How confident are you that we'll have a successful 23/24 season?

[theonlywayisup]

How confident are you that we'll have a successful 23/24 season? As previous, it's up to you to decide what you consider to be "success".

[theonlywayisup]

New manager! We've some good players that just need utilised better. Midfield and defence still a concern, but I'm relatively confident.

[Bostonhibby]

TBH I'm feeling a whole lot more optimistic than I was now I have listened a bit to the new manager.

No idea what success this season will look like but it feels like our board could hide behind yet another "transitional" season excuse. Even if it's of the clubs own making that we haven't been anywhere near hitting the ground running, again.

Onwards and upwards hopefully

Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk

[CCM4LIFE]

What do you lot consider a successful season?

[tonyrougier123]

Johnson was terrible for this squad, anything they achieved under him they need real credit for. Montgomery seems a very good shrewd appointment,couple of January signings 3rd is ours.future is green.GGTTH

[JeMeSouviens]

What do you lot consider a successful season?

Don't know how familar you are with Scottish football? But essentially Celtc spend 10x and Rangers probably 9x the wages of the rest of the league. So 3rd place is like winning the title for us. Winning either of the 2 cups is a once a decade party time. Most would be pretty happy with top 4 and a run to the final of one of the cups. Beating our lovely neighbours a few times would also help.

[Fuzzywuzzy]

I think we'll have a couple of good seasons before he moves down south

[CCM4LIFE]

Don't know how familar you are with Scottish football? But essentially Celtc spend 10x and Rangers probably 9x the wages of the rest of the league. So 3rd place is like winning the title for us.

So is there still hope for this season in a top 4 finish? You're like 10th right?

[Hibbyradge]

So is there still hope for this season in a top 4 finish? You're like 10th right?

There are 34 games out of 38 left.

[allezsauzee]

Johnson was terrible for this squad, anything they achieved under him they need real credit for. Montgomery seems a very good shrewd appointment,couple of January signings 3rd is ours.future is green.GGTTH

I'd have it the other way round tbh. Our patchy record under Johnson was due to the fact that we can just about field a good first 11 but beyond that we have players that just aren't good enough. I couldn't have imagined us challenging for top 3/4 for a lot of last season before Nisbet came back, Fish and Egan -Riley came into the team and Jeggo's signing enabled Newell to play further forward.

[A Hi-Bee]

it will take Monty a wee bit of time but pretty confidant we will get better and even better next year.

[Onceinawhile]

Were going to win the league Cup.

[Bostonhibby]

Were going to win the league Cup.Holy Grail for the big team, it gets further and further out of reach every season

Sent from my SM-A750FN using Tapatalk

[Mibbes Aye]

Don't know how familar you are with Scottish football? But essentially Celtc spend 10x and Rangers probably 9x the wages of the rest of the league. So 3rd place is like winning the title for us. Winning either of the 2 cups is a once a decade party time. Most would be pretty happy with top 4 and a run to the final of one of the cups. Beating our lovely neighbours a few times would also help.

I would live comfortably with top four, third obviously preferable. I think our real target or indicator has to be Europe via our league placing.

We have an awful habit on here of seeing things from a too Hibs-centric perspective - understandable as we are Hibs fans. The league is tight and every so often one of the teams that isn't Aberdeen, HOMFC and us will strike it lucky - a combination of the right manager in the right moment, a couple of players who are playing above their surroundings, some younger talent successfully stepping up and a big dose of luck. That doesn't make our coach or squad bad, it just means that a team with lesser means is playing above itself and that does happen, albeit temporarily. I'm not going to lose sleep over a Motherwell or whoever having a flash in the pan season or two, these things happen in most leagues.

As for the Cups, they are a bonus for us, especially fans, in many respects. But simply put, I don't see the point of setting a goal for any competition where our first knock-out game could be against the OF, let alone a team the equal of our resources. The law of averages should apply over the long-term and teams get the share of success they deserve but we don't get to evaluate managers over any lengthy period of time nowadays. For better or worse, it is a short-term culture for managers - succeed quickly or be fired (succeed quickly and be poached!)

So, all told, less than top six should be an aberration and top five should really be the bare minimun of acceptability - but as per my earlier point I accept that other sides will have their moments in the sun every so often and that's not Hibs' fault.

Top four with a genuine stab at top three I would be very happy with. Basically Eurpean football every season even if short-lived. And if we beat the teams we should beat most of the time in Cups, match up and outdo our immediate peers and get lucky with the OF from time to time then I don't expect more.

