Well done Lee Johnson

[worcesterhibby]

I'm.a bit sick of seeing the recurring Johnson Out thread, particularly as it's now mostly about artificial pitches, not our Manager.

Personally I think Johnson is doing pretty well, despite recruitment issues, terrible luck with injuries and a long list of frankly astonishing refereeing decisions going against us. Of course he's made mistakes, but he has improved a number of players, plays attacking football and seems a genuinely nice bloke. I pray he gets a result against "Them" the next time we play them it would make such a difference.

Oh and artificial pitches lead to artificial advantages and crap football.

[MWHIBBIES]

Just think. If we'd had Nisbet, Boyle, Mcgeady and Myko fit all season. Johnson isn't perfect, but he's done okay with the hand he's been given.

[Unseen work]

Just think. If we'd had Nisbet, Boyle, Mcgeady and Myko fit all season. Johnson isn't perfect, but he's done okay with the hand he's been given.

This for me is massive.

I kept hearing Nisbet is keeping Johnson in a job etc.

If Nisbet, Boyle, Myko, McGeady and Magennis were all fit throughout the season I think we could easily be in touching distance of Hearts.

Hearts are 8 points ahead and people are waxing lyrical about them whilst we get slated most weeks.

[Since452]

He inherited a shambles. Won't sort things over night but I've enjoyed watching Hibs this season more than I have done for a long time.

[hibby rae]

I'm.a bit sick of seeing the recurring Johnson Out thread, particularly as it's now mostly about artificial pitches, not our Manager.

Personally I think Johnson is doing pretty well, despite recruitment issues, terrible luck with injuries and a long list of frankly astonishing refereeing decisions going against us. Of course he's made mistakes, but he has improved a number of players, plays attacking football and seems a genuinely nice bloke. I pray he gets a result against "Them" the next time we play them it would make such a difference.

Oh and artificial pitches lead to artificial advantages and crap football.

Wouldn't be a proper Hibs.net thread if the majority of the content bore any relation to the title

[Garymcl]

Always said give the guy some time has definitely had a lot of injuries to key players to deal with need to keep the faith in both team and management can’t keep changing all the time on a wee roll just now and players coming back so looking forward to Kilmarnock game on the 18th to keep run going hopefully get a big turnout for this euro place up for grabs ggtth

[Hibbyradge]

Wouldn't be a proper Hibs.net thread if the majority of the content bore any relation to the title

And there's the first off topic post 👍

[MagicSwirlingShip]

Just think. If we'd had Nisbet, Boyle, Mcgeady and Myko fit all season. Johnson isn't perfect, but he's done okay with the hand he's been given.

Can’t argue with this take. We’ve had a shocking run of injuries

[Onion]

Who know what impact getting rid of some of the deadwood has had on the remaining players, but it seem too coincidental that some players have raised their game since others have left. Life can be sucked out of a club by just a few bad apples, or simply too many players floating about the place with next to no chance of playing and too much time on their hands.

Would love to think the LJ is actually quite a decent manager and it has been the challenge of managing so many players, many of whom were below standard, that has been causing us problems. Time will tell, but it does appear that a small corner may have been turned in the last few weeks. Amazing what a couple of good wins can do.

[heid the baw]

This for me is massive.

I kept hearing Nisbet is keeping Johnson in a job etc.

If Nisbet, Boyle, Myko, McGeady and Magennis were all fit throughout the season I think we could easily be in touching distance of Hearts.

Hearts are 8 points ahead and people are waxing lyrical about them whilst we get slated most weeks.

BBC pundits often bang on about hearts horrendous injury list and how well they have done without key players. They never mention the Hibs list you point out

[Kato]

BBC pundits often bang on about hearts horrendous injury list and how well they have done without key players. They never mention the Hibs list you point outBBC pundits could write a War And Peace length novel about Hearts injuries. Hibs mentions wouldn't fill a pamphlet.

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[JimBHibees]

I'm.a bit sick of seeing the recurring Johnson Out thread, particularly as it's now mostly about artificial pitches, not our Manager.

Personally I think Johnson is doing pretty well, despite recruitment issues, terrible luck with injuries and a long list of frankly astonishing refereeing decisions going against us. Of course he's made mistakes, but he has improved a number of players, plays attacking football and seems a genuinely nice bloke. I pray he gets a result against "Them" the next time we play them it would make such a difference.

Oh and artificial pitches lead to artificial advantages and crap football.

Agree think he has been fine to be honest. Hopefully key players stay fit for rest of the season.

[147lothian]

I'm.a bit sick of seeing the recurring Johnson Out thread, particularly as it's now mostly about artificial pitches, not our Manager.

Personally I think Johnson is doing pretty well, despite recruitment issues, terrible luck with injuries and a long list of frankly astonishing refereeing decisions going against us. Of course he's made mistakes, but he has improved a number of players, plays attacking football and seems a genuinely nice bloke. I pray he gets a result against "Them" the next time we play them it would make such a difference.

Oh and artificial pitches lead to artificial advantages and crap football.

Thanks for starting this thread, I'm totally with you on this, He is doing a pretty good job with all things considered and is trying to play attacking football. Folk should get behind him rather than looking for negatives.

[Donegal Hibby]

I'm.a bit sick of seeing the recurring Johnson Out thread, particularly as it's now mostly about artificial pitches, not our Manager.

Personally I think Johnson is doing pretty well, despite recruitment issues, terrible luck with injuries and a long list of frankly astonishing refereeing decisions going against us. Of course he's made mistakes, but he has improved a number of players, plays attacking football and seems a genuinely nice bloke. I pray he gets a result against "Them" the next time we play them it would make such a difference.

Oh and artificial pitches lead to artificial advantages and crap football.
Great thread mate 👍. I agree with what you say about referee decision , recruitment issues and injuries. LJ hasn't had the easiest of start's as manager of our football club. I think he is genuinely a nice guy and imo comes across well in interviews too . What I most like is his attacking style of football. I was going to start a thread after the 4-0 against Livingston as I noticed after watching the highlights a few times we regularly had 5 or 6 players getting into the opposition's box.

I'm hoping he gets to the summer to move on player's he doesn't want ( which there are quite a few imo ) and recruit one's he wants. Celtic manager Ange postecoglou said he hadn't the type of players yet for his style of play and I do believe this is the case .

[WestCoastHibby]

Good thread, I’ll admit I’ve chowed down on some humble pie last couple of weeks

[Northernhibee]

I do think he’s living up to the “streaky Lee” nickname. When we’re good we’re very good but consistency is non existent.

He’s saved his job in recent games, but he absolutely has to find a consistent level of performance as I doubt he’ll survive another streak like that one.

[Donegal Hibby]

I do think he’s living up to the “streaky Lee” nickname. When we’re good we’re very good but consistency is non existent.

He’s saved his job in recent games, but he absolutely has to find a consistent level of performance as I doubt he’ll survive another streak like that one.
I think this season his nickname should be " unlucky Lee " . The amount of injuries we have had mainly to our best players has been unbelievable this year and I don't think many teams would have coped with it either.

Also the amount of decision's that have went against his team when they have been so obvious is quite mind boggling and probably have cost us about another 8 points or so .

I'd agree he has to find a consistent level of performance though while we have done well in the last 5 games our squad is once again down to the bear bones with injuries to key players. He hasn't been able this season to put out our best team all year and we are consistently changing it due to injuries which imo isn't helping him find it.

[GRA]

Just think. If we'd had Nisbet, Boyle, Mcgeady and Myko fit all season. Johnson isn't perfect, but he's done okay with the hand he's been given.

:top marks

Of course we've had a few stinking performances this season, but if we had that forward line fit most games we'd definitely be contenders for 3rd, especially with Youan starting to have an end product now as well as being a creator.

Course it barely gets a mention, especially compared to our city rivals, as the MSM are eager to talk us down at every opportunity :rolleyes:

[Percy Vere]

This for me is massive.

I kept hearing Nisbet is keeping Johnson in a job etc.

If Nisbet, Boyle, Myko, McGeady and Magennis were all fit throughout the season I think we could easily be in touching distance of Hearts.

Hearts are 8 points ahead and people are waxing lyrical about them whilst we get slated most weeks.

It’s actually Nisbet and the rest of the teams job, to keep Johnson in a job.
Crazy statement, I think by Scott Allan.
You’re absolutely right if most of them had been available we would be 10-12 points better off.
LJ doing fine
(So is the other Forum Fans favourite Heckingbottom)
Managers and players constantly judged too quickly on here.

[McD]

It’s also worth mentioning what’s went on aside from the forwards. Rocky out injured for a big chunk of the season, cabraja sadly lost his father and has been a bit out of sorts since (completely understandably), Magennis has been mostly out, JDH has missed almost the whole season so far bar a handful of games (injured by the manager right enough :greengrin), hanlon has had a few knocks and played through the pain barrier.

he’s also had to contend with trying to help a large number of players acclimatise to Scotland and the Scottish game, and get the players playing to his style of football.

this has all been done with a fan base broadly disgruntled with the hierarchy at the club so possibly a bit less patient than we would have been, and the fact hearts are doing reasonably well and being feted by the media as some sort of reincarnation of pep’s Barcelona side, also keeping us feeling hacked off (even when we know they’re just slightly better than the rest of the league average).

not to say he’s not made mistakes, he definitely has, and hopefully has learned from them, proof will be in the pudding of the next few months. He’s been dealt a poor hand, the last couple of weeks have shown he has more about him than he was showing previously (jeggo and fish appear to have hit the team running and performing well, stabilising things), and whilst he’s missing some key players still, the team seems to feel a bit more settled, a bit more composed, and looking upwards and forwards rather than downwards and stagnant.

[Lago]

It’s also worth mentioning what’s went on aside from the forwards. Rocky out injured for a big chunk of the season, cabraja sadly lost his father and has been a bit out of sorts since (completely understandably), Magennis has been mostly out, JDH has missed almost the whole season so far bar a handful of games (injured by the manager right enough :greengrin), hanlon has had a few knocks and played through the pain barrier.

he’s also had to contend with trying to help a large number of players acclimatise to Scotland and the Scottish game, and get the players playing to his style of football.

this has all been done with a fan base broadly disgruntled with the hierarchy at the club so possibly a bit less patient than we would have been, and the fact hearts are doing reasonably well and being feted by the media as some sort of reincarnation of pep’s Barcelona side, also keeping us feeling hacked off (even when we know they’re just slightly better than the rest of the league average).

not to say he’s not made mistakes, he definitely has, and hopefully has learned from them, proof will be in the pudding of the next few months. He’s been dealt a poor hand, the last couple of weeks have shown he has more about him than he was showing previously (jeggo and fish appear to have hit the team running and performing well, stabilising things), and whilst he’s missing some key players still, the team seems to feel a bit more settled, a bit more composed, and looking upwards and forwards rather than downwards and stagnant.
Sensible post 👍

[Steve20]

People getting carried away with the Aberdeen win I think. Last week was a good result but we should be winning those games.

We failed to beat either Dundee Utd or Ross County which is two very poor results and Hearts pumped us twice 3-0 all in the past 5/6 weeks.

He’s not as bad as was made out, but he’s still underperforming. We’re not playing this weekend for a reason.

[Alex Trager]

People getting carried away with the Aberdeen win I think. Last week was a good result but we should be winning those games.

We failed to beat either Dundee Utd or Ross County which is two very poor results and Hearts pumped us twice 3-0 all in the past 5/6 weeks.

He’s not as bad as was made out, but he’s still underperforming. We’re not playing this weekend for a reason.
We should be winning at a ground that only Motherwell have won at this season?

That was an excellent result last week.

We should have won in County had it not been for a ridiculous decision.

DU was ***** though.

There’s cautious reason for optimism and to focus above rather than below.

[Donegal Hibby]

People getting carried away with the Aberdeen win I think. Last week was a good result but we should be winning those games.

