Why Riordan & Stokes Weren't Picked by John Hughes

**~~Speedway~~** · 30-07-2010 01:05 PM

http://sport.scotsman.com/hibernianf...-to.6449347.jp

**bighairyfaeleith** · 30-07-2010 01:17 PM

dearie me

But, today, Hughes, for whom this was his first European match as a manager, stood by his decision, saying: "I felt we had to play a system to keep it tight, to keep it compact and trying to maybe sneak a goal. It wasn't a case of playing Nish, Stokes or Riordan, it was a case of playing a five-man midfield with good legs in there and I felt the five we played had the best legs at the club."

Hughes revealed he opted for Nish because of his height, adding: "I don't think it would have suited Derek to ask him to go up there and play on his own and it certainly would not have suited Stokesy, that's why we did that."

We didn't keep it tight, nish was lost u front on his own, nish has never known how to use his height.

If thats the best legs at the club then we are ****ed because they got ran off the pitch last night!!

***bingo70*** · 30-07-2010 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by Speedway

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

http://sport.scotsman.com/hibernianf...-to.6449347.jp

I agree with the formation he played and i understand his reasons for not playing the both of them and i think the stick he has taken since has been way over the top, however i don't agree with his selction of Nish, he might be taller than the two of them but he's no good in the air, doesn't hold the ball up, doesn't bring others into play, has zero pace, no mobility and gives away too many fouls so i don't see how Stokes or Deeks could have faired any worse but both of them would have offered more of a goal threat than Nish.

In defence of Nish because i've slated him a bit there, there is a place for him in the squad but only if he's playing up front with someone else, never in a million years will he ever be able to play the lone front man role though IMO

***Diclonius*** · 30-07-2010 01:31 PM

Yogi tried what seemed like a good idea at the time and it didn't work.

The problem here is that even when we were 2-0 down he didn't change it.

**Hibs90** · 30-07-2010 01:34 PM

Nish is not a target man Yogi...

**Liberal Hibby** · 30-07-2010 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by Rawr.rar

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Yogi tried what seemed like a good idea at the time and it didn't work.

The problem here is that even when we were 2-0 down he didn't change it.

The problem being that we were 3-0 down a few minutes later (almost certainly as changes were being contemplated)

**GreenPJ** · 30-07-2010 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by Meeko

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Nish is not a target man Yogi...

Neither is Stokes and Derek definitely is not. We don't have anyone at the club who is a targetman but I still think 4-5-1 initially was the right idea.

**iwasthere1972** · 30-07-2010 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by Meeko

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Nish is not a target man Yogi...

He is on here.

***silverhibee*** · 30-07-2010 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by Speedway

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

http://sport.scotsman.com/hibernianf...-to.6449347.jp

Do you think the manager will play Stokes & Riordan for the home tie.

**IWasThere2016** · 30-07-2010 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by silverhibee

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Do you think the manager will play Stokes & Riordan for the home tie.

He has no choice now ..

**Scotthibs1875** · 30-07-2010 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by Meeko

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Nish is not a target man Yogi...

What was he meant to do? Imagine if he played a 4-3-3, we would have got even more of a riding! But the fact is players like rankin pass the ball so ****1ng slowly!

***Danderhall Hibs*** · 30-07-2010 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by Scotthibs1875

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

What was he meant to do? Imagine if he played a 4-3-3, we would have got even more of a riding! But the fact is players like rankin pass the ball so ****1ng slowly!

Do you have to play a "target man" at all? Is anyone suggesting we should've played a 4-3-3?

**scotiaf** · 30-07-2010 04:02 PM

We had a player on our books last season who could do that role

He was good back in a cup final a few years ago

**CRAZYHIBBY** · 30-07-2010 04:34 PM

he should have went either 442 or 433 and went for it. Id rather we were beat giving it our all instead of last nights embarrassment

***Keith_M*** · 30-07-2010 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by Speedway

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

http://sport.scotsman.com/hibernianf...-to.6449347.jp

How is Nish any better a target man than Stokes or Riordan? He's poor in the air, falls constantly on his *rse and has poor control, therefore unable to hold the ball whilst waiting for support. He has even admitted before that it's not his ideal role.

So, if we don't have a player capable of playing as a target man, then don't play a system that requires one. If our defenders (and midfielders playing defensively) are so limited, then why play a defensively minded system? Why not play to the strengths/weaknesses of who we DO have in the squad? Is it that complicated???

I wish you'd just accept that a lot of the players were poor on the night and the management made poor choices.

**Beefster** · 30-07-2010 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by Liberal Hibby

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

The problem being that we were 3-0 down a few minutes later (almost certainly as changes were being contemplated)

I'd suggest that Hughes needs to think and react quicker than 8 minutes after it's evident that a game is slipping away from us.

**~~Sumner~~** · 30-07-2010 05:08 PM

4-4-2

Riordan & Stokes up front

it's SO VERY obvious and has been for WAAAAY back
yet the manager is bloody-minded at his criticism not
to play this, shoving DR on the left mid for most of last year
- and now dropping both and blowing the Euro "run" before
it even started. Woeful woeful tactical thinking.

... oh and was Brian Rice's "dossier" written in crayon ?

**Wull** · 30-07-2010 05:12 PM

it just shows you legs (5 man midfield) are no as good as heeds.

***silverhibee*** · 30-07-2010 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by The_Quiet_Man

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

He has no choice now ..

