I blame Jamie Langfield

***worcesterhibby*** · 14-02-2013 10:07 AM

I've been thinking about the season so far and the more I look at it the more it seems to me that The Match at ER against Aberdeen in November was the turning point for us.

Up to that point we had scored in every league match, were unbeaten at home and had won about 4 on the trot at ER. We played some of the best football of the season and battered Aberdeen, but Langfield saved everything we threw at them and they got the break of the ball in the box and scored a winner massively against the run of play.

We went on and won away at St Johnstone and then beat Hearts in the cup in the next two games..but we were suddenly playing much, much more defensively. A solid thumping my Inverness and we seemed to try to play a little more forward thinking in the game against Motherwell that came next..but getting beat by the odd goal in 5 seems to have sealed the decision to play tight defensive football and to hit it long whenever there is doubt. What has come since is a long line of tight dire performances that we either lose, draw or at best win 1-0.

In our attempts to ensure we don't lose sloppy goals we seem to have forgotten how to play football. The strikers are starved of chances and so when they do come they know it's probably the only chance they will get. Doesn't make much difference to Leigh but Doyle has really suffered as he seems to need a few shots each game just to keep his confidence up. At the moment when he plays he tends to get one chance and makes a hash of it.

We have two away matches coming up that we are probably not expected to win (judging by our form) so I really feel we should set a target of scoring two goals in each game. Tell the midfield and attack that we want to see more passes more runs and more attempts on goal. Tell the defence that they shouldn't be afraid to pass to midfielders rather than punting it, because we will be happy with a draw and we have told the midfield and forwards that we EXPECT them to get two goals. If we lose a bit of possession because we are trying to pass too much, so be it..they will have to score 3 to beat us. Being away from home for a couple of matches might be the best thing for us. The lads that travel to watch will stay behind the team, especially if they can see they are trying to be more positive so there won't be a round of boos and slagging from the terraces if passes do go astray. It's a two week chance to get our mojo back and be ready to face Killi in the league/cup double header.

I really think the mindset of being desperate NOT to concede leads to a lack of confidence and ultimately our downfall. Tell the team to get the joy back, go out and show us they are footballers. Man Utd don't care if they concede they just have beleif that they will score more up the other end. That sort of mentality at ER would lead to more attacking play, happier crowds and a positive feel around the whole place. IMHO

**pontius pilate** · 14-02-2013 10:17 AM

This couldn't have said it any better.

Sent if my phone

**Treadstone** · 14-02-2013 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by worcesterhibby

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I've been thinking about the season so far and the more I look at it the more it seems to me that The Match at ER against Aberdeen in November was the turning point for us.

Up to that point we had scored in every league match, were unbeaten at home and had won about 4 on the trot at ER. We played some of the best football of the season and battered Aberdeen, but Langfield saved everything we threw at them and they got the break of the ball in the box and scored a winner massively against the run of play.

Scudded 3-0 first game of season.

***Stevie Reid*** · 14-02-2013 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by worcesterhibby

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I've been thinking about the season so far and the more I look at it the more it seems to me that The Match at ER against Aberdeen in November was the turning point for us.

Up to that point we had scored in every league match, were unbeaten at home and had won about 4 on the trot at ER. We played some of the best football of the season and battered Aberdeen, but Langfield saved everything we threw at them and they got the break of the ball in the box and scored a winner massively against the run of play.

We went on and won away at St Johnstone and then beat Hearts in the cup in the next two games..but we were suddenly playing much, much more defensively. A solid thumping my Inverness and we seemed to try to play a little more forward thinking in the game against Motherwell that came next..but getting beat by the odd goal in 5 seems to have sealed the decision to play tight defensive football and to hit it long whenever there is doubt. What has come since is a long line of tight dire performances that we either lose, draw or at best win 1-0.

In our attempts to ensure we don't lose sloppy goals we seem to have forgotten how to play football. The strikers are starved of chances and so when they do come they know it's probably the only chance they will get. Doesn't make much difference to Leigh but Doyle has really suffered as he seems to need a few shots each game just to keep his confidence up. At the moment when he plays he tends to get one chance and makes a hash of it.