And once every generation or so, one of the OF does go into a tailspin for a season or two and we should always feel we have the resources to capitalise on that and split them. It does happen, rarely admittedly.

[Since452]

We have a squad that should finish top 4. Our previous manager wasn't getting the best out of them so it's over to the latest incumbent to try and do better. Hopefully he can cope with the step up.

[Brightside]

How confident are you that we'll have a successful 23/24 season? As previous, it's up to you to decide what you consider to be "success".

Top 3. Win league cup. Scottish cup semi.

[JohnM1875]

Third and a cup double. Just have a good feeling about this.

[Northernhibee]

I don’t know what truthfully constitutes a successful season this year. Much as everyone hates the phrase “transitional season”, Monty is heading into a team that isn’t his that have started the season poorly and lacks depth in key areas.

He’s a good coach but not a miracle worker.

Top six and a reasonable cup run would make me happy, but with the proviso that I’d be expecting top four the following season.

[Springbank]

Celtic are out the league Cup. And Rangers can't beat us at Hampden. So there is that...

[Green Reaper]

4th place, 2 cup finals, lose first but win the Scottish and take the group stage football for next season

[Hibbyradge]

A team showing an intelligent but positive approach to games would be a start.

Winning a cup would be great, but that's impossible to guarantee.

A top 4 finish has to be the ambition but pushing hertz and/or Aberdeen aside won't be easy for NM, particularly at first time of asking.

Winning most of the games we should win and filling the stadium by playing good, exciting football would be a successful season, imo.

League positions and trophies are the stuff dreams are made of. Fingers crossed of course.

[theonlywayisup]

A team showing an intelligent but positive approach to games would be a start.

Winning a cup would be great, but that's impossible to guarantee.

A top 4 finish has to be the ambition but pushing hertz and/or Aberdeen aside won't be easy for NM, particularly at first time of asking.

Winning most of the games we should win and filling the stadium by playing good, exciting football would be a successful season, imo.

League positions and trophies are the stuff dreams are made of. Fingers crossed of course.

Yes, winning games against Dundee, Killie, Livingston, St. Mirren, Ross County, Motherwell and St. Johnstone at Easter Road would be a great start, then to win these games comfortably would be an added bonus. That should amount to 10-11 wins straight away depending on who we play twice pre split. Considering we only won 15 games last season, winning the 10-11 against teams we should be beating is the platform for a successful season. Sadly, we failed twice in such games already this season.

[theonlywayisup]

So over two thirds have scored it 7 or better out of 10, which tells me that there is a lot more optimism no doubt fuelled by the change of manager and the win against Aberdeen.

Let's hope we're all as confident after today's trip to Killie. :pray:

[Hibrandenburg]

it will take Monty a wee bit of time but pretty confidant we will get better and even better next year.

Apparently he has to hit the ground running because if he's a good manager he should be able to get a tune out of an old violin or something like that.

[Onion]

Would have been a 2 or 3 under LJ, but a more hopeful 5 under the unknown Australian.

[SJNB Hibby]

So over two thirds have scored it 7 or better out of 10, which tells me that there is a lot more optimism no doubt fuelled by the change of manager and the win against Aberdeen.

Let's hope we're all as confident after today's trip to Killie. :pray:
I just voted and did the math, after 80 votes, the average is 6.85, so yes we're an optimistic bunch

[Stubbsy90+2]

5/10 for me because I think it’s so finely in the balance for us.

Think our squad is really quite poor in certain areas, whether that’s the actual personnel or the lack of.

With luck on our side we could have a decent season. Without luck on our side we could be 6th/7th imo.

[Saint Hibee]

Going into derbies feeling confident of victory would do it for me.

[Since452]

Would have been a 2 or 3 under LJ, but a more hopeful 5 under the unknown Australian.

He's from Leeds

[ekhibee]

For me, the transfer window has closed so we're stuck with the same pish defence which is costing us points regularly and until we get rid of them we'll be conceding plenty more points. Maybe after the January transfer window I'll take more interest if Montgomery brings in new players but until then I really can't be bothered. Obviously if he doesn't make any defensive changes I don't foresee us being anywhere near the Top 6 never mind top 3. Just my opinion though.

