What Do We Change for the Semi Final?

[Pretty Boy]

There has been a lot of, understandable and merited, anger and venting after last night. It's easy to scream and shout about what went wrong and who didn't do what. However if you were the manager what changes would you make now to try and influence the semi final.

For me the 1st name on the team sheet would be Whittaker. He's not without his critics but he still has that ability to put a foot on the ball and pick a pass. Play him deep and ask him to keep it simple. It was a role in which Dylan McGeouch (yes I went there) excelled against them. Play Docherty and either Omeonga or Halberg ahead of him and let them do the running. If that means dropping Allan then so be it.

I'd also be looking for a foil for Boyle. Hearts knew we would rely on him last night so he was doubled or trebled up on every time he got the ball. I'm not sure if there is merit in playing McGinn as a more defensively minded RWB and moving Boyle up top but asking him to constantly run both channels and drag 2 men with him. I've said on another thread I think a change of goalkeeper wouldn't be a bad thing either. We need a cool head who is going to think about his distribution rather than putting us under pressure with it. Something along the lines of:

............Bogdan..........

...McGregor...Jackson.....Hanlon

McGinn......................Newell

...........Whittaker..........

....Docherty.........Omeonga....

........Boyle.................

....... Doidge..........

[McKenzie]

Agree either Whittaker or slivka need to play. Shape works well with the 2 strikers which unfortunately means MM plays up top. Newell is a huge miss with his delivery from wide as amazingly Stevenson has not improved this side of his game in 15 years. We didn’t isolate Boyle against Hickey 1v1 enough with switches of play which should be easier on Hampden pitch

[Blaster]

Get the first goal......

[norhfc]

I would start with attitude and commitment.

[MWHIBBIES]

God, don't get me started on Mcgeouch. Not one footballer in our team last night, desperately miss him.

[heid the baw]

Don't give away needless penalties and then panic and chase the game giving up easy possession every time you have the ball. Oh and have a shot on target before the game is over as a contest

[Smartie]

I understand the clamour for Whittaker (who has been excellent recently) but we need a lot more to change around him (no use having his foot on the ball and three Hearts players hounding him and closing him down whilst everyone else hides).

It is still a shock to me how long our players thought they’d have on the ball.

There’s a big part of me would play the same team, the same way and just tell them to play better.

Biggest concern for me is the second striker situation as we have so few options. At least in midfield we have Whittaker, Newell and possibly Mallan to come in and change it.

[JammyDoidger]

Attitude. There's no doubt we can play football but we need to be in their faces and match them in the fight. There was not one derby challenge from us, or an in your face moment that let the fans know the team were up for it. Ohh how I miss John mcginn not just in terms of ability but fight.

[macca70]

Based on that last night, I’d have Whittaker in centre mid for Omeonga, our midfield was completely overrun.

I’d be tempted to put Boyle up front with Doidge, play on the last mans shoulder and get in behind them.

[TheHarpy76]

We’ve got four games to play before the semi. You can’t possibly pick a team for that game as you don’t know who’s going to be available or who’s going to be in/out of form.

[The Captain....]

It's difficult to build from a platform of weakness. We can tinker with that defence but the evidence is they need 2 protecting them and even then they are likely to concede 2 per game. I'm not sure we can make any meaningful changes with the personnel we have available in that area.

We need to find a way to get Boyle in the game more.. maybe thru the middle with Doidge. Although I'd like to see Gullan given a chance..I think his energy might improve things..I'm not sure that Ross would gamble on starting him tho.

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[Lee Marvin]

McNulty would be nowhere near my team in semi. He never tried a leg last night which is unforgivable.

I'd go with OP team.

[James Stephen]

I think in many ways, hibs need to simplify the game against hearts - that means being solid, playing in the right areas and winning the midfield.

I also think this hibs team lacks character.

So i agree with OP about having whittaker in there, i would also have McGregor back in for mcginn, the closest thing we have to a leader.

For Boyle to threaten he needs to be playing on the last man, so he would be playing off Doidge (who i thought was one of few with pass marks last night).

Hearts dont over complicate the game, they try to win battle first (their two best players were on bench) and they make us defend.

Also, i dont see why we should feel we have to make the play - i think there is something to the Mourinho philosophy that the team with the ball more will make more mistakes, especially in a very highly charged match like the semi, so im quite happy for them to have more of the ball and for us to play more on the counter.

He needs to sort the midfield most of all, as it was pathetic last night for Hibs.

[calumhibee1]

I think in many ways, hibs need to simplify the game against hearts - that means being solid, playing in the right areas and winning the midfield.

I also think this hibs team lacks character.

So i agree with OP about having whittaker in there, i would also have McGregor back in for mcginn, the closest thing we have to a leader.

For Boyle to threaten he needs to be playing on the last man, so he would be playing off Doidge (who i thought was one of few with pass marks last night).

Hearts dont over complicate the game, they try to win battle first (their two best players were on bench) and they make us defend.

