone else who can stay healthy.

Sadly I face the same conclusion when considering whether I want Gray back for next season.

[California-Hibs]

Boyle's absence is not the problem.

Wrong.

[heretoday]

Wrong.

Hibs are not good. Boyle or no Boyle.

[familyman]

Hibs are not good. Boyle or no Boyle.
Yep Boyle huge huge loss as we have no other player so direct but Sir D is doing a good job going forward in the absence of Boyle..it does leave a hole at the back though.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Boyle bounced between average and mediocre this season.

I know folk like to boil our problems down to one thing (‘Lennon’s moods’, ‘we need Allan’, etc) but our form is not down to one issue. It’s a multitude. Players who we have been able to rely on for years have a horror season, injuries, morale, poor recruitment and terrible decisions in tactics and lineups.

Let’s not start pretending that one player getting fit/joining the club or a new manager is going to fix this overnight. It’s going to take a while.

Was he not getting noticed early in the season to the point he was called up by the Aussies?

[J-C]

Was he not getting noticed early in the season to the point he was called up by the Aussies?


Yep, his form seem to dip after the 1st friendly he played, he's also played a lot of football this past 2 seasons, maybe needed a a wee break instead of flying around with the Aussie squad.

[21.05.2016]

I agree, very little width yesterday.

[SuperSirJMcginn]

Hibs are not good. Boyle or no Boyle.

Exactly . Everyone has short term mementoes . Soon as a player is out the team for a period of time , he becomes messi

[heretoday]

We're crap. End of story.

[hibee-boys]

Not sure if it was the Australian distraction, becoming a father or perhaps simply higher expectations but Boyle was having a very poor season. Saying that, Lennon seemed convinced he was an out and out striker, never in a million years. Baffling that he continued to play Martin in that role. Hopefully we'll see the old Boyle back next season!

[Paisley Hibby]

Not sure if it was the Australian distraction, becoming a father or perhaps simply higher expectations but Boyle was having a very poor season. Saying that, Lennon seemed convinced he was an out and out striker, never in a million years. Baffling that he continued to play Martin in that role. Hopefully we'll see the old Boyle back next season!

He maybe wasn't quite at the standard of last season but to say he was "very poor" is harsh and unfair. He remained one of our better players in most games (although that was perhaps not a very high bar sonetimes).