The Spine

[Speedway]

Our injured players are:

Marciano
McGregor
Bartley
Kamberi

And our captain.

We wait for an international captain to arrive.

Does this explain our lack of leadership, fight and physicality today?

[Fergos]

Yes - an a major factor as to why we crumbled after they equalised.

[500miles]

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Our injured players are:

Marciano
McGregor
Bartley
Kamberi

And our captain.

We wait for an international captain to arrive.

Does this explain our lack of leadership, fight and physicality today?

Part of it. But we have to realise that Mallan cannot run. He's either unfit, or just slow. He's a number 10,not someone who we can rely on for dig.

[matty_f]

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Our injured players are:

Marciano
McGregor
Bartley
Kamberi

And our captain.

We wait for an international captain to arrive.

Does this explain our lack of leadership, fight and physicality today?

The sarcastic part of me wants to reply and say that it's not an explanation and that the lack of leadership etc was because of a crap transfer window, the board, and not signing Scott Allan.

But because I'm not in a sarcastic mood, I'll go with my considered post instead, and say yes, I think that played a significant part in it. I also don't think all the players are at full match fitness yet. Most are, but some are evidently a bit behind in that respect.

[Stevie Reid]

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Our injured players are:

Marciano
McGregor
Bartley
Kamberi

And our captain.

We wait for an international captain to arrive.

Does this explain our lack of leadership, fight and physicality today?

Agree, made the point about us missing a whole spine in the match day thread. The personnel involved are big characters, as well as huge physical presences.

[BullsCloseHibs]

Spine is what Hearts and Huns live off.
We don't. And never have.

[Heisenberg]

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Part of it. But we have to realise that Mallan cannot run. He's either unfit, or just slow. He's a number 10,not someone who we can rely on for dig.

Very much this. Change the system and play our wingers as wingers. Our best attacking midfielder as an attacking midfielder. Quite easy this management stuff

[Smartie]

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Spine is what Hearts and Huns live off.
We don't. And never have.

We did from shortly after Alan Stubbs arrived until this summer.

Our current spine (if indeed we have one) is on the treatment table and waiting for a visa.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

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Our injured players are:

Marciano
McGregor
Bartley
Kamberi

And our captain.

We wait for an international captain to arrive.

Does this explain our lack of leadership, fight and physicality today?

Leaders across the park right there - except when they are all injured or oot ;)

We have come a long way since having arguably just one “leader” in the team - McPake.

[J-C]

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The sarcastic part of me wants to reply and say that it's not an explanation and that the lack of leadership etc was because of a crap transfer window, the board, and not signing Scott Allan.

But because I'm not in a sarcastic mood, I'll go with my considered post instead, and say yes, I think that played a significant part in it. I also don't think all the players are at full match fitness yet. Most are, but some are evidently a bit behind in that respect.

If they're a bit behind Matty, why then have they not featured in any reserve games to get them up to speed, surely that's the point of the reserve league.

[GreenCastle]

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Our injured players are:

Marciano
McGregor
Bartley
Kamberi

And our captain.

We wait for an international captain to arrive.

Does this explain our lack of leadership, fight and physicality today?

It’s an issue and won’t be fixed anytime soon sadly due to the injuries.

Kamberi was risked though Europe and we are suffering without him now.

We do need others to step up and agree Mallan isn’t a box to box player - let him roam in 10 and you will get the best out of him.

Our midfield was never going to be replaced after last season but the balance isn’t right just now.

[eastmainsmsh]

We need a Matty Jack player

[Diclonius]

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Our injured players are:

Marciano
McGregor
Bartley
Kamberi

And our captain.

We wait for an international captain to arrive.

Does this explain our lack of leadership, fight and physicality today?

We knew half these players were injured weeks ago and we still went for the "cautious" approach in the window.

[ancient hibee]

Hanlon and Stevenson have both looked out of sorts so far and lacking their usual dig and of course missing McGinn in front of them.

[Speedway]

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We knew half these players were injured weeks ago and we still went for the "cautious" approach in the window.

What was th cautious approach we went for?

[Smartie]

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Hanlon and Stevenson have both looked out of sorts so far and lacking their usual dig and of course missing McGinn in front of them.

Stick Kamberi and a midfielder who can defend in there and you'll see a lot more from Hanlon, Stevenson and a few more.

[Speedway]

So the equation for our turnaround is Spine plus realising that:

Mallan is Allan
Milligan is McGeough
Horgan is McGinn and
Ageypong is Barker

Which gives us last years side back if we play:

Marciano

Ambrose McGregor Hanlon

Milligan

Boyle Mallan Horgan Stevenson

MacLaren Kamberi

[Hiber-nation]

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Hanlon and Stevenson have both looked out of sorts so far and lacking their usual dig and of course missing McGinn in front of them.

Aye Lewis looks a bit lost without McGinn to link with. Some of these lads in midfield will need to learn quickly that they need to be demanding the ball far more than they've been used to.

[SingaporeHibs]

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So the equation for our turnaround is Spine plus realising that:

Mallan is Allan
Milligan is McGeough
Horgan is McGinn and
Ageypong is Barker

Which gives us last years side back if we play:

Marciano

Ambrose McGregor Hanlon

Milligan

Boyle Mallan Horgan Stevenson

MacLaren Kamberi

Yes. Potentially at least. I’m a big believer in playing the players in their strongest positions to get the most out of them. It may mean Lennon changing his favoured formation (as above). Still a bit early to tell what it might look like. Quicker everyone is available the better.