We have two away matches coming up that we are probably not expected to win (judging by our form) so I really feel we should set a target of scoring two goals in each game. Tell the midfield and attack that we want to see more passes more runs and more attempts on goal. Tell the defence that they shouldn't be afraid to pass to midfielders rather than punting it, because we will be happy with a draw and we have told the midfield and forwards that we EXPECT them to get two goals. If we lose a bit of possession because we are trying to pass too much, so be it..they will have to score 3 to beat us. Being away from home for a couple of matches might be the best thing for us. The lads that travel to watch will stay behind the team, especially if they can see they are trying to be more positive so there won't be a round of boos and slagging from the terraces if passes do go astray. It's a two week chance to get our mojo back and be ready to face Killi in the league/cup double header.

I really think the mindset of being desperate NOT to concede leads to a lack of confidence and ultimately our downfall. Tell the team to get the joy back, go out and show us they are footballers. Man Utd don't care if they concede they just have beleif that they will score more up the other end. That sort of mentality at ER would lead to more attacking play, happier crowds and a positive feel around the whole place. IMHO

Good post but I would argue that the Motherwell game was more pivotal, we played superbly for 50 minutes, scored two excellent goals and were never threatened, and then completely torn apart for the remainder of the game - we would have gone second in the league had we won that game, and haven't put in a good attacking performance since (though we did create good openings against Celtic at home).

I am happy to persist with a 4-5-1 as long as the right personnel are utilised - I think being hard to beat should still be a big factor in our performances, but I think with Stevenson (or Taiwo, who I think has been hard done by - better balance with Lewis though) and Claros sitting in midfield with Done and Wotherspoon or Doyle out wide and Cairney playing behind Griffiths, we would have a solid set up with good attacking options. Cairney's ability to beat his man (without actually getting away from him) could be well used in that position, if he can find a yard at the edge of the box he has the quality to finish or provide a killer pass.

With regards to Doyle, he looks tired to me - he did play a full season before he signed for us in the second half of 2011-12, and then played another half season at a higher level than he had ever played before. I think it all may be catching up with him now.

***Jones28*** · 14-02-2013 10:38 AM

Really good point!

I felt that at the time the Dundee united game at Easter road was a bit of a turning point for the club in a positive way. We played some terrific football and scored 2 really good goals. We might have ridden our luck a wee bit but we hasn't been getting the breaks for a few years.

However the Aberdeen game was a key loss, first home loss of the season etc.

**~~The Sea-gull~~** · 14-02-2013 10:46 AM

Felt it was the away game v Dundee in November. Players turned up with a poor attitude, expecting to win.

Fans turned up in good numbers and were let down. I don't think many Hibs fans ever turn up expecting to win but that day we expected a performance and it just wasn't there. Had hoped it was just a one off "bad day at the office" but three months later it appears not.

There is often a lot of posts on here calling for the fans to support the team and put their money where their mouth is yet there have been so many times in the last few years where the supporters have turned out and done their bit only to be let down by the team. No wonder a lot of people drift away.

***worcesterhibby*** · 14-02-2013 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Treadstone

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Scudded 3-0 first game of season.

OK OK pedant..unbeaten SINCE the first day of the season

**JHFC** · 14-02-2013 04:11 PM

i would rather see us get beat trying to play an attacking style of football than get beat playing defensive hoofball.

**Sir David Gray** · 14-02-2013 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by The Sea-gull

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Felt it was the away game v Dundee in November. Players turned up with a poor attitude, expecting to win.

Fans turned up in good numbers and were let down. I don't think many Hibs fans ever turn up expecting to win but that day we expected a performance and it just wasn't there. Had hoped it was just a one off "bad day at the office" but three months later it appears not.

There is often a lot of posts on here calling for the fans to support the team and put their money where their mouth is yet there have been so many times in the last few years where the supporters have turned out and done their bit only to be let down by the team. No wonder a lot of people drift away.

Agreed.

I feel the Dundee game was a bit of a turning point as well in that I believe we had the chance to go back top of the league if we had beaten them, after Celtic had won earlier that day.

We had a massive support at Dens Park that day and it had that feeling beforehand that we used to have when we had away games under Mowbray and we brought huge numbers to places like Livingston and Dunfermline.

However the players just didn't turn up, we were really flat and I think a lot of them thought that because it was Dundee, they didn't need to do much in order to win.

That game came a week before the loss to Aberdeen and we've only won two games since then.

There's certainly been a dramatic decline in performance levels over the past couple of months, which is really disappointing, but it's not beyond repair. We are still within touching distance of 2nd place in the league, despite our bad run and we are also three victories away from lifting the Scottish Cup.

This could still be a very successful season for us but we need to buck up our ideas very quickly if we are going to turn things around.