Five at the back

[AberdonianHibee]

I am a fan of LJ and think he has got a lot right since coming in at Hibs. However, I do not understand why he insists on persisting with five at the back when it is clearly not working with this set of players.

The system has uses in games against the Glasgow two but to start ’must win’ games at home with 5 defenders on the pitch makes no sense. Particularly with the attackers we have at our disposal on the bench.

Our poor run earlier in the season and pretty much all of our worst results have come in games where we’ve started with 3 centre backs and wing backs. For me it places far too much reliance on Cadden and Stevenson/Cabraja to deliver a cross or beat a man.

Can anyone give me any arguments in favour of it?

[BoomtownHibees]

I am a fan of LJ and think he has got a lot right since coming in at Hibs. However, I do not understand why he insists on persisting with five at the back when it is clearly not working with this set of players.

The system has uses in games against the Glasgow two but to start ’must win’ games at home with 5 defenders on the pitch makes no sense. Particularly with the attackers we have at our disposal on the bench.

Our poor run earlier in the season and pretty much all of our worst results have come in games where we’ve started with 3 centre backs and wing backs. For me it places far too much reliance on Cadden and Stevenson/Cabraja to deliver a cross or beat a man.

Can anyone give me any arguments in favour of it?

Not an argument in favour of it but I don’t think he has “persisted” with it as I dont think we have played it much this season at all

I also understand why he went with it today

[cameronw-hfc]

I am a fan of LJ and think he has got a lot right since coming in at Hibs. However, I do not understand why he insists on persisting with five at the back when it is clearly not working with this set of players.

The system has uses in games against the Glasgow two but to start ’must win’ games at home with 5 defenders on the pitch makes no sense. Particularly with the attackers we have at our disposal on the bench.

Our poor run earlier in the season and pretty much all of our worst results have come in games where we’ve started with 3 centre backs and wing backs. For me it places far too much reliance on Cadden and Stevenson/Cabraja to deliver a cross or beat a man.

Can anyone give me any arguments in favour of it?


I agree it's the wrong formation, and being a tad pedantic with this point but 3/5 at the back can be a very attacking formation when used well, we don't do that though.

I would say he probably valued getting certain players on the pitch ahead of the shape so squeezed them in, almost like Clarke with Scotland, however unlike with Scotland we don't have the players to cover. Genuinely just think he wanted JDH, CJ, Fish, Jeggo etc all on and this was his only way to get them all in, didnt work and hopefully learns for next week.

Play players where they are most comfortable and if people miss out then it's up to them to get back in.

[Bronson]

We probably only played it because we’re missing nearly all our wingers (boyle, youan, mcgeady). But i agree it was rubbish

[Unseen work]

Not sure id say he persists with it, we’ve played the majority of the season with a 4231/433

[bingo70]

Not an argument in favour of it but I don’t think he has “persisted” with it as I dont think we have played it much this season at all

I also understand why he went with it today

Why did we go with it today? Genuine question, I don’t get the logic behind todays formation at all.

I’m all for playing it against the old firm but at home to Motherwell where was the creativity expected to come from?

[BoomtownHibees]

Why did we go with it today? Genuine question, I don’t get the logic behind todays formation at all.

I’m all for playing it against the old firm but at home to Motherwell where was the creativity expected to come from?

I think it’s easy to say that it didn’t work in hindsight, as it clearly didn’t, however I think doing it today allowed him to get the midfielders in that he wanted and it gave us width without having any available wingers

[bingo70]

I think it’s easy to say that it didn’t work in hindsight, as it clearly didn’t, however I think doing it today allowed him to get the midfielders in that he wanted and it gave us width without having any available wingers

I think it was clear from the outset though that there wasn’t any creativity in that midfield.

Not a case of using hindsight to make a point at all. Say for example he’d gone with the same formation but played Henderson or Jair, there probably would have been the same outcome but I’d have got the logic of the formation as one of them would have been targeted with being the creative one.

You can’t play three central defenders, two defensive midfielders and have one of your wing backs being a defensive full back and then expect to play on the front foot.

I would have said that at 2:55 this afternoon as well.

