Striker needed

**Ozyhibby** · 13-12-2017 09:14 PM

We had nobody to lead the line today at all. That was a fantastic performance but we need to be scoring more goals.
Barker excellent 2nd half.
But need to sign a striker.

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**Basildon Hibs** · 13-12-2017 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

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We had nobody to lead the line today at all. That was a fantastic performance but we need to be scoring more goals.
Barker excellent 2nd half.
But need to sign a striker.

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I've been saying we need two 'proven' strikers for a long time. A right good poacher being one of them .

**hibbydog** · 13-12-2017 09:18 PM

As someone said on another thread, Big Davy must be honking for Lennon to prefer Hanlon up front.

**OxoHibby** · 13-12-2017 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by hibbydog

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As someone said on another thread, Big Davy must be honking for Lennon to prefer Hanlon up front.

The same big Davy Lennon signed

***bingo70*** · 13-12-2017 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by OxoHibby

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The same big Davy Lennon signed

With the budget we’re working at a lot of signings won’t work out unfortunately.

I think Lennon will know that so interesting to see who we go for in January.

**B.H.F.C** · 13-12-2017 09:34 PM

I think we have problems at the other end of the park as well.

As much as we dominate games and don't take our chances, we let teams score too freely despite them having very little of the game.

***Bishop Hibee*** · 13-12-2017 09:36 PM

I can see a loan deal for a striker until the end of the season but I think Lennon will wait until the summer for a permanent signing. There will be a good few out and 4-5 in. We certainly need to strengthen up front. As for Big Dave, very strange he didn’t come on for the last 10 minutes.

***GreenNWhiteArmy*** · 13-12-2017 09:39 PM

Steven Dobbie would have came cheap in the summer. Maybe could have allowed us to stretch the budget for Moult

**Green forever** · 13-12-2017 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by Bishop Hibee

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I can see a loan deal for a striker until the end of the season but I think Lennon will wait until the summer for a permanent signing. There will be a good few out and 4-5 in. We certainly need to strengthen up front. As for Big Dave, very strange he didn’t come on for the last 10 minutes.

He wasn't on the bench so couldn't come on.

***Heisenberg*** · 13-12-2017 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by B.H.F.C

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I think we have problems at the other end of the park as well.

As much as we dominate games and don't take our chances, we let teams score too freely despite them having very little of the game.

That was always the case in the Championship as well. Marciano is very inconsistent and all of our defenders tend to have their moments.

**Roxyhibee** · 13-12-2017 10:05 PM

Been saying it for months. We have plenty attacking type players - but distinctly lack a poacher, poker, someone who throws his head at a ball, roughs up defenders. It's glaring now and it would vastly improve us probably more than any other SPL team because of the amount of possession we enjoy in many games.

If we don't get a suitable one, we'll lose games like this we totally dominate. We might even lose to The Yams.! It's that critical.!

**Ilovehibs** · 13-12-2017 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by Roxyhibee

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Been saying it for months. We have plenty attacking type players - but distinctly lack a poacher, poker, someone who throws his head at a ball, roughs up defenders. It's glaring now and it would vastly improve us probably more than any other SPL team because of the amount of possession we enjoy in many games.

If we don't get a suitable one, we'll lose games like this we totally dominate. We might even lose to The Yams.! It's that critical.!

100%

**Ozyhibby** · 13-12-2017 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by Heisenberg

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That was always the case in the Championship as well. Marciano is very inconsistent and all of our defenders tend to have their moments.

Our defence is on par with Sevco but we have scored 10 less goals than them. We have a cracking side just now that’s not getting what we deserve.

