Jonnyboy
08-12-2021, 11:17 PM
Horrendous, just horrendous. From start to finish we allowed a workmanlike Livingston to boss us, all over the park, losing 1-0 in the process. Any bright spots in our play, and there weren’t many, were hugely overshadowed by an inept performance from a team that looked unfit, overwhelmed and lacking in shape and cohesion. The most important difference for me though was that Livingston played with a heart and desire that our players failed to match. They wanted the ball – we faffed about with it; they were quick and aggressive in their forward play – we must have been in some sort of competition to achieve the most sideways and backward passes in ninety minutes; their midfield players took any opportunity to have a shot at goal; ours looked as though they didn’t know where the goals were.
With just one change to our starting eleven in Murphy replacing Cadden, I thought we would have enough quality to overcome Livingston – how wrong could I be? Murphy had an early attempt but that was blocked whilst at the other end, Devlin should have done a lot better than missing the target when he was largely unopposed. On ten minutes, Newell plopped the ball right onto Nisbet’s head but as he has done on numerous occasions recently, Kev headed weakly into the keepers’ arms.
Just past the quarter hour the defensive frailty in the Hibs back line was once again in evidence. A wayward pass from McGinn saw Livi break down their left side and powderpuff challenges from the retreating McGinn and Porteous allowed Shinnie to centre the ball and as men in green watched on, McMillan steered the ball beyond Macey from close range. It was the softest of goals but the type of goal that Hibs have pretty much shipped in every game over the last couple of months.
Hibs attacked from the restart and Boyle went down in the box. A penalty was awarded and the Livi defenders were furious with their keeper yellow carded for getting in the ref’s face. It looked kinda soft to be honest, but it gave Hibs the chance to cancel out the deficit in double quick time. Usually, reliable, Boyle skied the spot kick over the bar, much to the delight of the home support.
Livi got a lift from the missed penalty and Sibbald went close to doubling the lead, his shot drifting wide although I reckon Macey had it covered. Minutes later, Nisbet had a chance from a free kick some twenty yards from goal, but his effort was high and wide. Then, Hibs had a second claim for a penalty when Campbell was decked from behind in a challenge that looked much more of a penalty than the one we got.
It was Livi dictating the play now and ten minutes from the break, McGinn was shown a yellow card for a lunge on a Livi player. McGinn had failed to control the ball and his efforts to retrieve the situation brought the card.
Jack Ross made two changes at half time, replacing the ineffective Murphy with Allan whilst Campbell gave way for Doidge. Five minutes in, Omeonga was shown a yellow card for a crude challenge, not his first I might add. Next in the book was Penrice for a clumsy challenge on Boyle and he was soon joined by Doyle-Hayes as referee Don Robertson contributed to the lack of any flow in the match. Hibs were huffing and puffing and drawing the ire of many in the travelling support by failing to be more aggressive in an attacking sense.
Allan and Nisbet saw poor efforts miss the target before Paul Hanlon was extremely fortunate to get only a yellow for hauling down Shinnie at the edge of the box. We then had five minutes of the Alan Forrest show as the little frontman ran Hibs ragged, getting a couple of shots at goal away in the process. Forrest and his striking team mates were giving the Hibs defenders a torrid time of it and any glimpses of Hibs attacking the Livi goal were fleeting.
Livi had brought on Montano to replace Sibbald and the newcomer came so very close to doubling the lead as Macey and Hanlon failed to communicate and the Livi man nipped in the lift the ball over Macey but thankfully for Hibs the effort missed the target. The visiting fans were becoming more and more disgruntled at what they were witnessing, and the mood wasn’t helped by a second yellow card for Paul McGinn who could have no defence regarding his dismissal. Forrest and Montano had efforts that brought saves from Macey before Hibs were reduced to nine men, Hanlon earning a second yellow for hauling a Livi attacker down.
Towards the end of the game there was a lot of shouting aimed at Jack Ross and at the final whistle those shouts were added too by a loud round of booing. I have a picture in my mind of young Doyle-Hayes coming to the fans to applaud them and looking horrified by the reception he and a few of his team mates got. The truth is, Jack Ross must shoulder a lot of the blame for the horrific run the team is on, but the players must also have a good hard look at themselves. So many of them displayed little or no heart and fight in the game and that is just not acceptable.
The players
Macey – Had no chance with the goal but whilst he had a couple of routing saves, he and Hanlon were at fault when Montaro’s lob just cleared the bar. Oh, and don’t get me started on his distribution.