Not to sure about that TQM, the manager may think he was right to go with that team last night, he may just go with the same formation and team for the home game and tell the players its up to them to make up for there mistakes last night.

I will take what the manager say's with a pinch of salt from now on.

**Westie1875** · 30-07-2010 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by silverhibee

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Not to sure about that TQM, the manager may think he was right to go with that team last night, he may just go with the same formation and team for the home game and tell the players its up to them to make up for there mistakes last night.

I will take what the manager say's with a pinch of salt from now on.

I'd be seriously concerned for his sanity if he did this, we need to score at least 3 goals - to do that we need our 40 goal a season strike partnership on the pitch.

**Ants** · 30-07-2010 07:07 PM

Answer:-
Coz he is a buffoon and that is a polite reply.

We had more skill and panache on the bench, all to no avail.

If we have such commodities, why not play them at the start, go 2 goals up then rest them?

Hughes = tactically inept (quoted on another thread, but Im right!!).

**marinello59** · 30-07-2010 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by Ants

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Answer:-
Coz he is a buffoon and that is a polite reply.

We had more skill and panache on the bench, all to no avail.

If we have such commodities, why not play them at the start, go 2 goals up then rest them?

Hughes = tactically inept (quoted on another thread, but Im right!!).

Blindingly obvious isn't it. This season should be a caker, play our strikers, stroll to a two goal lead early doors, then we can all do the Hibees Bounce whilst the players relax. Bring it on.

***BT58*** · 30-07-2010 07:13 PM

if JH was talking about players with legs[ie stamina/pace] then WHY wasnt galbraith on from the start?????????
all this talk of 4-5-1, i think JH looked at the WORLD CUP, and seeing how HOLLAND play
thought that hibs could play this way too, we`ll im sorry yogi, get a lot of dutch players in your team then maybees, but not with THIS squad!!!!!!!!!!!
one thing im totally bothered about is OUR DEFENCE, we lost nearly the same amount of goals that we scored last term,,,,,,ok so you`ve brought in a young guy with potential
what we need now is 2 EXPERIENCED C/H`S, hogg has tried, but failed miserably
if bamba has to go get in defenders who can defend,,,,forget GOW
with all JH`s experience you would have thought that the defence would have been sorted out first,,,but hey he`s the manager not me
b

**Ants** · 30-07-2010 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by marinello59

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Blindingly obvious isn't it. This season should be a caker, play our strikers, stroll to a two goal lead early doors, then we can all do the Hibees Bounce whilst the players relax. Bring it on.

Im with you mate... BLINDINGLY OBVIOUS.

We are the meer immortals, we know nothing.

Let me think to when Bamba came back from the Africain Cup Nations, destroy a winning/settled team to accomodate 1 player.............. t(!)ts up springs to mind !!

**Davy Mac** · 30-07-2010 07:49 PM

Could you imagine any other teams playing in Europe last night not playing their best front two against better opposition?

Seriously?

I dunno know, I really like Yogi but I think he needs somebody to support him with a bit more savvy..........

Why play our most ineffectual striker.......crazy crazy stuff

**No.4** · 30-07-2010 09:32 PM

I've not been one to slate Yogi in the past. Sure he had a nightmare at the end of last season, but over all we did ok so I was happy for him to learn from his mistakes and hopefully kick on this season.

Last night was an absolute disgrace. To not play Stokes or Deeks was simply unbelievable. Deek has been on fire with his free kicks all pre season and if we could have got one near the edge of the box, he just might have nicked a vital away goal but no.. Let's play Wotherspoon, the right midfielder who played all of last season at right back in left midfield and leave our 17 goals last season "left midfielder" on the bench. Lets put our 9 goal striker up front where he's totally useless on his own, and leave our 23 goal striker who can score from nothing on the bench. And I'd be interested to know if we've ever played that formation with those players before... because you'd kind of want to go into the game with a settled squad who know where each other are going to be on the park.

Over and above all else the thing that really is bugging me is for Yogi to come out after the match with his classic line from last season, "I cant ask for anymore from the players, they've given me everything they've got". If that's everything they've got, then we're f****d for the forthcoming season. Can't make a 5 yard pass more than 5 times without giving the ball away, can't play the ball forward, hardly any attempts on target.. Is it not about time that he publicly said that the performance levels of the players is just not good enough?

Get it sorted Yogi or I'm sorry, but GTF.

***thebakerboy*** · 30-07-2010 09:39 PM

Feel that if we are going to play 4-5-1 formation the only player at the club who can control a ball , has speed , and an eye for goal is Galbraith see his goal against Celtic. But is he ever going to get a chance anywhere with Yogi

**No.4** · 30-07-2010 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by thebakerboy

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Feel that if we are going to play 4-5-1 formation the only player at the club who can control a ball , has speed , and an eye for goal is Galbraith see his goal against Celtic. But is he ever going to get a chance anywhere with Yogi

Don't be silly, we have a right midfielder and a centre forward who can play in left mid instead of him

I don't see him as a lone strker tbf

**Iain G** · 30-07-2010 09:58 PM

I would have thought that if you play a 451 you either need to:
1) Get the ball forward quickly to the striker, who has the ability to control and hold the ball up, and play in those getting forward from midfield.
2) Sit deep and hit on the counter attack with fast players with good ball control who can take half a chance when it comes there way.

We seemed to do neither of these and focus on trying to keep the ball and stiffle the opposition, who must have looked at our gameplan and had a right good laugh.