We failed to beat either Dundee Utd or Ross County which is two very poor results and Hearts pumped us twice 3-0 all in the past 5/6 weeks.

He’s not as bad as was made out, but he’s still underperforming. We’re not playing this weekend for a reason.
As a Hibs fan I can't remember pumping Aberdeen 6-0 before and if you can't get Carried away abit by a fantastic result I think it's time to give up on football. Last week wasn't just a good result , it was a excellent result , bearing in mind they hadn't lost there since the first game of the season having beaten Celtic, Aberdeen and drawing with hertz and sevco there ! . I suppose all these teams thought like what you said too " WE SHOULD BE WINNING THOSE GAMES " .

Yes we didn't beat Dundee Utd at home and I was disappointed in that one though sometimes these results happen. You think the Ross county result was poor ? Personally I thought another scandalous decision going against us cost us 3 points in dingwall and considering the conditions a point wasn't the end of the world even though we were cheated (can't really blame the manager or anyone for that btw) .

You mentioned we are carried away with a 6-0 win though I think you might be getting a tad carried away about the hertz results. Both hertz 3rd goals were due to us pushing so far up we simply got caught on the break . Cup game I thought we were much the better team and they were just abit more clinical on the day. We all know why we have no game thanks. May he's underperforming because he hasn't had the luxury of putting out his strongest team or these injuries keep disrupting him from putting out the same team !

[007]

It’s also worth mentioning what’s went on aside from the forwards. Rocky out injured for a big chunk of the season, cabraja sadly lost his father and has been a bit out of sorts since (completely understandably), Magennis has been mostly out, JDH has missed almost the whole season so far bar a handful of games (injured by the manager right enough :greengrin), hanlon has had a few knocks and played through the pain barrier.

he’s also had to contend with trying to help a large number of players acclimatise to Scotland and the Scottish game, and get the players playing to his style of football.

this has all been done with a fan base broadly disgruntled with the hierarchy at the club so possibly a bit less patient than we would have been, and the fact hearts are doing reasonably well and being feted by the media as some sort of reincarnation of pep’s Barcelona side, also keeping us feeling hacked off (even when we know they’re just slightly better than the rest of the league average).

not to say he’s not made mistakes, he definitely has, and hopefully has learned from them, proof will be in the pudding of the next few months. He’s been dealt a poor hand, the last couple of weeks have shown he has more about him than he was showing previously (jeggo and fish appear to have hit the team running and performing well, stabilising things), and whilst he’s missing some key players still, the team seems to feel a bit more settled, a bit more composed, and looking upwards and forwards rather than downwards and stagnant.

Not to mention
🔥
😕

[ErinGoBraghHFC]

Not to mention
[emoji91]
[emoji53]

Long live the king
[emoji91]
[emoji2578]


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[Hibbyradge]

As a Hibs fan I can't remember pumping Aberdeen 6-0 before and if you can't get Carried away abit by a fantastic result I think it's time to give up on football. Last week wasn't just a good result , it was a excellent result , bearing in mind they hadn't lost there since the first game of the season having beaten Celtic, Aberdeen and drawing with hertz and sevco there ! . I suppose all these teams thought like what you said too " WE SHOULD BE WINNING THOSE GAMES " .

Yes we didn't beat Dundee Utd at home and I was disappointed in that one though sometimes these results happen. You think the Ross county result was poor ? Personally I thought another scandalous decision going against us cost us 3 points in dingwall and considering the conditions a point wasn't the end of the world even though we were cheated (can't really blame the manager or anyone for that btw) .

You mentioned we are carried away with a 6-0 win though I think you might be getting a tad carried away about the hertz results. Both hertz 3rd goals were due to us pushing so far up we simply got caught on the break . Cup game I thought we were much the better team and they were just abit more clinical on the day. We all know why we have no game thanks. May he's underperforming because he hasn't had the luxury of putting out his strongest team or these injuries keep disrupting him from putting out the same team !

Great rant, buddy. I totally agree.

[Donegal Hibby]

Great rant, buddy. I totally agree.
Got carried away abit again just like I did when we pumped Aberdeen 😂

[MWHIBBIES]

You can't win when the ref gives goals against you like he did in Dingwall.

[Donegal Hibby]

Just watched Hibs training with LJ and the coaches . Apologies if you have already seen it .
https://youtu.be/xAvpsQ2ggHQ

[JohnM1875]

I'm all over the place with LJ if I'm honest. Really didn't want him to get the job initially, then warmed to him quite a bit even after the league cup exit, went right off him and wanted him gone about a month or so again. Now I quite like him again, even after his matador chat in the latest training video haha.

Think he's at least delivering on what he said was needed, a mass clear out. We're also better to watch a lot of the time and are scoring goals again.

Given the mess he inherited (then contributed to) I think he's probably doing well. Probably took him a while to realise just how much of a mess the squad was in. At least we're addressing it now and a European place is still more than achievable.

[ErinGoBraghHFC]

I'm all over the place with LJ if I'm honest. Really didn't want him to get the job initially, then warmed to him quite a bit even after the league cup exit, went right off him and wanted him gone about a month or so again. Now I quite like him again, even after his matador chat in the latest training video haha.

Think he's at least delivering on what he said was needed, a mass clear out. We're also better to watch a lot of the time and are scoring goals again.

Given the mess he inherited (then contributed to) I think he's probably doing well. Probably took him a while to realise just how much of a mess the squad was in. At least we're addressing it now and a European place is still more than achievable.

Nothing wrong the “matador chat”, bit of imagery for the players to carry into game situations? Very good training session from what was shown and anyone saying otherwise hasn’t coached anyone over the age of 12.


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[hibsbollah]

Just watched Hibs training with LJ and the coaches . Apologies if you have already seen it .
https://youtu.be/xAvpsQ2ggHQ

What do we mean by ‘the half space’ :dunno:

[ErinGoBraghHFC]

What do we mean by ‘the half space’ :dunno:

Split the pitch from left to right into 5 sections, the sections between the widest areas and the centre of the park are the half space


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[JohnM1875]

Nothing wrong the “matador chat”, bit of imagery for the players to carry into game situations? Very good training session from what was shown and anyone saying otherwise hasn’t coached anyone over the age of 12.


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A lot of it seemed needlessly confusing to me. One team can score a goal then get a second goal if you make seven passes. After that four passengers get on a train at Waverley, two get off at Haymarket then a further nine get on. If you divide the number of passengers by the average speed of the train what's the value of a ticket.

[ErinGoBraghHFC]

A lot of it seemed needlessly confusing to me. One team can score a goal then get a second goal if you make seven passes. After that four passengers get on a train at Waverley, two get off at Haymarket then a further nine get on. If you divide the number of passengers by the average speed of the train what's the value of a ticket.

Okay, but you’re not a professional footballer who’s been training under him for the last however many months and has probably had these analogies explained multiple times


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[hibsbollah]

Split the pitch from left to right into 5 sections, the sections between the widest areas and the centre of the park are the half space


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:aok:

[Donegal Hibby]

What do we mean by ‘the half space’ :dunno:
Not sure about that either , do we have anyone on here that does a bit of coaching that might know?

[Glory Lurker]

Mon the hibees!!!!!!!

[ErinGoBraghHFC]

Not sure about that either , do we have anyone on here that does a bit of coaching that might know?

Have dabbled and I’ll go into no further detail, read above[emoji16]


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[Donegal Hibby]

Split the pitch from left to right into 5 sections, the sections between the widest areas and the centre of the park are the half space


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Thanks 👍

[ErinGoBraghHFC]

Thanks [emoji106]

Goes back to the old days of the WM formation where you’d have a left half forward/back and a right half forward/back


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[007]

Nothing wrong the “matador chat”, bit of imagery for the players to carry into game situations? Very good training session from what was shown and anyone saying otherwise hasn’t coached anyone over the age of 12.

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He's always talking bull. 🐂

[Hibbyradge]

Not sure about that either , do we have anyone on here that does a bit of coaching that might know?

https://www.coachesvoice.com/cv/half-spaces-football-tactics-explained/

[Donegal Hibby]

https://www.coachesvoice.com/cv/half-spaces-football-tactics-explained/
Explains the half - space very well and was interesting . Thanks for sharing D 👍

[SHODAN]

Another good result for Hibs and Johnson.

[Since452]

Glad he got through that bad spell. I like him and the style he tries to play.

[Keith_M]

Unbeaten in the last six league games. Four wins, and would probably have been five, were it not for some terrible weather and a poor refereeing decision.

[B.H.F.C]

Been a critic but a lot of what he spoke about leading up to, and during, the window is being shown to be correct. The three we got in all made a decent impact quickly.

[Crunchie]

Glad he got through that bad spell. I like him and the style he tries to play.
Some of us got pelters for sticking up for him :agree:, I'm delighted for the man too.

[eastmainsmsh]

To be fair he has turned it around said what he wanted to do on a good run well done LJ and players

[Donegal Hibby]

Glad he got through that bad spell. I like him and the style he tries to play.
Think he talks well when doing interviews and his team's play attacking football which is exciting.

[Since452]

Some of us got pelters for sticking up for him :agree:, I'm delighted for the man too.

I think a sign of a good manager is individual players improving. Look at Rocky and Campbell. Really hope he can do the same with Henderson as I'd pretty much written him off. Played well today. I don't think any player has regressed under him. Porteous maybe but he's been sold. He has most certainly not lost the dressing room as was being said.

[worcesterhibby]

Brilliant to see him coming good. A positive manager, playing attacking football. As a club we need to learn to be patient with managers. Such a crucial game to win today and we did it at a canter ! GgTTH

[WhileTheChief..]

Been a critic but a lot of what he spoke about leading up to, and during, the window is being shown to be correct. The three we got in all made a decent impact quickly.

Yup, he’s how doing what we were all saying he should be doing months ago!

Fair play to him. I just wish he had realised all these things at the start of the season instead of January, but he‘s getting there.

Hopefully we see an improvement when we next play the old firm and hearts.

[Smartie]

We were without some big players from what we thought was a thin squad today, and it got worse when McGeady went off.

His team selection raised a few eyebrows but that was a very good performance from his team. We played some pretty scintillating stuff in places going forward when the game was in the balance then defended well and saw the game out very effectively with minimum fuss.

Johnson's had a few good afternoons lately and deserves credit for his role in turning a season that was in danger of spiralling downwards back in the right direction again.

[Hibernia&Alba]

Another good result for Hibs and Johnson.

Yes, one win can be considered a fluke; a series of wins can't be dismissed. Johnson is proving me wrong just now, I'm pleased to say. Things looked very bleak a few weeks ago, but it's changing.

[JamesHFC]

Credit where it's due 👏 and fairplay to Ben & Ron for perseverance.

[tamig]

Yup, he’s how doing what we were all saying he should be doing months ago!

Fair play to him. I just wish he had realised all these things at the start of the season instead of January, but he‘s getting there.

Hopefully we see an improvement when we next play the old firm and hearts.
Maybe a tad blinkered. Look at who we had at the start of the season compared with what we have now. Some huge players missing until fairly recently and the new signings have all stepped up to the plate quickly.

What things did he not realise early doors that he realises now - in your opinion?

[neil7908]

He absolutely deserves credit as do the recruitment team. I slated both in the past but it's clear we've made progress.

And given we had 3 quality forwards out today, and McGeady went off injured, our current league position is really impressive.

Also, another clean sheet with Porto out the team - is that just a coincidence? At first I thought so but not sure at this point

[He's here!]

An Oldham-supporting pal of mine raved about him so I was cautiously optimistic when we appointed him but I was appalled by the League Cup results and by Christmas I was certain we were going to be close to relegation. Credit to him for proving me wrong. Patience has its merits and it was maybe not the worst thing to go out the cup to Hearts as we seem to have really come together since then and are in with a shout of Europe.

[JimBHibees]

Well done Lee has really turned it round. Played well today and look much stronger defensively. Sometimes better to stick with what we have

[Onion]

Well, never thought he had it in him. Hibs looked a busted flush just a few weeks ago, but LJ has the team playing like a team. Full credit to him.