[SingaporeHibs]

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Aye Lewis looks a bit lost without McGinn to link with. Some of these lads in midfield will need to learn quickly that they need to be demanding the ball far more than they've been used to.

Noticed the same. Particularly in Horgans first couple of games you could see Horgans natural movement was into the area that Stevenson has been used to going when we have the ball moving forward. At times both making similar moves, then checking their runs and actually no one goes as fluently as they should. The Ball then ends up being moved elsewhere. It’s all part of them getting to know each other’s games and learning. You’re right, they need to learn fast.
As for Hanlon, he has improved his game a lot through the last 3 or 4 Seasons. We see the best of him when he has solid players next to him. He is now having to cope with Porteous coming into the side (i’m Not blaming him as he has done very well) who needs helped through the matches and Efe who is perhaps a bit random to be the type of solid player Hanlon needs next to him. I’ve read all sorts about McGregors injury issues but I just hope he gets back and can have another full season. We really miss him at the back. The changes in keeper also haven’t helped.
It’s all work in progress and this 2 week break in games couldn’t have come at a better time.

[Speedway]

Daz, Milligan and Flo all expected to be available for the Killie match.

Just Bartley and Rocky remaining to reinstall the spine.

[500miles]

We will send up playing 451 quite a bit this season, with Mallan getting a free role. Particularly away from home. We've got the goals from midfield and a stack of pace to do it.

[Peevemor]

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We will send up playing 451 quite a bit this season, with Mallan getting a free role. Particularly away from home. We've got the goals from midfield and a stack of pace to do it.

I don't think so. I reckon Flo & Maclaren will start regularly.

[J-C]

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I don't think so. I reckon Flo & Maclaren will start regularly.

Only problem with that is we'll get overran in midfield, Milligan should give us the steel we need but Mallan is powderpuff at times and Horgan is a better winger than central midfielder. We have numerous attacking midfielders to try and fit into the 2 spaces we have in midfield Slivka, Hyndman, Mallan, F Murray, then we have Boyle, Agyepong and Horgan to find space for. 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 seem a better option for the squad we have. Lennon did say in his last interview that he takes the blame for the last defeat and maybe has to review his tactics a bit.

[jeffers]

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Only problem with that is we'll get overran in midfield, Milligan should give us the steel we need but Mallan is powderpuff at times and Horgan is a better winger than central midfielder. We have numerous attacking midfielders to try and fit into the 2 spaces we have in midfield Slivka, Hyndman, Mallan, F Murray, then we have Boyle, Agyepong and Horgan to find space for. 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 seem a better option for the squad we have. Lennon did say in his last interview that he takes the blame for the last defeat and maybe has to review his tactics a bit.

I think it goes back to the point that has been made more than once, the squad is lacking in balance. It's almost as if we've went out and signed players without an idea how we fit them all in the team. Play with two wingers and you need two strong midfielders in the central position. Play McLaren, you need to have Kamberi there (and decent service into the box) to get the best out of him. Mallan looks to me like he needs to play further up the park to get the best out of him, almost playing off a main striker, which then means McLaren doesn't play and given that both were marquee signings this summer you'd have thought they were signed as first choices. That doesn't even include Hyndman, who I have no idea where he fits in. I accept a squad needs cover, but the guys I've mentioned don't strike me as signings who were made just to provide cover.

[Smartie]

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I think it goes back to the point that has been made more than once, the squad is lacking in balance. It's almost as if we've went out and signed players without an idea how we fit them all in the team. Play with two wingers and you need two strong midfielders in the central position. Play McLaren, you need to have Kamberi there (and decent service into the box) to get the best out of him. Mallan looks to me like he needs to play further up the park to get the best out of him, almost playing off a main striker, which then means McLaren doesn't play and given that both were marquee signings this summer you'd have thought they were signed as first choices. That doesn't even include Hyndman, who I have no idea where he fits in. I accept a squad needs cover, but the guys I've mentioned don't strike me as signings who were made just to provide cover.

That's exactly how I see it. It's almost as if they were players we considered too good to miss out on, or we signed them to prevent someone else getting them rather than actually thinking about how they were going to fit into the way we play.

I can't see us setting up a cohesive team unit without dropping at least 2 of our main players at a time.

[Peevemor]

I saw this on Twitter the other day. Looks pretty well balanced to me.

[jeffers]

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That's exactly how I see it. It's almost as if they were players we considered too good to miss out on, or we signed them to prevent someone else getting them rather than actually thinking about how they were going to fit into the way we play.

I can't see us setting up a cohesive team unit without dropping at least 2 of our main players at a time.

We might (and I hope we are) pleasantly surprised with a formation that allows us to accomodate these players, but it's certainly a challenge for NL. Given that his preference was 3 at the back I was a bit surprised to hear him say he may have to change that due to the players we have in the squad. I'd have thought if you had a preferred formation you signed players to fit into that.

[MWHIBBIES]

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I saw this on Twitter the other day. Looks pretty well balanced to me.

Takes away our best passing central defender and has no one in midfield to get it from defence and move it around. That team just ends up hoofing it.

[Smartie]

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I saw this on Twitter the other day. Looks pretty well balanced to me.

It's pretty good tbh.

Solves the dilemma of getting Gray and Boyle into the team, but is Gray really an effective RCB?

There isn't a great deal of height throughout the team and it might be picked off at set pieces.

Can Agyepong play WB? Is his defending / Lewis' attacking good enough to play with a WB (tbf I'd say yes). Is the CM mobile enough? Can they track back enough?

Bartley plus 3x CB's doesn't always work.

No starting spot for Efe or Hyndman?