Jonnyboy
02-01-2021, 05:45 PM
Outplayed, out thought and well beaten by a team that had players willing to run themselves into the ground whilst our bunch looked dead on their feet. I’ve heard all the stuff about games played over a short time period taking their toll, but every team in the League has that same problem. We just don’t look anywhere near fit enough and that, as much as anything else today, cost us three vital points. Livi reminded me of Hibs under John Collins. Hunt in packs and close the opponent down whilst regaining possession. I thought we were really poor against Ross County and I think we were even poorer today.
Unsurprisingly, Jack Ross rang the changes in the starting eleven bringing back Marciano, Stevenson, Mallan and Gogic although Rocky injured himself in the warm up which brought Barnes into the line up with Craig Samson the sub goalie on the bench. There was too a welcome return to the bench for fit again Jamie Murphy.
Pretty much from the off, Livingston set about pressuring our play, causing numerous stray passes and aimless punts up the park. As early as the fifth minute, Jason Holt flashed in an effort that went just outside the far post. Next, Scott Robinson was booked for an outrageous dive in the Hibs penalty area. Robinson featured again two minutes later when he hooked a ball over his shoulder into a huge area of free space behind the Hibs back four. Stevenson was caught on his heels and though he tried to reach Josh Mullin going into the area he couldn’t get there and the Livi man struck a fine drive across the diving keeper and in to the far corner of the net. This would not be the only time that our back four was horribly exposed due to their poor positioning.
Hibs were offering next to nothing in an attacking sense and seven minutes after taking the lead, Livi doubled their total. A corner from their left dropped inside the six yard area and Barnes fell as he tried to clear the danger. The ball then bounced off both Porteous and Gogic before Jon Guthrie blasted it home from close range.
Happy with their lot, Livi just let Hibs have the ball for a while, confident the home side would do nothing to endanger their two goal cushion. We did have a short spell of enjoying more possession but did nothing with it. The midfield was once again missing in action. Gogic was like a headless chicken whilst Newell hardly seemed to touch the ball. Mallan was guilty also of giving away cheap possession and Boyle was quickly doubled up on whenever the ball reached him.
Up front, Nisbet made some decent runs in to space but was never picked out whilst Doidge was like a man short, so poor was his contribution. Meanwhile, our back four and our central two in particular were having a collective nightmare as Livi ran at them without any pressure being applied to the man on the ball.
Livi finished the half as they had started it, on the front foot with Mullin and Robinson causing all sorts of problems. A good save from Barnes stopped Mullin doubling his tally whilst at the other end, a terrible effort from range by Newell flew miles wide of the target. Surely Jack Ross would make changes at the break, both to personnel and shape, but no the same eleven came out and the same shape remained. Unsurprisingly, only two minutes into the half, Livi pretty much killed the tie with a third goal and what a shocker it was to concede. A high punt out of defence by Jon Guthrie was allowed to bounce by Porteous and Scott Robinson got in ahead of him to collect the ball. Hanlon then committed himself and Porteous was left flat footed as Robinson tucked the ball beyond the advancing Barnes. It was Sunday League defending.
After a shell shocked Hibs watched a Stevie Mallan shot fly high and wide, Jack Ross made a substitution, replacing Gogic with Jamie Murphy, presumably to try and inject some positivity but it was a tall order when already 3-0 down and not having registered a single effort on target. Guthrie and Ambrose had a nice easy afternoon as Doidge offered nothing and Nisbet looked worn out. Little had changed in the flow of play and you got the feeling Livi could go on and double their tally if they wanted to. Offensively we were offering nothing and after sixty seven minutes, Doig and Gullan replaced Stevenson and Doidge.
On seventy two minutes, I reckon Hibs got their one and only effort on target when a weak Gullan header was easily caught by Stryjek in the Livi goal. Soon after, Hibs were ripped open again down the Livi left and substitute Serrano could have picked out an unmarked team mate but blazed an effort over the bar instead.
With the game drawing towards a close, substitute Jamie Gullan was himself substituted after suffering two quite hefty challenges that had gone unpunished. Drey Wright took his place although just what was expected of him was unclear.
Two minutes into time added on, a fine cross from the left saw Porteous charge in to get a free header but with the goal open his effort went yards wide.
I’m utterly convinced that had there been a crowd in attendance the players would have left the pitch to a chorus of booing. Personally, I never boo but I’d have been helluva tempted to join in. This was a quite shocking performance and there can be no valid excuses for it. Our formation was poor and our stamina pretty much non existent whilst the Livi players gave their all right up to the final whistle.
For the second game in a row there will be no man of the match award from me. I wouldn’t embarrass myself as not one of them came anywhere near deserving it.
The players
Barnes – Called in as a late replacement I felt he could have done better at the second goal, but I sympathise with him in having that back four in front of him for ninety minutes.
