Left winger

[Crab apple]

JR stating we are interested in bringing in a striker and a left winger. There's been chat about potential strikers (including LG) but any thoughts on who the left wingers might be?

[Unseen work]

Reckon we’ll be watching Daniel Mackay at Caley.

Good young left winger who has speed and is direct.

[04Sauzee]

Reckon we’ll be watching Daniel Mackay at Caley.

Good young left winger who has speed and is direct.

Is that the boy who scored a very good goal against Ross County? If so he looked decent with potential.
Do you think he could go straight into our first 11?

[J-C]

JR stating we are interested in bringing in a striker and a left winger. There's been chat about potential strikers (including LG) but any thoughts on who the left wingers might be?


It's definitely something we're lacking, the squad is unbalanced as is.

3 right sided mids/attackers Boyle, Cadden and Wright and only Murphy who plays off the left but is right footed but is also very injury prone.

Only got 2 main strikers even though Ross prefers a 2 striker formation, so another needed but if Nisbet leaves we may need 2 strikers.

Another area we need looking at is CH and RB, we only have Daz as real cover at CH and 2 ageing RB's, one looking tired and Gray who is way out the picture.

[Unseen work]

Is that the boy who scored a very good goal against Ross County? If so he looked decent with potential.
Do you think he could go straight into our first 11?

Yeah that’s the one, from what I’ve seen he’s been really impressive.

Hard to say about him starting for us as he would be best left of a 433 type formation but it’s something we done play. If we did it would be really good having the option of him and Murphy between dips in form and injuries.

[Ronniekirk]

It's definitely something we're lacking, the squad is unbalanced as is.

3 right sided mids/attackers Boyle, Cadden and Wright and only Murphy who plays off the left but is right footed but is also very injury prone.

Only got 2 main strikers even though Ross prefers a 2 striker formation, so another needed but if Nisbet leaves we may need 2 strikers.

Another area we need looking at is CH and RB, we only have Daz as real cover at CH and 2 ageing RB's, one looking tired and Gray who is way out the picture.

And Cadden and Wright can’t get into first team first 11


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[J-C]

And Cadden and Wright can’t get into first team first 11


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cadden hadn't played much when he came and Wright is just naff.

[CMurdoch]

Wingers are an inconsistent lot.
Tend to blow hot one week and cold the next.
Hearts have signed hunners of them in recent years and they have generally been a waste of wages.
Horgan was of the hot and cold variety but his fitness was a lot better than his replacement Murphy.

[Gmack7]

Where is Lewis Morgan playing these days, great player when at St Mirren

[easty]

Where is Lewis Morgan playing these days, great player when at St Mirren

Inter Miami.

Season started at the weekend, he started for them, alongside Higuain and Matuidi.

I doubt we’ll be getting him.

[dchibs]

Is Jordan Jones still with sevco always thought he was decent.

[easty]

Is Jordan Jones still with sevco always thought he was decent.

Sunderland, dunno if it’s on loan though.

[Brightside]

It’s an odd one. We don’t really play with wingers in the traditional 442 sense. Doig provides all the width and penetration on the left side but he’s clearly a LWB. Boyle does a lot more attacking than defending in his role. So it’s a left winger that’s general not going to play most weeks unless we are thinking of changing systems and going to a back 4. That would then make the Cadden signing a bigger deal as he’d probably slot in to the RB role.

[Oscar T Grouch]

Inter Miami.

Season started at the weekend, he started for them, alongside Higuain and Matuidi.

I doubt we’ll be getting him.

He was also just voted their MVP in his first season so definitely not going anywhere soon

[Northernhibee]

Would Greg Kiltie be a shout?

[ian cruise]

Reckon we’ll be watching Daniel Mackay at Caley.

Good young left winger who has speed and is direct.

Now the Scott Allan loan makes sense, he's been sent up to plant the seed of a summer move to ER in the lads head.

[BILLYHIBS]

Daniel Mackay was my first thought tbh

Scottie on a scouting recce

Looks promising young and has pace and penetration

[Greenbeard]

Sunderland, dunno if it’s on loan though.
Dunno either, but he seems to have been getting good reports from a Makem pal so either way he'd probably be out of our price range.

[badabing67]

Brandon Barker has been out on loan at league 1 Oxford and apparently doing really well so i doubt we could get him. Our interest in Thomas Robert seems to have petered out in the media just now but there might have been something in it.

