Neil Lennon

[lucky]

Really disappointing performance from the team today and the blame has to lie with the manager. PH is never a left back and made the team look out of shape. Playing JM at left midfield does not work as he cuts inside too much. Playing JC & JK upfront has never worked. We've lost two goals from the ridiculous set up at corners. Not going man for man leaves our smaller players trying to mark opposing CHs whilst ours go across the six yard box.

So far NL has not taken the team forward so far. We don't look any better than last year.

[Fifehibby74]

Listened to his interview on radio on way home from game and he doesn't sound like he's got the answers (for the moment anyway) It's time he finds them pronto. Came with big reputation now time to earn the big wages he's no doubt on.

How would we rate him out of 10 so far? Thoughts?

[SRHibs]

I thought we missed Holt today. Unlike recent weeks we actually got some cracking balls into the box but there was no-one to get onto them. Sod's law eh. As for Graham, it looked like he was playing football for the first time today. Not a fan.

[seanoheimhin]

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Really disappointing performance from the team today and the blame has to lie with the manager. PH is never a left back and made the team look out of shape. Playing JM at left midfield does not work as he cuts inside too much. Playing JC & JK upfront has never worked. We've lost two goals from the ridiculous set up at corners. Not going man for man leaves our smaller players trying to mark opposing CHs whilst ours go across the six yard box.

So far NL has not taken the team forward so far. We don't look any better than last year.

Agree regarding some of the team selections. It would be great if Lennon could absorb all the lessons that we've learned painfully from last season, but he's our new manager and he has to be given space to come to those conclusions himself.

Personally, I really hope he takes this as evidence that, as you say, Keatings and Cummings never have and never will work up top together; McGinn is not a wide player, and Hanlon's LB days are (thankfully) long behind him. Think we missed Hanlon in the middle of defence too and Forster was torrid on a couple of one-on-one moments that could have cost us the game if Utd had a better finisher.

[biotech]

Biggest concern is our inability to defend - especially set pieces. This would come down to basic coaching. We too often give away soft goals and seem incapable of sitting on a lead.

Basically, the entire management team seems unable to drill the basics into the team.

[Nakedmanoncrack]

Felt sorry for Hanlon today - asked to do a job he clearly isn't up to.

[lucky]

6/10 so far but he seems incapable of changing a game in our favor. I'm not as confident as I was at the start of the season that he is the man to take us up

[Eyrie]

Third game this season I've seen (Turiff doesn't count) and my opinion remains unchanged from my initial reaction to the Dunfermline match.

It's more of the same tippy-tappy, slow/slow/back/back/slow, narrow possession obsession with no end product that explained our struggles in the two previous league campaigns. The blue print is there on how to stop Hibs - sit back and defend tight knowing that we lack the tempo, pace and width to unpick a defence whilst there is always the chance to catch us on the counter or at a set piece.

I had high hopes that Lennon would fix the problem but instead he seems to have bought into the idea that if Plan A doesn't work, then it just needs more time.

We're still good enough to win the league but our tactics have to change if we're not to make that hard going for ourselves.

[danhibees1875]

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Felt sorry for Hanlon today - asked to do a job he clearly isn't up to.

Agreed. Solid centre back. Should have tried the young boy crane (easy to say in hindsight though). Once it became apparent we were getting a lot of time and space down the left but Paul wasn't able to take advantage I'm surprised we never moved to a 3-5-2 and had someone else as LWB.

I quite like the keatings and Cummings partnership but it works better when we're cutting through the middle and they can use their pace to latch on to through balls (like the goal which was well taken by Keats). With the crosses coming in, we should have used Graham earlier.

Away to Raith and Dunfermline won't be easy games and it will be interesting to see where we sit come November.

[SunshineOnLeith]

We're worse than last season.

We'll win the league, but have serious doubts about Lennon managing us in the Premiership.

[Fifehibby74]

If was Neil Lennon I would go and watch videos of how Hearts and The Rangers played teams in this league because they "skooshed it". Something we have no chance of doing playing the way we are just now.

[Centre Hawf]

Not convinced yet with Lennon, a part from a good start which to be honest should be expected from us this season in this division we haven't looked convincing especially in the last few weeks. I was actually bored to tears watching us at times today. Need to wrestle back control of this situation before it gets out of hand imo.

[neil7908]

I like Lennon but I wonder if pre season he underestimated this league and overestimated our squad.

