Where do we go from here?

[leithsansiro]

The team on the park blatantly isn’t good enough. The constant chopping and changing of team selections, tactics, approaches, etc is doing nobody any favours and only creates uncertainty and hesitancy. Obviously, LJ needs to take a large portion of the blame for that, because it’s him and his coaching staff who set them up each week. That said, if you go over the first team squad, it’s easy to see our deficiencies.

Aside from suddenly producing some astute transfer business in this window (I’m not going to hold my breath…), can anyone suggest a steady and settled lineup that IS going to give us what we need? I’m going for a 433, purely because it’s the only formation I can make vaguely work with what we have!


GK – Marshall (in the main, he’s reliable and distributes well)

I’ve gone for a blend of youth and experience in defence, partly out of lack of options
DR – Megwa (bring him up from the development team, our FB areas are lacking so let’s give these guys a chance)
DL – MacIntyre (see Megwa)
DC Hanlon (for all his faults, and he’s has a few, he’d still be one of the first defensive picks for the majority of SPFL sides)
DC – Porteous (or, if as expected he leaves, either a new CB or Blaney from the Dev team)

Basically, I’ve gone for work ethic and determination in midfield, as it’s something we’ve been sorely lacking.
DMC – Stevenson (I know, but what we need is commitment and drive. Lewis gives that)
DMC – Jeggo (let’s see how he does, we need someone to do the simple opposition-break up)
MC – Campbell (the boy’s got an engine and works hard)

Some guile, pace and trickery upfront, and both are able to swap and work alternative wings
WL – Youan (he has pace and trickery and does, contrary to what people think, provide threat)
WR – McGeady (a creative spark who can offer that little bit of magic. Cadden could play here if it’s his pace we want)
FC – Nisbet (assuming he stays, he knows where the back of the net is)


I know I’ve left a few guys out; Rocky’s injury probably isn’t the best, Magennis can’t be relied upon for more than a fortnight and Newell doesn’t offer what we need in midfield.

We also need to be much more willing to bring young guys in off the bench to slot in. I’d rather see O’Connor or Laidlaw come off the bench than McKirdy. As fans, we’re much more likely to be invested in the remainder of this season if we get to at least see some young players getting their chance.

Thoughts? What can people come up with?

[Stubbsy90+2]

I reckon that team would get relegated.

Sadly for me I don’t think there’s much for us to change which is the most concerning bit for me.

[number9dream]

You’re basically just changing the full-backs for two youngsters with next to no first team experience.
I’m not having a go, it just illustrates the dreadful situation we’re in.
Today’s midfield is not the answer. Two water carriers and Campbell?
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to suggest Hearts have about 7 or 8 defenders who are better than any of ours.

[j'adorehibs]

The only way is up...........or down.

[WestStandWillie]

Hearts new signings have it installed from day 1 that they must beat us. They have a mentality that gies them an extra 5% in these matches. We’ve lacked that for years.

Where do we go from here? We sign good experienced players and stop this young inexperienced lucky dip process that’s clearly failing us.

[flash]

Is it down to the lake I fear?

One for the kids.

[Greenworld]

We bit stuck for words I actually thought hibs played well .
Defence defence defence we Need a new back line

Sent from my SM-G975U1 using Tapatalk

[Hermit Crab]

On current form we're heading for a relegation playoff. Defeats in our next 2 (likely) will put us right in the Eartha Kitt

[mcfly]

In trouble is where we are..

Losing Porteous shortly
Rocky could be out for some time.
What defenders have we left?

Problem is we concede every week. Johnson hasnt sorted that out.

Big week ahead. We must get experienced players in to sort out the mess otherwise we could be dragged into a relegation battle.

Confidence in team must be low and other clubs will know that especially at Easter road where the crowds will be restless.

[stalbanshibby]

I don't think we have one player we could build a team around. I'm in despair.

At the beginning of the season, the club tried to implement a basically financial vision of buying in supposedly decent up and coming talent, with a view to building a young attacking side and developing the players and selling them on, with LJ given the job of bringing out the best in them. Trying to turn us into a sort of Bodo Glimt type team. It hasn't worked, and quite frankly why they (Gordons/ Kensall with LJ buy in) ever thought it would shows a complete disrespect/ misunderstanding as to the competitiveness of the SPFL. It was ambitious and somewhat arrogant to think they could do this. Supporting Hibs has always been frustrating - we consistently under achieve and the myth of delivering free-flowing attacking football means we have a bunch of fairies (are you allowed to say this these days??) and no hard men on the pitch (think Snodgrass).

Now they've seen the error of their ways and we're now shipping players out, and trying to rebuild. It's not going to happen fast, and personally I think LJ will do well to get us anywhere near the top 6 let alone avoid relegation.

We've a bunch of players massively out their depth With Bushiri now out, and Porto off, it doesn't look good in the short term, even though our defence is pretty crap (that Shankland goal was appalling) when they're both playing.

I don't blame LJ too much - the players still seem to want to do their best (which isn't great) for him - I blame the vision which was flawed in the first place.

Club need a complete rethink. I think it's also complacent to leave a DoF appointment to the summer although I suppose after the January window there's not much a DoF could do to change what we already have.

We're in a mess.

