Pace, Width and Creativity

[Crab apple]

We don't have any. With Harris injured and no Griffiths this flaw in the squad is becoming even more apparent. No wingers and no proper fullbacks although when McGivern came on today he initially improved things. I actually think PF has assembled a reasonable bunch of players, certainly an improvement from Coco - it's just a shame they all seem to be defensive midfielders. McCourt coming in might help. I don't see Stanton being the answer just now. Solutions?

[Sir David Gray]

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We don't have any. With Harris injured and no Griffiths this flaw in the squad is becoming even more apparent. No wingers and no proper fullbacks although when McGivern came on today he initially improved things. I actually think PF has assembled a reasonable bunch of players, certainly an improvement from Coco - it's just a shame they all seem to be defensive midfielders. McCourt coming in might help. I don't see Stanton being the answer just now. Solutions?

We need at least one wide player to come in before the end of the month, that will allow Craig to go into his best position, which is in the middle just behind the strikers.

A midfield of;

McCourt
Thomson
Robertson
Craig

Would hopefully do quite well.

[Pretty Boy]

It was one of the key problems when Fenlon took over.

It's still a problem now. Go figure.

[Godsahibby]

We have a right winger at the club, Mullen came through the youth ranks at Tiny as a right winger, only when needed he covered at right back (ala spoony!) proved today he is not the greatest tackler. mind you that might solve the right wing issue but would still need a right back!

[Crab apple]

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It was one of the key problems when Fenlon took over.

It's still a problem now. Go figure.

I suppose that's what I was getting at PB. Given we can all see it's a problem why can't he? The only signing rumours we hear about are Claros who is a good player but would only add to the DM overload. Fenlon's not going to resign although I think if we're put out in the League Cup by lower league opposition again then Petrie might be forced to act.

[hibee19]

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We need at least one wide player to come in before the end of the month, that will allow Craig to go into his best position, which is in the middle just behind the strikers.

A midfield of;

McCourt
Thomson
Robertson
Craig

Would hopefully do quite well.

What has Craig done to show you he can be successful playing out wide?

[Sir David Gray]

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What has Craig done to show you he can be successful playing out wide?

Eh?

I said at the start of that post what I would do with Craig.

[scuttle]

I dont think pace is everything ,if you can beat your opponent then attack and run into the space the momentum is then with you . I think the problem is nobody seems able or willing to do so. Is it lack of confidence or team instructions?

[neil7908]

With Harris injured for a while we need to sign a couple of wingers and possibly someone in midfield who plays more centrally that can bridge the gap between defence and attack. Robertson and Craig may be able to achieve this but wide players are essential.

I also think our fullbacks need to get forward more, the OP is right that McGivern made a difference going forward today and I'd really like to see us getting the ball out wide to someone like McCourt, McGivern overlapping on and then people like Robertson and Craig getting into the box or offering options centrally.

[Fergus52]

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What has Craig done to show you he can be successful playing out wide?

Played many games there for st Johnstone?

inclluding some great performances there against us.

[Winston Ingram]

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What has Craig done to show you he can be successful playing out wide?

Craig's never a wide player

[truehibernian]

Our chairman prefers rugby and is on record as saying it - he's done a good job allowing the manager to put together a rugby team. Slow, cumbersome, physical and nearly always put the ball over the bar. Pat wouldn't know a pacy player if it ran past him like Speedy Gonzales, did a few megs on him, then slotted it into the net - clearly he doesn't like wingers, it's obvious.

[CallumLaidlaw]

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We have a right winger at the club, Mullen came through the youth ranks at Tiny as a right winger, only when needed he covered at right back (ala spoony!) proved today he is not the greatest tackler. mind you that might solve the right wing issue but would still need a right back!

He is far too slow to be a right winger.

[HibeeEmma]

Fenton is stuck in the Irish league which looks individually at players and their skill rather than building a gelling, physical team with pace to fight opposition.

Only need one or two crafty players to build a winning team around.

[DH1875]

If Paddy McCourt is the answer to all our problems then we really are Donald Ducked.

I do agree though, we're in dire need of some pace through out the team.

[truehibernian]

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If Paddy McCourt is the answer to all our problems then we really are Donald Ducked.

I do agree though, we're in dire need of some pace through out the team.

Rod Petrie standing aside, getting in a Director of Football, is the answer the Hibs problems - and if someone wants to buy the club off Tom, then perfect.

The problem is in the DNA of the club now, and Rod has been at the helm for all the failed years - surely to anybody, not just the most ardent Hibs fan, the answer is clear. Remove Rod Petrie.

[lugz]

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He is far too slow to be a right winger.

This! How can a professional of his age be so slow?

[hibee19]

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Eh?

I said at the start of that post what I would do with Craig.

I apologize, never read it properly.

[mentalhibee]

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We don't have any. With Harris injured and no Griffiths this flaw in the squad is becoming even more apparent. No wingers and no proper fullbacks although when McGivern came on today he initially improved things. I actually think PF has assembled a reasonable bunch of players, certainly an improvement from Coco - it's just a shame they all seem to be defensive midfielders. McCourt coming in might help. I don't see Stanton being the answer just now. Solutions?

Pretty sure Stanton is a centre midfielder being played out of position, classic Pat Fenlon.

[The_Horde]

What do these 3 words mean?

