Fenlon deserves criticism

[Tyler Durden]

Yes, Celtic are a class side and we were always going to struggle today but 3 points in particular I think PF has dropped the ball on.

1. Tactics today. Obviously hindsight is 20/20 but going in today with 4-4-2 was naive. We should have went 5 in midfield in some fashion and played for scraps. Doyle was well out his depth and he must have known he'd toil against Wilson and Rogne.
2. On that theme, the decision to let Sodje go looks a mistake IMO. We have 4 forwards, all of similar style, none of them great at holding the ball up or offer us an aerial threat. And yet we continue to throw the ball into them in the air? If Sodje was part of this pack that were bad influences around the club, then it's the manager's job to sort him out and get a contribution from him, not just discard him. We'll continue to struggle while our forwards can't hold the ball up and bring midfield into play.
3. Continuing loss of goals from corners/set pieces. We've changed the personnel often enough and yet it's still the same results, we lose headers from 6/8 yards out. The manager has to take responsibility - whatever they do during the week hasn't fixed this and it's unacceptable.

Anyway, onwards and upwards............surely.

[jamesjamieson]

Calderwood league record: P15, W3, D4, L8 (14 points)
No manager league record: P2, W0, D1, L1 (1 point)
Fenlon league record: P10, W1, D2, L7 (5 points)

Fenlon needs 9 points from the next 5 games to equal Calderwood's poor league record prior to his sacking. 0-5 to Celtic is Hibs worst home defeat since September 1985.

Is anyone hopeful our lovable Irishman can stop the rot? I'm not.

[Betty Boop]

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Calderwood league record: P15, W3, D4, L8 (14 points)
No manager league record: P2, W0, D1, L1 (1 point)
Fenlon league record: P10, W1, D2, L7 (5 points)

Fenlon needs 9 points from the next 5 games to equal Calderwood's poor league record prior to his sacking. 0-5 to Celtic is Hibs worst home defeat since September 1985.

Is anyone hopeful our lovable Irishman can stop the rot? I'm not.

Love your avatar !

[stubble]

Outclassed. End of. No Hibs line up was ever going to stop Celtic in their current mood and form. PF can only do what he can do with the players at his disposal. Doyle was one of many lacking today. My concern with him is that he appears out of his depth at SPL level, always a yard off the pace and lightweight. He is a trier, I'll give him that.

[jamesjamieson]

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Love your avatar !

Cheers! Photo courtesy of Gordon ballboy.

Erm, I meant 13 points not 14 points...

[Beefster]

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Outclassed. End of. No Hibs line up was ever going to stop Celtic in their current mood and form. PF can only do what he can do with the players at his disposal. Doyle was one of many lacking today. My concern with him is that he appears out of his depth at SPL level, always a yard off the pace and lightweight. He is a trier, I'll give him that.

Fenlon signed 8 of the 14 players to feature today.

[Hibs7]

What a load of bull the keeper was at fault for 3 of the goals, new one required ASAP.

[Famous Fiver]

I am willing to shout from the rooftops to everyone carping on here
HIBS WILL STAY UP.

We have a goal difference four better than Dunfermline so only another 5 goal defeat at Motherwell during the week will send us to the bottom of the league.

Even then we've got enough to finish above Dunfermline.

END OF.

[stubble]

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Fenlon signed 8 of the 14 players to feature today.

And I repeat he can only do what he can do with the players at his disposal -including all the new faces. I'm impressed with some of the individuals he has signed, but it is a desperate make-shift Hibs side -designed to keep us in the SPL. PF is trying his best to gel all the new faces, but a rampant Celtic were always going to test and stretch our defence and a Hibs side thrown together so quickly.

[GreenCastle]

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Yes, Celtic are a class side and we were always going to struggle today but 3 points in particular I think PF has dropped the ball on.

1. Tactics today. Obviously hindsight is 20/20 but going in today with 4-4-2 was naive. We should have went 5 in midfield in some fashion and played for scraps. Doyle was well out his depth and he must have known he'd toil against Wilson and Rogne.
2. On that theme, the decision to let Sodje go looks a mistake IMO. We have 4 forwards, all of similar style, none of them great at holding the ball up or offer us an aerial threat. And yet we continue to throw the ball into them in the air? If Sodje was part of this pack that were bad influences around the club, then it's the manager's job to sort him out and get a contribution from him, not just discard him. We'll continue to struggle while our forwards can't hold the ball up and bring midfield into play.
3. Continuing loss of goals from corners/set pieces. We've changed the personnel often enough and yet it's still the same results, we lose headers from 6/8 yards out. The manager has to take responsibility - whatever they do during the week hasn't fixed this and it's unacceptable.