McGinn – On balance, I’ve liked Paul and felt that he gets a hard time of it sometimes and that’s not always justified but tonight he was awful and a player with his experience can have no excuses for getting two avoidable yellow cards.
Porteous – Like Hanlon he was given the run around by three strikers willing to mix it up with him. He needs to stop falling on his face trying to win free kicks when no actual foul has occurred, and he needs to stop leathering the ball forward to nobody.
Hanlon – I can honestly say that is the worst performance I’ve ever seen from him. He was all over the place defensively and given a torrid time of it by Alan Forrest who, incidentally, I thought was the best player on the park. Ironic then that we were reportedly tracking him, but somebody at ER decided he wasn’t good enough for Scotland’s top league.
Doig – Of all the players tonight, I felt Josh was the only one that deserved a pass mark. Often let down defensively by Murphy/Allan not backtracking and Hanlon going missing, he still managed to get himself forward at every opportunity. I’d go as far as to say that tonight, he was the only one in green and white that showed some heart and passion.
Boyle – That penalty effort was woeful and kinda summed up Martin’s night when very little came off for him. His form has dipped and that may in part be because he is being doubled up on by opposing defenders.
Doyle-Hayes – Shell shocked at the end but what he was witnessing was what is still to come unless things change for the better results wise.
Newell – Had one of his floating about days. Always there to take a pass but rarely does anything with it. Needs to learn to take shots from the edge of the box rather than passing the buck.
Murphy – Jamie did what Jamie always does and cut infield onto his stronger right side. Devlin had the better of him, so it was no surprise when he was hooked at half time.
Campbell – Should probably have had a penalty but apart from that he never really got into it tonight.
Nisbet – I defended him last time out, and even gave him my man of the match but tonight, apart from a couple of clever flicks I thought he was really poor.
Doidge – The big fella is still finding his feet after a long layoff. If I was Christian Doidge, I’d be asking my team mates why, after his introduction at half time, they decided to resist the opportunity to put crosses into the box.
Allan – Scott took up Murphy’s berth on the left and Hibs proceeded to pretty much always choose to attack down the right. Go figure.
McGregor – The main thing I remember Daz doing was to head the ball straight out of play when he was not being challenged for it.
Jack Ross – I heard his interview after the game. He sounds like a man that knows what the problems are but not how to fix them. Telling us his players work hard in training just makes me ask what are they actually working hard on? Our defence leaks live a sieve, our midfield doesn’t chip in with goals and our strikers keep giving the ball away.
Referee – Don Robertson got all of the cards right and so I guess you have to say he did his job.
As you may have guessed by now, I am royally ticked off with Hibs right now and I genuinely worry where we might end up this season.
With just one change to our starting eleven in Murphy replacing Cadden, I thought we would have enough quality to overcome Livingston – how wrong could I be? Murphy had an early attempt but that was blocked whilst at the other end, Devlin should have done a lot better than missing the target when he was largely unopposed. On ten minutes, Newell plopped the ball right onto Nisbet’s head but as he has done on numerous occasions recently, Kev headed weakly into the keepers’ arms.
Just past the quarter hour the defensive frailty in the Hibs back line was once again in evidence. A wayward pass from McGinn saw Livi break down their left side and powderpuff challenges from the retreating McGinn and Porteous allowed Shinnie to centre the ball and as men in green watched on, McMillan steered the ball beyond Macey from close range. It was the softest of goals but the type of goal that Hibs have pretty much shipped in every game over the last couple of months.
Hibs attacked from the restart and Boyle went down in the box. A penalty was awarded and the Livi defenders were furious with their keeper yellow carded for getting in the ref’s face. It looked kinda soft to be honest, but it gave Hibs the chance to cancel out the deficit in double quick time. Usually, reliable, Boyle skied the spot kick over the bar, much to the delight of the home support.
Livi got a lift from the missed penalty and Sibbald went close to doubling the lead, his shot drifting wide although I reckon Macey had it covered. Minutes later, Nisbet had a chance from a free kick some twenty yards from goal, but his effort was high and wide. Then, Hibs had a second claim for a penalty when Campbell was decked from behind in a challenge that looked much more of a penalty than the one we got.
It was Livi dictating the play now and ten minutes from the break, McGinn was shown a yellow card for a lunge on a Livi player. McGinn had failed to control the ball and his efforts to retrieve the situation brought the card.
