Where we went wrong today

[Unseen work]

Some key points imo

1. Scott Allan's position - he was playing behind the striker but had to come far to deep to recieve it. Leaving far too big a gap between midfield and attack to link any moves.

2. Strikers were both far too static and neither were willing to peel off into wider areas to recieve the ball and stretch the back 3

3. That is the first time in a while I have seen us barely use Stevenson or grey. Lack of balls out wide to them to get them in good positions. Was clear to see how much we missed there energy and balls into the box.

4. Corners - we had a high amount of corners but all of them were the exact same, driven ball into the middle of the 6 yarder and our player scuffed his header out wide. Need to make better use of these and mix it up

5. We played far too slow a tempo, yes they made the game a bit stop start but when we had it it was poor, long balls or far too slow a tempo to stretch the game and get at them

[ancient hibee]

Think every point you make is correct.

[rcarter1]

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Some key points imo

1. Scott Allan's position - he was playing behind the striker but had to come far to deep to recieve it. Leaving far too big a gap between midfield and attack to link any moves.

2. Strikers were both far too static and neither were willing to peel off into wider areas to recieve the ball and stretch the back 3

3. That is the first time in a while I have seen us barely use Stevenson or grey. Lack of balls out wide to them to get them in good positions. Was clear to see how much we missed there energy and balls into the box.

4. Corners - we had a high amount of corners but all of them were the exact same, driven ball into the middle of the 6 yarder and our player scuffed his header out wide. Need to make better use of these and mix it up

5. We played far too slow a tempo, yes they made the game a bit stop start but when we had it it was poor, long balls or far too slow a tempo to stretch the game and get at them

Our much vaunted back room staff will earn their corn if they can address what went wrong today. A bit of nouse in the last couple of months, and we should still be favourites for promotion.

[1van Sprou7e]

Completely agree about the corners, Allan needs to stop driving them in as it rarely comes off. Either that or let someone else take them

[portyhibernian]

Pretty much agree. We looked more likely to do something second half when we upped the tempo a bit, but we honestly never got into the game. Terrible decision for the second goal which killed us off today.

[GreenPJ]

Rangers set up to frustrate. They know we liked to build from the back and they forced Oxley to kick for the entire first half. This coupled with a front two who were ineffective made it difficult. I think moving to a back 3 did not work for us. Watson was caught out too many times and Wallace had his best game for them in a long time.

Bad day at the office and would personally have kept Robertson on but we need a reaction next game and some pressure on our strikers to prove was just a bad performance on the day.

[GreenOnions]

The tempo thing was very apparent to me as well. The players looked as if they had just got out their beds. Total lack of energy right from the first whistle and our slow play and movement really helped Rangers settle. Unfortunately I have to say that is the exact opposite of the way Hearts try to start games.

[J-C]

Should have went 4-2-3-1 with Djedje and Boyle out wide with pace, then Mcgeouch, Allan and Fyvie/Robertson behind Malonga, this formation would've spread Rangers wide and pinned back their wingbacks.

[erskine-hibby]

Thought the whole set up was wrong from the start.

[NAE NOOKIE]

Yes, good post ... our lethargic play especially in the first half played into their hands. That and two strikers who had less movement than me when I went for a fag at half time.

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

But worrying maybe that there was no attempt to counter-act either Wallace or McGregor pushing up either wing. Both Gray and Watson got a roasting.

[Hibby Bairn]

2 strikers v 3 crappy centre backs should have been where we won the game.

But they were completely anonymous and bullied out the game.

Did we have a shot on target?

[BT58]

Weve won 3 games against The Rangers.
Theyve won 1 and drawn (+ won on extra time). We now have step up and prove we have a team who can handle the pressure. Our top striker was out today. Hopefully he will be back for rest of seaon. And El Agui
The season starts at RAITH ROVERS !!!

[Just_Jimmy]

Fountaine missed a GREAT chance at 0-0 about 10 mins in. An open header. He should have scored no excuses. That was the difference. That chance.

Ive read about hibs were this and that but quite simply that goes in an they crumble. The opening goal was huge today.

Anyway, big game, hibs under perform 1875 or 2015. Whats new?

[Scouse Hibee]

Disappointed in the fact that we never wised up at half time and countered there attacks. Wallace had a great time.

[DH1875]

Totally agree about the lack of tempo today. Everything seemed very flat today.

[ACLeith]

I would give McCall credit for knowing how we play and planning his tactics accordingly. They were in our faces for most of the game so we couldn't pass through midfield and had their full backs pushing forward to keep DG and LS quiet.

He got away with the knock-on of having to play 3 very bad central defenders because our 2 strikers never worked as a unit, often too far apart and never running the channels.

[stokesmessiah]

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Fountaine missed a GREAT chance at 0-0 about 10 mins in. An open header. He should have scored no excuses. That was the difference. That chance.

Ive read about hibs were this and that but quite simply that goes in an they crumble. The opening goal was huge today.

Anyway, big game, hibs under perform 1875 or 2015. Whats new?

Mind and put a plastic sheet on your mattress tonight.

[Pete]

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Fountaine missed a GREAT chance at 0-0 about 10 mins in. An open header. He should have scored no excuses. That was the difference. That chance.