[Iain G]

We don't have wide midfielders so why set your team up with players who can't play that position well, with the players we have a narrow midfield is what we get, so you need to get your fullbacks pushing up the park to add width (with the defensive midfielder covering for them) and let the attacking-most midfielder (Craig?) get on the ball with options ahead of and wide of him to spread and move the play around.

McGivern has shown before her can provide width and energy and we need Mullen or whoever on the opposite flank to do the same if we don't sign any wide players!

---------------Williams
-----Mullen Nelson Hanlon McGivern
--------------Thomson
----------Robertson Taiwo
---------------Craig
------------Vine Collins

Can this work?!?

[ian omand]

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Rod Petrie standing aside, getting in a Director of Football, is the answer the Hibs problems - and if someone wants to buy the club off Tom, then perfect.

The problem is in the DNA of the club now, and Rod has been at the helm for all the failed years - surely to anybody, not just the most ardent Hibs fan, the answer is clear. Remove Rod Petrie.

Absolutely correct.
However with STF having said that he could do with another 100 Petries
during an AGM a couple of years ago the possibility of this happening is
very remote as it would make Tam look foolish, and that is something his ego
would not allow.
The whole club is stagnating under Rod's direction and our absentee owner
is incapable of addressing the issue.

[number 27]

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We have a right winger at the club, Mullen came through the youth ranks at Tiny as a right winger, only when needed he covered at right back (ala spoony!) proved today he is not the greatest tackler. mind you that might solve the right wing issue but would still need a right back!

We need a right back anyway. I think a lot of our problems come from full back, we don't defend well in that area and we get very little going forward. With all our defensive midfielders to provide cover we should be able to get two attacking full backs out there to provide pace and width, instead we get slow cumbersome guys like Clancy or Stevenson who give us nothing positive.

[The Leith Dutch]

Title of the thread sums it up perfectly.

Most goals result from one of the following:
- killer pass
- pace into space behind a defence
- beating a man to get a cross or cut back in

Been a while since we've had players who can do any of the above on a regular basis and Leigh Griffiths last season simply masked this with consistent individual brilliance.

We're utterly woeful in the final third.

[TrinityHibs]

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Our chairman prefers rugby and is on record as saying it - he's done a good job allowing the manager to put together a rugby team. Slow, cumbersome, physical and nearly always put the ball over the bar. Pat wouldn't know a pacy player if it ran past him like Speedy Gonzales, did a few megs on him, then slotted it into the net - clearly he doesn't like wingers, it's obvious.

None of that shower that turned up yesterday would get a look in on a rugby field. A rugby team is made up of a combination of body forms and players who offer something different. To suggest Carlin Isles or Brian Habana are slow is just wrong. Rugby teams generally play as a unit, support each other, offer a lot of movement, offer a lot of commitment, possess basic game skills, have at least one playmaker, look to move forward at all times, have two pacey wingers and do not accept passengers. You see where I am going with this one. They also generally win as a team or lose as a team and don't look for scapegoats but that's another thread.

[truehibernian]

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None of that shower that turned up yesterday would get a look in on a rugby field. A rugby team is made up of a combination of body forms and players who offer something different. To suggest Carlin Isles or Brian Habana are slow is just wrong. Rugby teams generally play as a unit, support each other, offer a lot of movement, offer a lot of commitment, possess basic game skills, have at least one playmaker, look to move forward at all times, have two pacey wingers and do not accept passengers. You see where I am going with this one. They also generally win as a team or lose as a team and don't look for scapegoats but that's another thread.

I like rugby myself mate - I was comparing Hibs players to a poor rugby teams forward set up - the kind of set up that's been out the night before up the Cowgate,got in at 3am, half eaten kebab and curly wurly wrapper on the floor, shrapnel in pockets, slept in and then asked to play football half asleep 😊

[Dirkster23]

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We don't have wide midfielders so why set your team up with players who can't play that position well, with the players we have a narrow midfield is what we get, so you need to get your fullbacks pushing up the park to add width (with the defensive midfielder covering for them) and let the attacking-most midfielder (Craig?) get on the ball with options ahead of and wide of him to spread and move the play around.

McGivern has shown before her can provide width and energy and we need Mullen or whoever on the opposite flank to do the same if we don't sign any wide players!

---------------Williams
-----Mullen Nelson Hanlon McGivern
--------------Thomson
----------Robertson Taiwo
---------------Craig
------------Vine Collins

Can this work?!?

Not when the manager sends the team out to defend right from the off.

[theonlywayisup]

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It was one of the key problems when Fenlon took over.

It's still a problem now. Go figure.

Yes - and what does Fenlon do to address the lack of pace, width and creativity. Bring in players who lack all three! Baffling!

[Persevere80]

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We don't have any. With Harris injured and no Griffiths this flaw in the squad is becoming even more apparent. No wingers and no proper fullbacks although when McGivern came on today he initially improved things. I actually think PF has assembled a reasonable bunch of players, certainly an improvement from Coco - it's just a shame they all seem to be defensive midfielders. McCourt coming in might help. I don't see Stanton being the answer just now. Solutions?

The three key factors the club has been missing for a while now and this is why we are in the trouble we are in.

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Title of the thread sums it up perfectly.

Most goals result from one of the following:
- killer pass
- pace into space behind a defence
- beating a man to get a cross or cut back in

Been a while since we've had players who can do any of the above on a regular basis and Leigh Griffiths last season simply masked this with consistent individual brilliance.

We're utterly woeful in the final third.

Quote of the day for me. This sums up how i feel.

[Monts]

Three years on and it's still the same