Jack Ross made two changes at half time, replacing the ineffective Murphy with Allan whilst Campbell gave way for Doidge. Five minutes in, Omeonga was shown a yellow card for a crude challenge, not his first I might add. Next in the book was Penrice for a clumsy challenge on Boyle and he was soon joined by Doyle-Hayes as referee Don Robertson contributed to the lack of any flow in the match. Hibs were huffing and puffing and drawing the ire of many in the travelling support by failing to be more aggressive in an attacking sense.
Allan and Nisbet saw poor efforts miss the target before Paul Hanlon was extremely fortunate to get only a yellow for hauling down Shinnie at the edge of the box. We then had five minutes of the Alan Forrest show as the little frontman ran Hibs ragged, getting a couple of shots at goal away in the process. Forrest and his striking team mates were giving the Hibs defenders a torrid time of it and any glimpses of Hibs attacking the Livi goal were fleeting.
Livi had brought on Montano to replace Sibbald and the newcomer came so very close to doubling the lead as Macey and Hanlon failed to communicate and the Livi man nipped in the lift the ball over Macey but thankfully for Hibs the effort missed the target. The visiting fans were becoming more and more disgruntled at what they were witnessing, and the mood wasn’t helped by a second yellow card for Paul McGinn who could have no defence regarding his dismissal. Forrest and Montano had efforts that brought saves from Macey before Hibs were reduced to nine men, Hanlon earning a second yellow for hauling a Livi attacker down.
Towards the end of the game there was a lot of shouting aimed at Jack Ross and at the final whistle those shouts were added too by a loud round of booing. I have a picture in my mind of young Doyle-Hayes coming to the fans to applaud them and looking horrified by the reception he and a few of his team mates got. The truth is, Jack Ross must shoulder a lot of the blame for the horrific run the team is on, but the players must also have a good hard look at themselves. So many of them displayed little or no heart and fight in the game and that is just not acceptable.
The players
Macey – Had no chance with the goal but whilst he had a couple of routing saves, he and Hanlon were at fault when Montaro’s lob just cleared the bar. Oh, and don’t get me started on his distribution.
McGinn – On balance, I’ve liked Paul and felt that he gets a hard time of it sometimes and that’s not always justified but tonight he was awful and a player with his experience can have no excuses for getting two avoidable yellow cards.
Porteous – Like Hanlon he was given the run around by three strikers willing to mix it up with him. He needs to stop falling on his face trying to win free kicks when no actual foul has occurred, and he needs to stop leathering the ball forward to nobody.
Hanlon – I can honestly say that is the worst performance I’ve ever seen from him. He was all over the place defensively and given a torrid time of it by Alan Forrest who, incidentally, I thought was the best player on the park. Ironic then that we were reportedly tracking him, but somebody at ER decided he wasn’t good enough for Scotland’s top league.
Doig – Of all the players tonight, I felt Josh was the only one that deserved a pass mark. Often let down defensively by Murphy/Allan not backtracking and Hanlon going missing, he still managed to get himself forward at every opportunity. I’d go as far as to say that tonight, he was the only one in green and white that showed some heart and passion.
Boyle – That penalty effort was woeful and kinda summed up Martin’s night when very little came off for him. His form has dipped and that may in part be because he is being doubled up on by opposing defenders.
Doyle-Hayes – Shell shocked at the end but what he was witnessing was what is still to come unless things change for the better results wise.
Newell – Had one of his floating about days. Always there to take a pass but rarely does anything with it. Needs to learn to take shots from the edge of the box rather than passing the buck.
Murphy – Jamie did what Jamie always does and cut infield onto his stronger right side. Devlin had the better of him, so it was no surprise when he was hooked at half time.
Campbell – Should probably have had a penalty but apart from that he never really got into it tonight.
Nisbet – I defended him last time out, and even gave him my man of the match but tonight, apart from a couple of clever flicks I thought he was really poor.
Doidge – The big fella is still finding his feet after a long layoff. If I was Christian Doidge, I’d be asking my team mates why, after his introduction at half time, they decided to resist the opportunity to put crosses into the box.
Allan – Scott took up Murphy’s berth on the left and Hibs proceeded to pretty much always choose to attack down the right. Go figure.
McGregor – The main thing I remember Daz doing was to head the ball straight out of play when he was not being challenged for it.
Jack Ross – I heard his interview after the game. He sounds like a man that knows what the problems are but not how to fix them. Telling us his players work hard in training just makes me ask what are they actually working hard on? Our defence leaks live a sieve, our midfield doesn’t chip in with goals and our strikers keep giving the ball away.
Referee – Don Robertson got all of the cards right and so I guess you have to say he did his job.
As you may have guessed by now, I am royally ticked off with Hibs right now and I genuinely worry where we might end up this season.