[Chuck Rhoades]

It was 7 with JDH and Jeggo as CDMs. Embarrassing, what was LJ thinking?

[BoomtownHibees]

I think it was clear from the outset though that there wasn’t any creativity in that midfield.

Not a case of using hindsight to make a point at all. Say for example he’d gone with the same formation but played Henderson or Jair, there probably would have been the same outcome but I’d have got the logic of the formation as one of them would have been targeted with being the creative one.

You can’t play three central defenders, two defensive midfielders and have one of your wing backs being a defensive full back and then expect to play on the front foot.

I would have said that at 2:55 this afternoon as well.

With the 2 you mention, where would they have played and who would they have played instead of?

I think JDH justified his place after Celtic, Jeggo has came in and done a job so wouldn’t be dropped and he won’t drop Campbell.

[GreenGray]

To be honest I think today showed why so many fans have the right to be pissed off with Johnson. Why can’t he see what everyone else can?


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[bingo70]

With the 2 you mention, where would they have played and who would they have played instead of?

First of all I wouldn’t have played 5 at the back so it would have been easier to fit a creative player in.

I then wouldn’t have played Jeggo and JDH. Only one of them was needed.

[BoomtownHibees]

First of all I wouldn’t have played 5 at the back so it would have been easier to fit a creative player in.

I then wouldn’t have played Jeggo and JDH. Only one of them was needed.

I wouldn’t have either, all I said was I can understand why he done it. We also didn’t improve massively after changing to a 4 either. Individually every player was dreadful, regardless of what formation we were in

[Real Emerald]

[QUOTE=bingo70;7317602]I think it was clear from the outset though that there wasn’t any creativity in that midfield.

Not a case of using hindsight to make a point at all. Say for example he’d gone with the same formation but played Henderson or Jair, there probably would have been the same outcome but I’d have got the logic of the formation as one of them would have been targeted with being the creative one.

Totally agree, straight from kick off the lack of creativity and guile in midfield was obvious and not working. I actually thought he would leave it until Doyle-Hayes got a second yellow card from the utterly useless ref before he changed it. We moaned about our midfield before having Campbell, Doyle-Hayes and Newell in there, today we replaced Newell with Jeggo, there is zero creativity in that midfield especially when our strikers can’t control, redistribute or hold up the ball. He waited too long to change it too, plus the defence, goalkeeper and ref were pish too 😂. Think that covers it. 😎

[bingo70]

I wouldn’t have either, all I said was I can understand why he done it. We also didn’t improve massively after changing to a 4 either. Individually every player was dreadful, regardless of what formation we were in

Yeah but I don’t understand why we did it, i think that’s the point 😜

I don’t follow the logic for that team selection or formation at all today. I’m generally pretty annoying for playing devils advocate but I can’t see what we thought would happen in the best case scenario today.

[GreenGray]

I was more pissed off with Hibs players hiding and their inability to pass to a player in green and white.
Worst game for a long time.

Players are to blame too don’t get me wrong, but that set up was shocking


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[BoomtownHibees]

Yeah but I don’t understand why we did it, i think that’s the point 😜

I don’t follow the logic for that team selection or formation at all today. I’m generally pretty annoying for playing devils advocate but I can’t see what we thought would happen in the best case scenario today.

LJ maybe thought that the players would at least be able to pass to another player wearing the same strip as them

[B.H.F.C]

Players are to blame too don’t get me wrong, but that set up was shocking


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My biggest complaint about the team we put out was playing Hoppe instead of Myko.

We’re so sorely lacking in the middle of the park in terms of creativity.

The three at the back only lasted half an hour and I thought we were equally as pish for the remaining hour. Whatever system, we were just lacking today. Without Boyle, McGeady and Youan we don’t have anyone who is going to create or beat a player. And none of them, obviously, solve the midfield issue.

[GreenGray]

My biggest complaint about the team we put out was playing Hoppe instead of Myko.

We’re so sorely lacking in the middle of the park in terms of creativity.

The three at the back only lasted half an hour and I thought we were equally as pish for the remaining hour. Whatever system, we were just lacking today. Without Boyle, McGeady and Youan we don’t have anyone who is going to create or beat a player. And none of them, obviously, solve the midfield issue.