[Billy Whizz]

Brandon Barker has been out on loan at league 1 Oxford and apparently doing really well so i doubt we could get him. Our interest in Thomas Robert seems to have petered out in the media just now but there might have been something in it.

Robert can’t get in the Airdrie team just now

[easty]

Robert can’t get in the Airdrie team just now

I’ve always thought there was something weird going on there.

As if some young French laddie, with nae link to Scotland, would ever choose Airdrie if there were better options.

[Northernhibee]

I’ve always thought there was something weird going on there.

As if some young French laddie, with nae link to Scotland, would ever choose Airdrie if there were better options.

Remember when Sean Clare turned down English Premiership clubs to sign with Hearts?

[hibbysam]

I don’t see 3-5-2 being a long term sustainable solution for a side wanting to play attractive attacking football. So that would mean going to a back 4. Majority of teams now play 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 with a main striker and two wingers high up the park. 4-4-2 gets you overrun in the middle of the park. Be an interesting summer of transition though, plenty movement both ways I’d imagine, but a left winger is a must, need two for there with Murphy being one of those two. Would imagine Nisbet will go so will need a couple of strikers as well.

[Unseen work]

I don’t see 3-5-2 being a long term sustainable solution for a side wanting to play attractive attacking football. So that would mean going to a back 4. Majority of teams now play 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 with a main striker and two wingers high up the park. 4-4-2 gets you overrun in the middle of the park. Be an interesting summer of transition though, plenty movement both ways I’d imagine, but a left winger is a must, need two for there with Murphy being one of those two. Would imagine Nisbet will go so will need a couple of strikers as well.

Got to say I don’t necessarily agree with that.

Under Stubbs, Lennon and now Ross we always looked good in a 352 imo. Lennons team was probably the most exciting Hibs team I’ve watched in a while at the time we had Allan, Mcgeough and McGinn (albeit it’s not hard when you have those players).

But I think lately under Ross our football has improved and I think that’s because the players are understanding each other and the system a lot better.

Like you say though there will probably be big changes in the summer which will determine what formation we play.

Every time I see us as a 433/4231 I can’t help but feel the striker is too isolated.

If you play a 352 though your full backs need to be machines able to get up and down and contribute in an attacking sense like Cadden, Boyle and Doig - not so much Stevenson etc.

[hibbysam]

Got to say I don’t necessarily agree with that.

Under Stubbs, Lennon and now Ross we always looked good in a 352 imo. Lennons team was probably the most exciting Hibs team I’ve watched in a while at the time we had Allan, Mcgeough and McGinn (albeit it’s not hard when you have those players).

But I think lately under Ross our football has improved and I think that’s because the players are understanding each other and the system a lot better.

Like you say though there will probably be big changes in the summer which will determine what formation we play.

Every time I see us as a 433/4231 I can’t help but feel the striker is too isolated.

If you play a 352 though your full backs need to be machines able to get up and down and contribute in an attacking sense like Cadden, Boyle and Doig - not so much Stevenson etc.

I agree our football has been better, just feel it’s designed for industrial type football. All very congested. I think our striker gets isolated because it’s clear it’s not a formation that’s used a lot by us, so we use our strikers as more wide midfielders. It takes a lot of movement and understanding but it’s no surprise the majority of top clubs use it now. Would certainly be the way I’d be moving us but that takes time.

[Brightside]

Got to say I don’t necessarily agree with that.

Under Stubbs, Lennon and now Ross we always looked good in a 352 imo. Lennons team was probably the most exciting Hibs team I’ve watched in a while at the time we had Allan, Mcgeough and McGinn (albeit it’s not hard when you have those players).

But I think lately under Ross our football has improved and I think that’s because the players are understanding each other and the system a lot better.

Like you say though there will probably be big changes in the summer which will determine what formation we play.

Every time I see us as a 433/4231 I can’t help but feel the striker is too isolated.

If you play a 352 though your full backs need to be machines able to get up and down and contribute in an attacking sense like Cadden, Boyle and Doig - not so much Stevenson etc.

JR saying he wants a left winger makes the tactical change an interesting point though. We have Doig so why the need for a left winger? Certainly dont need one in a 352. Hence why some people are thinking we may be looking at different formations moving forward. We have been pretty easy to figure out our game plan for a lot of the games. He also clearly doesnt see Wright as a solution, another right footer being out on the left when he plays. Not many lefties in the squad tbh. Magennis will do a job on the left of the midfield but its not the answer long term.... So i can see Wright moving on and a left sided utility player coming in.