Don't under-estimate the positive impact that reducing the squad size in the Jan window has had. A huge squad of failing players is like a bad smell hanging around.

[Unseen work]

Upturn in form and results has been really good.

When you look at since we’ve came back from the break we’ve only lost to the 3 teams currently above us in the league and had very good results and performances against the rest.

The Livingston game up next is absolutely massive, especially given the fact we’re playing rangers and Celtic after that.

[SHODAN]

Don't think people realised how significant the 6-0 was tbh. There's been a massive disparity between our xG and goals scored all season, and we'd been threatening pumpings like that in a number of games. It all just happened to come together in a club record victory over Aberdeen which also got arch nemesis Goodwin sacked. Massive for team morale and fan engagement.

Now, if we could just do the same against Hearts...

[heretoday]

Well done Smoothiechops!

[Broxburn Greens]

Said at the game today the improvement in performance has been excellent in recent weeks.

To finish 4th from where we were would represent an excellent 2nd half of the season.

I’ve no given up on 3rd yet as big an ask as that might seem. Who knows, the derby at ER before the split might just be a 6 pointer.

[SHODAN]

Said at the game today the improvement in performance has been excellent in recent weeks.

To finish 4th from where we were would represent an excellent 2nd half of the season.

I’ve no given up on 3rd yet as big an ask as that might seem. Who knows, the derby at ER before the split might just be a 6 pointer.

Honestly think if we've any shot at third we'll have to win both remaining derbies. Getting even one win against them is a tall order right now given the latest drought we're on.

4th would be fantastic considering what's gone before.

[Hibernia&Alba]

Honestly think if we've any shot at third we'll have to win both remaining derbies. Getting even one win against them is a tall order right now given the latest drought we're on.

4th would be fantastic considering what's gone before.

Agreed, fourth place finish would be a minor miracle. Just a few short weeks ago I felt we would be in a relegation scrap.

[SHODAN]

Agreed, fourth place finish would be a minor miracle. Jus a few short weeks ago I felt we would be in a relegation scrap.

:agree:

[LewysGot2]

He's been called a lot of pretty unfair things on a variety of social media platforms over the course of the season. For everyone who likes his quite media friendly demeanour and honesty there's someone else calling him a slaver. He's been accused of underestimating the Scottish game which is surprising given he played for more than one SPL side. We've had some games where some strategies have been naive and we've paid for that and there's been some where his tactical changes or substutions have been instrumental in us winning. Having seen the recent training video you can see he is a good communicator in that environment and he is football intelligent. He didn't blink or change his demeanour when we were on the dodgy run, so mentally he is strong. I hope we continue to progress this season. Some tricky fixtures on the horizon again but who knows how we will do. The only one that is the big fear is Celtic away in a few weeks time. We should be looking to get a glove on Livi and the Orcs.

Looking forward to hearing from him soon at the AST evening. If we get Europe the season will be a success. And we're being entertained again, too. Fingers crossed that all continues

[hibsbollah]

It’s only a win against ten men again.

Let’s not get carried away


:tumble:

[Pretty Boy]

You wonder how Johnson would be viewed if he wasn't so streaky. It's something of a trope with him but runs like we have not long come through will put any manager under pressure. If we had the same win/loss ratio but the losses had been more spread out he may well be viewed far more favourably.

Irrelevant really as the pressure is off him at the moment and that breathing space is hard earned and he deserves enormous credit for that. I always said it was in everyone's best interests if he could turn it round and we could stick with him. Touch wood but it looks like we might have a bit longed for stability in the managers office.

[Since452]

There's a few of us that have liked him from the start but in fairness to those that were calling for his head, that is always going to happen at a club like Hibs when a bad spell happens. I was one of the folk calling for Maloney's head very early so I can't say anything. I've got to admit my own patience was wearing a bit thin during the bad run but I've always seen something in him and his team that I like. I still think we're a good fit for Lee. Even when we lost in the cup to Hearts I thought we played well. It's to Lee's enormous credit we seem to have turned the corner under what was immense pressure after back to back derby defeats. It's not long since El Sackio. It's still early days but i think we could build a decent team here.

[Iain G]

It's amazing what can happen when a manager is given time and backing 😁

[jakedance]

I’m usually slow to call for a manager to be sacked but I did after the Tynecastle game, where I thought he got it badly wrong. Great to see the team doing much better now.

[B.H.F.C]

It's amazing what can happen when a manager is given time and backing 😁

Or when they just get results.

Bad results, unhappy fans. Good results, happy fans.

We need to kick on and secure a European place now.

[Heisenberg]

Credit where it’s due, we’ve certainly picked up. I was ready for him to get to **** after that second derby pumping but the January additions have made their mark and those that left aren’t missed as yet. Hopefully keep it going against Livi.

[WestCoastHibby]

I’m having more humble pie tonight

[Greenio]

Maybe all the folk that were calling for his head, who are now coming back with the 'proved me wrong/ humble pie' chat wont get so rash and knee jerk the next time we lose a few games on the trot

[Wheat Hound]

Cautiously optimistic. The 1st half today was excellent and thoroughly enjoyable to watch. Fish, Egan Reilly and Campbell especially good and Hanlon talking them all through. Looking forward to Livi away already 😀

[Smartie]

You wonder how Johnson would be viewed if he wasn't so streaky. It's something of a trope with him but runs like we have not long come through will put any manager under pressure. If we had the same win/loss ratio but the losses had been more spread out he may well be viewed far more favourably.

Irrelevant really as the pressure is off him at the moment and that breathing space is hard earned and he deserves enormous credit for that. I always said it was in everyone's best interests if he could turn it round and we could stick with him. Touch wood but it looks like we might have a bit longed for stability in the managers office.

I can’t get my head around the “streaky Lee” business.

I remember having a conversation with my mate at 5’s, straight after after we’d beaten St Mirren at home and we were coming off a decent run of form and we were both really happy with the direction Hibs we’re going in.

We then slipped into a dreadful run and some of the performances (Ross County at home for one) were absolutely awful. It seemed to turn from one thing into another ridiculously quickly.

Since the WC we’ve largely been pretty good, losing to the teams above us and beating the teams below us and right now the direction of travel feels good.

We’re about to embark on a tricky run of fixtures so another downturn would probably be down to more than just having a streaky manager.

Tbf things like injuries will be having more of an effect on our fluctuations in form than anything to do with the manager but there seems to be something in the streaky business.

It’s fun at the moment though and some of play today, particularly during the first half, was a joy to watch.

[GreenGray]

It's amazing what can happen when a manager is given time and backing [emoji16]

And when he plays players in the right positions [emoji6]


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[Donegal Hibby]

Lee Johnson very satisfied with professional display.
https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/johnson-very-satisfied-with-professional-display

[davym7062]

Well done Lee has really turned it round. Played well today and look much stronger defensively. Sometimes better to stick with what we have

dead rite jim

[chrisski33]

He absolutely deserves credit as do the recruitment team. I slated both in the past but it's clear we've made progress.

And given we had 3 quality forwards out today, and McGeady went off injured, our current league position is really impressive.

Also, another clean sheet with Porto out the team - is that just a coincidence? At first I thought so but not sure at this point

Since Porto has left we have improved and seem more of a team maybe just a coincidence

[Ozyhibby]

Sorting out the midfield and for that he deserves more time. Well done Lee.


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[MWHIBBIES]

Sorting out the midfield and for that he deserves more time. We’ll done Lee.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Newell and Campbell essential in that midfield too. He's certainly getting the best from them.

[hibsbollah]

Lee says we did well ‘mothering the goal as we call it’.
Some weird turn of phrases in them there hills but if he keeps us winning who cares.

[Hibernia&Alba]

Lee says we did well ‘mothering the goal as we call it’.
Some weird turn of phrases in them there hills but if he keeps us winning who cares.

Aye, he loves a trendy football phrase. I think managers use them so they sound like students of the game.

[McGruber]

Maybe all the folk that were calling for his head, who are now coming back with the 'proved me wrong/ humble pie' chat wont get so rash and knee jerk the next time we lose a few games on the trot

It wasn't rash or knee jerk. It wasn't a few games either.
It's been a very good period and turnaround since the Aberdeen game and we now have a chance of making some success out the season if we keep pushing on. It's finely balanced, we could end the season from here in the European places or we could end with a season out both cups 1st hurdle and playing bottom six football. We are in good form and hopefully we keep up the momentum. Johnson certainly has done well to take the pressure off and earn more time, that's what we all want to see. We'll see how we go from here with some tough games coming up - Livi away will be massive

[Since452]

Sure Lee said we were 4th in the form guide over the last 10 games prior to our win yesterday. It's not been swashbuckling every week but it's certainly not been the doom and gloom it was being made out to be. The back to back losses to Hearts made it feel much worse to be honest. Credit to everyone involved for our current form though. Lee, his coaching team, Ian Gordon and obviously the players. Hopefully beat Livingston as well. Third isn't actually a million miles away.

[matty_f]

Sure Lee said we were 4th in the form guide over the last 10 games prior to our win yesterday. It's not been swashbuckling every week but it's certainly not been the doom and gloom it was being made out to be. The back to back losses to Hearts made it feel much worse to be honest. Credit to everyone involved for our current form though. Lee, his coaching team, Ian Gordon and obviously the players. Hopefully beat Livingston as well. Third isn't actually a million miles away.
https://twitter.com/pieandbov/status/1627346750301253639?s=46&t=iKBZmfPs0TDnzODnxghMlw third over the last six games now.

[Crunchie]

Sure Lee said we were 4th in the form guide over the last 10 games prior to our win yesterday. It's not been swashbuckling every week but it's certainly not been the doom and gloom it was being made out to be. The back to back losses to Hearts made it feel much worse to be honest. Credit to everyone involved for our current form though. Lee, his coaching team, Ian Gordon and obviously the players. Hopefully beat Livingston as well. Third isn't actually a million miles away.
:top marks

[B.H.F.C]

Sure Lee said we were 4th in the form guide over the last 10 games prior to our win yesterday. It's not been swashbuckling every week but it's certainly not been the doom and gloom it was being made out to be. The back to back losses to Hearts made it feel much worse to be honest. Credit to everyone involved for our current form though. Lee, his coaching team, Ian Gordon and obviously the players. Hopefully beat Livingston as well. Third isn't actually a million miles away.

I think the Hearts defeats magnified things but there is no denying we were in a bad place and I still don’t think there could have been much complaint if he’d got the bullet. After the league defeat we were sitting eighth, on a sustained run of poor form and we’d had the League Cup debacle at the start of the season also. I thought he was done for after the cup game.

Where I think he deserves a bit credit is that a lot of the things he spoke about leading up to the window and during the window have happened and appear to have made the difference. Need to see it through to the end of the season now, we have a chance to finish positively and with something to show for it.

[H18 SFR]

LJ is going to have us absolutely punching after another couple of transfer windows.

[buktapurple79]

LJ is going to have us absolutely punching after another couple of transfer windows.

100/100 agree. Pedigree and personality, had ma doubts but fair play to the wee man. He gets us.

[worcesterhibby]

If we can go and boss the game at Livi, take our chances when they come and get three points it will be massive. We then go into back to back games against the infirm. No one in the media will expect us to get anything......who knows what we might do.

[Donegal Hibby]

LJ talking about young players our squad here .
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/its-like-popcorn-why-lee-johnson-didnt-call-on-hibs-kids-during-bad-run-and-how-they-stand-to-benefit-from-january-rejig-4034646

[1875godsgift]

LJ talking about young players our squad here .
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/its-like-popcorn-why-lee-johnson-didnt-call-on-hibs-kids-during-bad-run-and-how-they-stand-to-benefit-from-january-rejig-4034646

That's an interesting read, sounds like he's putting his mark on the place.

[Big90inOz]

That's an interesting read, sounds like he's putting his mark on the place.
Interesting comments at the end about the culture difference.

