Hanlon and Forster

[Diclonius]

How do people feel about these two being our main centre back pairing this season?

[GreenPJ]

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How do people feel about these two being our main centre back pairing this season?

I thought they looked well balanced on Sunday and would be happy to start with that but would like some good competition to keep them on their toes. Also looked better on Forster's side for having a recognised right back in there.

[smithyhfc]

Solid enough I think with gray and Lewis either side! Think they will have plenty cover with robbo and Craig just in front them Craig doing the Gerrard role dropping deep to receive ball

[BOB MARLEYS DUG]

Hanlon and Fozzy for me

[col02]

Content enough with them as a partnership, it is if one or the other is missing I am a little concerned about.

[blackpoolhibs]

I think a new central defender is vital.

[Hibeewilly]

Not for me - Foster is nowhere near ready IMHO although he has potential without doubt.
We need a new centre half to partner Hanlon and a decent left back as well. Stevenson is not the answer there and probably Booth isn't either

[SMAXXA]

I wouldn't be against it however I do feel that Forster has a few moments in him where he needs to cut out the mistakes and improve which will come I hope as he's a young lad learning his trade. I do feel however it may work well for both of them with being younger and knowing each other which may but them at ease rather than have a donkey beside them.

Hanlon where do I see this, well I think Paul's got the potential to be one of our best players this season and we really missed him last year when he got injured. I've been critical of him in the earlier years with concerns about his aggressiveness etc but I feel he has improved and I'm really happy to have him back in the team. I hope he continues to improve and go onto fulfil his potential with hibs. However I also understand a move away from hibs to benefit his career wouldn't be ruled out.

[heretoday]

I don't feel happy about either of them.

[Eyrie]

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How do people feel about these two being our main centre back pairing this season?

Hanlon is our best defender and Forster needs games to further his development whilst Nelson has only one year left on his deal and lacks pace.

So it's a good move for the future to partner Hanlon and Forster, and at this level there is less risk that we'll be punished for any mistakes that they make as they forge an understanding.

My concern at CH is what happens if Hanlon is out as neither Forster nor Nelson is comfortable on the left. Bit of a risk given his youth, but is Gardiner left footed?

[lord bunberry]

Our defence is the biggest worry for me this season, if we get a couple of injuries we've got nothing, even without injuries I'm not convinced its good enough.

[GlasgowHibee]

Forster is the weak link, wouldn't mind replacing him if we could find someone of a better quality.

[Nutmegged]

I'd love an experienced CB to come in, most likely to be able to afford it then it would probably need to be a Scottiah guy who wants to come home but for the life of me I can't think of one other than Gary Caldwell who probably isn't ready to leave English football just yet.

[J-C]

Played very well for the 1st 70 mins and looked a balanced back 4, 3 at the back didn't work but I can see why Stubbs is trying to add an extra tactic in there.

[Smartie]

I wasn't at the game at the weekend and was a bit surprised but delighted that they did well together.

TBH I was quite happy with Hanlon and Nelson together last year. I can't help but think that we'll need Nelson's experience and leadership this season and for all he's slow I don't think he's anything like as bad a player as some make out. I can barely remember him giving a goal away in what was a pish season last season. He was the main hoofball culprit but I reckon he was just following orders.

I also like Forster and especially the threat he has at our set-pieces but feel he has the odd howler in him yet.

I was interested to see us try the 3 at the back and reckon that we might be best served playing all 3 of them.

I'd also like to see Gardiner play this year, I was impressed with him at Vale of Leithen although I thought Nelson did well to talk him through the game.

I'm surprised to see so many wanting us to get new centre-halves as I reckon we're quite well stocked there.

[Ozyhibby]

I was critical of Forster last season but who looked a lot better on Sunday. A lot of his problems last year might have been down to Butcher so maybe this season he will turn it around.
Clean slate for everyone from me (even Nelson).

[whiskyhibby]

Delighted they looked very solid on Sunday

[TheFamous1875]

Posted this on another thread, but it's relevant so a wee copy and paste job was the order!

I think Nelson will be best deployed whenever we're playing a 'defensive' game as I think Stubbs will want Hanlon and Forster split apart and playing high up the pitch.

Nelson doesn't have the athleticism to play high up the pitch so I think he'll only ever be used if there's an injury or we're going three at the back or we'll have to readjust our tactics/formation to get the best out of his limitations.

Jordon Forster is a good player who's only going to get better playing football with the right philosophies. He's young, but judging by Sunday's performance, the way we're set up will allow him and Hanlon to play properly from out the back, distribute and command the back line together. I think we'll see both of them confirm a great partnership.

I would've preferred someone more experienced to partner Hanlon in the centre of defence, but the way I look at it now is we're probably better off getting them together now and giving them the time to strike up a bond and a partnership. The championship teams won't be of the same quality as what we'd be playing in the premiership, so there's less pressure and more leeway to strike up a trust and understanding between the two now. By the time we're back up, we could have a tired and tested solid CB partnership ready to start the season together. They're both young and they'll both only get better together.

You can't buy trust, connection and understanding, you need to nurture it and if we can get these two on the same wavelength which both of them looked to be on Sunday, then we could see Hibs having a settled CB pairing for the next 2-3 years, something we've not had since...well, I actually can't remember...Blackley and Black?


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[dave62]

I know it was only a friendly, but Hanlon and Foster coped well enough with Dundee United on Sunday and most of the teams in the Championship will give them less problems than United did, so I'm pretty happy to have them as first choice pairing.

[3pm]

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I think a new central defender is vital.

Agreed.

[JJP]

Forster is an excellent prospect but he cost us quite a few goals with his lapses in concentration toward the end of last season. This season we are aiming to be promoted so if he is going to be starting a lot of games for us then he can't afford to make these same mistakes.

[emerald green]

I'm just not 100% sure about Hanlon & Forster pairing at CH. I just think it's too early to say. We've only played a handful of pre-season friendlies. Lets see after 10/12 games.

I wish we had a CH like Rob Jones, but that's not meant as a criticism of either Hanlon or Forster.

[DH1875]

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I think a new central defender is vital.

Me too .

[Ronniekirk]

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Forster is an excellent prospect but he cost us quite a few goals with his lapses in concentration toward the end of last season. This season we are aiming to be promoted so if he is going to be starting a lot of games for us then he can't afford to make these same mistakes.

Can't argue with what you are saying .However towards the end of the season it was Nelson and Foster which clearly didn't work in a team bereft of confidence ,coaching and leadership . Also think some of fosters mistakes came when playing right back .
It's a risk but if he isn't planning on bringing in another Centre Half it's either that pairing or Nelson and Hanlon .