2012/13 Report Card

[Brizo]

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The youngsters in the Acadamy from 9 to under 20 are taught to play the Hibs Way.And playing the Hibs Way, as seen recently by the under 17s and under 20s, will surely help to swell the first team crowds.

If thats the case and im taking it you have some knowledge of how the Acad runs then our club having a consistent playing strategy throughout all the age groups is the best news ive heard for a while

I take it by the Hibs Way you mean the Hibs way of McCartney, Turnbull and Mowbray.... not the Hibs way of Auld,Williamson and Calderwood

As others have said that strategy has to continue into the first team or whats gone before has no tangible final outcome. If PF or any other manager buys into that great. The problem comes when either the players cant match that philosophy (imo one of Yogis problems) or when technically gifted players are injured ir lose form (which happened to PF for part of this season). And of course if the Hibs Way isnt accompanied by results how many fans would accept attacking entertaining fitba and relegation?

I believe PFs coat was on the shoogly nail at 1/2 time in the semi and Rodders probably had his P45 written out. But I also think he deserves another season to see if the improvement in the league position can continue. M/well, RC, ICT and St J have all shown what can be done with far less resources than us... and im guessing the Board will be judging him against their successes in the season just ended.

[The Leith Dutch]

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The Falkirk game wasn't helpful in the long run, it convinced fans that 4 4 2 will work. Griffiths doesn't drop deep and Scott Brown in the final had so much time between the strikers and our midfield. He had a good performance because he had so much time to make the pass, we badly needed a CAM to break up his play.

Next season we have to play 4 2 3 1.

Williams

Clancy. Forster. Hanlon. McGivern

Taiwo. Tudor Jones

Handling. Wotherspoon. Harris

Caldwell.

Those attackers will link up well together, they are all academy boys who are pass first.

Wotherspoon as a CAM is something I would like to see tried but I doubt very much he'd have done anything to stop Brown playing in the final.
I have some time for DW but defensively he doesn't offer anything in my opinion.

Not sure it would have made much of a difference but I'd have detailed Jorge Claros to follow Brown all over the pitch harassing him and generally being in his face.

Formation wise a 4-2-3-1 is a decent formation (not sure Caldwell is ready to lead the line and Craig definitely needs to be in there) and I'd be happy to see us play that way at least some of the time. What I would say is that we need to be able to handle at least a couple of different formations as I'm fed up of the opposition teams working us out any time we do look good.

I like the idea of playing only one sitting midfielder - they then know it's their responsibility to clear up and break down opposition attacks and they don't leave it to the other holding mid.
I also think Tudor-Jones could do that role very well.

That would allow (assuming we have the players) a few different combinations such as 2 conventional centre mids and a front 3 with some width; a proper 4 man midfield with one up top or a slightly narrower three man midfield with 2 strikers and one of those 3 MFs with a roving brief.

Not saying we master all those but we need to play more than one different way and it would be good to see us get players who can achieve this - Liam Craig strikes me as that sort of player and if we could get Cairney back to how he was at the start of the season he's another......they're not out and out wingers but they can go wide or they can play the number 10 role. Harris looks better on the left imo but we should look to have the players to allow him to switch wings if we feel there's more for him against a dodgy opposition left back say.

Surely even SPL calibre players can handle more than one way to play?

[RIP]

Funny how some posters are still trotting out that tired old mantra that if you seek to analyse the performance of the team or manager you have suddenly morphed into a Jambo in disguise or are seeking to undermine the team. I'm one of may supporters who have spent the past 5 years actively supporting the club - at games and between games. Because I love my club I think that gives me the right to ask questions, challenge and yes (dare I say) even critise the present incumbents as to their performance. I take those steps out of wanting the very best for Hibs.

I think there has been board pressure on Pat in recent months to play youth and make the football more adventurous. I think he was resistant to that pressure until 0-3 against Falkirk. If that game had ended up 0-4 or 0-5, I think he would have resigned - let alone been given his jotters. However to suggest that in analysing this switch, that I are others have an anti-Fenlon agenda is as simplistic as it is infantile. I assume none of these critics saw my previous post?

Pat's first full season
• Fifty-One points
• Closest margin to top in 12 seasons
• SPL loss ratio 34% - Best equal in our last 12 seasons
• Seventh place
• Started brightly, no danger of relegation during season
• Scottish Cup Final 2 years in a row
• Unbeaten against Hearts
• Manager building for the future
• Bit more stability in squad
• Better keeper, more dig in midfield, better mix of tactics than before
• Young players coming through
• Strong connection between players, manager and supporters


Previous seasons
• Thirty something points last 2 seasons
• Last season closest to bottom in 12 seasons
• SPL loss ratio 55% - Previous worst 44% in 2001/2002
• Tenth/Eleventh place
• Flirting with relegation
• Previous Scottish Cup Final 2001
• Poor record against Hearts
• Eight managers in ten years, constant squad rotation
• Journeymen passing through
• Weak keepers, powder puff midfield, hoofball in recent years
• No youth development
• Disconnect between players, manager and supporters


Lots of areas for improvement, but not a bad effort I'm sure you would agree