[Since452]

LJ talking about young players our squad here .
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/its-like-popcorn-why-lee-johnson-didnt-call-on-hibs-kids-during-bad-run-and-how-they-stand-to-benefit-from-january-rejig-4034646

Good read.

[Crunchie]

Good read.
:agree: I'd go so far as to say a brilliant read, I could almost imagine Tony Mowbray speaking as I read that.

His detractors would do well to read this.

[CockneyRebel]

LJ talking about young players our squad here .
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/its-like-popcorn-why-lee-johnson-didnt-call-on-hibs-kids-during-bad-run-and-how-they-stand-to-benefit-from-january-rejig-4034646


Excellent read from a supporter's point of view. Constructive, informative and intelligent. Good to hear the response from the players is improving morale and and the environment of HTC. Not rocket science, mainly common sense and experience being applied.

[chrisski33]

Yup hes good at talking things up but cant argue with the upturn in form since certain players left in January. Livi game huge now and will be a test if where we are now ahead of playing the ugly sisters

[Paulie Walnuts]

I think the Hearts defeats magnified things but there is no denying we were in a bad place and I still don’t think there could have been much complaint if he’d got the bullet. After the league defeat we were sitting eighth, on a sustained run of poor form and we’d had the League Cup debacle at the start of the season also. I thought he was done for after the cup game.

Where I think he deserves a bit credit is that a lot of the things he spoke about leading up to the window and during the window have happened and appear to have made the difference. Need to see it through to the end of the season now, we have a chance to finish positively and with something to show for it.

:agree:

I wasn’t arsed either way whether he went or not but it’s rewriting history to suggest that things weren’t as bad as they were made out to be imo. We were horrendous for a sustained period. It really was bad.

[hibsbollah]

:agree:

I wasn’t arsed either way whether he went or not but it’s rewriting history to suggest that things weren’t as bad as they were made out to be imo. We were horrendous for a sustained period. It really was bad.

Agree, but I think a few folk were also forgetting how bad our injury list got, to really key players. And the replacements weren’t up to speed with the pace of the league. We’re now seeing leaps from the likes of fish, Henderson and Cabraja, if Jair and McKirdy started to fire we’d really be onto something.

[HarpOnHibee]

I was quite a bit "meh" when Lee Johnson first came here, thinking he would be yet another come and go figure. That "meh" then soon turned into rage following a string of poor results, which never helps when the worst of them is against that lot. However, our performances in the past several games have really turned the screw in my opinion. Unbeaten in our last 6 with 4 wins (should really have been 5), is no easy feat, regardless of the opposition. I'm seeing great improvements in our overall quality of play, particularly at home and feel confident that we can take the 3 points against Livi at Almondvale, even if we have to scrap it out.

Credit where it's due. Lee Johnson has us picking up points and nobody can argue with that.

[Dobosz83]

Credit were it's due to Lee, I'm not a regular poster as such, but had a few negative things to say about his management and coaching during the really bad spell. In fairness, I wasn't a fan of the appointment in the first place given I'd seen his Sunderland side collapse a few times and the reputation he had on Wearside didn't take much research. After the cup defeat in the derby, I thought he was a goner for sure...

Since that result in the cup, we've looked solid and dare I say it, we've been a joy to watch in some attacking phases. Fish coming into to replace Porto/Rocky has actually un-earthered a gem a lot of us had written off, helped greatly by Jeggo's screening in front of the defence. I also really like this lad Egan-Riley, seems solid and versatile. I've moaned about the recruitment, but they deserve credit for the window when some of us panicked at the departures early doors.

In summary, fair play to LJ. He's certainly on the right path, and maybe, just maybe, he's a good fit after all. I hope to have egg on my face in the near future! I've even started to warm to his "chat" in post match interviews. That said, it's cautious optimism really, but if he bags 4th place, which is absolutely on the table, then fair play to the guy. Just don't take the League Cup as a joke next season! :cb

[bingo70]

LJ talking about young players our squad here .
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/its-like-popcorn-why-lee-johnson-didnt-call-on-hibs-kids-during-bad-run-and-how-they-stand-to-benefit-from-january-rejig-4034646

Brian Marwood visited the club twice in recent months.

He is an important figure at the City group, I know he has a good relationship with LJ but anyone else wondering if something going on behind the scenes there? Whether that’s some sort of link up or something bigger?

I wouldn’t imagine there’s much the city group can learn from Hibs so was he just here as a mate to LJ I wonder? If it was a professional capacity would he have been twice unless something was happening?

[Hibbyradge]

Brian Marwood visited the club twice in recent months.

He is an important figure at the City group, I know he has a good relationship with LJ but anyone else wondering if something going on behind the scenes there? Whether that’s some sort of link up or something bigger?

I wouldn’t imagine there’s much the city group can learn from Hibs so was he just here as a mate to LJ I wonder? If it was a professional capacity would he have been twice unless something was happening?

I doubt anything is going on, nothing to get excited about anyway.

Maybe he was just having a look at Mykola Kukharevych. :dunno:

Although, now you've highlighted it, a hibs.net FACT will soon be made up! :greengrin

I've heard Ron is selling out to City Group.

See, I told you

[bingo70]

I doubt anything is going on, nothing to get excited about anyway.

Maybe he was just having a look at Mykola Kukharevych. :dunno:

Although, now you've highlighted it, a hibs.net FACT will soon be made up! :greengrin

I've heard Ron is selling out to City Group.

See, I told you

Clearly the person who started that thread about what we would do if someone with questionable morals bought us had some serious inside info.

All making sense now.

[Donegal Hibby]

:agree: I'd go so far as to say a brilliant read, I could almost imagine Tony Mowbray speaking as I read that.

His detractors would do well to read this.


Excellent read from a supporter's point of view. Constructive, informative and intelligent. Good to hear the response from the players is improving morale and and the environment of HTC. Not rocket science, mainly common sense and experience being applied.
I thought it was a brilliant read as well and you could say that about Tony Mowbray as well both have another thing in common too they both like to play attacking football. I don't think it will change his detractors minds as they will still call him a slaver as there minds are made up I feel maybe that's got something maybe to do with not getting high profile JDT as manager. Personally think he speaks very well when doing interviews. It was constructive and intelligent and is good to hear players moral improving and the environment at HTC too .

[Hibbyradge]

Clearly the person who started that thread about what we would do if someone with questionable morals bought us had some serious inside info.

All making sense now.

I've been rumbled.

[worcesterhibby]

Another great performance, this time coming from behind, away from home on a nasty pitch against a side that has often been a bogey team for us. The development in Youan's play is there for all to see and the whole team played more cohesively. Clear in 4th and I'm actually looking forward to playing Rangers. Well done Lee 👏

[Carheenlea]

Looked to enjoy his celebration with the fans as they took the acclaim on the pitch post match. He’s more than deserved it.

[JamesHFC]

Looked to enjoy his celebration with the fans as they took the acclaim on the pitch post match. He’s more than deserved it.

There was a point where I thought it’s best he left but he’s always maintained confidence that he will turn things around and he’s certainly done that. Delighted for him and also enjoyed seeing him celebrate today’s win.

[The Modfather]

I haven’t seen many games so not speaking from a position of authority, but is our upturn in large part due to addressing the midfield with Jegga and Egan-Reilly? With Campbell complimenting them as he runs ahead of the ball, gets in the box and also scores?

Getting a better balance in the middle, rather than players you can make a case for individually but we’ve seen the sum of their parts over a number of seasons, is bringing the best out of all areas of the team.

Or is that just a part of it and another part is we’re simply in form at the moment.

[Ozyhibby]

Haven’t seen us play recently so I’m putting it all down to Jeggo.[emoji106]


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[Since452]

Is Johnson allowed to stay yet?

[He's here!]

Sign of a decent manager that he's turned things around from what was looking like a slide into relegation bother to the point where Europe looks a real possibility. Compare that to Butcher and Duffy, where the slide just became unstoppable. Glad to have been proved wrong about LJ.

[B.H.F.C]

I haven’t seen many games so not speaking from a position of authority, but is our upturn in large part due to addressing the midfield with Jegga and Egan-Reilly? With Campbell complimenting them as he runs ahead of the ball, gets in the box and also scores?

Getting a better balance in the middle, rather than players you can make a case for individually but we’ve seen the sum of their parts over a number of seasons, is bringing the best out of all areas of the team.

Or is that just a part of it and another part is we’re simply in form at the moment.

Jeggo has made a difference. All three signings have made an impact though

Being forced in to playing Fish has possibly been the wee bit luck that he needed. Jeggo getting a lot of credit, rightly, for defensive improvement but the centre halves are defending properly which wasn’t the case before.

Keeps getting results and he’ll keep keeping folk happy.

[Since452]

He's now building a relationship with the supporters which is great to see. Keep up the good work Lee.

[Onion]

What a turn around from just a few weeks ago. Team spirit, confident players, rub off the green and even the odd VAR decision in our favour. WTF is going on at ER :thumbsup:

[RyeSloan]

I haven’t seen many games so not speaking from a position of authority, but is our upturn in large part due to addressing the midfield with Jegga and Egan-Reilly? With Campbell complimenting them as he runs ahead of the ball, gets in the box and also scores?

Getting a better balance in the middle, rather than players you can make a case for individually but we’ve seen the sum of their parts over a number of seasons, is bringing the best out of all areas of the team.

Or is that just a part of it and another part is we’re simply in form at the moment.

All of the above but no doubt the two in midfield know what they are doing and it’s made a big difference.

Not just their defensive play either. Movement off the ball is good and opens spaces for them playing or receiving the pass.

LJ seems to have struck upon a balanced team that knows how to put the patterns of play together. It’s been a long time coming but now that it’s here it’s rather pleasing to watch.

[Wilson]

Is Johnson allowed to stay yet?

Win the next two and we can think about it!

[The Modfather]

Looking at the league table it’s crazy that only the top 4 have a positive goal difference.

[Lancs Harp]

Looking at the league table it’s crazy that only the top 4 have a positive goal difference.

Isnt that pretty normal with Celtic and Rangers always distorting it?

[Scooter]

Just watched his interview on hibs tv. He looks really emotional, this must have been a hard few weeks for him. He, all the staff and players deserve credit for that one

[Donegal Hibby]

Johnson : That's for Ron and his family.
https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/johnson-thats-for-ron-and-the-family

[Since452]

Johnson : That's for Ron and his family.
https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/johnson-thats-for-ron-and-the-family

Class manager. Class club.

[Nakedmanoncrack]

Hats off to him, he's turned it around - so far. Next two games are the hardest, come out of those well & I will truly believe.

[Donegal Hibby]

Class manager. Class club.
Class club no doubt about it. Manager is class and imo comes across well on interviews and is a decent guy , see he had a few remarks about Livingston's pitch today . Our supporters today over 3,000 of them were also class today as well:not worth

[Trinity Hibee]

Johnson : That's for Ron and his family.
https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/johnson-thats-for-ron-and-the-family

Also interesting comments about the January signings improving the squad spirit. Seems like a new team since the window.

[marinello59]

Also interesting comments about the January signings improving the squad spirit. Seems like a new team since the window.

Aye, I picked up on that. I’ve never doubted him, hopefully we are going to have him about for a long time.

[Just_Jimmy]

Wanted him out after the 2 derby's but he's turned it around so far. Still a long way to go til we know for sure but he's earned the chance. Could really do with a win against either rangers or celtic but most definitely a Derby win.

I'm more open to him than I was a few months back, that's for sure. Keep it going.

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[Keepthefaith]

one of the key changes I've seen is that the pressing is better - something he said would be a sign of his team. clear tactics today too to get in behind Livi which worked well.

I like the guy and do think we'll come good under him. acid test is the next two games - see what he has learned from the previous defeats. never liked the crap folk were throwing at him - seems genuine, passionate and with a drive to win. we could do an awful lot worse!