[JohnM1875]

For me, the transfer window has closed so we're stuck with the same pish defence which is costing us points regularly and until we get rid of them we'll be conceding plenty more points. Maybe after the January transfer window I'll take more interest if Montgomery brings in new players but until then I really can't be bothered. Obviously if he doesn't make any defensive changes I don't foresee us being anywhere near the Top 6 never mind top 3. Just my opinion though.

Agree the defence needs improved, but other than two individual errors from Rocky I don't think we defended poorly today? Fish looked better and Marshall came for a few crosses.

Always ***** losing from a winning position, but two daft mistakes cost us, doesn't mean the whole defence was bad.

[Daily Hibs]

6/10

Top 6 will be a good season with this squad, especially a shocking defence making the same mistakes.

[heretoday]

I'm never confident with Hibs.

[ekhibee]

Agree the defence needs improved, but other than two individual errors from Rocky I don't think we defended poorly today? Fish looked better and Marshall came for a few crosses.

Always ***** losing from a winning position, but two daft mistakes cost us, doesn't mean the whole defence was bad.

It's not just today that we've dropped points from defensive errors and it isn't just Rocky either. That's just my opinion as I've said.

[Hibees1973]

Hmm, depends if Montgomery can get a tune out of our back 4/5 and Marshall.

We have a great opportunity in the next two home games to get some momentum going. Home to a struggling St Johnstone next Saturday and a League Cup Q Final against St Mirren the following Wednesday.

By next week Montgomery will have had more time to gauge the defenders he has and get them organised.

He won't be under any pressure at this stage but if we cannot win these two games the transfer window can't come quick enough for Montgomery to get better defenders in.

[Dashing Bob S]

Very

[theonlywayisup]

BUMP - loving the positivity

[jacomo]

NM seems to be made of the right stuff. We have a decent squad and possibly one or two kids who could come in right now with the right support.

We are early in the season and have time to make up for a poor start in the league.

Reasons to be positive!

[B.H.F.C]

After Saturday I’m feeling pretty positive. There’s a very clear way of doing things and the players will improve and become better at it the more they do it.

The three home games next week are huge though. We really need points on the board I’m the league and we should be looking at six points from those two games. With Celtic out of the League Cup there is a big chance for everyone in that as well so we really need to be looking to get through.

[Smartie]

Depends on how you define successful but I'd say I'm about 4/10.

We've had a crap start, our squad is thin and we're short in key areas.

This is going to be a transitional season with a few ups and downs along the way, probably ending up with us finishing somewhere from 5th - 7th. Cups are a bit of a lottery, we'll probably do about as well as our cup draws permit.

I am quite excited about what might happen beyond this season though. We've got the core of an excellent squad and I think we've got a great young manager. I also expect a few of our younger players to kick on and we'll be stronger for having a few back who are out on loan.

We need to continue to pay the price for the mess that has happened in the various transfer windows since Ross' last summer one but this summer was actually a step back in the right direction and I think the long term future looks pretty good, even if it's not likely to be great straight away.

[Greencore]

Very.

[theonlywayisup]

So, are you more or less confident as the season has progressed.

Maybe as expected, there's been positives and negatives. The improvement of Tavares has been a real positive to me. Negatives, being inability to hold onto leads and the failure to press home our advantage against Aberdeen.

[Stubbsy90+2]

Not seen much to change my thoughts from previously.

Think there’s still a chance if things go against us we could end up bottom half. If things go well we could possibly sneak 4th but 5th or 6th are the most likely imo which would be another disappointing season.

[bingo70]

So, are you more or less confident as the season has progressed.

Maybe as expected, there's been positives and negatives. The improvement of Tavares has been a real positive to me. Negatives, being inability to hold onto leads and the failure to press home our advantage against Aberdeen.

I’m more confident now.

Results haven’t always gone our way recently but there’s a clear improvement in how we’re playing and I think we are close to clicking as a side. I think we will finish top 5 as a minimum and hopeful we can still finish 3rd.

[matty_f]

I’m probably more confident now than earlier in the season but not massively so. The confidence stems from a belief that we’ve got a genuinely good management team in place, good people who know what they’re doing.

I don’t think it’ll be an overnight success but i would be satisfied (not happy) with progress this season.

I don’t think we’ve seen enough from the squad this season to suggest we can go on a big run to push up the league and away from others, i think we’re going to be in touching distance of 3rd or 4th all season but also not out of sight of 7th.