And ive forgotten about Murphy again!

[Unseen work]

JR saying he wants a left winger makes the tactical change an interesting point though. We have Doig so why the need for a left winger? Certainly dont need one in a 352. Hence why some people are thinking we may be looking at different formations moving forward. We have been pretty easy to figure out our game plan for a lot of the games. He also clearly doesnt see Wright as a solution, another right footer being out on the left when he plays. Not many lefties in the squad tbh. Magennis will do a job on the left of the midfield but its not the answer long term.... So i can see Wright moving on and a left sided utility player coming in.

And ive forgotten about Murphy again!

I agree we may change formation, just don’t agree with the comment about 352 not being a sustainable formation for playing attractive football.

I think what we’ve saw with Ross this season is he’s more than happy to change formation based on who we’re playing whether it’s 352, 442 or 4231. Having that left winger would add to what we can play without having people out of position and allow us to set up differently.

Agree that Wright will most likely be moved on, Magennis isn’t a left mid and Murphy....well I just can’t see him ever being fit.

[Unseen work]

I agree our football has been better, just feel it’s designed for industrial type football. All very congested. I think our striker gets isolated because it’s clear it’s not a formation that’s used a lot by us, so we use our strikers as more wide midfielders. It takes a lot of movement and understanding but it’s no surprise the majority of top clubs use it now. Would certainly be the way I’d be moving us but that takes time.

True, but I think this season has proved that playing slightly industrial football works as were 3rd, Aberdeen also done it very well.

I get most bigger and successful teams use that however they have the budget to buy and play the guys that are really good in 1v1s and likely to create something out of nothing.

In a 4231 at the moment our best attacking players in that formation playing in their actual positions would probably be Murphy, Allan and Boyle behind Nisbet. You wouldn’t be able to play Doidge who to me is such a vital player and Nisbet misses him, some would say Nisbet on the left but I’m not sure he’s played there before much and it takes away the best part of his game.

352 allows us to play the likes of Allan, Boyle, Doidge and Nisbet.

Nisbet, Doidge and Boyle all getting in double figures shows it can be effective going forward.

I’m sure the opposition would much rather play against 1 striker than 2, especially in Scotland.

[HoboHarry]

Inter Miami.

Season started at the weekend, he started for them, alongside Higuain and Matuidi.

I doubt we’ll be getting him.
I only watched the first half but Morgan looked very decent from what I saw. Didn't look out of place at all....

[hibbysam]

True, but I think this season has proved that playing slightly industrial football works as were 3rd, Aberdeen also done it very well.

I get most bigger and successful teams use that however they have the budget to buy and play the guys that are really good in 1v1s and likely to create something out of nothing.

In a 4231 at the moment our best attacking players in that formation playing in their actual positions would probably be Murphy, Allan and Boyle behind Nisbet. You wouldn’t be able to play Doidge who to me is such a vital player and Nisbet misses him, some would say Nisbet on the left but I’m not sure he’s played there before much and it takes away the best part of his game.

352 allows us to play the likes of Allan, Boyle, Doidge and Nisbet.

Nisbet, Doidge and Boyle all getting in double figures shows it can be effective going forward.

I’m sure the opposition would much rather play against 1 striker than 2, especially in Scotland.

Totally agree with the first comment and I’ve no issue with it. Just thinking how Ross may want us to evolve in the future. It’s not only top clubs that play it though, I’d say it’s probably the majority of clubs over here, if suits almost every team.

[J-C]

Got to say I don’t necessarily agree with that.

Under Stubbs, Lennon and now Ross we always looked good in a 352 imo. Lennons team was probably the most exciting Hibs team I’ve watched in a while at the time we had Allan, Mcgeough and McGinn (albeit it’s not hard when you have those players).

But I think lately under Ross our football has improved and I think that’s because the players are understanding each other and the system a lot better.

Like you say though there will probably be big changes in the summer which will determine what formation we play.

Every time I see us as a 433/4231 I can’t help but feel the striker is too isolated.

If you play a 352 though your full backs need to be machines able to get up and down and contribute in an attacking sense like Cadden, Boyle and Doig - not so much Stevenson etc.