[King conrad]

Lee Johnson will have us firing in all directions next year and I'm 100% certain of it.
We have gave him time i believe we will see the rewards next year

[Donegal Hibby]

Lee Johnson on Rons service Tuesday and game on Wednesday.
https://www.irishnews.com/sport/footballsoccer/2023/03/06/news/lee_johnson_urges_hibernian_to_deliver_energetic_p erformance_against_rangers-3111058/

[blackpoolhibs]

I haven’t seen many games so not speaking from a position of authority, but is our upturn in large part due to addressing the midfield with Jegga and Egan-Reilly? With Campbell complimenting them as he runs ahead of the ball, gets in the box and also scores?

Getting a better balance in the middle, rather than players you can make a case for individually but we’ve seen the sum of their parts over a number of seasons, is bringing the best out of all areas of the team.

Or is that just a part of it and another part is we’re simply in form at the moment.

You are bang on the money here, our midfield has much more balance now, and we actively get the ball forward quicker.

Make your own mind up why this is the case.

[MWHIBBIES]

You are bang on the money here, our midfield has much more balance now, and we actively get the ball forward quicker.

Make your own mind up why this is the case.

I mean, we were doing so against Aberdeen, Motherwell etc too.

Our forwards performing and taking chances is the biggest reason for our improvement.

Our defence is also much improved.

[CapitalGreen]

I mean, we were doing so against Aberdeen, Motherwell etc too.

Our forwards performing and taking chances is the biggest reason for our improvement.

Our defence is also much improved.

Do you not think there is any correlation between attackers scoring more and getting the ball forward quicker? It’s easier to score against a defence on the back foot rather than one that’s been allowed time to get everyone back behind the ball and set. Slow build up play is why we’ve often struggled for goals against teams playing a low block.

[WhileTheChief..]

You are bang on the money here, our midfield has much more balance now, and we actively get the ball forward quicker.

Make your own mind up why this is the case.
Newall being replaced in the middle of the park? :offski:

[patlowe]

Lee Johnson will have us firing in all directions next year and I'm 100% certain of it.
We have gave him time i believe we will see the rewards next year

Inclined to agree but my only note of caution is the number of loanees we have in the starting 11 at the moment. That's not a criticism - we had to supplement the squad with quality in January - but the summer will be critical and the team is likely to look quite different again come August IMO.

[MWHIBBIES]

Do you not think there is any correlation between attackers scoring more and getting the ball forward quicker? It’s easier to score against a defence on the back foot rather than one that’s been allowed time to get everyone back behind the ball and set. Slow build up play is why we’ve often struggled for goals against teams playing a low block.

Possibly yeah.

Banged 6 Vs Aberdeen with Newell playing though, so that couldn't be blamed on him imo. 2 assists for him that day. 4 since the break iirc. Need him back. Key player.

[Tyler Durden]

Inclined to agree but my only note of caution is the number of loanees we have in the starting 11 at the moment. That's not a criticism - we had to supplement the squad with quality in January - but the summer will be critical and the team is likely to look quite different again come August IMO.

It's just the nature of modern football for a team of our level. We should be targeting 2 or 3 good loanees every season. We've done well from them this year but previously Aberdeen and Hearts have fared better.

It's also a cycle of success if you get it right. Positive performances and development for the player, makes you more likely as a club to attract the next prospect the following season. You build a relationship with the clubs down south who have the pipeline of players.

[Donegal Hibby]

Seems to be a good spirit in the hibs squad now , Id imagine when your winning games it helps with this though Cadden praises the new guys and mentions the out goings in this article . I wonder if any of the players that left maybe might have been unsettling the harmony within the squad either due to lack of game time or something else..
https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/its-probably-the-best-its-been-since-ive-been-here-hibs-wingback-chris-cadden-enjoying-feelgood-factor-ahead-of-rangers-test-4054151

[Carheenlea]

Do they still do the “manager of the month” awards in Scotland?

If so, you’d have to think Lee Johnson would be in with a shout for February. Not many games of course but being in the midst of a fine run of form would make him a strong candidate.

[JohnM1875]

Do they still do the “manager of the month” awards in Scotland?

If so, you’d have to think Lee Johnson would be in with a shout for February. Not many games of course but being in the midst of a fine run of form would make him a strong candidate.

Kettlewell got it for February.

[Gordy M]

Do they still do the “manager of the month” awards in Scotland?

If so, you’d have to think Lee Johnson would be in with a shout for February. Not many games of course but being in the midst of a fine run of form would make him a strong candidate.

I think Kettlewell at Motherwell won it

[ErinGoBraghHFC]

Do they still do the “manager of the month” awards in Scotland?

If so, you’d have to think Lee Johnson would be in with a shout for February. Not many games of course but being in the midst of a fine run of form would make him a strong candidate.

Did you know kettlewell from Motherwell got it?[emoji16]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Carheenlea]

Did you know kettlewell from Motherwell got it?[emoji16]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not until now!

Motherwell have done pretty well also I suppose. For the Hearts win at least, I’ll bear no grudges.

[JimBHibees]

Possibly yeah.

Banged 6 Vs Aberdeen with Newell playing though, so that couldn't be blamed on him imo. 2 assists for him that day. 4 since the break iirc. Need him back. Key player.

Need him back fit not so sure we need him back as a starter at present. Should be made to work for his place.

[blackpoolhibs]

Well done LJ for watching a team get hammered in the first half, watch the team give the huns more space than William Shatner ever saw, and still decide we would play the same way. :rolleyes:

[Is It On....]

Well done LJ for watching a team get hammered in the first half, watch the team give the huns more space than William Shatner ever saw, and still decide we would play the same way. :rolleyes:

I have come to the conclusion that the reason he has streaky results periods and you just have to look through them is he doesn't really know what he is doing right so he can't alter it when it's going wrong.

[bingo70]

Well done LJ for watching a team get hammered in the first half, watch the team give the huns more space than William Shatner ever saw, and still decide we would play the same way. :rolleyes:

Yeah he’s had lots of praise recently and rightly so but he’s had a shocker tonight IMO.

[SlickShoes]

Everyone played terrible, no pass marks tonight

[madhatter]

I put that performance down to the players rather than the manager. Doubt manager asked for ball watching and not tracking runners.

Lee Johnson made mistakes. They play very wide, we should have setup differently against them as we were far too easy to play through.

Players were flat footed and ball watching though. Nothing manager can do about that.

[easty]

You cannae have one passenger against Rangers or Celtc and expect not to be punished.

Tonight we had almost a whole team of players who watched the game go by them.

Im surprised LJ didn’t change things at half time, but he was massively let down by the players he picked tonight. Especially in the midfield.

[A Hi-Bee]

Neil Lennon knew how to play against the hun, LJ hasnie got a clue when it comes to playing them.

[MWHIBBIES]

Neil Lennon knew how to play against the hun, LJ hasnie got a clue when it comes to playing them.

Neil Lennon had a brilliant team that Stubbs and Dempster built. Lee has a mess that Maloney and others left him. It makes a big big difference.

Lee Johnson already beat likes of Aberdeen, St Johnstone and Livi more than Lennon did.

[Tyler Durden]

Maybe dispels any thought that our midfield was sorted. Appalling stuff tonight

[Since452]

Neil Lennon knew how to play against the hun, LJ hasnie got a clue when it comes to playing them.

Lennon also inherited a far better team and played against a far inferior Rangers to the current one.

[A Hi-Bee]

Neil Lennon had a brilliant team that Stubbs and Dempster built. Lee has a mess that Maloney and others left him. It makes a big big difference.

Lee Johnson already beat likes of Aberdeen, St Johnstone and Livi more than Lennon did.

Grasping at Straws.
:greengrin

[Ryan91]

Neil Lennon knew how to play against the hun, LJ hasnie got a clue when it comes to playing them.

Unlike LJ, NL had a bit of experience in Scottish Football, worth noting also that The Rangers during NL's tenure were a very different beast from what they are now, given they're splashing cash again.

It hurts to get beat 4-1 on your own patch, and we weren't anywhere near the races today, however we're also a team that's facing a litany of injuries to important first team players, and LJ has to make do with what he has at his disposal right now.

[B.H.F.C]

Really poor from Johnson tonight. I know he had the subs read at 3-1 but that was still too late. I couldn’t believe he just sent them back out to go again at half time.

Got to have your best available players on the pitch in a game like that and we didn’t.

[LaMotta]

Johnson has plenty of credit in the bank recently, but tonight was awful from him.

Not making a change at half time was unbelievable - Hoppe and Henderson the obvious ones to come off. He then left it way too long to bring subs on - Hoppe failing to hold the ball up and they score to make it 4 one - game over when the subs come on.

[RossScott1991]

That’s us conceded 26 goals I think against Celtic rangers and hearts this season

Lee needs to find a new formula for these games

[JohnM1875]

Johnson has plenty of credit in the bank recently, but tonight was awful from him.

Not making a change at half time was unbelievable - Hoppe and Henderson the obvious ones to come off. He then left it way too long to bring subs on - Hoppe failing to hold the ball up and they score to make it 4 one - game over when the subs come on.

Totally, was shocked that no one went down the tunnel early at half time. Really baffling stuff.

[SHODAN]

That’s us conceded 26 goals I think against Celtic rangers and hearts this season

Lee needs to find a new formula for these games

We drew against Hearts and Rangers in the first two games.

Since then the scores have been: 1-6, 2-3, 0-4, 0-3, 0-3, 1-4.

Can't think of a much worse run than that.

[Hibees1973]

The 30 - 40 point chasm come season end between Hibs/Hearts and the OF really just sums up where we are.

I would only deem Hibs as being a good side if we manage to keep the gap at around 10 - 15 points. We are sitting in 4th just now which is seen as some kind of achievement, but when I look at that Hibs squad we are miles away.

I will continue to watch and support Hibs and always will. I just pine sometimes for the early 70s when I started to watch Hibs when we were real competitors.

[Smartie]

Neil Lennon had a brilliant team that Stubbs and Dempster built. Lee has a mess that Maloney and others left him. It makes a big big difference.

Lee Johnson already beat likes of Aberdeen, St Johnstone and Livi more than Lennon did.

I remember hearing Neil Lennon after one of the times he’d won at Ibrox - and he was saying that under the circumstances it was up there with his Celtic team beating Barcelona, and he had a point.

A back 3 that had Lewis Stevenson in it alongside Porto making his senior debut. McGinn shuffled out to LWB, Simon Murray up front.

He found a way to work with what he had. Not saying the current squad is good enough, it’s not, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask that Johnson finds a way for us to do significantly better than we did tonight.

Your point about Aberdeen, Livi and the like is fair and Johnson deserves credit for that.

[yerauldda]

Totally, was shocked that no one went down the tunnel early at half time. Really baffling stuff.

The obvious candidates for coming on clearly deemed not to be able to manage 45 minutes. While the bench looked strong in the forward areas we really lacked depth in midfield where changes were badly needed.

[The Wireless]

Neil Lennon knew how to play against the hun, LJ hasnie got a clue when it comes to playing them.
Put that down to Lennon having an edge and a winning mentality.

[Trinity Hibee]

Fear a repeat of the last game at Celtic Park in 10 days time.

[The Harp Awakes]

Neil Lennon had a brilliant team that Stubbs and Dempster built. Lee has a mess that Maloney and others left him. It makes a big big difference.

Lee Johnson already beat likes of Aberdeen, St Johnstone and Livi more than Lennon did.

In the last 4 games v Rantic we've shipped 17 goals, probably ~ the worst average in the league against them.

There's a gulf in quality agreed, but we've also been tactically inept in those games. The Manager has not set his team up correctly. How a wing back (Barisic) can be allowed to move up and down the left wing with no one near him all night is abysmal. Sakala and Tavanier also regularly found themselves in acres of space.

Lennon knew his players had to get in their faces and get tight on them to restrict space. Johnson's tactics are the opposite and as a result we're getting thumped every time we play them.