Anyway, onwards and upwards............surely.

Fenlon is still the one to improve us and take us forward

Today we were taking on a Celtic side top of the league and flying - best team in the SPL by quite some way.

I do agree about Sodje - but Fenlon must have not seen it that way. Doyle has great movement but still needs help up top or the ball to feet all the time.

Regarding corners and set pieces - today was like the first half of the season and not like the recent Killie game when we were solid defensively. Makes such a difference if you defend and do the basics - today that didn't happen and was very poor.

[Beefster]

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I am willing to shout from the rooftops to everyone carping on here
HIBS WILL STAY UP.

We have a goal difference four better than Dunfermline so only another 5 goal defeat at Motherwell during the week will send us to the bottom of the league.

Even then we've got enough to finish above Dunfermline.

END OF.

You do realise that the goal difference can change until the end of the season?

As for the rest, I think that that kind of "we're too big/good/better to go down" is dangerous (and totally unwarranted). We've scored less than anyone else in the SPL, our defence is only 'bettered' by Dunfermline, our recent form is no better than theirs and we've just suffered the heaviest defeat in the SPL this season.

[Tyler Durden]

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What a load of bull the keeper was at fault for 3 of the goals, new one required ASAP.

When Fenlon was appointed we were losing headed goals in our own box - we're still doing so. He has to take some blame for failing to resolve this by now.

On the Sky coverage, Neil McCann was talking about how he bumped into Billy Brown pre match and Brown said "it's a tough job ahead of us". How about this muppet actually starts doing something tangible to solve our problems instead of talking about it. PF should have bulleted him when he came in.

On the positive side, at least that's the last we'll see of Celtic this season. Hopefully the likes of Soares and Griffiths coming back into the team can have an impact against Well and Killie.

[smurf]

Naive to play two up front IMHO.

Doyle has shown promise but he's lightweight. Starting today was a mistake. His failure to hold the ball up v Aberdeen left us exposed at times.

Very surprised not to go with five in midfield.

[ehf]

Seldom seen a striker with such poor anticipation/awareness as Doyle. Should never have let Sodje go.

[NorthNorfolkHFC]

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Naive to play two up front IMHO.

Doyle has shown promise but he's lightweight. Starting today was a mistake. His failure to hold the ball up v Aberdeen left us exposed at times.

Very surprised not to go with five in midfield.

I don't think it was naivety, many people on here like a wee greet when we stick with one up top at home.

I think the problem is wee don't have a striker who can hold the ball, this makes one up top problematic.

O'Connor cant play with his back to goal, neither can Doyle or Griffiths. We are in desperate need of a Brewster type player who can take the ball, keep possession and hold up play allowing us to gain territory up the park.

[Famous Fiver]

Beefster

Under your name it says Coaching Staff.

Thank god you're not my coach.

Why don't you get behind your team and encourage it instead of whining like a jet engine?

[blackpoolhibs]

We were poor today, nobody gets a mark above 6. I dont think Fenlon or the fans would have expected a performance like that from the team?

Celtic will thrash a few sides this season, they played well and we gifted them at least 3 of the goals.

Its games against the rest of the teams that will matter, i did not expect any points today, but it would have been a nice surprise if we had.

That was not the case, but we had some terrible displays from some players, players who have never played that badly before.

I'm putting today down to a bad day, roll on Wednesday.

[JimBHibees]

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We were poor today, nobody gets a mark above 6. I dont think Fenlon or the fans would have expected a performance like that from the team?

Celtic will thrash a few sides this season, they played well and we gifted them at least 3 of the goals.

Its games against the rest of the teams that will matter, i did not expect any points today, but it would have been a nice surprise if we had.

That was not the case, but we had some terrible displays from some players, players who have never played that badly before.

I'm putting today down to a bad day, roll on Wednesday.

Completely agree, bad day at the office. Move on the good thing about football is you have a game soon after to repair what went before. It is a reality check and hopefully will make the team more determined against Well.

[bighairyfaeleith]

Time to get behind the team and put today behind us.