January, and any potential investment we could get, will be huge. Without surgery to the squad we’ll not change much unless Monty can get Melkersen and/or McKirdy contributing in the way that he’d done with Jair.

A steady 8/15 from me.

[B.H.F.C]

I’m more confident now.

Results haven’t always gone our way recently but there’s a clear improvement in how we’re playing and I think we are close to clicking as a side. I think we will finish top 5 as a minimum and hopeful we can still finish 3rd.

Agree with this. It never takes much to really get you up the table in this league and I don’t think we’re a million miles away from winning more regularly. Nobody has scored more outside of Celtic and Rangers and it’s fairly obvious our problems are at the other end of the park, I’ve seen enough lately to think the players are getting a better understanding of what he wants from them though.

[greenlex]

Not sure how you define success but I’m confident we won’t be scrapping at the wrong end of the fable.

[Ronniekirk]

Five just now .If he can improve things during the window and get a few injured players back it will improve outlook The win against Killie was crucial and a good start after break v Dundee will also be as they are a few points ahead of us Hooingvwe csn break into top six before the next break but it’s not a given and will require teams above us to drop points a few also have games in hand So big push needed

[Since90+2]

Not sure how you define success but I’m confident we won’t be scrapping at the wrong end of the fable.

Agreed. You'd have to define what success is being seemed as to answer the question as everyone's will be different.

To me a successful league season would be to finish 3rd. I'd be very surprised if that happened.

I think we'll probably end up 5th or 6th, which is below what we should be aiming for.

[Skol]

I was confident before the season started, but after three games that confidence had plummeted.

Monty has stabilised things and I feel pretty confident we will be top 5 at least and potentially better if we can start turning draws to wins

[AFKA5814_Hibs]

Take away Celtc/**** there really is nothing to seperate St Mirren in 3rd to Livi in 12th. We really could finish anywhere inbetween. Keep our top players injury free and add a quality player or two in January could see us finish top 3 or 4. Injuries to any of our top players and no major new players in January and we could struggle.

[HoboHarry]

We'll finish third in a canter, maybe even second if my dream of Sevco going tits up comes true. Glory glory to the Hibees and bollocks to the rest.

[AFKA5814_Hibs]

Problem since NM came in is we are drawing far too many games. 9 league games. 2 wins, 1 defeat, 6 draws. 6 draws in 9 games, no wonder we are mid table. It's a thin line between changing those draws into wins or loses, as things go we will finish somewhere between 5th-7th.

[heretoday]

I'm not confident about our defence but that's nothing new and every team south of Celtic would say the same.
So we'll finish middle of the road again, I reckon.
Makes you wonder what the point of it all is really.

[where'stheslope]

I voted 6, we're slowly on the up, but we have to be patient.
Not sure most fans have that, sacking managers to quickly costs money and slows down our rise.

[Caversham Green]

It's worth considering that we lost the first three very winnable league games under a manager who was deemed not good enough and sacked. Three points from that possible nine and we'd be fourth at worst and if we'd drawn all three (Monty's speciality for the time being) we'd be third. Of course, the reference to Uncle Mary's dangly bits comes into play here but it's not a huge stretch of the imagination.

Results have improved since those three games and I think they will continue to improve. The only team to beat us in the league since Monty came in was "Rangers" which is to be expected to some degree. If Monty and the players can turn some of the draws into wins (and that shouldn't be too difficult given we've been ahead in most cases) we'll shoot up the league. Third is by no means a lost cause and I think we have the manager and players to achieve that, although a few good additions in January would not go amiss.

I'm confident of a successful future if we can keep Monty in situ.

[ancient hibee]

Problem since NM came in is we are drawing far too many games. 9 league games. 2 wins, 1 defeat, 6 draws. 6 draws in 9 games, no wonder we are mid table. It's a thin line between changing those draws into wins or loses, as things go we will finish somewhere between 5th-7th.

Somewhere between 5th and 7th? You mean 6th ?:greengrin

[Donegal Hibby]

Even though I thought the Sergio interview was excellent I still have concerns about us only playing the one way without being willing to change things for certain games or situations in games . Only having two midfielders playing has seen us getting overrun in midfield at times in games like Killie , Ross county 2-2 , sevco and the Hertz game.We have at other times looked very good to though which is why I voted a :6:

[bingo70]

Even though I thought the Sergio interview was excellent I still have concerns about us only playing the one way without being willing to change things for certain games or situations in games . Only having two midfielders playing has seen us getting overrun in midfield at times in games like Killie , Ross county 2-2 , sevco and the Hertz game.We have at other times looked very good to though which is why I voted a :6:

If you’re genuinely concerned then have a read of this article.

https://www.hibsobserver.co.uk/tactics/23923869.montgomery-getting-players-442/

We don’t just have one way of playing. Second forward drops deep at times when needed to add an extra man in midfield, wingers tuck in to give extra numbers centrally when needed, midfielders drop deep to help defenders when needed.