Agreed, we looked like we lacked ideas today. Defence were lifting it over our midfield because even they knew our midfield had no creativity.

I’m not sure what the worst decision is: starting CJ in defence or taking him off before Jeggo who’s passing ability is worse than mine.


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[Coach Jon]

I am a fan of LJ and think he has got a lot right since coming in at Hibs. However, I do not understand why he insists on persisting with five at the back when it is clearly not working with this set of players.

The system has uses in games against the Glasgow two but to start ’must win’ games at home with 5 defenders on the pitch makes no sense. Particularly with the attackers we have at our disposal on the bench.

Our poor run earlier in the season and pretty much all of our worst results have come in games where we’ve started with 3 centre backs and wing backs. For me it places far too much reliance on Cadden and Stevenson/Cabraja to deliver a cross or beat a man.

Can anyone give me any arguments in favour of it?

The simple answer is we have pi5h defenders. The fact that we are playing 5 at the back plus 2 defensive Midfielders, and still have one of the worst goals against records in the league shows that we have 5hit defenders. The only defenders who would get pass marks are the ones we have on Loan ( egan Riley & Fish). We need to sort get some solid defenders in for next season as a priority, play a strong back 4 then you wouldnt need a midfield of 3 CDMs which is killing us.

[Not In The Know]

LJ had near on two weeks to prepare for this game.

Todays tactics and performance were a disgrace. I’ve got serious doubts about him after today. He messes about with formations and tactics thinking he’s pep. But in reality he’s playing players in wrong positions and they aren’t sure what they should be doing.

Kettlewell has transformed a shocking Motherwell team with clear, concise tactics and leadership. He speaks well during interviews too. I’d take him here at Hibs.

[bingo70]

My biggest complaint about the team we put out was playing Hoppe instead of Myko.

We’re so sorely lacking in the middle of the park in terms of creativity.

The three at the back only lasted half an hour and I thought we were equally as pish for the remaining hour. Whatever system, we were just lacking today. Without Boyle, McGeady and Youan we don’t have anyone who is going to create or beat a player. And none of them, obviously, solve the midfield issue.

We weren’t as equally pish after the changes were made IMO.

Once we got back to 2-1 we were on the front foot and looked like causing them bother, I thought we were going to equalise to be honest. They got us on the break for the third goal and after that I left so don’t know what happened.

[JimBHibees]

Why did we go with it today? Genuine question, I don’t get the logic behind todays formation at all.

I’m all for playing it against the old firm but at home to Motherwell where was the creativity expected to come from?

Totally agree no sense to play it today

[Unseen work]

LJ had near on two weeks to prepare for this game.

Todays tactics and performance were a disgrace. I’ve got serious doubts about him after today. He messes about with formations and tactics thinking he’s pep. But in reality he’s playing players in wrong positions and they aren’t sure what they should be doing.

Kettlewell has transformed a shocking Motherwell team with clear, concise tactics and leadership. He speaks well during interviews too. I’d take him here at Hibs.

Who was played out of their actual position today?

[bingo70]

Who was played out of their actual position today?

Hoppe on the wing

[B.H.F.C]

We weren’t as equally pish after the changes were made IMO.

Once we got back to 2-1 we were on the front foot and looked like causing them bother, I thought we were going to equalise to be honest. They got us on the break for the third goal and after that I left so don’t know what happened.

Sitting there I never really thought we were going to equalise. McKirdy had a shot across goal but I don’t think the goalie had a save to make.

[JimBHibees]

Hoppe on the wing

Wss he not up front with Nissy though certainly didn't look like it. Would have thought it was 352

[bingo70]

Sitting there I never really thought we were going to equalise. McKirdy had a shot across goal but I don’t think the goalie had a save to make.

No I get that but we were camped in their half/box and that certainly wasn’t the case earlier in the game.

Not for a second am I suggesting we were good today, I just think we were on the front foot after we made the changes to a more sensible formation.

[Not In The Know]

Who was played out of their actual position today?


Hoppe.

Stevenson attacking wing back - first half.

JDH - on the pitch