Midfield

To be honest, I could have gone back to any thread where the OP has started a thread highlighting our deficiencies in midfield. Just searched and we've had threads started on:

24th November 2021 Midfield (hibs.net)
19th December 2021 Midfield (hibs.net)
21st January 2022 Midfield (hibs.net)
1st February 2022 Centre of Midfield (hibs.net)
14th July 2022 Midfield (hibs.net)
27th August Whole new midfield needed (hibs.net)
28th August Midfield 3 (hibs.net)
17th September Midfield (hibs.net)

I'm not a footballing expert, unlike the various managers and coaches we've had in recent seasons. But they must be blind if they can't see our major problem is in midfield. I've not read these threads. but I'm sure that the comments are consistent - too slow, not creative enough, lacking quality etc etc.

Today, like last week, it's pretty obvious we've nothing in midfield. Like I said, I'm not a footballing expert, but can we no find a manager who knows how to fix it.

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Originally Posted by theonlywayisup

To be honest, I could have gone back to any thread where the OP has started a thread highlighting our deficiencies in midfield. Just searched and we've had threads started on:

24th November 2021 https://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?...light=midfield
19th December 2021 https://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?...light=midfield
21st January 2022 https://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?...light=midfield
1st February 2022 https://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?...light=midfield
14th July 2022 https://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?...light=midfield

I'm not a footballing expert, unlike the various managers and coaches we've had in recent seasons. But they must be blind if they can't see our major problem is in midfield. I've not read these threads. but I'm sure that the comments are consistent - too slow, not creative enough, lacking quality etc etc.

Today, like last week, it's pretty obvious we've nothing in midfield. Like I said, I'm not a footballing expert, but can we no find a manager who knows how to fix it.

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Gutted I only started one of those. [emoji23]
Problem won’t be fixed while Joe Newall remains in the team.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

To think we had far superior midfielders in the Championship. Mcgeouch, McGinn, Bartley,Allan,Fyvie,Henderson.

It's ok though we've signed loads of young development players who can play in midfield in 3 years time.

Play Tait and see what happens, it really can’t be any worse than Newell every week.

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Originally Posted by King conrad

To think we had far superior midfielders in the Championship. Mcgeouch, McGinn, Bartley,Allan,Fyvie,Henderson.

It's ok though we've signed loads of young development players who can play in midfield in 3 years time.

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We had a far superior everything except goalie. Midfield weren't great today but forwards first half were absolutely dreadful.

It’s so depressing and predictable. I thought with Campbell getting injured last week surely they will add another central midfielder
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Nope..

They have 2 weeks to fix it.

A centre back on left side and a central midfielder or 2.

Over to you LJ and Hibs - prove me wrong and sort the massive hole in the middle of our team.

I don’t see us doing anything about it which is inexplicable really.

Threads like this will be a continuous theme throughout the season, if we don’t.

Need a spine of a team which has been the case for years and which we've all said for years, those at the club just see something else, time for those running the club to wake up.

Here here! Midfield and joe Newell is the problem. He is a pansy as our midfield with him in it.

4 managers, 4 x the same problem. Joe Newell.

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Originally Posted by MWHIBBIES

We had a far superior everything except goalie. Midfield weren't great today but forwards first half were absolutely dreadful.

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Absolutely. Our forward players (except boyle) have been so poor for so long. Tavares and Melkersen were laughably bad today. Tavares is so far away from being ready for the first team its painful to watch.

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Originally Posted by PH91

Absolutely. Our forward players (except boyle) have been so poor for so long. Tavares and Melkersen were laughably bad today. Tavares is so far away from being ready for the first team its painful to watch.

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Have a degree of sympathy for Melkersen in that he’s not a wide player. Had he not been injured he’d have been hooked with Tavares anyway. Just like he was last week playing there. And the week before that.

I’d have Kenneh and JDH. No one else is good enough or wants it enough.

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Originally Posted by Libby Hibby

Play Tait and see what happens, it really can’t be any worse than Newell every week.

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Yep, keep hearing how great Tait is, so why he’s not at least being given a chance?

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Originally Posted by Saint Hibee

Yep, keep hearing how great Tait is, so why he’s not at least being given a chance?

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I watched Tait midweek when we played Brechin City. Bags of potential there but he’s simply not walking into our midfield and revolutionising it. We all want and wish that was the case but it’s simply not. It’s just not happening.

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Originally Posted by H18 SFR

I watched Tait midweek when we played Brechin City. Bags of potential there but he’s simply not walking into our midfield and revolutionising it. We all want and wish that was the case but it’s simply not. It’s just not happening.

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That opinion is almost exactly the same as another I heard today on the same subject.

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Originally Posted by Golden Bear

That opinion is almost exactly the same as another I heard today on the same subject.

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He is in the right place in terms of the development team. Hopefully a loan for the boy to go and progress further before the end of the transfer window.

He isn’t ready for the responsibility of improving our midfield at this time.

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Originally Posted by H18 SFR

I watched Tait midweek when we played Brechin City. Bags of potential there but he’s simply not walking into our midfield and revolutionising it. We all want and wish that was the case but it’s simply not. It’s just not happening.

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He may well not. But we certainly ain’t going to revolutionise it if we keep doing the same things.

FWIW, I’m not suggesting Tait would solve all our issues but I do find it a bit odd that he’s had so little opportunity. When he came on against Norwich he was head and shoulders the best player on the park but then wasn’t even stripped for St Johnstone.

