Jonnyboy
06-11-2020, 10:46 PM
Two schoolboy errors and the game was pretty much over at Pittodrie after just thirteen minutes. Hibs huffed and puffed but not only did they fail to blow Aberdeen’s house down, they didn’t even get down the garden path.
After the disappointment of last weeks Hampden outcome, Hibs had a chance to show they merit the support they get as beating Aberdeen would lift them up to second in the table. With Kyle Magennis injured, Jamie Murphy was given a starting berth on the left side of midfield. His place on the bench went to Stephen McGinn.
Interestingly, I thought Hibs started brightly but after just five minutes they conceded a terrible goal. Trying to play their way out of a high press from deep in the left back position, Murphy dallied in effecting a clearance and was closed down by Ryan Hedges. The Aberdeen man found Lewis Ferguson unmarked on the edge of the box, allowing him the time to slide a ball in behind. Scott Wright got his shot away, under no pressure whatsoever and Marciano didn’t have a hope in hell of saving it.
Hibs tried to settle, in the sure knowledge that Aberdeen are masters at defending a lead. Seven minutes after the opener a ludicrous attempt at a pass saw Porteous hammer the ball against the back of Ferguson, the ball rebounding towards the Hibs goal. All of the other defenders were wrong footed, and Sam Cosgrove strolled into the box and provided an exquisite finish with the outside of his right foot. Once again, Marciano was totally exposed and had no chance to make a save.
Two goals down and not even fifteen minutes on the clock and that allowed a frankly turgid Aberdeen to just shut up shop. Struggling in central midfield, where Lewis Ferguson ruled the roost, Hibs were getting little or nothing from the four attacking players. Boyle didn’t take his man on once; Murphy the same whilst Nisbet and Doidge ran around a lot without ever actually threatening the Aberdeen goal.
Around the half hour mark, Murphy did have a couple of half chances, but Joe Lewis was untroubled – a situation that persisted throughout the remainder of the game. Fouls littered the play, with both sides guilty of committing them and that played right into the Derek McInnes game plan. They really are dreadful to watch and on the night weren’t really any better than a poor Hibs side. We gifted them two goals and I hoped a half time talking to might have us come out and attack them with pace. I was to be disappointed as Hibs picked up where they had left off.
In the opening minute of the second half, Hibs defenders were posted missing when the ball reached McLennan on the left hand side of the Hibs box. Thankfully, the youngster sent his effort high and wide of Marciano’s goal.
In the midfield area, Newell and Gogic continued to be dominated and the effect of that was that our strikers were getting little or no service. On the hour mark, Mallan replaced the ineffective Joe Newell but the pattern of play was largely unaffected. In a game littered with free kicks, Josh Doig picked up a deserved yellow and he was followed into the book around five minutes later when McGinn clattered an opponent. Referee Euan Anderson seemed to have forgotten the persistent fouling rule as he let Ferguson and Hedges away with murder at times.
When Drey Wright replaced Jamie Murphy, I hoped for a fresh injection of pace – it never arrived. A corner to Hibs was delivered by Mallan and Porteous connected but steered the ball wide. Jamie Gullan then entered the fray in replacing Nisbet but I’m pretty sure he didn’t even get a touch in the first five minutes after arriving.
With the clock ticking down, Hibs had a very valid claim for a penalty waved aside by Euan Anderson. Boyle was deep in the box and lost his footing, but he still had the ball at his feet and as he tried to stand up, he was blatantly pushed in the back by Kennedy. It was a penalty kick all day long, but Euan Anderson wasn’t interested. Soon after. A long high ball picked out Boyle just outside the eighteen yard box and as he moved to control the pass he was clearly bundled over, Kennedy again the culprit. Once again, Euan Anderson ignored the challenge. To me, it looked as though the foul prevented Boyle from having a clear goal scoring opportunity, but Kennedy was exempted again from any caution.
Porteous then almost repeated his costly error by being woefully short with a pass back. Hedges nipped in and Rocky forced him wide, but the Aberdeen man was able to push the ball to a teammate but thankfully, Porteous redeemed himself by getting back to take the sting out of a shot at goal.
At the death, Hibs had a couple of half chances. Gullan made room on the left and drilled the ball low into the box where Lewis pushed the effort away. The ball rolled towards Boyle around eight yards out but as he hit it, Taylor made a fantastic block.
The only consolation tonight is that I didn’t have to make the usual drive home after a loss at Pittodrie.
The players
Marciano – Rocky could be forgiven for wondering what the hell his defensive colleagues were doing as he had no protection and no chance to save either goal.