I was delighted when we signed a more physical centre forward in Holt but he might not have enough left in the tank anymore.

I wasn't impressed with the signing of Graham and don't feel like the defence or midfield have been strengthened.

I was hoping he would add a winning mentality to this team but I'm not really seeing any difference between this Hibs team and Stubbs' over the last two years.

And that worries me.

[Bostonhibby]

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Felt sorry for Hanlon today - asked to do a job he clearly isn't up to.

Yep, and in Keatings we get a guy that can put quality crosses in and no aerial presence? Baffling I'd say but it's another home game with points lost which puts pressure on us to win away. Very last season in the league so far.

Sent from my HTC One mini 2 using Tapatalk

[Cod Boy]

If Lennon doesn't think Crane is good enough to come in a left back for cover would have been my priority rather than bringing in a right back.

[familyman]

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Not convinced yet with Lennon, a part from a good start which to be honest should be expected from us this season in this division we haven't looked convincing especially in the last few weeks. I was actually bored to tears watching us at times today. Need to wrestle back control of this situation before it gets out of hand imo.

WELL WHAT DO YOU SAY WHEN A MANAGER SAYS SAME OL SAME OL
Full time players need to be pro active and show urgency.and some enterprise .even John McGinn was a bit off pace and that is so unusual..what does it take to get a degree of urgency..worrying times, thankfully it is early enough for Neil Lennon to sort but needs to do so very quickly..I suggest he plays players in their best positions that may help!Sloppy passing by Hanlon and Fraser F show a lack of true belief and that will not do, both players tried hard but Hanlon out of position but tried hard and Fraser still off pace in my opinion.
Cummings could run around all day with that service ..no wonder he is frustrated.Come on Hibs get that first place sealed early doors..we have seen all this too often. most possession means nothing at the end of the day ...we still fail to make anything of corner kicks .have we forgotten the lesson of two cup final goals..
Perhaps of most concern is that yet again we did not test the goalkeeper much.... no more of this ,come on no more play offs please

[The_Horde]

What I can't understand is this Dundee Utd side have looked very weak from crosses into the box this season. Conceding 5 goals from them, but we decide to drop the big men up front for the first time this season? Baffling.

[JDHibs]

Losing faith at the moment.

Jury s still out on Lennon. We havent improved on last season.

I thought when he came in he had noticed the issues we had and brought the players in to sort them, Holt/Graham as we lacked a big man up top loads last season. Brought in a solid no1 in Marciano. Creativity in Shinnie and kept our best players.

Then goes and starts playing the way Stubbs played that failed us last season WHY?

IMO he was lucky in the first 5 games, especially against Falkirk and Dunfermline. It looks like he cant change a the game, we have been pegged back from 1-0 up against Falkirk, Dunfermline, QOS (Cup) Ayr and Utd yesterday. That is not good enough.

We have only managed to kill off 1 team in 8 games, Morton. When we score we always sit back instead of push on for a 2nd. We havent came up against a team who has seriously worried us in open play other than QoS in the cup, Most goals we concede are from Set plays. Why Zonal? It doesnt work, we dont have a big enough team to play it.

Big things need to change or its going to be a long season. Only saving grace is all the other teams will drop points as they are even poorer than us.

[Baldy Foghorn]

Feel sorry for NL, you see him during games berating players, and trying to get the team to drive forward. Certain players letting him down in my opinion and I don't think he will stand for it much longer

[Smartie]

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Feel sorry for NL, you see him during games berating players, and trying to get the team to drive forward. Certain players letting him down in my opinion and I don't think he will stand for it much longer

In his interviews he seems to understand what the problems are.

You could understand why he didn't do more business in the transfer window - pre-season was good and we started the season very well.

The International break took our momentum away and we've struggled since.

He's probably been right not to make sweeping changes so far but to tinker a bit with personnel.

He's probably getting to the point where his patience will end and he'll switch it up a bit more drastically.

We've got to remember as well that there will be quite a bit of pressure on Lennon himself to get it right. People can talk down his achievements at Celtic because of their budget and he didn't do very well at Bolton (although there were mitigating circumstances). Anything other than winning the title for us and there will be questions asked about him this season too.

I would be surprised if his patience wasn't wearing a bit thin.

[euro Hibby]

You can see Lennon on the bench looking really pissed off. The team he put out was an attempt to find a solution to the poor displays this last month.
Probably the team does better with Holt and cummings.

