Case for the defence

[Keith_M]

Quite rightly our midfield and strikers have been given lavish praise for yesterday's performance and result but I thought it worth highlighting, again, how well our defence has performed in both games so far.

We have a fantastic central defensive pairing in Hanlon and Porteous, the latter being a real future prospect... if he can just 'keep the heid' ;-)... and Hanlon proving he's far from past it at 30 y/o.

I've been impressed with McGinn since he joined, and in Doig it looks like we finally have a genuine challenger for Lewis Stevenson.

Not all of those will be first picks every week but we seem to have a decent array of defensive players and I think Ross will go with a 'horses for courses' approach in who he picks for the starting line-up.

[Northernhibee]

Some of the criticism of Hanlon, Stevenson, McGregor etc. last season was way OTT. They got absolutely no cover from midfield and out wide and were being expected to do the job of two men each.

This season has been totally different - our wide players have helped out more, Gogic in particular adds bite to the midfield and helps to shield the back line and when needed, the back line have been excellent. We were almost happy for Livi to put balls into the box as we knew we could deal with it, that confidence is tremendous.

[Keith_M]

Some of the criticism of Hanlon, Stevenson, McGregor etc. last season was way OTT. They got absolutely no cover from midfield and out wide and were being expected to do the job of two men each.

This season has been totally different - our wide players have helped out more, Gogic in particular adds bite to the midfield and helps to shield the back line and when needed, the back line have been excellent. We were almost happy for Livi to put balls into the box as we knew we could deal with it, that confidence is tremendous.


:agree:

It's the second week in a row that the opposition has had a higher percentage of possession but that doesn't seem to be a problem at all.

[hibbysam]

Quite rightly our midfield and strikers have been given lavish praise for yesterday's performance and result but I thought it worth highlighting, again, how well our defence has performed in both games so far.

We have a fantastic central defensive pairing in Hanlon and Porteous, the latter being a real future prospect... if he can just 'keep the heid' ;-)... and Hanlon proving he's far from past it at 30 y/o.

I've been impressed with McGinn since he joined, and in Doig it looks like we finally have a genuine challenger for Lewis Stevenson.

Not all of those will be first picks every week but we seem to have a decent array of defensive players and I think Ross will go with a 'horses for courses' approach in who he picks for the starting line-up.

I’m hoping the 4/5 at the back depending who/when we are playing can be fairly consistent this year. Last year our selections were all over the place with injuries and suspensions and just trying to find our best team. Having Hanlon and Porteous playing every week together, with McGinn either as a right back or a right centre half beside them is only going to improve us. Doig must be given an extended run to bed him in and get his confidence up. And the transition then from a 4 to a 5 is seamless, Boyle drops back to RWB, or Wright comes in with Boyle moved further up the park. Gogic in front will help also.

Said it so many times last season, we defended our box well most of the time, however when we were allowing our opposition to fire hundreds of unopposed crosses into our box, no one remembers the 30 you dealt with fine, but the one you failed to read that led to a goal.

It’s also probably the tallest hibs team I can remember so set pieces should be much easier to defend and attack. Doig is fairly tall, Hanlon, Porteous, McGinn, Gogic, Newell, Doidge and Nisbet all tall imposing figures.

[B.H.F.C]

Not conceded a goal from open play yet which is encouraging.

They look like they actually want to defend. Sometimes defending is made out to be more complicated than it actually is IMO. In the two games we’ve been absolutely bombarded with balls in to our box and they’ve just done the basic things you want your back three/four do. Whoever was playing in our back three/four last season didn’t do that well enough. You can’t stop crosses coming in all the time but the difference between the Livi away last season and Livi away yesterday, defensively, was that we dealt with all the crosses really well (penalty aside but I’m not sure how much was in that really).

[The Modfather]

Some of the criticism of Hanlon, Stevenson, McGregor etc. last season was way OTT. They got absolutely no cover from midfield and out wide and were being expected to do the job of two men each.

This season has been totally different - our wide players have helped out more, Gogic in particular adds bite to the midfield and helps to shield the back line and when needed, the back line have been excellent. We were almost happy for Livi to put balls into the box as we knew we could deal with it, that confidence is tremendous.

To be fair, we’ve changed two of the back 4 in Doig & Porteous, which is also a big factor IMO as well as the addition of Gogic and a much better balance to the team. Last season I felt our defence merited criticism, both collectively and individually, while also having sympathy for the lack of protection in front of them.

Still need cover for Gogic but think our defensive record will be night and day from last season.

[MWHIBBIES]

Defending better as a team and proper coaching will always be more important than individuals at the back. Thankfully our individuals are very solid as well.

[Brightside]

A lot of the criticism of the defence was bang out of order last season. Especially when they were being put under so much pressure. The addition of a mobile DM, and a midfield that are working harder to close down oppositions will make a huge difference. Hanlon and Porto (even Jackson) will be totally fine with floaty balls into the box all day long. They dont become great defenders all of a sudden, the starting 11 just has a much better balance. Long may it continue and lets ensure we remember these games when they do make individual errors.

[B.H.F.C]

A lot of the criticism of the defence was bang out of order last season. Especially when they were being put under so much pressure. The addition of a mobile DM, and a midfield that are working harder to close down oppositions will make a huge difference. Hanlon and Porto (even Jackson) will be totally fine with floaty balls into the box all day long. They dont become great defenders all of a sudden, the starting 11 just has a much better balance. Long may it continue and lets ensure we remember these games when they do make individual errors.

I don’t think it was bang out of order. A lot of it was totally justified IMO.

Compare yesterday and the last time we went to Livingston. Last time we didn’t deal with crosses when they came in and they scored two goals. Yesterday (and last week) we dealt with the vast majority of crosses in to our box very well.

Gogic certainly gives a better balance to the team but centre halves doing their bit when it comes in to the box, which they didn’t at the same venue last season, was the biggest difference defensively IMO.

[Just Alf]

Some of the criticism of Hanlon, Stevenson, McGregor etc. last season was way OTT. They got absolutely no cover from midfield and out wide and were being expected to do the job of two men each.

This season has been totally different - our wide players have helped out more, Gogic in particular adds bite to the midfield and helps to shield the back line and when needed, the back line have been excellent. We were almost happy for Livi to put balls into the box as we knew we could deal with it, that confidence is tremendous.Just rewatched it and 100% agree

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[Northernhibee]

Should have conceded a penalty today but even still, that's another clean sheet and we still haven't conceded from open play.

Hopefully the back line will carry a hell of a lot of confidence into the Rangers game next week.