We're in real bother here, aren't we?

[Spike Mandela]

Alarmingly bad defensively this year. Can't remember losing so many goals game after game.

Going forward ok but leaking goals big style. Not sure sacking the manager is the answer.. How do we fix this defensive mess?

[Hibrandenburg]

Alarmingly bad defensively this year. Can't remember losing so many goals game after game.

Going forward ok but leaking goals big style. Not sure sacking the manager is the answer.. How do we fix this defensive mess?

It's the manager's job to fix the defence, if he can't then who else is going to do it?

[tonyrougier123]

One thing is blatantly clear the defence is amateurish at best.

We need a new one,Easter road record under Johnson must be eye watering.

[Postiga]

Sacking the manager is definitely the answer. He has had long enough now to put his stamp on the squad and although he’s changing the team we still can’t stop a cross or defend it. What are they working on every week in training.

[Blaster]

Maybe try not playing a new CB at right back
Maybe sign decent midfielders
Maybe defend as a team
Definitely sack the manager

[Jim44]

Alarmingly bad defensively this year. Can't remember losing so many goals game after game.

Going forward ok but leaking goals big style. Not sure sacking the manager is the answer.. How do we fix this defensive mess?

Might not be the answer but it’s a solution we have to try, sooner rather than later.

[hibee_girl]

I think it’s worse than when Butcher was here.

[MelbourneHibees]

I think it’s worse than when Butcher was here.

I was thinking about that after St Mirren. At least we had a bit of bite. Going into games expecting to lose now.

[HarpOnHibee]

Alarmingly bad defensively this year. Can't remember losing so many goals game after game.

Going forward ok but leaking goals big style. Not sure sacking the manager is the answer.. How do we fix this defensive mess?

We're not even ok going forward. There's no real invention. Half assed shots and crosses (the vast majority blocked by defenders) is not going to win us games. The defence is horrendous. But the midfield is lacklustre and I can sense the frustration up front.

[K-Zazu]

What is actually going on with Marshall? Something not right there

[SChibs]

Player wise I don't think our defence is particularly bad I think they are being failed by their manager and coaches. It's like they don't know who's to attack the ball and who's to mark the space

[Hibees1973]

Johnson & Kensall are the main problems.

However, what can the Gordon's do. They don't have a clue how to run a football club and have appointed people so far who cannot either.

We are bottom of the league and god know's how embarrassing Thursday is going to be.

Root and branch changes needed at the club.

[HarpOnHibee]

Player wise I don't think our defence is particularly bad I think they are being failed by their manager and coaches. It's like they don't know who's to attack the ball and who's to mark the space

The breakdown in communication is staggering. Not just in defence, but all over the pitch. We have players who individually are very capable at this level, but there doesn't appear to be any collective understanding on the game plan.

[sean04]

100% so bad, losing to pub sides

[Jim44]

100% so bad, losing to pub sides

That’s unfair on teams which are clearly superior and better managed and organised than us.?

[Allant1981]

What is actually going on with Marshall? Something not right there

He got knocked into when the cross came in

[K-Zazu]

He got knocked into when the cross came in

Cheers, my stream was brutal.

[Baldy Foghorn]

Defence poor, as is our midfield. No leaders, midfield leaving it to Rocky to try and drive us on

[percy veer]

Maybe try not playing a new CB at right back
Maybe sign decent midfielders
Maybe defend as a team
Definitely sack the manager

Who was that devlin boy at before seemed to stroll the game clearing crosses

[sean04]

That’s unfair on teams which are clearly superior and better managed and organised than us.?


They teams are garbage

[Daily Hibs]

Sacking the manager is definitely the answer. He has had long enough now to put his stamp on the squad and although he’s changing the team we still can’t stop a cross or defend it. What are they working on every week in training.

It's a cultural problem at the club.

[Alfred E Newman]

What is actually going on with Marshall? Something not right there

He is well past his best I’m afraid.