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**MONKEY'S ERSE** · 13-12-2017 10:11 PM

Yep have to agree here. If we finish 4th in our first season back up I'll not moan; BUT the frustrating thing is we all know we should be sitting well clear in second with the amount of draws / defeats ( Aberdeen, that pishy gobby mob tonight) where we've dominated games and just don't bury teams and thus they get back in the game with 1 or 2 chances. So, yes we DO need a poacher. Finding one is another question-every team in the country is looking for that nugget. What I like about Neil Lennon is that very often he is watching the same game as us fans and I'm sure he will be pursuing that that same objective. I'd (as we all would) love us to go to Celtic and say "Give us Leigh on loan" as he's now 4th or 5th choice there. Split the wage,whatever. If you don't ask......
ps I'm not convinced about Marciano.....can be brilliant,can be poor...

***Mibbes Aye*** · 13-12-2017 10:13 PM

As with last season's 'need for width on the left', having a 'lead the line' striker or a poacher means changing things and obviously someone currently starting, dropping down, otherwise what's the point?

A 'lead the line' striker suggests to me someone who plays like Giroud - doesn't just do aerial, but more importantly is big, can hold the ball up and rustles up the defence. That means someone playing off him for his knock-ons, potentially Simon Murray? The problem is, if you then play Barker and Boyle to provide width on both sides, you only have two (SJM and Dylan, I presume) in mid, which leaves us weak. You can't play three at the back because that requires Barker and Boyle to track back and/or leaves the middle exposed if the CHs drift out left or right.

Playing a 'Giroud' with a Stokes and Murray either side sounds sweet, especially with a SJM and Dylan behind them, but you still require Lewis and Whitts/Gray to provide width, leaving a back three exposed.

Playing the 'Giroud' (Kris Boyd in old money, perhaps?) on his own means we have to cover both sides for the counter-attack, but also through the middle if SJM or Dylan are fronting up - Bartley will be exhausted! Plus that's not really the style most fans want.

For me, it's a choice between a back three that allows two up front, or a flatter back four that almost gives us an old-fashioned attacking five - Bartley sitting in front of the defence and any five from Barker, Stokes, McGinn, McGeouch, Murray, Boyle, Shaw and anyone else.

**mcfly** · 13-12-2017 10:23 PM

I think was clearly obvious tonight is how important Bartley is to our team.

Strength was missed in midfield as mcginn got no time or protection.

Also what does it take to get a decent ref in Scotland?

How clear a penalty was that? Utter disgrace and time for video evidence to be used for big decisions as they clearly
can’t get them right...

**Ozyhibby** · 13-12-2017 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

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As with last season's 'need for width on the left', having a 'lead the line' striker or a poacher means changing things and obviously someone currently starting, dropping down, otherwise what's the point?

A 'lead the line' striker suggests to me someone who plays like Giroud - doesn't just do aerial, but more importantly is big, can hold the ball up and rustles up the defence. That means someone playing off him for his knock-ons, potentially Simon Murray? The problem is, if you then play Barker and Boyle to provide width on both sides, you only have two (SJM and Dylan, I presume) in mid, which leaves us weak. You can't play three at the back because that requires Barker and Boyle to track back and/or leaves the middle exposed if the CHs drift out left or right.

Playing a 'Giroud' with a Stokes and Murray either side sounds sweet, especially with a SJM and Dylan behind them, but you still require Lewis and Whitts/Gray to provide width, leaving a back three exposed.

Playing the 'Giroud' (Kris Boyd in old money, perhaps?) on his own means we have to cover both sides for the counter-attack, but also through the middle if SJM or Dylan are fronting up - Bartley will be exhausted! Plus that's not really the style most fans want.

For me, it's a choice between a back three that allows two up front, or a flatter back four that almost gives us an old-fashioned attacking five - Bartley sitting in front of the defence and any five from Barker, Stokes, McGinn, McGeouch, Murray, Boyle, Shaw and anyone else.

Flexibility is the key. Problem is I think Lennon expected to use matulivicuos to lead the line but he has proven to be not good enough. Holt done that job last year but we needed a younger model. Lennon likes that type of forward and I’m sure we plan to bring one in.

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**Wheat Hound** · 13-12-2017 10:42 PM

Kris Doolan. Impressive premier league scoring record with a usually struggling side. Not a world beater but would be affordable and is proven at our level.

