Are we the Slowest team in the SPFL?

[neil7908]

Without Harris we are so slow its unbelievable, speed isn't everything but both the players and our build up play are screaming out for someone to inject a bit of pace and urgency.

[keep the faith]

Yes

[Craig_in_Prague]

Best training centre though.

[Bobby's Cinema]

We cannot create a chance. Everything is laboured to say the least. Another horrible home performance.

[Bishop Hibee]

Ross Co were able to play a high defensive line as we had no pace to get in behind them. We are so predictable.

[Andy74]

This French boy better be good!

[PeterboroHibee]

We are a ridiculously slow team. What I dont understand is the manager is setting us up to boot it long (for what reason Ill never know), you think he would have signed quick forwards to put defenders under pressure and to work the channels. I think we have assembled a reasonably good set of players this summer, but it appears to be by accident as none of them seem to be suitable to the 'style' of play Fenlon wants.

As said above, lets hope the new winger is quick!

[stoneyburn hibs]

Pedestrian like, individually apart from the keeper not one player seems to know his role. Petrie has backed him, he now needs to sack him. It's now a massive yawn watching Hibs.

[Greenblood70]

Slowest and most boring.

[BOB MARLEYS DUG]

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Slowest and most boring.

This

[Duffys13]

I don't think pace is the big issue at Hibs.Its the way we play that makes us look so slow.When was the last time you saw us carve open a team and play a pass to a man in space. Even a player with pace would be given the ball with 2 opposition players in front of them, that's just the way we are playing. Its so grim just now.

[DaveF]

The whole team look like they are running through sand.

Slow, insipid, dull and crap.

Well done Pat. You have made us more boring than Bobby Williamson ever could.

[The_Horde]

I seen us break quickly a few times today and I think we had most posession too. We lack cutting edge and a bit of spark. We also make the wrong decisions when we get forward! I also think we kept the ball on the ground today fairly well so don't know where people are getting this hoof thing from.

[The Voice Of Reason]

Yes!

[Badge]

Yes, by a distance.

[neil7908]

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I seen us break quickly a few times today and I think we had most posession too. We lack cutting edge and a bit of spark. We also make the wrong decisions when we get forward! I also think we kept the ball on the ground today fairly well so don't know where people are getting this hoof thing from.

There's another thread running where this was the main point made by the OP and he was getting pelters for it. I think after watching such a mind numbingly boring 90 minutes its hard to think of anything positive to say but I do agree that we actually attempted to pass the ball on the deck for much of the game. When Williams had the ball he threw or passed it to a defender to play from the back far more than any other game I can remember recently.

The problem is that Nelson just cant pass a ball more than 5 yards and that when we did get the ball into vaguely promising positions in the final 1/3, we seem to be clueless about how to break down the opposition.

[Stewboy]

I think the problem is we generally break to 60 yards ok. Play some ok stuff then that's when we hit the skids and end up back at Hanlon for the 50 yard cross fielder (to be fair he does that quite well) or the Nelson hoof to anywhere (decent defender but distribution not his thing)

The problem is teams look to be quite happy to let is get 60 yards up the park as they can re-group then that's when we run out of ideas and head back the way again

[Broken Gnome]

Momentum killers. If a game is above walking pace, its far too hectic for us.

[Heisenberg]

We do keep the ball nicely at times but it goes nowhere. Just side to side and back to Hanlon. No ideas going forward whatsoever.

[PeterboroHibee]

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The problem is that Nelson just cant pass a ball more than 5 yards and that when we did get the ball into vaguely promising positions in the final 1/3, we seem to be clueless about how to break down the opposition.

Nelson is a nightmare for it. I can understand it when under pressure, but when the keeper has played it out to him, or the ball has gone back to him when we are trying to keep possession/work up another attack, I just cant understand why his first thought is to boot it long without looking. Hanlon and Williams are only slightly better in that they do seem to look before hoofing it up the pitch (not that we ever win the ball).

What concerns me is the fact that they have done it more or less every game this season, and it doesnt appear to be stopping, so Fenlon must be telling them to do it (if so why?)?

[green.and.white]

Pace is vital in football for a successful team. Look at teams like Barcelona and Bayern, they play great passing football but they have several lightening quick players who are extremely effective. Why haven't our last few managers wanted to bring in fast players? Beyond belief.