McGinn – On a night when selecting a man of the match was close to impossible, I’ve plumped for Paul in remembering what my brother once said to me about him. He said that unless forced to do otherwise, Paul always tries to play a forward pass rather than just hoofing it. Tonight, Paul tried those passes but more often than not the recipient went on to lose possession.
Porteous – When a simple pass would have meant retaining possession, Ryan tried the worldy and seemed to have missed the fact that Ferguson was in direct line of the flight of the ball. A schoolboy error in my book.
Hanlon – I am always quick to highlight how impressed I am with Paul’s reading of the game but it looked to me as though he totally misread the path of the ball at the first goal and as a result was left covering a pass that was never made.
Doig – Very little was seen of Josh in an attacking sense which was disappointing as I like many, feel that is the strongest part of his game.
Boyle – Once again Martin was anonymous for significant spells in the game. If I recall correctly, there were only a couple of occasions when he ran at the Dons defence. I guess he’s a marked man now though and after tonight he will certainly go home marked. The lack of protection from Euan Anderson was scandalous.
Gogic – Probably his poorest performance for us yet as he struggled to break up the Aberdeen play.
Newell – I’ve read that Joe’s great when the game is going our way and if that is true it might explain why he was posted missing tonight.
Murphy – Poor, poor decision not to play the ball away quickly, cost us their first goal. After that, his contribution was pretty poor overall.
Nisbet – Starved of anything to work on, Kev was left running around a lot with nothing to show for the effort.
Doidge – I’ve thought for a couple of games now that the big man seems out of sorts. I still think that.
Mallan – Got half an hour and to his credit he did try to get us on the front foot, but his efforts were wasted.
Wright – Took over the Murphy role, in that he was in that position but didn’t really achieve anything of note.
Gullan – Jamie was on the park for a good few minutes before he even got a touch. Unlike Boyle, Murphy and Wright he actually did drop his shoulder on one occasion and escaped his marker.
Jack Ross – I heard his post match interview and am delighted that he’s going to give his players hell for what was a timid and tepid performance.
Euan Anderson – Someone needs to take him aside and explain that an attacker clearly fouled in the area should be rewarded with the award of a penalty kick. Also, quite how Aberdeen got through that match without any of their players getting booked is just totally baffling. The stats show they committed more than twice the number of fouls that Hibs accrued.
After the disappointment of last weeks Hampden outcome, Hibs had a chance to show they merit the support they get as beating Aberdeen would lift them up to second in the table. With Kyle Magennis injured, Jamie Murphy was given a starting berth on the left side of midfield. His place on the bench went to Stephen McGinn.
Interestingly, I thought Hibs started brightly but after just five minutes they conceded a terrible goal. Trying to play their way out of a high press from deep in the left back position, Murphy dallied in effecting a clearance and was closed down by Ryan Hedges. The Aberdeen man found Lewis Ferguson unmarked on the edge of the box, allowing him the time to slide a ball in behind. Scott Wright got his shot away, under no pressure whatsoever and Marciano didn’t have a hope in hell of saving it.
Hibs tried to settle, in the sure knowledge that Aberdeen are masters at defending a lead. Seven minutes after the opener a ludicrous attempt at a pass saw Porteous hammer the ball against the back of Ferguson, the ball rebounding towards the Hibs goal. All of the other defenders were wrong footed, and Sam Cosgrove strolled into the box and provided an exquisite finish with the outside of his right foot. Once again, Marciano was totally exposed and had no chance to make a save.
Two goals down and not even fifteen minutes on the clock and that allowed a frankly turgid Aberdeen to just shut up shop. Struggling in central midfield, where Lewis Ferguson ruled the roost, Hibs were getting little or nothing from the four attacking players. Boyle didn’t take his man on once; Murphy the same whilst Nisbet and Doidge ran around a lot without ever actually threatening the Aberdeen goal.
Around the half hour mark, Murphy did have a couple of half chances, but Joe Lewis was untroubled – a situation that persisted throughout the remainder of the game. Fouls littered the play, with both sides guilty of committing them and that played right into the Derek McInnes game plan. They really are dreadful to watch and on the night weren’t really any better than a poor Hibs side. We gifted them two goals and I hoped a half time talking to might have us come out and attack them with pace. I was to be disappointed as Hibs picked up where they had left off.
In the opening minute of the second half, Hibs defenders were posted missing when the ball reached McLennan on the left hand side of the Hibs box. Thankfully, the youngster sent his effort high and wide of Marciano’s goal.