[Hiber-nation]

Who was that devlin boy at before seemed to stroll the game clearing crosses

Aye I wonder.

[Eyrie]

He is well past his best I’m afraid.

The sooner Wollacott is fit the better.

[lord bunberry]

I think it’s worse than when Butcher was here.

Not for me. I think we’ve got a decent squad being ruined by a coach that hasn’t got a clue. If you go through our squad it’s one that should be looking at competing for 3rd.

[GreenNWhiteArmy]

That's us played the 3 teams immediately below us from last season and lost

Killie look like they're starting to gel under McInnes and Aberdeen are better than us. Could be 5 and 0 mid Sept

[Lancs Harp]

Not for me. I think we’ve got a decent squad being ruined by a coach that hasn’t got a clue. If you go through our squad it’s one that should be looking at competing for 3rd.

Dont agree with the squad strength mate. Sure we should be doing better but we've too many moderate players. Defence is poor and outwith Newell the midfield is pretty ordinary too. We're a good few players off being top dogs (minus Glasgow)

[Since90+2]

Johnson & Kensall are the main problems.

However, what can the Gordon's do. They don't have a clue how to run a football club and have appointed people so far who cannot either.

We are bottom of the league and god know's how embarrassing Thursday is going to be.

Root and branch changes needed at the club.

Most football owners know nothing about running a football club. The Arabs who run Man City know nothing about football so they employ people who do.

I'm not saying the Gordon's are perfect, but they've been brought in by Kensell's car salesman pitch.

[lord bunberry]

Dont agree with the squad strength mate. Sure we should be doing better but we've too many moderate players. Defence is poor and outwith Newell the midfield is pretty ordinary too. We're a good few players off being top dogs (minus Glasgow)

If you look at our strongest team I’d argue that it’s capable of challenging for 3rd. Our biggest problem right now is that our coach chops and changes every week. I hate harking back to the past but jack ross had a small squad and for one of the few times in my lifetime we punched our weight. Everyone complained when the results got a bit ropey, but we’d all love to get back to that time when we were finishing 3rd and regularly getting to finals. I’d bring him back.

[Rob]

Player wise I don't think our defence is particularly bad I think they are being failed by their manager and coaches. It's like they don't know who's to attack the ball and who's to mark the space
I agree, it's all too easy to just keep on saying we need to replace defenders, but there's no point continually churning players if the manager isn't capable of organising the defence properly. We just end up throwing good money after bad.

While Derek McIness might not be everybody's cup of tea in terms of style of football, he'd at least get our defence organised and stop us shipping soft goals week after week.

So far, in the league, we've conceded 3 goals against St Mirren and Livingston and 2 against Motherwell, losing all of these games by 1 goal. We need to stop conceding poor goals as we can't continue with a situation where scoring 2 goals at home against teams like St Mirren and Livi isn't enough to even secure a point.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Sadi it for a long time now Getting a tune out of the players At his disposal is surely within the realms of expectation given the (now 501) games under his belt. And yet he doesn’t yet appear to have learned. It will be his downfall.

[CMac1988]

Team's in freefall under Johnson. He's got a decent squad who should be doing better but his inability to pick a team and set them up right should see him gone. There's a couple of managers in this league alone who'd make us better. In our current state I can't see us getting any points in the next two league games. 0-0-5 and more humiliation at the hands of Villa is where we'll be soon enough unless something changes.

[JohnM1875]

Team's in freefall under Johnson. He's got a decent squad who should be doing better but his inability to pick a team and set them up right should see him gone. There's a couple of managers in this league alone who'd make us better. In our current state I can't see us getting any points in the next two league games. 0-0-5 and more humiliation at the hands of Villa is where we'll be soon enough unless something changes.

Does he actually though? I've thought the same for a while as well, but when you actually look at it, I don't think he does.

Newell, Youan, Boyle and Vente are good players. Other than that I think we're struggling for players you'd class as good. Squad players? Aye sure, plenty of those.