McGinn – Normally Mr Dependable, Paul was well off it today, both in a defensive and attacking capacity. One attempted cross from a good position on the right, landed in the back row of the FF Lower.
Porteous – I know Ryan is the Golden Boy to some on here, but I thought today’s performance was pathetic. If you look at County’s first goal from last week, Porteous came charging out and missed his challenge, leaving a huge hole in the centre of defence which was punished. Today he committed the cardinal sin for any defender and let the ball bounce – another goal conceded. Also, I wish he’d stop throwing himself on the ground every time he’s in the opponents’ box for a set piece – it’s embarrassing.
Hanlon – Found badly wanting for the second goal last week and again for the third goal this week. I normally rate Paul quite highly, but I can guess that those who don’t will be extremely critical of his poor performance today and they have every right to voice those concerns.
Stevenson – Why was Lewis brought in at the expense of Doig, I wonder? He was sleeping at the first goal and made far too many poor passes today. Lewis always gives his all, winning or losing, but there was no real evidence of that today.
Boyle – Totally anonymous throughout. In his slight defence, he didn’t get much service but when he did, he offered no threat to the Livi back line.
Gogic – I think I said earlier he was like a headless chicken but that’s unfair really – to headless chickens. Gets repeatedly caught in possession whilst the man he was brought in to replace simply strolled around that midfield mopping things up with little or no fuss.
Mallan – I actually felt a wee bit sorry for him today. Brought in to help enhance our creativity he found himself alongside team mates who’d forgotten the meaning of the word.
Newell – There were huge parts of the game today that Joe was nowhere to be seen. I wondered if the recall to Mallan had meant Joe was given a different job to do. If that was the case, he didn’t produce it.
Nisbet – The laddie looks knackered, but he still made some decent runs but none of his team mates had the craft or guile to notice them.
Doidge – Like a man short I’m afraid. I’ve praised him in the past for his sterling work both in attack and defence but today Guthrie wasn’t troubled, and Ambrose was smoking his usual cigar.
Murphy – Jamie tried his best to get Hibs going but it was a losing battle because any time he had a bit of space there was no-one to pick out up front.
Gullan – Jamie works hard enough but didn’t really leave any sort of positive impression. I thought the two tackles he suffered near the end were both fouls, but the ref thought otherwise.
Doig – I felt there was a few occasions that Doig and Murphy got in each other’s space but over the piece, Josh did relatively ok in the circumstances.
Wright – Not on long enough to merit any sort of mention.
Jack Ross – I know his players are tired but that doesn’t excuse his setting up of the team or the tactics he has used in our last two home defeats.
Referee – David Munro had a pretty easy afternoon of it, I thought.
Unsurprisingly, Jack Ross rang the changes in the starting eleven bringing back Marciano, Stevenson, Mallan and Gogic although Rocky injured himself in the warm up which brought Barnes into the line up with Craig Samson the sub goalie on the bench. There was too a welcome return to the bench for fit again Jamie Murphy.
Pretty much from the off, Livingston set about pressuring our play, causing numerous stray passes and aimless punts up the park. As early as the fifth minute, Jason Holt flashed in an effort that went just outside the far post. Next, Scott Robinson was booked for an outrageous dive in the Hibs penalty area. Robinson featured again two minutes later when he hooked a ball over his shoulder into a huge area of free space behind the Hibs back four. Stevenson was caught on his heels and though he tried to reach Josh Mullin going into the area he couldn’t get there and the Livi man struck a fine drive across the diving keeper and in to the far corner of the net. This would not be the only time that our back four was horribly exposed due to their poor positioning.
Hibs were offering next to nothing in an attacking sense and seven minutes after taking the lead, Livi doubled their total. A corner from their left dropped inside the six yard area and Barnes fell as he tried to clear the danger. The ball then bounced off both Porteous and Gogic before Jon Guthrie blasted it home from close range.
Happy with their lot, Livi just let Hibs have the ball for a while, confident the home side would do nothing to endanger their two goal cushion. We did have a short spell of enjoying more possession but did nothing with it. The midfield was once again missing in action. Gogic was like a headless chicken whilst Newell hardly seemed to touch the ball. Mallan was guilty also of giving away cheap possession and Boyle was quickly doubled up on whenever the ball reached him.
Up front, Nisbet made some decent runs in to space but was never picked out whilst Doidge was like a man short, so poor was his contribution. Meanwhile, our back four and our central two in particular were having a collective nightmare as Livi ran at them without any pressure being applied to the man on the ball.