[Pretty Boy]

Tough gig is football management.

Johnson was the greatest thing since sliced bread on Saturday evening, plenty plaudits coming his way and well deserved there were too. Tonight he's back to being a dud who can't get a tune out of a team in the games that matter most to the fans.

That's the life of a football manager I suppose, I'm sure Johnson knows it as well as anyone.

[BegbieHSC]

LJ has managed to beat al the teams below us in the league, which is always good.

On the other hand, we’ve taken hidings from all three above us, which is concerning in terms of how we progress. Needs to do much better

[RossScott1991]

We drew against Hearts and Rangers in the first two games.

Since then the scores have been: 1-6, 2-3, 0-4, 0-3, 0-3, 1-4.

Can't think of a much worse run than that.

Yep,

Hibs 1 Hearts 1
Hibs 2 Rangers 2
Celtic 6 Hibs 1
Rangers 3 Hibs 2
Hearts 3 Hibs 0
Hibs 0 Celtic 4
Hibs 0 Hearts 3
Hibs 1 Rangers 4

He needs to address this. I know old firm can pump you any time and the gulf is huge but the set up doesn’t give us much of a fighting chance. Far too open.

[CapitalGreen]

Put that down to Lennon having an edge and a winning mentality.

This was the Rangers team that Lennon beat at Ibrox, the current Rangers team are many levels above this.

26525

[One Day Soon]

A truly Godawful performance which exposed the weaknesses we didn’t address during the transfer window horribly. Not enough pace, not got a captain, no midfield playmaker to hold the ball up and pick a pass and way too many average players who go missing in this kind of game. I thought the SNP leadership hustings would be the very worst thing I’d see this week. How wrong I was. Johnson’s inability to make early changes was highlighted tonight too. Just grim all round and a disappointing way to send Ron off.

[ballengeich]

Since the start of December we've lost five games against Celtic, Rangers and Hearts, but won six and drawn two in eight games against the rest.

Does LJ need to learn to set up a more cautious set-up against stronger opposition? Can he do that without losing the attacking fluency which is overcoming the lesser teams?

[Alfred E Newman]

That was as animated I've seen Lee Johnson in the first half. He was obviously not happy with the performance and I thought he would have made at least one change at half time though, to be fair, we did start the second half better until Marshall gifted the 3rd with a slack clearance. At the end of the day these games are a shot to nothing and it's how we perform against the teams below us that will determine where we finish in the league this season.

[Iain G]

Since the start of December we've lost five games against Celtic, Rangers and Hearts, but won six and drawn two in eight games against the rest.

Does LJ need to learn to set up a more cautious set-up against stronger opposition? Can he do that without losing the attacking fluency which is overcoming the lesser teams?

We either have to keep going for it and pressing and pushing them, especially after taking the lead, or be able to sit back and absorb it and hit on the break. Tonight we did neither and he needs to decide how he wants to play these games.

[oneone73]

This was the Rangers team that Lennon beat at Ibrox, the current Rangers team are many levels above this.

26525

Good point.

[ancient hibee]

Should have started either Nisbet or Myko. Hoppe is not strong enough to hold the ball up or play with his back to goal. So the ball just kept coming straight back.Should always start your best players against the OF otherwise the games over before they come on.
However the goals-silly penalty,Youan slow to a pass and seconds later it’s a goal,dreadful kick out by Marshall(not for the first time tonight)and another goal and then 4 attempts to kick a ball out of the area and another goal.Could all have been avoided but the players were panicking-up to the manager to sort that.

[MWHIBBIES]

This was the Rangers team that Lennon beat at Ibrox, the current Rangers team are many levels above this.

26525

Quite a few of those wouldn't get in our current side. Certainly a lot worse than the current Rangers side, who were in a European final 10 months ago.

Neil Lennon got some great results for us against the OF with an excellent Hibs side. So did Stubbs. I'm not so sure they would now.

[Mikey_1875]

I thought LJ took the easy option with the starting line up but he can be forgiven of that considering our recent form and you don’t know how good that team will be against the better teams unless you try it.

At one point I thought it looked like Nisbet was being called back on the half hour mark but to then not make any changes at half time was surprising.

The players need to take their share of the blame for last night as well but it’s probably best for the team to just draw a line under this one (and maybe the next!) and move on.

[HH81]

Really poor from Johnson tonight. I know he had the subs read at 3-1 but that was still too late. I couldn’t believe he just sent them back out to go again at half time.

Got to have your best available players on the pitch in a game like that and we didn’t.

You can only have your best players out there if they are fit enough to be on the park.

Most returning from injury so maybe couldn't play full 45 mins yet.

[Hiber-nation]

Don't like giving them any credit but I have to say I was surprised at how good the huns were. Yeah we kept giving up possession but I can't recall a Rangers side so quick and moving the ball so well for a long time. No excuse for how poor some of our boys (including LJ) were though.

[Jones28]

This was the Rangers team that Lennon beat at Ibrox, the current Rangers team are many levels above this.

26525

Quite a stark contrast in quality.

[Hibs90]

Yep,

Hibs 1 Hearts 1
Hibs 2 Rangers 2
Celtic 6 Hibs 1
Rangers 3 Hibs 2
Hearts 3 Hibs 0
Hibs 0 Celtic 4
Hibs 0 Hearts 3
Hibs 1 Rangers 4

He needs to address this. I know old firm can pump you any time and the gulf is huge but the set up doesn’t give us much of a fighting chance. Far too open.

Pumped out both cups aswell. Ross got hounded out for less but that’s shocking.

[Unseen work]

I thought LJ took the easy option with the starting line up but he can be forgiven of that considering our recent form and you don’t know how good that team will be against the better teams unless you try it.

At one point I thought it looked like Nisbet was being called back on the half hour mark but to then not make any changes at half time was surprising.

The players need to take their share of the blame for last night as well but it’s probably best for the team to just draw a line under this one (and maybe the next!) and move on.

Really? I actually thought the decision to not start Nisbet was quite a brave one as the majority would have wanted him to start ahead of Hoppe or Henderson.


Agree re the players though, on the day they majority were just miles off of it and rangers were very good.

[neil7908]

Yep,

Hibs 1 Hearts 1
Hibs 2 Rangers 2
Celtic 6 Hibs 1
Rangers 3 Hibs 2
Hearts 3 Hibs 0
Hibs 0 Celtic 4
Hibs 0 Hearts 3
Hibs 1 Rangers 4

He needs to address this. I know old firm can pump you any time and the gulf is huge but the set up doesn’t give us much of a fighting chance. Far too open.

Agreed. I'm not going to lay into LJ as its clear there has been a turn around since the last derby but we need to start at least competing with the OF. That might take a bit more time but we won't get far in the league, cups or Europe if we can't get a better game plan to play these type of games.

[CapitalGreen]

Pumped out both cups aswell. Ross got hounded out for less but that’s shocking.

Jack Ross league record the season he was sacked:

1.19 Points per match
1.13 Goals scored per match
0 points against the Old Firm

Lee Johnson’s league record this season:

1.43 Points per match
1.57 Goals scored per match
1 point against the Old Firm

[flash]

We weren't getting anywhere near them last night regardless of the starting 11 we put out.
Other than changing the forward players around we simply don't have any options due to our horrific luck with injuries.
CJ and Jeggo have both been great the last few games but we needed someone to calm things down last night after the equaliser.
Neither of them is that type of player.

[SickBoy32]

Jack Ross league record the season he was sacked:

1.19 Points per match
1.13 Goals scored per match
0 points against the Old Firm

Lee Johnson’s league record this season:

1.43 Points per match
1.57 Goals scored per match
1 point against the Old Firm

I think for balance the semi final pumping of the hun under JR should be mentioned

LJ (and these players) simply must do better in the big games

[Jones28]

We weren't getting anywhere near them last night regardless of the starting 11 we put out.
Other than changing the forward players around we simply don't have any options due to our horrific luck with injuries.
CJ and Jeggo have both been great the last few games but we needed someone to calm things down last night after the equaliser.
Neither of them is that type of player.

:agree:

Another good point.

Nisbet and Kuk came on and aside from a chance missed by Nisbet they had zero impact on the game because our midfield just didn't have the time and space.

[Mikey_1875]

Really? I actually thought the decision to not start Nisbet was quite a brave one as the majority would have wanted him to start ahead of Hoppe or Henderson.


Agree re the players though, on the day they majority were just miles off of it and rangers were very good.

Can see your point about Nisbet but I just felt formation wise before the game that our full backs were always going to be in trouble if we lined up with four at the back. I felt a tough decision was needed to make the defence which had been performing well a 3-5-2 and realise that it was a better quality opposition we were playing. He kind of hinted to it playing Lewy over Cabraja but it wasn’t enough for me.

Of course we could have lined up as that and still be on the wrong end of a bad score line and then he would have been in for more criticism. It’ll be interesting to see what changes for rhe game at Parkhead.

[#2 Double Tap]

Pumped out both cups aswell. Ross got hounded out for less but that’s shocking.

Ross got hounded out for the absolute anti football.

If LJ fails to get 4th he will be emptied tae. If he stays and loses the first round of fixtures to the old firm n sc um then he will be emptied then.

[#2 Double Tap]

Really? I actually thought the decision to not start Nisbet was quite a brave one as the majority would have wanted him to start ahead of Hoppe or Henderson.


Agree re the players though, on the day they majority were just miles off of it and rangers were very good.


Nisbet doesn’t play well as the lone striker. Imo.
Think mykola is our best forward right now.

[CapitalGreen]

Ross got hounded out for the absolute anti football.

If LJ fails to get 4th he will be emptied tae. If he stays and loses the first round of fixtures to the old firm n sc um then he will be emptied then.

Nobody will be getting sacked for losing to the old firm.

[Hibernian Verse]

Nobody will be getting sacked for losing to the old firm.

It's always the same after defeat against the Old Firm. Not sure what planet people are on.

[One Day Soon]

We weren't getting anywhere near them last night regardless of the starting 11 we put out.
Other than changing the forward players around we simply don't have any options due to our horrific luck with injuries.
CJ and Jeggo have both been great the last few games but we needed someone to calm things down last night after the equaliser.
Neither of them is that type of player.

We don't have that kind of player. We haven't for years. Our midfield lacks bite, pace and creativity. We have a lot of players who are not particularly good at anything while also not being utterly terrible. Games like last night's are when you get found out. Weak transfer windows equals a weak team.

[Tyler Durden]

Can see your point about Nisbet but I just felt formation wise before the game that our full backs were always going to be in trouble if we lined up with four at the back. I felt a tough decision was needed to make the defence which had been performing well a 3-5-2 and realise that it was a better quality opposition we were playing. He kind of hinted to it playing Lewy over Cabraja but it wasn’t enough for me.

Of course we could have lined up as that and still be on the wrong end of a bad score line and then he would have been in for more criticism. It’ll be interesting to see what changes for rhe game at Parkhead.

You're spot on. We can't just "have a go" in a 4-3-3 against them, especially when we've seemingly told our wide players not to track back.

LJ needs an actual game plan specific to the opposition. Definitely difficult last night without Newell or Magennis but there were lots of options and most would have involved a back 3 or a more compact midfield. Lewis could have been played in midfield aswell.

To not make changes at HT was unforgivable.

[Heisenberg]

LJ won’t change. He’ll go into the game against Celtc exactly the same way as he usually does and we’ll get absolutely pumped for 90 minutes as we usually do. Having a philosophy and sticking to it is admirable but it’s also completely mental when you are playing teams much better than you.

[flash]

We don't have that kind of player. We haven't for years. Our midfield lacks bite, pace and creativity. We have a lot of players who are not particularly good at anything while also not being utterly terrible. Games like last night's are when you get found out. Weak transfer windows equals a weak team.

I disagree. I think Newall would have helped and I also think a fully fit JDH gives a measure of composure too.
Anyway who does have a team to compete with Rangers when they play like that outwith Celtic?