The spark is missing at the moment. Maybe the team are on a low after the high of winning the cup. Certainly some of the players seem to be off form.
I am missing Hendo big time but hopfully things will turn around soon.

Just need to keep supporting. Wining the cup obbligates us to persevere..........

[happiehibbie]

I said when we got him not the man for the job.i am sticking with that.

yesterday with three minutes to go yes 3 he asked the players to change into the diamond OH COME ON !!

he has done nothing apart from Celtic I could win the league at Celtic.

to slow
tippy tappy
I could go on

[Hermit Crab]

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I said when we got him not the man for the job.i am sticking with that.

yesterday with three minutes to go yes 3 he asked the players to change into the diamond OH COME ON !!

he has done nothing apart from Celtic I could win the league at Celtic.

to slow
tippy tappy
I could go on

What about our great start to the season? Was that nothing to do with Lennon?

[mvteng]

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you see him during games berating players, and trying to get the team to drive forward.

You do , every game he's out screaming at the players.

But that's not going to work with all players, some players will respond well to that & some players won't.

Seems like the opposite approach from Stubbs, & I can't help but think some of the players aren't responding that well to it.

[Smartie]

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You do , every game he's out screaming at the players.

But that's not going to work with all players, some players will respond well to that & some players won't.

Seems like the opposite approach from Stubbs, & I can't help but think some of the players aren't responding that well to it.

I've wondered that as well.

A bit like the transition from Mowbray to Collins but a bit less severe.

There were times during the second half when the ball was out of play and tbh the players looked like they couldn't be arsed getting it back and getting on with the game.

They didn't look to me like a team with the bit between their teeth going all out to win a Championship for their manager.

I hadn't been to the last few games - the last game I saw was the Morton one and imo we were excellent - but I din't think the players looked as happy as before.

[Baldy Foghorn]

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You do , every game he's out screaming at the players.

But that's not going to work with all players, some players will respond well to that & some players won't.

Seems like the opposite approach from Stubbs, & I can't help but think some of the players aren't responding that well to it.

Stubbs approach was different and we failed to get promoted twice. NL is a different kettle of fish, a winner, who wants constantly high performance levels. If players not responding time for them to be dropped.....

[mvteng]

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. NL is a different kettle of fish, a winner, who wants constantly high performance levels. If players not responding time for them to be dropped.....

no,don't really agree with that.

If a players not responding, then its time for NL to work out why, & work out how he can remotivate him.

Yes, for some players its going to be dropping him, but for some players, its going to be putting his arm round them & building up the confidence.

Similarily, some players are going to respond well to being coached & micro managed from the touchline, others aren't. The managers job is to work out who responds to what method.

Just think its interesting the contrasting styles of NL & Stubbs

[Iain G]

Don't understand why we can't just set up as a conventional 4-4-2 and attack teams at pace and with a quick passing game and get the midfielders into the box, football gets far too complicated sometimes and this is the Scottish Championship and not Serie A.

Marciano

Gray McGregor Hanlon Stevenson

Boyle Fyvie McGinn Harris

Cummings Holt

Of course, we need a couple of decent wingers for this to work and I think we need to work out how to get Keatings into that team, which screws the whole plan up!

[happiehibbie]

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What about our great start to the season? Was that nothing to do with Lennon?

I dont know if it was or not ? maybe still on a high. I am sure that 15k supporters back at ER wont last long if this continues. I sit behind the dug out I see a lot of similarities to TB and Malpas and on that performance yesterday and the instruction being shouted out is awful

[G B Young]

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I dont know if it was or not ? maybe still on a high. I am sure that 15k supporters back at ER wont last long if this continues. I sit behind the dug out I see a lot of similarities to TB and Malpas and on that performance yesterday and the instruction being shouted out is awful

I hope the only similarity between Lennon and Butcher is that they both played at a high level throughout their careers. But it did cross my mind that guys like Collins, Butcher and Lennon, all first class players in their day, perhaps find it hard to lower their expectations of the players at their disposal. It must be frustrating for guys like that to watch players unable to perform the basics consistently well. And while Lennon did well both domestically and in Europe as Celtic manager he was working with a higher calibre of player than he has at Hibs.

I was excited by his appointment and thought he was just the sort of guy we needed to rid us of our soft side. I remain fairly confident he has the managerial talent to make this work but he clearly has a fair way to go.