Livi finished the half as they had started it, on the front foot with Mullin and Robinson causing all sorts of problems. A good save from Barnes stopped Mullin doubling his tally whilst at the other end, a terrible effort from range by Newell flew miles wide of the target. Surely Jack Ross would make changes at the break, both to personnel and shape, but no the same eleven came out and the same shape remained. Unsurprisingly, only two minutes into the half, Livi pretty much killed the tie with a third goal and what a shocker it was to concede. A high punt out of defence by Jon Guthrie was allowed to bounce by Porteous and Scott Robinson got in ahead of him to collect the ball. Hanlon then committed himself and Porteous was left flat footed as Robinson tucked the ball beyond the advancing Barnes. It was Sunday League defending.
After a shell shocked Hibs watched a Stevie Mallan shot fly high and wide, Jack Ross made a substitution, replacing Gogic with Jamie Murphy, presumably to try and inject some positivity but it was a tall order when already 3-0 down and not having registered a single effort on target. Guthrie and Ambrose had a nice easy afternoon as Doidge offered nothing and Nisbet looked worn out. Little had changed in the flow of play and you got the feeling Livi could go on and double their tally if they wanted to. Offensively we were offering nothing and after sixty seven minutes, Doig and Gullan replaced Stevenson and Doidge.
On seventy two minutes, I reckon Hibs got their one and only effort on target when a weak Gullan header was easily caught by Stryjek in the Livi goal. Soon after, Hibs were ripped open again down the Livi left and substitute Serrano could have picked out an unmarked team mate but blazed an effort over the bar instead.
With the game drawing towards a close, substitute Jamie Gullan was himself substituted after suffering two quite hefty challenges that had gone unpunished. Drey Wright took his place although just what was expected of him was unclear.
Two minutes into time added on, a fine cross from the left saw Porteous charge in to get a free header but with the goal open his effort went yards wide.
I’m utterly convinced that had there been a crowd in attendance the players would have left the pitch to a chorus of booing. Personally, I never boo but I’d have been helluva tempted to join in. This was a quite shocking performance and there can be no valid excuses for it. Our formation was poor and our stamina pretty much non existent whilst the Livi players gave their all right up to the final whistle.
For the second game in a row there will be no man of the match award from me. I wouldn’t embarrass myself as not one of them came anywhere near deserving it.
The players
Barnes – Called in as a late replacement I felt he could have done better at the second goal, but I sympathise with him in having that back four in front of him for ninety minutes.
McGinn – Normally Mr Dependable, Paul was well off it today, both in a defensive and attacking capacity. One attempted cross from a good position on the right, landed in the back row of the FF Lower.
Porteous – I know Ryan is the Golden Boy to some on here, but I thought today’s performance was pathetic. If you look at County’s first goal from last week, Porteous came charging out and missed his challenge, leaving a huge hole in the centre of defence which was punished. Today he committed the cardinal sin for any defender and let the ball bounce – another goal conceded. Also, I wish he’d stop throwing himself on the ground every time he’s in the opponents’ box for a set piece – it’s embarrassing.
Hanlon – Found badly wanting for the second goal last week and again for the third goal this week. I normally rate Paul quite highly, but I can guess that those who don’t will be extremely critical of his poor performance today and they have every right to voice those concerns.
Stevenson – Why was Lewis brought in at the expense of Doig, I wonder? He was sleeping at the first goal and made far too many poor passes today. Lewis always gives his all, winning or losing, but there was no real evidence of that today.
Boyle – Totally anonymous throughout. In his slight defence, he didn’t get much service but when he did, he offered no threat to the Livi back line.
Gogic – I think I said earlier he was like a headless chicken but that’s unfair really – to headless chickens. Gets repeatedly caught in possession whilst the man he was brought in to replace simply strolled around that midfield mopping things up with little or no fuss.
Mallan – I actually felt a wee bit sorry for him today. Brought in to help enhance our creativity he found himself alongside team mates who’d forgotten the meaning of the word.
Newell – There were huge parts of the game today that Joe was nowhere to be seen. I wondered if the recall to Mallan had meant Joe was given a different job to do. If that was the case, he didn’t produce it.
Nisbet – The laddie looks knackered, but he still made some decent runs but none of his team mates had the craft or guile to notice them.
Doidge – Like a man short I’m afraid. I’ve praised him in the past for his sterling work both in attack and defence but today Guthrie wasn’t troubled, and Ambrose was smoking his usual cigar.
Murphy – Jamie tried his best to get Hibs going but it was a losing battle because any time he had a bit of space there was no-one to pick out up front.
Gullan – Jamie works hard enough but didn’t really leave any sort of positive impression. I thought the two tackles he suffered near the end were both fouls, but the ref thought otherwise.
Doig – I felt there was a few occasions that Doig and Murphy got in each other’s space but over the piece, Josh did relatively ok in the circumstances.
Wright – Not on long enough to merit any sort of mention.
Jack Ross – I know his players are tired but that doesn’t excuse his setting up of the team or the tactics he has used in our last two home defeats.
Referee – David Munro had a pretty easy afternoon of it, I thought.