[flash]

You're spot on. We can't just "have a go" in a 4-3-3 against them, especially when we've seemingly told our wide players not to track back.

LJ needs an actual game plan specific to the opposition. Definitely difficult last night without Newell or Magennis but there were lots of options and most would have involved a back 3 or a more compact midfield. Lewis could have been played in midfield aswell.

To not make changes at HT was unforgivable.

"Unforgivable". Wee bit dramatic no?

[Tyler Durden]

"Unforgivable". Wee bit dramatic no?

I mean.... I have forgiven him but you get my point :greengrin

[flash]

I mean.... I have forgiven him but you get my point :greengrin

I agree with your point to be fair.:greengrin

[ehf]

"Unforgivable". Wee bit dramatic no?

“Bewildering” is perhaps le mot juste.

[Victor]

You're spot on. We can't just "have a go" in a 4-3-3 against them, especially when we've seemingly told our wide players not to track back.

LJ needs an actual game plan specific to the opposition. Definitely difficult last night without Newell or Magennis but there were lots of options and most would have involved a back 3 or a more compact midfield. Lewis could have been played in midfield aswell.

To not make changes at HT was unforgivable.

I had forgotten about Magennis! He could be the missing piece. (I have no idea how bad his injury is). I think against Celtic we have to go with one up front. We have midfielders capable of scoring goals, plus defenders able to chip in from set-pieces. Personally I would sacrifice Youan, because he still doesn’t contribute enough defensively (his positioning and attitude at the shot from Barisic? that Marshall saved, was woeful) I would go with Myka or Nisbet up front and position the remainder in our box!

[Since452]

We were comprehensively beaten by a far superior team. Same will happen against Celtic next time out. I don't want to see Hibs park the bus against anyone but that's the only way to get a point against these teams. It's almost a write-off playing them these days. They've only lost 3 games between them for a reason and that was probably against each other. Once in a blue moon a St Johnstone or St Mirren will shock the world and beat them with a couple of shots on goal. It's rarer than a good looking Hearts fan.

[B.H.F.C]

We were comprehensively beaten by a far superior team. Same will happen against Celtic next time out. I don't want to see Hibs park the bus against anyone but that's the only way to get a point against these teams. It's almost a write-off playing them these days. They've only lost 3 games between them for a reason and that was probably against each other. Once in a blue moon a St Johnstone or St Mirren will shock the world and beat them with a couple of shots on goal. It's rarer than a good looking Hearts fan.

We all know they are a better team than us.

But that doesn’t prevent us doing basic things better.

First goal, Cadden passes the ball straight to a Rangers player then should take a foul, but doesn’t, in the lead up to the penalty.

Second goal, Youan gives the ball away in a stupid area.

Marshall’s kick for the third and Christ knows where to even start with the fourth.

There isn’t a game in recent memory, for me, where we have made so many basic errors. Eradicating that type of thing might still see us beat but at least we’d give ourselves a chance and at least they’d need to work for any win.

I don’t think the whole ‘it’s Rangers’ thing excuses our own performance last night.

[Since452]

We all know they are a better team than us.

But that doesn’t prevent us doing basic things better.

First goal, Cadden passes the ball straight to a Rangers player then should take a foul, but doesn’t, in the lead up to the penalty.

Second goal, Youan gives the ball away in a stupid area.

Marshall’s kick for the third and Christ knows where to even start with the fourth.

There isn’t a game in recent memory, for me, where we have made so many basic errors. Eradicating that type of thing might still see us beat but at least we’d give ourselves a chance and at least they’d need to work for any win.

I don’t think the whole ‘it’s Rangers’ thing excuses our own performance last night.

It was a bad night at the office for us there's no doubt about it. We didn't help ourselves. If you do that against anyone in this league you'll struggle but if you do it against Celtic or Rangers you'll be scudded. I'm not trying to make excuses for them as it wasn't good enough but i'm not going to crucify them either. We've been on a great run recently. I really think recent events have caught up with us. Ron's service on the eve of the game and the tribute before it would all have affected the players subconsciously. I'm quite pleased we have a free weekend now to regroup and we can hopefully concentrate fully on the football.

[K-Zazu]

What’s our aggregate score against Celtic,rangers, hearts this season?

[ancient hibee]

We all know they are a better team than us.

But that doesn’t prevent us doing basic things better.

First goal, Cadden passes the ball straight to a Rangers player then should take a foul, but doesn’t, in the lead up to the penalty.

Second goal, Youan gives the ball away in a stupid area.

Marshall’s kick for the third and Christ knows where to even start with the fourth.

There isn’t a game in recent memory, for me, where we have made so many basic errors. Eradicating that type of thing might still see us beat but at least we’d give ourselves a chance and at least they’d need to work for any win.

I don’t think the whole ‘it’s Rangers’ thing excuses our own performance last night.

No doubt they would have won anyway but all the goals were gifts caused by panic due to Rangers giving no time on the ball.

[McGruber]

It was a bad night at the office for us there's no doubt about it. We didn't help ourselves. If you do that against anyone in this league you'll struggle but if you do it against Celtic or Rangers you'll be scudded. I'm not trying to make excuses for them as it wasn't good enough but i'm not going to crucify them either. We've been on a great run recently. I really think recent events have caught up with us. Ron's service on the eve of the game and the tribute before it would all have affected the players subconsciously. I'm quite pleased we have a free weekend now to regroup and we can hopefully concentrate fully on the football.

Agreed. Beat by the better team.
I don't think it's as black and white as parking the bus or not, maybe we should be thinking about parking the bus for an hour or so then roll the dice more as the game gets into the last quarter. Sure, can lose goals doing that aswell and is no easy answer. If they bring their A game always up against it regardless of formation, personnel or tactics

Personally, after 20 mins watching us play with a massive hole at right back I would have put Miller in as a full back and had Cadden infront of him as support defensively and to prss forward. Henderson could have made way, he wasn't offering anything when we were getting overrun in the middle. Like I said though, maybe done better and competed more but still likely to have lost that one.
We've been on a great run, loss to the OF shouldn't derail that

[Tambo]

What’s our aggregate score against Celtic,rangers, hearts this season?

Hibs 7-22 rest

2 points from a possible 21 and that's not including the 0-3 scottish Cup defeat.

[Hibbyradge]

When Celtic can sign one player for a fee matching our entire year's turnover and Sevco can pay over half of that, playing at their best, or close to it, they will always beat Hibs even playing at our best.

Last night they played well and our players were off form so there was only one outcome possible unless they had considerable bad luck and we had loads of great luck.

There's usually little point blaming anyone for losses to the 2 of them because like it or not, they have better players than us. Unfortunately, Rangers are currently a very good team.

Had we set up differently or whatever, they would have responded and still beat us, imo.

So, let's hope Celtc take us for granted and our guys hit the heights next week. However, I think we'd do better preparing for the Motherwell game than hoping for anything from Parkhead.

Defeatest? Possibly, but I think it's realistic.

[matty_f]

The brutal reality that nobody really wants to face up to is that due to the financial gap widening year on year, every season the task of beating Rangers and Celtic gets harder and harder.

Celtic won 4 consecutive trebles, including a season unbeaten, Rangers won the league unbeaten. Since Beale took over they've only dropped points to Celtic, and those are the only points Celtic have dropped in that period.

This isn't a Hibs problem, Hearts in their last two games against the Glasgow sides have conceded seven goals, I think.

Wins against either Rangers or Celtic are freak results, you might get lucky one day as St Mirren did but that's all it is - you look at the stats for that game and Celtic should have won convincingly.

The bleak fact is that without a seismic shift in Scottish football, the future is going to be results like last night and there's very little we can do any it save for plowing money into the club at levels never seen before. Which won't happen.

[coldingham hibs]

The brutal reality that nobody really wants to face up to is that due to the financial gap widening year on year, every season the task of beating Rangers and Celtic gets harder and harder.

Celtic won 4 consecutive trebles, including a season unbeaten, Rangers won the league unbeaten. Since Beale took over they've only dropped points to Celtic, and those are the only points Celtic have dropped in that period.

This isn't a Hibs problem, Hearts in their last two games against the Glasgow sides have conceded seven goals, I think.

Wins against either Rangers or Celtic are freak results, you might get lucky one day as St Mirren did but that's all it is - you look at the stats for that game and Celtic should have won convincingly.

The bleak fact is that without a seismic shift in Scottish football, the future is going to be results like last night and there's very little we can do any it save for plowing money into the club at levels never seen before. Which won't happen.

Correct, however Hibs, Hearts & Aberdeen should all still compete with the OF and not get trounced by 4 or 5 goals. There is a lot to be said for the tactics employed. Going gung ho is never going to result in anything however keeping things tight and closing down spaces might help.

[Saint Hibee]

The brutal reality that nobody really wants to face up to is that due to the financial gap widening year on year, every season the task of beating Rangers and Celtic gets harder and harder.

Celtic won 4 consecutive trebles, including a season unbeaten, Rangers won the league unbeaten. Since Beale took over they've only dropped points to Celtic, and those are the only points Celtic have dropped in that period.

This isn't a Hibs problem, Hearts in their last two games against the Glasgow sides have conceded seven goals, I think.

Wins against either Rangers or Celtic are freak results, you might get lucky one day as St Mirren did but that's all it is - you look at the stats for that game and Celtic should have won convincingly.

The bleak fact is that without a seismic shift in Scottish football, the future is going to be results like last night and there's very little we can do any it save for plowing money into the club at levels never seen before. Which won't happen.
This. Unfortunately.

[Hibernian Verse]

Correct, however Hibs, Hearts & Aberdeen should all still compete with the OF and not get trounced by 4 or 5 goals. There is a lot to be said for the tactics employed. Going gung ho is never going to result in anything however keeping things tight and closing down spaces might help.

By the same token do you think Celtic should be able to compete with PSG?

[Since452]

The brutal reality that nobody really wants to face up to is that due to the financial gap widening year on year, every season the task of beating Rangers and Celtic gets harder and harder.

Celtic won 4 consecutive trebles, including a season unbeaten, Rangers won the league unbeaten. Since Beale took over they've only dropped points to Celtic, and those are the only points Celtic have dropped in that period.

This isn't a Hibs problem, Hearts in their last two games against the Glasgow sides have conceded seven goals, I think.

Wins against either Rangers or Celtic are freak results, you might get lucky one day as St Mirren did but that's all it is - you look at the stats for that game and Celtic should have won convincingly.

The bleak fact is that without a seismic shift in Scottish football, the future is going to be results like last night and there's very little we can do any it save for plowing money into the club at levels never seen before. Which won't happen.

Exactly. Celtic had an off night last night and still beat the leagues 3rd best team 3-1. You need an incredible amount of luck and everything going your way to beat those pair. That's why it hardly ever happens.

[Oscar T Grouch]

The brutal reality that nobody really wants to face up to is that due to the financial gap widening year on year, every season the task of beating Rangers and Celtic gets harder and harder.

Celtic won 4 consecutive trebles, including a season unbeaten, Rangers won the league unbeaten. Since Beale took over they've only dropped points to Celtic, and those are the only points Celtic have dropped in that period.

This isn't a Hibs problem, Hearts in their last two games against the Glasgow sides have conceded seven goals, I think.

Wins against either Rangers or Celtic are freak results, you might get lucky one day as St Mirren did but that's all it is - you look at the stats for that game and Celtic should have won convincingly.

The bleak fact is that without a seismic shift in Scottish football, the future is going to be results like last night and there's very little we can do any it save for plowing money into the club at levels never seen before. Which won't happen.

This is it. What it used to take to beat one of the bigot brothers no longer does. Even when your players are all playing to 100% of their ability you still need them to be below par to win or draw against them. Last night was a combination of things, firstly all 11 of our players put in a poor performance, secondly the huns all played well, Sakala and Kent in particular which made the task almost impossible, thirdly the manager never set us up correctly, I would guess if our 11 had a 100% game and the huns played badly we still could've lost it. This is the future because sure as hell is hot, the bigot brothers are not going to get poorer or loosen their grip on the Scottish game any time soon. Defeats for them will become as rare as hens teeth, it is depressing but true.