[AFKA5814_Hibs]

We are in real bother if we keep on conceding soft goals like we have this season. We might have good attacking options, but that's pointless if we continuingly give away cheap goals. There's the old adatage as long as we score one more than the opposition, well at the moment we are simply losing one more than the opposition. Wether that means an overhaul in management or playing personal, but with less than a week to go until the transfer window shuts, a change of management seems the most likely chance of turning things around.

[CMac1988]

Does he actually though? I've thought the same for a while as well, but when you actually look at it, I don't think he does.

Newell, Youan, Boyle and Vente are good players. Other than that I think we're struggling for players you'd class as good. Squad players? Aye sure, plenty of those.

I think so. Definieitly decent enough to have got more that 0 points against St Mirren, Motherwell and Livingston. I genuinely think if you'd swapped the managers today and each had a little time to organise the teams then Hibs would've won.

I'm not saying it's close to being good enough for where we need to be but it's better than recent league showings. We've went from having a numbers of players who are starting to make too many mistakes to having too many inexperienced players who are going to make mistakes.

Too many changes citing European games as a problem is nothing more than a poor excuse. We don't have the quality in our squad to chop and change as much as LJ has. We still need a dominating CB who can lead by example and help command the defence (this has never been Hanlon's game. he's better when he's not the main CB pairing). A centre mid who can both dictate play and make it difficult for the opposition to play through us. A goalie who can actually make a ****ing save. And for the life of me a LB who doesn't make me question if Stevenson is still the best LB at the club. Play a ****ing Right Back at right back and get the wingers on board with actually helping defend and doubling up the opposition. EVERY OTHER CLUB in the league manages it against us so can't be too hard. With that too many players are massively underperforming right now and some have regressed since last season. Set them up right and you'll improve those performances reducing the mistakes the players are making. Getting them back to basics and getting a bit of confidence in the squad should see us fair better.

Again we're decent when it all comes together but it's rarely ever going to happen under this manager.

[neil7908]

We're in trouble but have 4 days left of the window to change course with the manager and bring in 2-3 signings.

Our attack looks good, we need quality in midfield and defence though. If we can make even a couple of good signings and get in a new manager, we'll be fine.

Big ifs though.

[Baldy Foghorn]

Something not quite right for me. LJ's tinkering and playing players out of position hasn't helped, however, players are culpable too. What has happened to Fish? Defence and midfield looks a worry.

[B.H.F.C]

Something not quite right for me. LJ's tinkering and playing players out of position hasn't helped, however, players are culpable too. What has happened to Fish? Defence and midfield looks a worry.

The players need to take a look at themselves.

For me, they’ve chucked it lately. They were right up for the Luzern games but otherwise I’ve not seen a group of players giving their all. A new manager will come in and they’ll all of a sudden find the ability to run that bit more than they have been. Until they decide they don’t like that guy (which they’d clearly decided with Johnson IMO).

His biggest mistake last few weeks was the continual talk about how difficult it is to play every few days. Give players an excuse and they’ll happily take it.

[Bobby's Cinema]

I think it’s worse than when Butcher was here.
Steady on

[Greenbeard]

It's the manager's job to fix the defence, if he can't then who else is going to do it?
Got to wonder what SDG's coaching role in this has been, especially as we have leaked down the right.

[HendoDelivered]

I think it’s worse than when Butcher was here.

No chance IMO. We had literally 0 good players or attacking threat under him. The rest doesnt bare thinking about

[Jones28]

Problem solved, TFFT!

[WestStandWillie]

Will Fish has regressed and is a bombscare of a defender. Has he developed McGivernitis? I’d terminate the loan and get a proper defender in.

[badabing67]

Will Fish has regressed and is a bombscare of a defender. Has he developed McGivernitis? I’d terminate the loan and get a proper defender in.


