Stevie Mallan

[Squealing pig]

Glad to see some praise for the lad , there’s a player in there and I hope he can kick on in bigger games

[Smartie]

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Where should Mallon be playing, and in what system?

Tip of the diamond.

At a push, second striker.

Nowhere near "the engine room" or picking the ball up off the defence.

I don't think he can play in a central midfield pair and I think you'd need to be very careful playing him in a middle 3.

I also have no idea how he'd fit into a team with Scott Allan.

If it's going to be 100 mph kick and rush hoofing match (games vs Hearts and Aberdeen) I'd think long and hard before starting him.

He might also be an "impact player" who comes on later in games when legs are tiring and space is starting to open up.

[Billy Whizz]

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Tip of the diamond.

At a push, second striker.

Nowhere near "the engine room" or picking the ball up off the defence.

I don't think he can play in a central midfield pair and I think you'd need to be very careful playing him in a middle 3.

I also have no idea how he'd fit into a team with Scott Allan.

Don’t disagree. So why did we sign Gauld?

[Brightside]

This place is unreal. Utter rubbish according to half the match daybthread. All players have positives and negatives. A good set up will find the best in these players. Same goes for Slivka Horgan Kamberi.

[Smartie]

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Don’t disagree. So why did we sign Gauld?

Mallan hasn't really had a chance in a line-up that suits him yet. I had assumed that he was going to be binned and that Gauld was going to take his place.

Gauld is a lot quicker, sharper and better under pressure than Mallan (as is Slivka) and I'd play him deeper.

[James Stephen]

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This place is unreal. Utter rubbish according to half the match daybthread. All players have positives and negatives. A good set up will find the best in these players. Same goes for Slivka Horgan Kamberi.

Exactly, thats the whole point of a team. One person's strength covers for anothers weakness. Mallan brings a huge amount, its up to the manager (whoever he may be) to find a way of accentuating his positives.

[WeeRussell]

His goal return is heading towards one that we struggle to get from strikers since Cummings left, never mind an “awful” midfielder.

Keep plugging away Stevie. You’ve been a good signing.

[Centre Hawf]

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His goal return is heading towards one that we struggle to get from strikers since Cummings left, never mind an “awful” midfielder.

Keep plugging away Stevie. You’ve been a good signing.

He’s scored 5 goals in the league. Thats good. But it doesn’t paper over the cracks for the anonymous performances he’s put in for the past 2+ months.

[MyJo]

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He’s scored 5 goals in the league. Thats good. But it doesn’t paper over the cracks for the anonymous performances he’s put in for the past 2+ months.

He was being asked to play a role and position within the team that didn’t suit him, alongside other players playing out of position, out of form or simply uninterested in playing for Hibs.

Maybe that had something to do with his poor performances?

[B.H.F.C]

I’m still sure there is a player in there. Difficult to argue that lately given some of his performances but today showed what he can do if he’s in the right areas.

[Centre Hawf]

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He was being asked to play a role and position within the team that didn’t suit him, alongside other players playing out of position, out of form or simply uninterested in playing for Hibs.

Maybe that had something to do with his poor performances?

I don’t really disagree with any of that. But he’s still not performed in his current role.

[marinello59]

I wasn’t impressed with Mallan at the game today. I’ve just watched the game again and shows just how wrong you can be. A superb second half. The change of formation was perfect for him.

[Pretty Boy]

If Mallan can replicate his 2nd half today or his perfomance v Celtic at ER on a consistent basis there will be no room to criticise him.

He's obviously got it. For whatever reason he's not been showing it regularly. Here's hoping we can find a system that gets the best from him, allows him to play and get shots away and covers for his lack of mobility.

[J-C]

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Don’t disagree. So why did we sign Gauld?

A question Lennon needs to answer, there's a few players Lennon signed and we've scratched our heads at, this is why our midfield has been so imbalanced.

[blackpoolhibs]

If Mallan plays like he did in the 2nd half today, then we wont be hearing a peep out of anyone about his form.

If he plays like he did in the first half, then of course folk will moan about his contribution. Its clear that he needs to play further forward, if he does that then i'm sure he will play better for us.

[Coco Bryce]

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If Mallan plays like he did in the 2nd half today, then we wont be hearing a peep out of anyone about his form.

If he plays like he did in the first half, then of course folk will moan about his contribution. Its clear that he needs to play further forward, if he does that then i'm sure he will play better for us.

How could Lennon not see this. That's the worrying thing for me. It's blatantly obvious, just like 2 up front.

[1van Sprou7e]

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How could Lennon not see this. That's the worrying thing for me. It's blatantly obvious, just like 2 up front.

Because he had some very good performances playing deep

Vs Celtic and in the 2nd half at home to asteras come to mind

[Smartie]

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Because he had some very good performances playing deep

Vs Celtic and in the 2nd half at home to asteras come to mind

That's not nearly enough considering how often he's been played there.

I don't really want to be bashing Mallan today though. He was immense late in the game yesterday and he contributed as much as anyone to a gritty victory.

[makaveli1875]

Mallans talents are his little through balls and passes around the box , quick feet and shooting . Tackling and long range passing are not his strengths and thats what he was being asked to do
Play him further forward and his talent will shine through like it did yesterday

[Aim Here]

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How could Lennon not see this. That's the worrying thing for me. It's blatantly obvious, just like 2 up front.

It wasn't obvious in the summer, when we got the players in that we needed four at the back (which is now also obvious) - so we expected to continue playing 3-5-2, and so in summer the team was a bit overly stacked with wingers and more attack-minded midfielders (we only got Milligan in after the transfer window closed). All it takes is for an injury or a suspension or Milligan on international duty, and we end up needing one of the likes of Horgan/Hyndman/Mallan or now Gauld to be tracking back as a more defensive mid. It's just that Mallan drew the short straw.

Basically the problem was unbalanced recruitment in the summer - caused by not anticipating that what worked last season wouldn't keep working this one - rather than Lenny actually being unable to see the obvious. It was still his mistake, but it's an understandable one.

[SChibs]

How good was it to see a hibs midfielder making a run into the box and getting a strike away first time. Not something we see very often!

[Unseen work]

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Mallans talents are his little through balls and passes around the box , quick feet and shooting . Tackling and long range passing are not his strengths and thats what he was being asked to do
Play him further forward and his talent will shine through like it did yesterday

Disagree about long range passing, think his is exceptional and there wouldn’t be many better in the league than him at it. His one for Gray yesterday was outstanding.

Tackling, keeping shape, breaking up play etc though is not his game.

We saw his closing down worked when he went a bit further forward as he was allowed to press and run about knowing he had Slivka and Bartley behind him.