In a 4231/433, the striker is isolated because there isn't enough quality around him to be successful. A fit and raring to go Allan in behind the striker creating things, Boyle on the right and AN Other on the left with 2 solid midfielders behind, unfortunately whenever we have injuries or lack of form we don't have the players to come in and keep that system working. Ross has tried it but we've seen Wright is nowhere near good enough, Murphy is injury prone and has yet to produce, then you have the conundrum of having 2 strikers who can only play through the middle.

Unfortunately this isn't Football Manager where you pick a system and it all works fine, on paper we have players who should be vying for 2nd easily but as we've seen they're not consistent enough hence they're at Hibs, Ross has us playing to our strengths and the 352 seems to be working and until he gets better players he'll use it.

Funny you mention not so much Stevenson but he was the left wingback when Lennon had his success with the 352.

[Brightside]

Nothing industrial about the 352. And I don’t actually think we’ve played much in the way of industrial football. I get the feeling now it’s a bit of an illusion from watching the games on TV rather than being there. I actually think the vast majority would have really enjoyed this season from the stands.

[Andy74]

Nothing industrial about the 352. And I don’t actually think we’ve played much in the way of industrial football. I get the feeling now it’s a bit of an illusion from watching the games on TV rather than being there. I actually think the vast majority would have really enjoyed this season from the stands.

Agree. I’m not having this industrial nonsense. Seen a few industrial teams and we are nowhere near that. Might not always work but we try and play football.

[Tyler Durden]

I don't think Ross and Mathie have had anywhere near enough credit for how quickly and effectively they've reshaped the squad since Heckingbottom was punted.

We've brought in versatile players who are generally a good age for potential sell on value. Most of them have been available for the majority of games (Magennis and Wright being exceptions). We've also developed a few great youngsters fairly responsibly without over using them. The team are comfortable in 2 or 3 different formations.


I can see why Jack Ross mentioned a left sided forward but I think it would be more a squad option rather than a starter. We're now at a point where incoming players need to be pretty special to improve the first 11. The fact that the worst thing people can moan or speculate about is whether we need a left winger or a midfielder who scores a bit more regularly shows how healthy the squad is IMO.

[MikeyS]

Agree. I’m not having this industrial nonsense. Seen a few industrial teams and we are nowhere near that. Might not always work but we try and play football.

100% agree. Industrial teams in this league are the hammer throwers like Aberdeen & Killie.

Even going back to McLeish days, 352 was a great formation for us. We had players that could do the dirty side too but that was cos they were good players, not industrial

[BILLYHIBS]

Daniel Mackay was my first thought tbh

Scottie on a scouting recce

Looks promising young and has pace and penetration

According to HIBS News Twitter HIBS being strongly linked this morning with Daniel Mackay 20

ICT YPOTY 9 goals from 20 starts

[hibsbollah]

Have we lost faith in Cadden on the left side of the five man midfield? With Doig doing so well behind him there’s no reason why he won’t come onto a game. Sometimes you have to be patient.

[Hiber-nation]

Have we lost faith in Cadden on the left side of the five man midfield? With Doig doing so well behind him there’s no reason why he won’t come onto a game. Sometimes you have to be patient.

Never seen Cadden play on the left. Doubt if he ever has to be honest.

[tamig]

Have we lost faith in Cadden on the left side of the five man midfield? With Doig doing so well behind him there’s no reason why he won’t come onto a game. Sometimes you have to be patient.

I thought Cadden had played all his games on the right?

[Brightside]

Have we lost faith in Cadden on the left side of the five man midfield? With Doig doing so well behind him there’s no reason why he won’t come onto a game. Sometimes you have to be patient.

Yeh he is right sided.

[dalkeith stu]

Have we lost faith in Cadden on the left side of the five man midfield? With Doig doing so well behind him there’s no reason why he won’t come onto a game. Sometimes you have to be patient.

Do you mean Murphy??

[offshorehibby]

While Cadden is predominately right sided, i am sure he switched left replacing Stevenson or Doig not long after he arrived.
Plus JR has stated he's after a left winger.

[hibsbollah]

Sorry, Murphy. When he first arrived he looked like a quality player.

[Eyrie]

Don't think Murphy can play wingback in a 3-5-2, let alone as the more defensive wingback to allow Boyle more freedom on the other side.