I don't think he regressed, last season he was playing with a quality right back in CJ Egan-Reilly. CJ protected his right hand side therefore he only need to focus on his own game which he did exceptionally well. Now he has to think about his own game and what is happening on his right, which is basically **** all. He has been more or less left exposed to piss into the wind. What are you expecting from him, when he has no protection on his right. He can't be in 2 places at the same time, its not hard to see why he can be caught in 2 minds and therefore caught out of position. Bring back CJ or similar so his right is protected and we will get what we expect from him. Which is a proper defender

[greenlex]

Not for me. I think we’ve got a decent squad being ruined by a coach that hasn’t got a clue. If you go through our squad it’s one that should be looking at competing for 3rd.
This is where I am. One or two to come in ( and I think it’s the midfield that needs attention) and a manager who actually knows what he’s doing and we will be just fine.

[Keith_M]

We need at least one giant CH, to be able to defend the many crosses into the box that currently result in goals..

[Hibby-G]

We need at least one giant CH, to be able to defend the many crosses into the box that currently result in goals..

I don't even necessarily think the height of our CH's are the problem, it's the positioning. Most crosses we concede seem to fall to the back-post, where no-one seems to be marking. This makes me think it's the defensive system failing above all else.

[MrSmith]

LJ was relegating us this year with his bizarre team formations so and for me, I’m chuffed to bits he’s gone!

[Iain G]

LJ was relegating us this year with his bizarre team formations so and for me, I’m chuffed to bits he’s gone!

I doubt we would have been relegated.

[snedzuk]

We need at least one giant CH, to be able to defend the many crosses into the box that currently result in goals..

That Mikey Devlin bloke looked OK for Livvy on Sat.

[147lothian]

I think it’s worse than when Butcher was here.

As bas as its been under LJ, you didn't need a telescope to see the ball, so it's not worse than under Butcher for me.

[MrSmith]

I doubt we would have been relegated.


I guess we will never know but imo, I think he would have.

[BILLYHIBS]

Will Fish has regressed and is a bombscare of a defender. Has he developed McGivernitis? I’d terminate the loan and get a proper defender in.

Has looked like a fish out of water since coming back

I’ll get ma coat

[NAE NOOKIE]

Does he actually though? I've thought the same for a while as well, but when you actually look at it, I don't think he does.

Newell, Youan, Boyle and Vente are good players. Other than that I think we're struggling for players you'd class as good. Squad players? Aye sure, plenty of those.

But that's the thing, over half this league have teams full of squad players and journeymen with the odd bit of quality here and there, not least Motherwell, St Mirren and Livingston and yet their managers have them playing as a unit with organisation and coherence. I've seen St Mirren and Livingston at ER in the league and I'll even chuck in Raith Rovers in the LC too, all of whom seemed more confident and more able to move the ball through the midfield than Hibs when the chance came along for them to do it, especially St Mirren.

There's simply no excuse for any Hibs manager with the players at his disposal not to have his team organised, totally tuned into a game plan and what tactics he want's them to play and also ready to give their all in every game, the least you can ask from a professional player. Hibs seem to have no structure or coherence in midfield and that's not down to the players, all of whom are capable, it's down to bad management and possibly even bad coaching.

Take a player like Delferriere. I've seen him in midfield in a few friendlies and the kid has always looked tidy, not brilliant, but neat and tidy to the extent where I at least have thought we definitely have a future first team regular on our hands. On Saturday he was having a pretty decent game and yet he was hooked by our genius of a manager. I'm willing to bet right now that Robinson, Martindale or any of the managers of the so called 'lesser' clubs in this league could take the guy and make him an absolutely integral part of their midfield.

We have decent players ... all we need is a manager with the ability to get them to be confident in their abilities, make the best use of them and give them structure. He can start by recognising the basic fact that if you continually lose the first goal it's not the best platform to be winning the game from.

[leithsansiro]

I think it’s worse than when Butcher was here.


Jeez, just the memory of him and Malpas skulking around our touchline gives me the fear. Is it worse now? Surely not, but there's definite parallels around the way that things happen behind the scenes. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest the way that both seem to throw/have thrown people under the bus to deflect from criticism.