In the midfield area, Newell and Gogic continued to be dominated and the effect of that was that our strikers were getting little or no service. On the hour mark, Mallan replaced the ineffective Joe Newell but the pattern of play was largely unaffected. In a game littered with free kicks, Josh Doig picked up a deserved yellow and he was followed into the book around five minutes later when McGinn clattered an opponent. Referee Euan Anderson seemed to have forgotten the persistent fouling rule as he let Ferguson and Hedges away with murder at times.
When Drey Wright replaced Jamie Murphy, I hoped for a fresh injection of pace – it never arrived. A corner to Hibs was delivered by Mallan and Porteous connected but steered the ball wide. Jamie Gullan then entered the fray in replacing Nisbet but I’m pretty sure he didn’t even get a touch in the first five minutes after arriving.
With the clock ticking down, Hibs had a very valid claim for a penalty waved aside by Euan Anderson. Boyle was deep in the box and lost his footing, but he still had the ball at his feet and as he tried to stand up, he was blatantly pushed in the back by Kennedy. It was a penalty kick all day long, but Euan Anderson wasn’t interested. Soon after. A long high ball picked out Boyle just outside the eighteen yard box and as he moved to control the pass he was clearly bundled over, Kennedy again the culprit. Once again, Euan Anderson ignored the challenge. To me, it looked as though the foul prevented Boyle from having a clear goal scoring opportunity, but Kennedy was exempted again from any caution.
Porteous then almost repeated his costly error by being woefully short with a pass back. Hedges nipped in and Rocky forced him wide, but the Aberdeen man was able to push the ball to a teammate but thankfully, Porteous redeemed himself by getting back to take the sting out of a shot at goal.
At the death, Hibs had a couple of half chances. Gullan made room on the left and drilled the ball low into the box where Lewis pushed the effort away. The ball rolled towards Boyle around eight yards out but as he hit it, Taylor made a fantastic block.
The only consolation tonight is that I didn’t have to make the usual drive home after a loss at Pittodrie.
The players
Marciano – Rocky could be forgiven for wondering what the hell his defensive colleagues were doing as he had no protection and no chance to save either goal.
McGinn – On a night when selecting a man of the match was close to impossible, I’ve plumped for Paul in remembering what my brother once said to me about him. He said that unless forced to do otherwise, Paul always tries to play a forward pass rather than just hoofing it. Tonight, Paul tried those passes but more often than not the recipient went on to lose possession.
Porteous – When a simple pass would have meant retaining possession, Ryan tried the worldy and seemed to have missed the fact that Ferguson was in direct line of the flight of the ball. A schoolboy error in my book.
Hanlon – I am always quick to highlight how impressed I am with Paul’s reading of the game but it looked to me as though he totally misread the path of the ball at the first goal and as a result was left covering a pass that was never made.
Doig – Very little was seen of Josh in an attacking sense which was disappointing as I like many, feel that is the strongest part of his game.
Boyle – Once again Martin was anonymous for significant spells in the game. If I recall correctly, there were only a couple of occasions when he ran at the Dons defence. I guess he’s a marked man now though and after tonight he will certainly go home marked. The lack of protection from Euan Anderson was scandalous.
Gogic – Probably his poorest performance for us yet as he struggled to break up the Aberdeen play.
Newell – I’ve read that Joe’s great when the game is going our way and if that is true it might explain why he was posted missing tonight.
Murphy – Poor, poor decision not to play the ball away quickly, cost us their first goal. After that, his contribution was pretty poor overall.
Nisbet – Starved of anything to work on, Kev was left running around a lot with nothing to show for the effort.
Doidge – I’ve thought for a couple of games now that the big man seems out of sorts. I still think that.
Mallan – Got half an hour and to his credit he did try to get us on the front foot, but his efforts were wasted.
Wright – Took over the Murphy role, in that he was in that position but didn’t really achieve anything of note.
Gullan – Jamie was on the park for a good few minutes before he even got a touch. Unlike Boyle, Murphy and Wright he actually did drop his shoulder on one occasion and escaped his marker.
Jack Ross – I heard his post match interview and am delighted that he’s going to give his players hell for what was a timid and tepid performance.
Euan Anderson – Someone needs to take him aside and explain that an attacker clearly fouled in the area should be rewarded with the award of a penalty kick. Also, quite how Aberdeen got through that match without any of their players getting booked is just totally baffling. The stats show they committed more than twice the number of fouls that Hibs accrued.