If you genuinely think we’ve only ever stuck to a one rigid 4-4-2 I would suggest you’ve not been paying much attention.

[Donegal Hibby]

If you’re genuinely concerned then have a read of this article.

https://www.hibsobserver.co.uk/tactics/23923869.montgomery-getting-players-442/

We don’t just have one way of playing. Second forward drops deep at times when needed to add an extra man in midfield, wingers tuck in to give extra numbers centrally when needed, midfielders drop deep to help defenders when needed.

If you genuinely think we’ve only ever stuck to a one rigid 4-4-2 I would suggest you’ve not been paying much attention.

The Kilmarnock 2-2 game , it was clear when after we went 2 up the midfield was getting overrun though instead of trying to shore up the midfield or put another defender on we stuck to the our game plan .

It's happened in the Ross county game too when towards the latter part of the game we were under severe pressure and the St mirren one too though we stuck with the game plan again.and at the start of the hertz game they were much the more dominant in midfield then us . The Sevco game we treated exactly like any other game we played before it and we were extremely lucky we didn't take an absolute tanking in it .

We have a striker that we spent £700,000 on who we know is a clinical finisher in the box though past 5 or 6 games we have hardly created a chance for him maybe this is due to our wingers playing central or having to defend more than normal. Who knows!!!.

At times the way we play has worked well and others it hasn't thats when it would be good to have another way like when your 2-0 or 2-1 up and under severe pressure in you change the system in order to see the game out or at least make it harder for your opponent to score. We have a trip to parkhead coming up after we play Dundee and Aberdeen which I'd like to see us be more defense minded in though maybe it's all working well and I'm just not paying attention rather than burying my head in the sand .

[superfurryhibby]

If you’re genuinely concerned then have a read of this article.

https://www.hibsobserver.co.uk/tactics/23923869.montgomery-getting-players-442/

We don’t just have one way of playing. Second forward drops deep at times when needed to add an extra man in midfield, wingers tuck in to give extra numbers centrally when needed, midfielders drop deep to help defenders when needed.

If you genuinely think we’ve only ever stuck to a one rigid 4-4-2 I would suggest you’ve not been paying much attention.

So the system is flexible in principle, but the end outcome so far can often remain the same?

Is Vente the second forward? I pay attention sometimes and find that he does too much running around , with not enough involvement or action where it counts, near the goals.

Time will tell, but my scepticism remains strong as to whether our new system will be effective.

My feeling is that we will finish 5th or 6th this season, based on what I've seen so far from Montgomery's side.

[Stubbsy90+2]

So the system is flexible in principle, but the end outcome so far can often remain the same?

Is Vente the second forward? I pay attention sometimes and find that he does too much running around , with not enough involvement or action where it counts, near the goals.

Time will tell, but my scepticism remains strong as to whether our new system will be effective.

My feeling is that we will finish 5th or 6th this season, based on what I've seen so far from Montgomery's side.

We play 4-4-2. Theres absolutely no getting away from that.

Arsenal used to play 4-4-2. Pires cut in from the left, Henry drifted out to the left, Bergkamp used to drop deep to link the midfield and attack, Lauren and Cole used to overlap. It was still a 4-4-2 though and that is inarguable. People posting as if the fact players don’t stay in their 5m2 area that a tactics board would designate them is proof that we don’t always play 4-4-2 I’d suggest are the ones that haven’t been ‘paying attention’. No formation in football history has ever seen a whole team who don’t end up in a different area to their defined position once in a while.

Folk dress it up as if we’re playing some elevated, ultra advanced version of a 4-4-2. We’re not. One of the forwards dropping slightly deeper in a 4-4-2 and trying to sit on the deep lying playmaker from the other team or the wide midfielders becoming more narrow when you don’t have the ball to force the other team out wide is and always has been the way the vast majority of teams playing 4-4-2 play it. Those are pretty much the absolute basic fundamentals of the basic 4-4-2 that you learn when you’re first getting coached into playing 11 a side football.