We got two good draws in recent weeks and I fancy us to cuff motherwell midweek.

[Beefster]

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Beefster

Under your name it says Coaching Staff.

Thank god you're not my coach.

Why don't you get behind your team and encourage it instead of whining like a jet engine?

I was at the game today, supporting my team.

I was criticising your thinking and saying that there is nothing to justify it. Our form is worse now than it was under Calderwood.

[chrisski33]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/mobile/football/17091849

Being 2nd bottom of league should be enough of a wake call not just getting thumped by celtic

[renato]

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We were poor today, nobody gets a mark above 6. I dont think Fenlon or the fans would have expected a performance like that from the team?

Celtic will thrash a few sides this season, they played well and we gifted them at least 3 of the goals.

Its games against the rest of the teams that will matter, i did not expect any points today, but it would have been a nice surprise if we had.

That was not the case, but we had some terrible displays from some players, players who have never played that badly before.

I'm putting today down to a bad day, roll on Wednesday.

Completely agree BH. Combination of quite a few factors but all in all just a very bad day at the office. Wednesday is the one that matters and we'll bring a large and noisy support again. Hopefully the players respond and we get something from the game!

[marinello59]

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We were poor today, nobody gets a mark above 6. I dont think Fenlon or the fans would have expected a performance like that from the team?

Celtic will thrash a few sides this season, they played well and we gifted them at least 3 of the goals.

Its games against the rest of the teams that will matter, i did not expect any points today, but it would have been a nice surprise if we had.

That was not the case, but we had some terrible displays from some players, players who have never played that badly before.

I'm putting today down to a bad day, roll on Wednesday.

Agree. If we had taken anything today it was a bonus. Roll on Wednesday.

[silverhibee]

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You do realise that the goal difference can change until the end of the season?

As for the rest, I think that that kind of "we're too big/good/better to go down" is dangerous (and totally unwarranted). We've scored less than anyone else in the SPL, our defence is only 'bettered' by Dunfermline, our recent form is no better than theirs and we've just suffered the heaviest defeat in the SPL this season.

My son just said to me that Hibs have scored 12 goals at ER this season and that celtc have scored 10, worrying if true.

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

There is criticism that is practical and there is criticism for the sake of it. I would have said that 4-4-2 was maybe a wee bit hopeful against Celtc but TBH even if we hadn't handed them goals, they still would have found them today. Fenlon has one target for this season and that is to finish above Dunfermline. We can hoo-hah all day about top four and top six and where this club should be, but that won't happen this season.

[Andy74]

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I was at the game today, supporting my team.

I was criticising your thinking and saying that there is nothing to justify it. Our form is worse now than it was under Calderwood.

Perhaps the actual run of results is worse. I don't really care as the performances behind them have been far better. Today apart we are actually creating things and competing. We didn't do that under CC.

[Part/Time Supporter]

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My son just said to me that Hibs have scored 12 goals at ER this season and that celtc have scored 10, worrying if true.

That's more or less correct if you count their four in the league cup tie, but does not count the goals Hibs have scored in cup ties at home.

[Wheat Hound]

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My son just said to me that Hibs have scored 12 goals at ER this season and that celtc have scored 10, worrying if true.

Have they not actually scored 11? 0-2,1-4 and 0-5? Depressing regardless.

[Beefster]

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Perhaps the actual run of results is worse. I don't really care as the performances behind them have been far better. Today apart we are actually creating things and competing. We didn't do that under CC.

I've already said that our form was better under Calderwood - that's not an opinion. How that doesn't count as competing or creating things but poorer form does is beyond me.

And I'd suggest that we need to start worrying about results rather than performances pretty soon.

[Tyler Durden]

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There is criticism that is practical and there is criticism for the sake of it. I would have said that 4-4-2 was maybe a wee bit hopeful against Celtc but TBH even if we hadn't handed them goals, they still would have found them today. Fenlon has one target for this season and that is to finish above Dunfermline. We can hoo-hah all day about top four and top six and where this club should be, but that won't happen this season.

I'm not calling for Fenlon's head or anything, I think he could well be the man to take us forward. It's not going to happen over night but I think he's made things more difficult for himself in some regards.

I do think however, that the failure of the coaching team to improve our defending from set pieces is pretty criminal. No point in our overall performances improving if we keep gifting goals each time we concede a corner. Seems quite practical to expect this is resolved.