For myself, I'll try to avoid the Hibs marketing spin between now and the summer and save my ST money next year unless I see some solid footballing appointments made ( I buy one to support the club but rarely make ER these days).

John Collins as DoF might change my mind.

[AL-Qaholik]

We are quite feasibly looking at a back 4 against Aberdeen of Cadden, Hanlon, MacGregor and Stevenson.

Cabraja and Fish being the only other options, from what I can see.

Utterly shambolic.

[OsiersHibs]

We are quite feasibly looking at a back 4 against Aberdeen of Cadden, Hanlon, MacGregor and Stevenson.

Cabraja and Fish being the only other options, from what I can see.

Utterly shambolic.

Fearing the worst for the season now. We simply have to stay up.

[WeeRussell]

My baby’s got the bends

[PHeffernan]

Is it down to the lake I fear?

One for the kids.

Haircut 100 :wink:

[snedzuk]

We are quite feasibly looking at a back 4 against Aberdeen of Cadden, Hanlon, MacGregor and Stevenson.

Cabraja and Fish being the only other options, from what I can see.

Utterly shambolic.

I noticed a few days ago that Darren isnt listed anywhere.

https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/squads/mens-first-team

[007]

Haircut 100 :wink:

Aye aye aye aye aye ah

[Jones28]

Weirdly enough I think we played well enough yesterday, we just let ourselves down with individual errors. First goal was Porteous being atrocious, and I cannot comprehend what he thought he was doing, but that ball should be bobbing around in the docks this morning. Goal 2 Shankland waltzed away from his marker and hits a great shot, those trying to blame Bushiri are so desperate to find fault it's laughable, I've watched it again and he's perfectly positioned to deal with the player he's marking. Goal 3 tbh I've seen someone here say they think Marshall should have done better with Sibbicks touch before he chipped it in and I agree, no denying the finish but a goalkeeper needs to at least try and close it earlier. Chances are a centre half isn't going to be able to loft it over him from 20 yards from goal.

Chucking in youngsters is madness unless the time is right - winning games for example. 4-0 up against Livi, he brought on McKirdy, Fish, Cabraja and Henderson. We didn't even have any of the younger lads on the bench.

It looks like our centre half pairing could be totally knackered so it will have to be Fish and Hanlon and McClelland probably should be re-called from his loan.

I'd drop Stevenson to the bench for Newell, keep Campbell and JJ in.

Start the same front 3.

[NAE NOOKIE]

First things first, we have to survive this season. I can't see us finishing bottom, but the thought of ending up in a playoff with Queens Park gives me the absolute fear. It would be the most 'Hibs' thing ever to be relegated by a team run by our ex CEO who is a minor legend for some of our supporters, myself included.

With Porteous all but gone, Rocky seemingly having taken a bad one and a right wingback who can't defend for toffee, we are in real bother at the back.

Chuck in that we have Boyle out, Kukharevych out for who knows how long, Magennis an injury waiting to happen every week, a dearth of forwards who can score and confidence which must be at or near rock bottom, nobody can even pretend that we are not looking at as bad a situation as we have been in since we were last relegated.

If you want to talk about bad decisions .... can somebody explain to me why a guy who hasn't scored from a free kick in about his last 15 attempt was allowed to take one from a brilliant position on Sunday when we had a player on the pitch who has been there done that from these situations throughout his career?

What we have to do now is to ensure we start next season as a premier league team and as soon as that is mathematically secured start the process of finding at the very least 5 experienced and decent players who can fill the glaring deficiencies in our squad, one of whom is out of left field and a bit of a 'wow I can't believe he actually signed for us' type player ........... Frank Sauzee immediately springs to mind.

Nae bother eh .... over to you Mr Gordon :fuming:

[Lago]

I think Bill Leckie in the Sun, I know, I know, sums it up for me basically saying Hibs are a basket case of a club going from crisis to crisis, and just at the present time it has been like that for years with the odd blip of positivity now and again, kind of hard to not agree.

[greenlex]

On current form we're heading for a relegation playoff. Defeats in our next 2 (likely) will put us right in the Eartha Kitt
December and January(current form) we are not likely to be in the relegation play off dogfight. The only teams to beat us are the top three. We’ve won twice against teams around us and draw with one of the form teams in the shape of Dundee Utd. I know it’s not great but let’s get some perspective eh. A win against Aberdeen who are in free fall on Saturday sees us above them and possibly closer to Livingston who play Hears.

[MWHIBBIES]

On current form we're heading for a relegation playoff. Defeats in our next 2 (likely) will put us right in the Eartha Kitt

Our current form of 4 points from the last 2 league games? We're not heading for any relegation playoff. We've actually every chance of winning the next 2 and being 4th.

[Keyser Sauzee]

Was looking at the last 9/10 years of league tables and the playoff team never finished with more than 36 points, often finishing with less. We have 16 games left to pick up 9 points, I don’t think we’re realistically going to get relegated.

[Alfred E Newman]

I don't reckon anyone in the Hibs squad would have made it into the Hearts team yesterday and I include Nisbet and Porteous. I have not been able to say that very often in my many years following the Hibs and it only underlines how poor our recruitment has been.

[1875M]

You want a back 4 of 3 young laddies who are unproven at SPFL level and Paul Hanlon who’s clearly past his best and on the decline?