Ive read about hibs were this and that but quite simply that goes in an they crumble. The opening goal was huge today.

Anyway, big game, hibs under perform 1875 or 2015. Whats new?

You sound like a supporter of another team commenting on hibs.

If you only read about us and don't watch us then mind your own business.

[gaz1875]

I thought straight from the kick off a few of the players just never looked right. David Gray in particular seemed to be ball watching and made no effort on a couple of occasions early on, in fact he almost looked unsure who he was meant to be picking up, wasn't surprised in the slightest he was subbed at HT, the two strikers as has been mentioned on previous threads were very lethargic, Fyvie seemed reluctant to drive forward and chose the easy options. When Watson came on he was exposed numerous times with 2 running at him and no cover until last ditch tackles in or around the box. All in all we were either unprepared with their game plan or it was just a bad bad day at the office for most of the players.

[kaimendhibs]

Loads to talk about but will keep it brief. Watson is getting a lot of grief for being skinned by Wallace (he was) but who was right mid? No protection at all for him, or, that's how I saw it

[Jones28]

Having let the dust settle I can say I am very dissapointed tonight. Watching the game nothing went right.

We didn't get our foot on the ball at any point in the first half. The second was better but not by much.

Cummings energy and guile was hugely missed.

Their formation allowed Wallace to get forward so easily into the gap between our right mid and right back. He looked more like the Wallace of 5 years ago.

What changes were made were too little too late.

Djedje needs to shoot before passing, something every striker should do.

Fontaine should've scored.

Scott Allan's corners were awful; predictable and easy to defend against.

Dean Sheils has gone full Hun, absolute cretin.

That's result is so classic Hibs.

[AJWisme]

I reckon we should've changed our system to match them. We have better players, we should believe that.


On the point about corners - Allan on set pieces is a bad idea. He has scored one free kick this season that I reckon a better could've saved. Dead ball is not his thing - it's a specific skill that he doesn't possess. He'd be better for scraps at the edge of the box.

As soon as Stanton was on corners last week, he produced two or three wonderful balls in. One of which Fontaine scored from.

[Centre Hawf]

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Completely agree about the corners, Allan needs to stop driving them in as it rarely comes off. Either that or let someone else take them

This has bugged me for a while not, Allans taken them for months and we've barely scored from them if at all when he's taken them. Stanton comes on against Berwick and first corner he takes we score. We have the players to attack a ball, just when it's driven like that it's difficult to get direction on it, plenty of power but not accuracy.. Hang it up a wee bit more and Fontaine and Hanlon can judge it and direct it towards goal.

[Turkish Green]

I pretty much agree with all that has been said. The difference in the teams was Wallace being given too much freedom to run down the left side unchallenged. There was no right mid. In the previous games Wallace was pegged back having to defend attacks down the Hibs right flank which never happened yesterday. Gray was injured early and could not run.

Also, I counted at least 3 clear headers (especially from Fontaine) from inside the box that went well wide. Heads like 3d bits.

Better to have lost yesterday than if we meet Sevco in the Play-offs.

[NorthNorfolkHFC]

Don't think we've played "great' in a few weeks to be honest so this result was no real surprise.

Lee Wallace was superb but maybe we saw the reason Watson was allowed to leave United? Same with Allan, been off the boil for a bit now. Is he a little inconsistent? Is that the reason he got canned down south? Dje Dje is another iffy one, just didn't do enough running and closing down.


"And on the day that 67-year-old Norwich resident Mary Leese has woken from a three-year coma, we’ll be asking – what’s the best night’s sleep you’ve ever had?"

[Hibbyradge]

Stuart McCall has never lost at Easter Road.

He beat us again yesterday because we couldn't breakdown their system.

Gray and Stevenson had nowhere to go against their 5 in the middle and our strikers weren't mobile enough.

The better team on the day won.

It worries me that we didn't have the versatility to change how we were playing when it became clear that we had been shut down. If we had gone 3 5 2 we might have competed better in the middle of the park.

[southern hibby]

Here's a point. Every game that Craig has played against The Rangers this season he has been looking like his old self. Hibs midfield has been better against them and a lot more effective.

The game at Ibrox 2-0 their midfield had a good day ( especially Law ) and yesterday too. Both games no Craig, coincidance ( probably ). Who knows but it is food for thought.

GGTTH

[Just_Jimmy]

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You sound like a supporter of another team commenting on hibs.

If you only read about us and don't watch us then mind your own business.

Read on here - in response to the game.

Do you disagree that Rangers were fragile and the first goal was crutial?

Do you diagree that Fontaines header early was a great chance and he didn't even hit the target?

Do you disagree that Hibs played badly but an early goal may well have given us confidence and put even more pressure on a fragile Huns team?

And in what way is Hibs failing to show up surprising?

[GreenCastle]

We couldn't figure out how to play against their 3-5-2 system.

We should either have matched them in the same system or taken more risks going forward to stop Wallace getting all the freedom he had.

Out 2 strikers hardly combined all game and the midfield was crowded and we gave the ball away too often.

The only positives we can take from this are we should have more of an idea how to play against that system next time and we surely can't play as bad next time against them.

April is going to be a busy month and will determine where we end up - extra 2 games or not!