[GreenGray]

The brutal reality that nobody really wants to face up to is that due to the financial gap widening year on year, every season the task of beating Rangers and Celtic gets harder and harder.

Celtic won 4 consecutive trebles, including a season unbeaten, Rangers won the league unbeaten. Since Beale took over they've only dropped points to Celtic, and those are the only points Celtic have dropped in that period.

This isn't a Hibs problem, Hearts in their last two games against the Glasgow sides have conceded seven goals, I think.

Wins against either Rangers or Celtic are freak results, you might get lucky one day as St Mirren did but that's all it is - you look at the stats for that game and Celtic should have won convincingly.

The bleak fact is that without a seismic shift in Scottish football, the future is going to be results like last night and there's very little we can do any it save for plowing money into the club at levels never seen before. Which won't happen.

Said similar on a different thread.

It’s a pretty bleak thought.

The fact that clubs out with the old firm get the attendances they do is a miracle in all honesty, as we all know we don’t have a hope in hell.


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[B.H.F.C]

This is it. What it used to take to beat one of the bigot brothers no longer does. Even when your players are all playing to 100% of their ability you still need them to be below par to win or draw against them. Last night was a combination of things, firstly all 11 of our players put in a poor performance, secondly the huns all played well, Sakala and Kent in particular which made the task almost impossible, thirdly the manager never set us up correctly, I would guess if our 11 had a 100% game and the huns played badly we still could've lost it. This is the future because sure as hell is hot, the bigot brothers are not going to get poorer or loosen their grip on the Scottish game any time soon. Defeats for them will become as rare as hens teeth, it is depressing but true.

I can accept all that and pretty much agree with it.

Forgetting ability for a minute though, I just didn’t think our team could walk off last night and all say, hand on heart, that they’d given everything. Players can play poorly but we didn’t (as a team) do some of the fundamental things that you need to do in a game like that. I know there is two teams on the park and what they do can influence what we do but they were hungrier to win the ball back than us. I’m not sure we totally chucked it but the belief drained out of us very, very easily.

[bingo70]

The brutal reality that nobody really wants to face up to is that due to the financial gap widening year on year, every season the task of beating Rangers and Celtic gets harder and harder.

Celtic won 4 consecutive trebles, including a season unbeaten, Rangers won the league unbeaten. Since Beale took over they've only dropped points to Celtic, and those are the only points Celtic have dropped in that period.

This isn't a Hibs problem, Hearts in their last two games against the Glasgow sides have conceded seven goals, I think.

Wins against either Rangers or Celtic are freak results, you might get lucky one day as St Mirren did but that's all it is - you look at the stats for that game and Celtic should have won convincingly.

The bleak fact is that without a seismic shift in Scottish football, the future is going to be results like last night and there's very little we can do any it save for plowing money into the club at levels never seen before. Which won't happen.

Certainly don’t disagree with you but I think short term, maybe we need to change our approach to these games too. I like us to have a go, play to our strengths and try and take them on. In the past that’s when we’ve been at our best against Rangers and Celtic. Maybe we have to accept that’s just not possible any more and send out teams to park the bus more than we normally do. I hate even suggesting that but last night was a miss match.

Last night we had Youann, Hoppe, Henderson and Campbell playing attacking positions. Maybe we need to just go with 5 at the back, 4 defensive players in midfield and someone up front on their own. Go for a 0-0 and see if we can get them on the break late in the game.

Reality is looking like going toe to toe just isn’t a viable option most of the time now.

[Hibernianinc]

The formation was wrong.

Attacking, but wrong. We were lucky to get to half time with just a goal in it.

There were clearly players ‘off it’, and there were no real midfield options on the bench. However, keeping the same formation and players going into the 2nd half was asking to have our @rse handed to us. Which duly happened.

Going 4/4/2 or 5/4/1 were options with the bench we had. both would have made more of a midfield battle rather than allowing them to freely run behind/around Henderson and Youan.

Yes poor performance from a number of players who have been far better of late than last night, but naïve and inept management I’m afraid.

[SHODAN]

Yep,

Hibs 1 Hearts 1
Hibs 2 Rangers 2
Celtic 6 Hibs 1
Rangers 3 Hibs 2
Hearts 3 Hibs 0
Hibs 0 Celtic 4
Hibs 0 Hearts 3
Hibs 1 Rangers 4

He needs to address this. I know old firm can pump you any time and the gulf is huge but the set up doesn’t give us much of a fighting chance. Far too open.

To be fair the Hearts cup game was an anomaly, a freak result where 3-0 Hibs would arguably have been a more reflective scoreline, but we still got pumped. The next home derby is huge.

[Stuart93]

Yep,

Hibs 1 Hearts 1
Hibs 2 Rangers 2
Celtic 6 Hibs 1
Rangers 3 Hibs 2
Hearts 3 Hibs 0
Hibs 0 Celtic 4
Hibs 0 Hearts 3
Hibs 1 Rangers 4

He needs to address this. I know old firm can pump you any time and the gulf is huge but the set up doesn’t give us much of a fighting chance. Far too open.

Out with the 6-1 game, the worrying trend seems to be that results are getting worse against the 3 of them not better.

You’d reckon the experience of these games would mean he’d better prepare the team next time but obviously not

[coldingham hibs]

By the same token do you think Celtic should be able to compete with PSG?

Why not?. If they keep it tight then they have a chance, would they lose 6-0, unlikely.

Fitness, tactics, determination and passion all play a big part in games it’s not all about player value.

[#2 Double Tap]

It's always the same after defeat against the Old Firm. Not sure what planet people are on.

It’s really about losing to hertz, or finishing below them in the league, if u canny beat them then you need to beat one of the old firm, or be ahead of them in the table, or the fans turn sour, that’s the reality most Hibs minded folk live in.

[#2 Double Tap]

Nobody will be getting sacked for losing to the old firm.

They will if they canny beat hertz.

[ErinGoBraghHFC]

They will if they canny beat hertz.

Pretty much where I’m at, I like LJ but we need to be beating hertz. I’d happily finish 5th if we beat hertz three times a season


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[Donegal Hibby]

They will if they canny beat hertz.
We finish 4th and nobody will be getting sacked even if we lose again to hertz again anyhow it's a bit premature talking about sacking a manager who's just lost his first game after a run of 7 unbeaten imo.

[Hibbyradge]

People are quick to argue that we should be beating teams like Ross County, Killie and Livingston because our budget is much bigger.

However, the same logic seems to go out of the window when we face Rantic who's budgets are many times greater than ours.

[Donegal Hibby]

By the same token do you think Celtic should be able to compete with PSG?
Seem to remember Celtic trying to compete with Barcelona at one time and Barca put 7 past them . Reality is Celtic can't compete with Barcelona and PSG the same way we can't compete with the old firm , sadly money talks nowadays in football.

[bingo70]

People are quick to argue that we should be beating teams like Ross County, Killie and Livingston because our budget is much bigger.

However, the same logic seems to go out of the window when we face Rantic who's budgets are many times greater than ours.

I don’t think anybody is suggesting we should be beating them every time, just now and again.

I think the debate has also moved on to how well we compete in these games now compared to previous years.

[Hibbyradge]

I don’t think anybody is suggesting we should be beating them every time, just now and again.

I think the debate has also moved on to how well we compete in these games now compared to previous years.

Better teams lose to weaker teams because they lose their focus or take it for granted that they'll win and they lose that edge that makes them better.

We're not bad enough for that to happen so they're always up for the game.

Regards your second point, the gulf between them and us has never been bigger and it's only going to increase unless your mystery billionaire oil sheik arrives at Easter Road soon.

[bingo70]

Better teams lose to weaker teams because they lose their focus or take it for granted that they'll win and they lose that edge that makes them better.

We're not bad enough for that to happen so they're always up for the game.

Regards your second point, the gulf between them and us has never been bigger and it's only going to increase unless your mystery billionaire oil sheik arrives at Easter Road soon.

The financial gulf between us and the teams you mentioned won’t be as great as it is between us and Rangers/Celtic though so it’s not a valid comparison IMO.

[#2 Double Tap]

We finish 4th and nobody will be getting sacked even if we lose again to hertz again anyhow it's a bit premature talking about sacking a manager who's just lost his first game after a run of 7 unbeaten imo.

We finish 4th, lose to hertz another twice, start next season, are behind hertz in the league and lose to them two more times, you really think the fans won’t want a change of manager?

[Silky]

We finish 4th, lose to hertz another twice, start next season, are behind hertz in the league and lose to them two more times, you really think the fans won’t want a change of manager?

Obsessed with our neighbours??

[Donegal Hibby]

We finish 4th, lose to hertz another twice, start next season, are behind hertz in the league and lose to them two more times, you really think the fans won’t want a change of manager?
I was actually only referring to the up incoming derby and truth be told while I don't like losing to hertz I'd take 4th place and a defeat in that one to winning it and finishing 5th . I don't think hertz are as good as you are making out that we will lose 4 on a trot btw . What are we 5 points behind them ? , with our team needing rebuilt, worse injuries this season in many a year , some awful decisions going against us and them getting how many penalties ? . I can't predict how derbys will go next season though I think we will be much stronger than this season and will do well once our manager is given the summer transfer window to put his stamp on our team and get key injured players back though talk from fans about sacking him after one defeat in 8 games is certainly harsh and very premature imo

[Hibbyradge]

The financial gulf between us and the teams you mentioned won’t be as great as it is between us and Rangers/Celtic though so it’s not a valid comparison IMO.

I think that's my point.

[#2 Double Tap]

Obsessed with our neighbours??

Wouldnt quite say obsessed, but beating them is pretty important, that means winning against them in individual games or finishing above them come the end of the season. Bragging rights should always swing back and forth, it keeps everyone’s standards up, it’s healthy, when one of us is better than the other it forces the other to improve.
Just Reality. They are our only real rival.

You already knew this as does everyone else.

[#2 Double Tap]

I was actually only referring to the up incoming derby and truth be told while I don't like losing to hertz I'd take 4th place and a defeat in that one to winning it and finishing 5th . I don't think hertz are as good as you are making out that we will lose 4 on a trot btw . What are we 5 points behind them ? , with our team needing rebuilt, worse injuries this season in many a year , some awful decisions going against us and them getting how many penalties ? . I can't predict how derbys will go next season though I think we will be much stronger than this season and will do well once our manager is given the summer transfer window to put his stamp on our team and get key injured players back though talk from fans about sacking him after one defeat in 8 games is certainly harsh and very premature imo

So that reply is kinda skewing the original post. I was never claiming hertz were better than us, or predicting that they would win the next 4 derbies. Or that lj should be sacked.

U said we finish 4th there would be no sacking, under any circumstance.

I said if we finished 4th n lost the next 4 derbies while also being behind hertz in the league come Jan, there would be a sacking of the manager.

Fwiw I think it’s unlikely we will lose the next 4 derbies, but if we did, the hate would be on and someone’s head would roll. It’s just the way the footy works.

[Hibbyradge]

So that reply is kinda skewing the original post. I was never claiming hertz were better than us, or predicting that they would win the next 4 derbies.

U said we finish 4th there would be no sacking, under any circumstance.

I said if we finished 4th n lost the next 4 derbies while also being behind hertz in the league come Jan, there would be a sacking of the manager.

Fwiw I think it’s unlikely we will lose the next 4 derbies, but if we did, the hate would be on and someone’s head would roll. It’s just the way the footy works.

I think he means the next 2 derbies i.e. this season (if we're top 6).

[#2 Double Tap]

I think he means the next 2 derbies i.e. this season (if we're top 6).

Yeah. The original point was taken outa context I think.

Suppose ppl just see what they wanna see, Uber fans gotta defend, doom n gloomers gotta be negative.