Also, i dont see why we should feel we have to make the play - i think there is something to the Mourinho philosophy that the team with the ball more will make more mistakes, especially in a very highly charged match like the semi, so im quite happy for them to have more of the ball and for us to play more on the counter.

He needs to sort the midfield most of all, as it was pathetic last night for Hibs.

McGinn has been our best defender by a mile IMO.

McGregor for Hanlon though I’d agree. Newell for Stevenson as well..

Rocky

McGinn Jackson Daz

Boyle Doc Whittaker Allan Newell

Doidge Gullan

[James Stephen]

McGinn has been our best defender by a mile IMO.

McGregor for Hanlon though I’d agree. Newell for Stevenson as well..

Rocky

McGinn Jackson Daz

Boyle Doc Whittaker Allan Newell

Doidge Gullan

I was thinking positionally, so yeah dont disagree re mcginn, i just want mcgregor on the pitch.

I would also play hallberg in beside Whittaker as a solid midfield base, both have a bit of football to go with height and physical presence.

[MacGruber]

First names on the teamsheet

Whittaker
McGregor
Halberg
Jackson
Newell
Doidge
Boyle

Fill in with the rest

[Betty Boop]

McNulty would be nowhere near my team in semi. He never tried a leg last night which is unforgivable.

I'd go with OP team.

He looks like he could do with losing a stone or two

[Blaster]

Scott Allan needs to do a bit more this month to expect a start in the semi final

[Wheat Hound]

McGinn has been our best defender by a mile IMO.

McGregor for Hanlon though I’d agree. Newell for Stevenson as well..

Rocky

McGinn Jackson Daz

Boyle Doc Whittaker Allan Newell

Doidge Gullan

I like that team but would have Hallberg in for Allan just now

[calumhibee1]

I like that team but would have Hallberg in for Allan just now

I wouldn’t be against that tbf. Although I don’t think Hallberg is up to much either which is why I went for Allan. Either or for me though.

[Hiber-nation]

We need to change the mentality. Why are we scared to try to keep possession of the ball against the bottom team in the league.

[PeeJay]

There has been a lot of, understandable and merited, anger and venting after last night. It's easy to scream and shout about what went wrong and who didn't do what. However if you were the manager what changes would you make now to try and influence the semi final.

For me the 1st name on the team sheet would be Whittaker. He's not without his critics but he still has that ability to put a foot on the ball and pick a pass. Play him deep and ask him to keep it simple. It was a role in which Dylan McGeouch (yes I went there) excelled against them. Play Docherty and either Omeonga or Halberg ahead of him and let them do the running. If that means dropping Allan then so be it.

I'd also be looking for a foil for Boyle. Hearts knew we would rely on him last night so he was doubled or trebled up on every time he got the ball. I'm not sure if there is merit in playing McGinn as a more defensively minded RWB and moving Boyle up top but asking him to constantly run both channels and drag 2 men with him. I've said on another thread I think a change of goalkeeper wouldn't be a bad thing either. We need a cool head who is going to think about his distribution rather than putting us under pressure with it. Something along the lines of:

............Bogdan..........

...McGregor...Jackson.....Hanlon

McGinn......................Newell

...........Whittaker..........

....Docherty.........Omeonga....

........Boyle.................

....... Doidge..........

Wouldn't drop Marciano because of "distribution" - the outfield team are much worse with their distribution :greengrin - Whitty is too slow IMO: great footballer and lots of experience, and for certain games definitely a starter option, but in the semi? I think a younger, pacier, hungrier, pressing Hearts team would cause him and us all sorts of problems ...

[Jones28]

Mcnulty can get tae, I would go with a midfield five of

Boyle Docherty Whittiker Omeonga Horgan/Newall

A back 4 of

McGinn Jackson McGregor Stevenson

Marciano in goal and Doidge up front.

Give the 2 wide men license to bomb forward and give some support to the full backs. We were constantly overloaded in the wide areas last night. Stendel had the number of our 5-3-2 and if we do it again they will do that again.

[GreenCastle]

We need steal and leadership.

McGregor issue is he’s not great with the ball under pressure.

I would go 4-5-1 and hit full backs.

McGinn McGregor Hanlon Stevenson ( do we have any other options?!)

Hallberg Slivka

Boyle Docherty Horgan

Doidge

[Tyler Durden]

I wouldn’t play a back 3 against them again. It was clear quite early in the game that their wide midfield players found space as they doubled up on the wing backs and our central midfielders couldn’t get over to support.

The advantage of playing a 3 should have been McGinn and Hanlon offering attacking support when he had possession. This very rarely happened and seemed to be an after thought for our players. Simply putting Newell in for Lewis isn’t going to change that much.

We need to go closer to a man for man game. Either a diamond or a 4-3-3 and work on passing through them. We also need to play it into channels for the likes of Boyle or Gullan so their full backs are more worried and inclined to sit deeper. Hickey and Smith strolled it last night.