midfield

[davidw]

Right, not going on a downer (don't shoot!), would have taken a point before today's game (ditto), am reasonably happy with first half performance (nothing to shoot about!), and I like Fenlon, but.... no-one here seems to be pointing out the oddities of the midfield today. No-one - and I mean no-one - supports the strikers whenever they get forward. Anytime Griffiths and his likeable, but rotund, strike partner found some space up front, the midfield was 30 yards away. Osbourne was slow, Soars is permanently slow (and uninterested?), and I can only guess they (plus Lewis and Sproule) were told to hang back, 'cos there was no-one - ever - anywhere near the front two. Is this deliberate?

And I thought Sproule was better today, but was clearly on the wrong wing -unless it was entirely defensive to help out R. Carlos against Humphries.....?

Anyway, am confused. And, I repeat, don't shoot..

[Danderhall Hibs]

They were sitting far too deep in the 2nd half.

[Wotherspiniesta]

You'll get a chance, Spoony. Heid up.

[Spike Mandela]

100% agree with OP. I thiink our midfield is definitely the weak link in the side and offers very little going forward and very little in a combative sense either. This hasn't just been this season but certainly for 2-3 seasons we have watched our midfield be comprehensively outpassed and outplayed by nearly every other team.

Hopefully PF sees our midfield as a priority next year for his attention. As for next week old heads like Hughes and Rae could be invaluable for the Dons at Hampden and we really need our midfield to up their game if we are not to just sit back soaking up pressure hoping for a draw and penalties.

[Golden Bear]

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

Right, not going on a downer (don't shoot!), would have taken a point before today's game (ditto), am reasonably happy with first half performance (nothing to shoot about!), and I like Fenlon, but.... no-one here seems to be pointing out the oddities of the midfield today. No-one - and I mean no-one - supports the strikers whenever they get forward. Anytime Griffiths and his likeable, but rotund, strike partner found some space up front, the midfield was 30 yards away. Osbourne was slow, Soars is permanently slow (and uninterested?), and I can only guess they (plus Lewis and Sproule) were told to hang back, 'cos there was no-one - ever - anywhere near the front two. Is this deliberate?

And I thought Sproule was better today, but was clearly on the wrong wing -unless it was entirely defensive to help out R. Carlos against Humphries.....?

Anyway, am confused. And, I repeat, don't shoot..

I totally agree. The lack of midfield support for the strikers has been a feature of Hibs play for a couple of years now.

[Golden Bear]

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

100% agree with OP. I thiink our midfield is definitely the weak link in the side and offers very little going forward and very little in a combative sense either. This hasn't just been this season but certainly for 2-3 seasons we have watched our midfield be comprehensively outpassed and outplayed by nearly every other team.

Hopefully PF sees our midfield as a priority next year for his attention. As for next week old heads like Hughes and Rae could be invaluable for the Dons at Hampden and we really need our midfield to up their game if we are not to just sit back soaking up pressure hoping for a draw and penalties.

I should have read this post first and it would have saved me the bother of posting my own post.

[Reaper]

Fair point and I'm sure PF will have noticed this. I think it'll be more to do with the fact we set up at the minute not to lose games and try n nick something up top, rather than go cavalier for the wins. If our midfield had flooded forward yesterday we'd have lost as motherwell have pace to break quickly and 5 or 6 very good passers of the ball. Part of the reason we got a result was we stopped them playing their normal game 1st half. We didn't second half and were punished for it. After last week, we want wins but simply need results and that's what yesterday was all about.

I thin you may see more support from midfield next week if it's required.

[ekhibee]

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

100% agree with OP. I thiink our midfield is definitely the weak link in the side and offers very little going forward and very little in a combative sense either. This hasn't just been this season but certainly for 2-3 seasons we have watched our midfield be comprehensively outpassed and outplayed by nearly every other team.

Hopefully PF sees our midfield as a priority next year for his attention. As for next week old heads like Hughes and Rae could be invaluable for the Dons at Hampden and we really need our midfield to up their game if we are not to just sit back soaking up pressure hoping for a draw and penalties.