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Originally Posted by H18 SFR

He is in the right place in terms of the development team. Hopefully a loan for the boy to go and progress further before the end of the transfer window.

He isn’t ready for the responsibility of improving our midfield at this time.

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Which is exactly why he's not a regular feature in the first team squad.

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Originally Posted by B.H.F.C

He may well not. But we certainly ain’t going to revolutionise it if we keep doing the same things.

FWIW, I’m not suggesting Tait would solve all our issues but I do find it a bit odd that he’s had so little opportunity. When he came on against Norwich he was head and shoulders the best player on the park but then want even stripped for St Johnstone.

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I agree he looked good but the game meant zilch and In the eyes of our opponent it means minus zilch. Watch dean smiths post match interview if you don’t agree with that. He’s in the right place, development squad and hopefully a development loan incoming.

I actually think we are managing his development appropriately.

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Originally Posted by H18 SFR

I agree he looked good but the game meant zilch and In the eyes of our opponent it means minus zilch. Watch dean smiths post match interview if you don’t agree with that. He’s in the right place, development squad and hopefully a development loan incoming.

I actually think we are managing his development appropriately.

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What does a development loan do for his development?

That would mean him going to The Championship. We signed him because he was one of the best players in that league. I don’t think he develops by going back there. If he goes back there it’s because we deem him not good enough, not because we’re trying to develop him IMO.

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Originally Posted by B.H.F.C

What does a development loan do for his development?

That would mean him going to The Championship. We signed him because he was one of the best players in that league. I don’t think he develops by going back there. If he goes back there it’s because we deem him not good enough, not because we’re trying to develop him IMO.

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A development loan is designed to support a player to improve by playing first team games.

We would not send out a player deeming he isn’t good enough. It would be to improve them.

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Originally Posted by H18 SFR

A development loan is designed to support a player to improve by playing first team games.

We would not send out a player deeming he isn’t good enough. It would be to improve them.

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But all you’d be doing is sending him out to a level he’s already proven at. I don’t think it develops him at all.

I think it’s perfectly plausible that you’d send someone out because you don’t think they’re good enough or don’t see them as part of your plans, happens all the time.

He’s coming up for 21, if Hibs loan him back to a lower league side I don’t think he’s got a future here (certainly under this management team).

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Originally Posted by B.H.F.C

But all you’d be doing is sending him out to a level he’s already proven at. I don’t think it develops him at all.

I think it’s perfectly plausible that you’d send someone out because you don’t think they’re good enough or don’t see them as part of your plans, happens all the time.

He’s coming up for 21, if Hibs loan him back to a lower league side I don’t think he’s got a future here (certainly under this management team).

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If that’s the case then it’s time to move him on permanently so we don’t stunt the development of the next central midfield player coMing through needing to play in the development team.

Midfields been a problem for a long long time. Hasn’t been addressed by any manager since mcginn left. Not that he can be replaced but nothings came close.

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Originally Posted by H18 SFR

If that’s the case then it’s time to move him on permanently so we don’t stunt the development of the next central midfield player coMing through needing to play in the development team.

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Tait was a standout at Raith in the Championship so no point loaning him at that level again,he has honestly been a standout in the games he's played this season as well.

He 100% needs a few games in the first team to show what he can do. Surely can't be any worse than Henderson has been past two games. If not I actually agree, we should let him go for his own development.

Just give Tait a try. I’m not saying he will revolutionalise the midfield but he will be a different style to this mundane same old, same old that is currently being served by Joe Newell.

This is what our manager thinks:

“It’s important that young players get 25-plus games a season. You’re not going to get them in the first team here right now but they are a step ahead of the development squad so a loan becomes the next option.”

He’s not coming into the team, he’s heading away.

Tait is not the solution here. Pure and simple.

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Originally Posted by H18 SFR

This is what our manager thinks:

“It’s important that young players get 25-plus games a season. You’re not going to get them in the first team here right now but they are a step ahead of the development squad so a loan becomes the next option.”

He’s not coming into the team, he’s heading away.

Tait is not the solution here. Pure and simple.

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Tait will be 21 soon, he signed for us a year ago and has played just 13 minutes of football for our first team so far and that was when we were 5-0 up v Clyde.

I think if players are getting into their 20s and not even looking like breaking into the first team the writing is probably on the wall.

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Originally Posted by Sir David Gray

Tait will be 21 soon, he signed for us a year ago and has played just 13 minutes of football for our first team so far and that was when we were 5-0 up v Clyde.

I think if players are getting into their 20s and not even looking like breaking into the first team the writing is probably on the wall.

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Really hope we sign a good quality attacking midfielder and get Kyle back playing too what a difference he would make imo!

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Originally Posted by Sir David Gray

Tait will be 21 soon, he signed for us a year ago and has played just 13 minutes of football for our first team so far and that was when we were 5-0 up v Clyde.

I think if players are getting into their 20s and not even looking like breaking into the first team the writing is probably on the wall.

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He also signed for a six figure fee. Same with McKay, who is now back where we signed him from. Sending them back to the same team, or level, is nothing to do with trying to develop them IMO.

It’s really bloody frustrating. Sitting at the game today and you’re watching some of the younger players who just look out their depth in that environment. I’m all for developing players but today just heightened the feeling, for me, that we’re doing it to the detriment of the thing we’re paying good money to watch.