[blackpoolhibs]

I'm baffled why we pay £700k for a forward who scored loads of goals in Holland, but then ask him to drop deep in a fluid 4-4-2?


5th-6th at best.

[theonlywayisup]

So................are you still as confident as you were when you made your prediction way back in September.


New manager! We've some good players that just need utilised better. Midfield and defence still a concern, but I'm relatively confident.

For me, I think we're destined for a 5th-8th placing in the league, which is just not good enough. I'm less confident! My only hope is that those who come in look better than those they are replacing.

[matty_f]

I'm less confident than I was, I don't think we'll have a successful season and I'm about 50/50 on whether we'll finish top 6.


The optimist in me thinks the new guys will be the catalyst for improvement along with Boyle and Miller coming back for the rest of the season soon.

The pessimist sees the lack of consistency in the team and the ability to lose goals out of nothing as a massive problem.

Success would have been third or fourth. I think third is out of the question now, fourth is a long shot so in that respect I'm confident we won't have a successful season.


We could win the cup though...

[mcfly]

We won’t win the cup as we cannot lay a glove on teams in big games.

The rangers have hardly gotten out of 2nd gear v us and beat us easily twice.

We have gotten into the worst habit of getting managers who cannot organise a defence that’s been awful for years.

Top 6 at best but we shouldn’t be celebrating that - as a club we have underachieved for years and years.

Hopefully the investment coming is invested wisely and we reap the rewards next season

[blackpoolhibs]

We won’t win the cup as we cannot lay a glove on teams in big games.

The rangers have hardly gotten out of 2nd gear v us and beat us easily twice.

We have gotten into the worst habit of getting managers who cannot organise a defence that’s been awful for years.

Top 6 at best but we shouldn’t be celebrating that - as a club we have underachieved for years and years.

Hopefully the investment coming is invested wisely and we reap the rewards next season

Spot on 👏👏

[Greensunshine]

Although I think we are soft at times, I do think that once we get Cadden back firing on full cylinders and Boyler doing the same on the other side. Then you add a few of our new signings to the mix, I think you end up with a lovely big cake. ha ha. Fourth place finish.

[Greenio]

I'm confident NM can get us going. It'll click then we'll strat getting the results.

Feel the comeback yesterday could well be the turning point we needed.

New players injecting fresh ideas


Keep the heed folks

[Greenworld]

I'm 100% confident we will finish in the top 6 and with the new signings which could only dream of getting before still think there is a chance of 4th .

Sent from my SM-G975U1 using Tapatalk

[Exuberance1875]

I’m not 100% sure it’ll be confident but I think we will improve from where we are now, early days but the new boys look decent and we need a bit more confidence in the team and management, they could help spark that, much like yesterdays come back.

Bit of patience and perseverance is needed

[Since452]

Interesting looking back at the start of this thread in September. Everyone seemed to have high hopes. Nothing much has improved sadly.

[greenlex]

Results and performances breed confidence. We are a couple of results away from being able of going on a run. Anything’s possible.

[Greenio]

Interesting looking back at the start of this thread in September. Everyone seemed to have high hopes. Nothing much has improved sadly.

At least we have a plan and are sticking to it.

Tweaks and changes needed for sure.

But all good teams have a plan on how they'll play and stick to it.

More than aware I'm opening myself up to pelters here, but give it time. Leith wasn't built in a day!

[Alex Trager]

I’m weirdly confident that if (when) we get a quality CH in in the next few days we will go on a run and get up the table.

I think we will finish fourth or fifth.

Not saying that is a success mind you.

But I think it will be better than it is now.

It’ll become a success when we take the groups with a cup win 👀

[NAE NOOKIE]

I've never been bothered about formations in fitba and I've never been one of these folk who can watch the first 5 minutes of a game and say 'oh I see we / they are playing 442, 433' or whatever.

As a fan all that matters to me is are we winning games or not. The only formation that really matters is the league table and currently we sit 6th with a record of:

P ... 22
W.... 6
D ... 8
L .... 8
GD .. minus 6

We have let in 2 fewer goals than bottom of the league Livingston and 4 more than 2nd bottom Ross County, though we have played 2 more games than them.

The real issue with this club isn't what formation it plays, it's our inability to keep the ball out of our net.