Usually totally agree with your comments on this board Spike, but disagree with them here, and with the opening post. I think Soares is a good player played in the right position, when he's fit,and not on the wing. He's already scored for us, and nearly scored with a screamer yesterday. I like Osbourne too, and Stevenson seems to get a lot of MOM's just now so even though he's not the best attacking player he's doing his job just fine. The weak link is the defence when McPake isn't playing, and when he finishes his loan deal, cos in my opinion Hanlon just isn't good enough on his own, he needs plenty of support. Only my opinion though. And I don't see Rae or Hughes as a threat on what I've seen so far, Hughes certainly isn't anywhere near as effective as he was for Motherwell, but again, I could easily be proved wrong.

[Elephant Stone]

Our central midfield just doesn't do supporting the strikers, it's infuriating. If the ball breaks quickly to Griffiths just watch how long it takes a midfielder to be in passing distance to him. They surely are being told not to, no professional player could be so reluctant to get forward and support. Osbourne is far too casual when we're breaking, you'll see him jogging forward when he should be sprinting and giving a team mate an option. It's not just this central midfield though, there's been a pretty non existent relationship between the center and the strikers for what seems like ages now.

As for the wings, if we had played without any wingers all season I genuinely don't think there would have been much difference in terms of attacking. I can't remember the last time I saw a winger beat a defender and put a dangerous cross in. The only dangerous crosses I can think of this season off the top of my head have come from Griffiths.

Big, big chances in personnel and mentality of the midfield are needed.

[matty_f]

I can't think of any instances, bar set pieces, where we had midfielders in the box during an attack. We need someone that will burst a gut to get into scoring positions when we're attacking.

[Liam89]

"Sproule was on the wrong wing" Yet he has his best game since returning? Maybe, just maybe, that was his right wing?

[Broken Gnome]

Ivan's not on the wrong wing, his limitations are best hidden by playing left instead of right. Plenty managers play wide midfielders away from their traditional side so they can effectively cut in.

[erin go bragh]

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

100% agree with OP. I thiink our midfield is definitely the weak link in the side and offers very little going forward and very little in a combative sense either. This hasn't just been this season but certainly for 2-3 seasons we have watched our midfield be comprehensively outpassed and outplayed by nearly every other team.

Hopefully PF sees our midfield as a priority next year for his attention. As for next week old heads like Hughes and Rae could be invaluable for the Dons at Hampden and we really need our midfield to up their game if we are not to just sit back soaking up pressure hoping for a draw and penalties.

Rae is cup tied [played with dundee in the cup]
ggtth

[ekhibee]

I thought that it was also quite apparent that, all too often, the strikers were far too far apart, and there was at least one instance when O'Connor just simply wasn't fast or fit enough to receive the ball from Griffiths who had broken and ended up having to shoot a pretty easy shot at the goalie.

[Spike Mandela]

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

Rae is cup tied [played with dundee in the cup]
ggtth

Now that is good news.

[Billy Whizz]

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

Now that is good news.

Not really. Wish his old legs were playing instead if Fyffie

[Tha Cabbage Kid]

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

100% agree with OP. I thiink our midfield is definitely the weak link in the side and offers very little going forward and very little in a combative sense either. This hasn't just been this season but certainly for 2-3 seasons we have watched our midfield be comprehensively outpassed and outplayed by nearly every other team.

Hopefully PF sees our midfield as a priority next year for his attention. As for next week old heads like Hughes and Rae could be invaluable for the Dons at Hampden and we really need our midfield to up their game if we are not to just sit back soaking up pressure hoping for a draw and penalties.

mate, i think the whole team will be a priority next season as we will have no players as they will all go back to there original clubs.

[Tha Cabbage Kid]

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

"Sproule was on the wrong wing" Yet he has his best game since returning? Maybe, just maybe, that was his right wing?

nah he was definitely on the left

[Franck is God]

Sundays line up and tactics were to get a positive result against Motherwell who are better than us and in particluar playing with a lot of confidence, something we are severely lacking.

Griffiths and O'Connor were split like that up top to try and stop their full backs come forward which it did, Sproule and Soares were the only midfielders given the ok to support whereas Lewis and Ozzy sat deep to protect the defence.