***Stuart93*** · 13-12-2017 10:47 PM

Think we need to everything we can to bring in a striker who's always there at the right time similar to how Cummings was. The amount of good deliveries put right across the face of goal tonight and no hibs player took a chance to go for it.

**RossScott1991** · 13-12-2017 10:55 PM

Stokes was honking tonight. Shaw ineffective. Murray poor.

Tonight’s striking department summed up!

**-Jonesy-** · 13-12-2017 11:00 PM

Cole Stockton is a pretty hefty guy...

***coldingham hibs*** · 13-12-2017 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by RossScott1991

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Stokes was honking tonight. Shaw ineffective. Murray poor.

Tonight’s striking department summed up!

Have to agree with this, it’s really disappointing as we played so well but I thought Shaw looked like a fish out of water tonight and Murray just didn’t get enough of the ball. Stokes did some good & bad but looks a yard short of pace. I have to say Boyle put in a few cracking balls tonight which is a huge positive as his final ball was always a weakness.

***Mibbes Aye*** · 13-12-2017 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by Ozyhibby

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Flexibility is the key. Problem is I think Lennon expected to use matulivicuos to lead the line but he has proven to be not good enough. Holt done that job last year but we needed a younger model. Lennon likes that type of forward and I’m sure we plan to bring one in.

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Certainly agree about flexibility - we've seen already how different the opposition can be, and if we push on, as I expect we will, then their tactics will also alter to reflect that, requiring us to adapt.

That's an interesting thought about Big Dave, because if it's true it's clearly not worked out. It gives Lennon a problem though, because to get the level of success we want, it's hard to fit a Holt/Giroud-style player in the same side as a SJM and a Dylan, but also a Stokes. The numbers don't add up, so something has to give.

I think I agree with you, if you're suggesting it's possible to go 'horses for courses', but that to me also suggests a need for additional players - someone who can compete with Bartley and show as an equal replacement when required, plus probably cover on the flanks that provide something approaching the traditional 'wing-back' capacity.

We will be doing well to find all those, but then again, SJM and almost certainly DMcG are going to be attracting a lot of attention, so we will need to change in set-up at some point. Hibs have generally been good at getting players to stay until the right moment for all concerned and I'm hoping that's the case with these two and we have them both, at least until the summer.

All things said, I would have taken where we are tonight, at the start of this season, but only on the expectation that we were always going to do better after New Year. There's also already room for flexibility - Efe showed up reasonably well at RB and I think Whittaker, when fully fit, could provide a back-up for Bartley (though I think I'm in a very small minority there

).

Perhaps the important point is that we have a pretty good squad and if we can enhance it then we force other teams to find a way of dealing with us, rather than the other way round. We're a good way there already, which is a great feeling.

**HibsNutter** · 13-12-2017 11:29 PM

We need a poacher and if Cummings was still here we could be comfortably second.

***J-C*** · 13-12-2017 11:42 PM

It was clear at the start of the season that we were not good enough up front. Murray is unproven at this level and is still very raw at times, Shaw is a young talent but not ready to start and Stokes is starting to look a very jaded player compared to the one a few years ago.
We're also missing the guile of someone like Swanson, someone who can pick out that one pass and put it on a sixpence.

***Hibernia&Alba*** · 13-12-2017 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by HibsNutter

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We need a poacher and if Cummings was still here we could be comfortably second.

We do need a poacher; someone to capitalise on all the good play, but they don't come cheap.

**davhibby** · 13-12-2017 11:47 PM

The number of balls we played across the 6 yard box and there was nobody anywhere near them is terrible. A good poacher would have had a hattrick tonight. We'd be clear in second if we had a good poacher

***basehibby*** · 14-12-2017 12:53 AM

I reckon our Davey Vicious was brought in on the off chance he could do a job as a target man with the added bonus of maybe helping Slivka settle in - as it happens he's not been able to convince Lennon he's worth the pitch time - need to offload him in Jan and get a serious striker in that's going to push for a start - or at least a place off the bench.