[B.H.F.C]

At least we have a plan and are sticking to it.

Tweaks and changes needed for sure.

But all good teams have a plan on how they'll play and stick to it.

More than aware I'm opening myself up to pelters here, but give it time. Leith wasn't built in a day!

I think yesterday showed, clear as day, what we’ve been missing in Marcondes. We’ve had nobody to link things middle to front, hence Vente has ended up being a lot deeper at times. Montgomery said as much last week, he’s not been playing the way he has been because we’re desperate to use him that way it’s because we’ve had nobody to do what Marcondes is going to offer.

When you couple that with a complete inability to defend, it’s not a surprise we are where we are. The first bit has been addressed, remains to be seen if the second bit can be.

We’ll finish top six but it could be anywhere from 4th to 6th. Pretty depressingly, 3rd is gone.

[B.H.F.C]

I've never been bothered about formations in fitba and I've never been one of these folk who can watch the first 5 minutes of a game and say 'oh I see we / they are playing 442, 433' or whatever.

As a fan all that matters to me is are we winning games or not. The only formation that really matters is the league table and currently we sit 6th with a record of:

P ... 22
W.... 6
D ... 8
L .... 8
GD .. minus 6

We have let in 2 fewer goals than bottom of the league Livingston and 4 more than 2nd bottom Ross County, though we have played 2 more games than them.

The real issue with this club isn't what formation it plays, it's our inability to keep the ball out of our net.

The draws have killed is, particularly the numerous 2-2 ones. We’ve only actually lost one game more than Hearts but look at the difference in points. The number of times we’ve scored 2 in a game but not won is dreadful with yesterday being the latest where we’ve gifted really simple goals to the opposition.

[Keith_M]

The draws have killed is, particularly the numerous 2-2 ones. We’ve only actually lost one game more than Hearts but look at the difference in points. The number of times we’ve scored 2 in a game but not won is dreadful with yesterday being the latest where we’ve gifted really simple goals to the opposition.



I was thinking about the number of 2-2 draws yesterday and wondering if we should change the club's name to 'The Desmonds'

[The Modfather]

The draws have killed is, particularly the numerous 2-2 ones. We’ve only actually lost one game more than Hearts but look at the difference in points. The number of times we’ve scored 2 in a game but not won is dreadful with yesterday being the latest where we’ve gifted really simple goals to the opposition.

For all we need to upgrade the defence we also need more from the experienced guys in there. Marshall, Hanlon & Obita. Take the first goal yesterday. We know we’re poor at defending crosses yet so half hearted in trying to stop crosses in the first place. I’d expect any of Marshall, Hanlon & Obita to be having a constructive word with Youan and Emiliano that their non attempts to stop the cross wasn’t good enough. Instead the team just dropped their heads and quietly set up for kick off, going into their shell for the next 20 minutes.

[Since452]

The defence has been the issue for a long time now. No point signing striker after striker if we continue to lose cheap goals. Marcondes looks class and I'm greateful we signed him. A defender of similar ability would go a long way to pushing us on a bit. I hope we don't get a 20 year old with hardly any first team football.

[sean]

I don’t think yesteday or Wednesday the centre halves or the left sided centre half was the issue.

Our biggest issue is we don’t do enough to stop the cross, it’s happened time and time again this season.

Youan and Tavares in a 4 man midfield are giving our fullbacks little or no protection, maybe not there fault as neither especially youan is a right mid. Megwa and Rory definitely not ready for this level of football and the scrutiny that goes with hibs.

Hopefully with Cadden millar Boyle back we can get the right hand side sorted out. Could we play millar right back, Cadden one up and potentially Boyle out of position on the left?

We’ve plenty options when everyone is up to speed but it may be too little too late.

[Crunchie]

I never voted in September but I'm very confident after the recent signings we'll easily finish top 6, hopefully no worse than 4th, and with a bit luck in the draw win the Scottish Cup.

[Keith_M]

Can I change my vote?

[Tambo]

Anyway of qualifying for Europe will be a successful season, the team need to start winning more games though.

[ChilliEater]

The defence has been the issue for a long time now. No point signing striker after striker if we continue to lose cheap goals. Marcondes looks class and I'm greateful we signed him. A defender of similar ability would go a long way to pushing us on a bit. I hope we don't get a 20 year old with hardly any first team football.

In 20/21 and 21/22 we had the third best defence and in 22/23 we had the fifth best defence.