I also noticed that unless we were actually building from the back or able to get the ball wide we kept the ball in the air as much as possible which meant Motherwell weren't able to get as much possession of the ball in the middle of the pitch as they'd like which is why their goal (an excellent finish) was one of their few attempts on goal. There were a number of times that either Lewis or Ozzy could have brought the ball down but didn't but if you remember the majority of occasions where it looked like we just gave away easy possession the ball generally ended up at the feet or head of a Well centre half who tried and failed to get the ball to their midfield.

I hope PF is as thorough with Saturdays tactics.

[NorthNorfolkHFC]

ozzy central please.

[Hibee87]

Building from the back IMO should be the first thing getting looked at, get the ball rolled out to the fullbacks and kick on from there its so infuriating watching stack going to throw it out to one of them then stop and boot it up the pitch. every team we play, play from the back. If you watch our full backs as soon as the keeper has the ball they turn round and start walking up the pitch they shoudl be scraming for the ball to feet and the wingers should be aware of his and be ready but all they do is huddle to one side of the pitch and wait on the long ball.

The midfield would benefit from this and the wingers, simple football fullback to feet charge up the wing, play inside to the midfielder who then lay it to the wing for sproule/soars/griffiths seeemples ;-)

[Golden Bear]

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

Sundays line up and tactics were to get a positive result against Motherwell who are better than us and in particluar playing with a lot of confidence, something we are severely lacking.

Griffiths and O'Connor were split like that up top to try and stop their full backs come forward which it did, Sproule and Soares were the only midfielders given the ok to support whereas Lewis and Ozzy sat deep to protect the defence.

I also noticed that unless we were actually building from the back or able to get the ball wide we kept the ball in the air as much as possible which meant Motherwell weren't able to get as much possession of the ball in the middle of the pitch as they'd like which is why their goal (an excellent finish) was one of their few attempts on goal. There were a number of times that either Lewis or Ozzy could have brought the ball down but didn't but if you remember the majority of occasions where it looked like we just gave away easy possession the ball generally ended up at the feet or head of a Well centre half who tried and failed to get the ball to their midfield.

I hope PF is as thorough with Saturdays tactics.

But it's the same tactics in almost every game we play.

Survival is the name of the game right now but I really hope the Paddy can come up with something which is a bit more crowd pleasing next Season.

[Monts]

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

ozzy central please.

Am I the only one that thinks his whole game is infuriatingly slow paced?

[NorthNorfolkHFC]

he is our best central midfield player. he has looked lost out right. we need our best players playing in their best positions.

[Seveno]

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

Am I the only one that thinks his whole game is infuriatingly slow paced?

I'm hoping that he will get a blood transfusion from Lewis before the game. It would make him world class.

[Monts]

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

he is our best central midfield player. he has looked lost out right. we need our best players playing in their best positions.

Even when he is in the middle, he never seems to have any urgency.

[Alex Trager]

Personally i feel hibs hold too low a line, especially at home, they sit far too deep and allow others to come and sit very high, this makes it alot harder for any linkup play between the midfield and the strikers, which i also agree is far too often in not happening. The gap between the strikers and midfield is extraordinary, making LG have to drop very deep to try get the ball.

[NorthNorfolkHFC]

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

Even when he is in the middle, he never seems to have any urgency.

maybe just his style of play? not everything during a game of football has to be urgent.

[Monts]

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

maybe just his style of play? not everything during a game of football has to be urgent.

There was a point on saturday when the ball broke to him when he was ahead of the Motherwell midfield. Most would have raced away towards the motherwell goal, however he stopped, held up play, and allowed the motherwell players to get back.

[Jones28]

The second half we just sat off them, we didn't seem to have the same energy levels as the first where I thought we were very effective with the midfield coming up the park with the strikers. Osbourne and Lewis were good but Osbourne got deeper and deeper as the game went on.

Does it maybe say something about fitness levels?

Second half we sat off and invited them onto us, which was possibly a good way to play it as all the did was play down our left flank and fire crosses into Higdon, who Mcpake and Hanlon had in their pockets all game. I actually think this showed Motherwell up as very limited. All it needed was 50 minutes concentration and unfortunately we lost it.

However, I'm very heartened by that performance

As far as Sproule is concerned I thought he was excellent and I think the reason he plays on the left is because his final ball isn't the greatest, so he can cut inside and shoot instead of going for a long cross.