[wookie70]

We do lack pace but that can be overcome with speed of thought and endevour. A great example was a 40 yard run Handling made to stop the ball going for a bye and put it out for a throw. Every other player chilled out while Ross Co took an easy throw to the unmarked defender. If Vine or Collins had thought about it when Danny was making the run they would have got there in plenty of time and put them under pressure.

I think a decent anology would be when you start driving. Everything you do feels alien. You have to think about every gear change and you may look at the steering wheel before making a turn. Once you are experienced and well practice you can just focus on the driving with the technical stuff coming naturally. Hibs look like they still have L plates on and a re a good way away from sitting their test. No-one seems to know intuitively what to do and it always looks like thought is required before action. That leads to an extra touch and now everyone is marked so the ball gets knocked sideways or backwards.

[Pete]

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I don't think pace is the big issue at Hibs.Its the way we play that makes us look so slow.When was the last time you saw us carve open a team and play a pass to a man in space. Even a player with pace would be given the ball with 2 opposition players in front of them, that's just the way we are playing. Its so grim just now.

Agree with this and the problem today came from playing two defensive midfielders when one would have done. OTJ and Taiwo both like playing the ball out from the back but they need others moving for them. When one of your options is another defensive player you are always going to have less to pick out.

I like all of our defensive midfielders but there is only room for one and I'd play him with the energetic Craig in the middle. What we're doing now with the midfield is bogging every part of the team down. The set-up must be fairly difficult for opponents to break through...but it's a piece of cake for them to stop whatever we do.

[andy1875]

The lack of pace in our team is a big problem.

An ability to play a ball into space (not a yard behind a player) is also a problem.

I lost count how many times a simple pass was played behind a player instead of in front for him to run onto. Having to stop, control the ball ultimately loses all momentum built up.

We then pass sideways, sideways again and generally end up punting the ball forward to Collins or Vine who lose it more often than not or the ball goes harmlessly back to the oposition keeper.

We must be a dream to play against.

[The Harp Awakes]

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Without Harris we are so slow its unbelievable, speed isn't everything but both the players and our build up play are screaming out for someone to inject a bit of pace and urgency.

Certainly the slowest SPFL side I've seen so far this season for sure. Also, without Harris we don't have a player who is willing to run at the opposing defence. Looking at the starting line up today, barring a defensive blunder by County, it was difficult to see where a Hibs goal was coming from. Sad times when our only hope of scoring at home against Ross County is through a set-piece, and we weren't even close to that.

[Onceinawhile]

I don't understand why younger guys like handling and Caldwell aren't faster and sharper. Has to be something to do with training.

[NoTottiNoParty]

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The lack of pace in our team is a big problem.

An ability to play a ball into space (not a yard behind a player) is also a problem.

I lost count how many times a simple pass was played behind a player instead of in front for him to run onto. Having to stop, control the ball ultimately loses all momentum built up.

We then pass sideways, sideways again and generally end up punting the ball forward to Collins or Vine who lose it more often than not or the ball goes harmlessly back to the oposition keeper.

We must be a dream to play against.

That's what the biggest problem is IMO. Its not just about having fast players but using the ball quickly. Every 2 yard pass from us always seems to be played behind the player.

[HFC 0-7]

The way we play is slow, some players have pace but it can't be used the way we play. So many time we have a player running down the wing and the ball is passed to him instead of in front of him. The player has to stop, wait for the ball and start going again.

Other players seem to take an eternity to get the ball out their feet to make a pass.

[Hibby 2005]

Pat Fenlon instructs them, I guess, to play this way.

[blackpoolhibs]

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The lack of pace in our team is a big problem.

An ability to play a ball into space (not a yard behind a player) is also a problem.

I lost count how many times a simple pass was played behind a player instead of in front for him to run onto. Having to stop, control the ball ultimately loses all momentum built up.

We then pass sideways, sideways again and generally end up punting the ball forward to Collins or Vine who lose it more often than not or the ball goes harmlessly back to the oposition keeper.

We must be a dream to play against.

Lack of pace is not a huge problem, in fact its not a problem at all. Pace is a great attribute if your team have it, but what team has real pace?

Watching Motherwell tonight, and they dont have any pace, but they have good footballers who can pass the ball well.

They also have players who can pass the ball into the right areas, and support their front men. They have good players who are comfortable on the ball, and attack and defend as a team.

We have a team of misfits, and a man who's clueless leading them.

Have you ever seen such a disjointed hibs team?