Players who can’t or won’t tackle

[RIP]

Listening to PHs pre-match interview about defending from the front. Then he specifically mentions protection from strikers and midfield and how even if tackling doesn’t come naturally they need to improve.

Then he brings on 2 players who spend all their time on the pitch avoiding a tackle.

I’ve supported Hibs for fifty-eight years through thick and thin. But I refuse to watch players who cannot or will not put the foot in. When other players are giving it their all, the passengers dawdle, stroll, jockey whilst avoiding physical contact.

The three midfielders we finished the game with all come into that category. Cowards who based on that performance are not fit to wear the jerseys. Hibs fans expect better from a player in green and white

[hibee_girl]

Slivka made more tackles in the time he was on today than Mallan has made all season.

[ancient hibee]

The second half was like St Johnstone conducting a passing exercise against dustbins.

[madhatter]

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Slivka made more tackles in the time he was on today than Mallan has made all season.

From open play Mallan is our worst midfielder. Think all fans can see that apart from his shots and set pieces he is worthless. He doesn’t track his man, he is never touch tight, can’t tackle and jumps for headers with zero intent to win the header. He is a passenger.

[hibee_girl]

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From open play Mallan is our worst midfielder. Think all fans can see that apart from his shots and set pieces he is worthless. He doesn’t track his man, he is never touch tight, can’t tackle and jumps for headers with zero intent to win the header. He is a passenger.

Agreed. His decent free kicks and corners have been missing for ages, I do not understand why he got his place back today.

[supermcginn]

Mallan couldn't tackle a fish supper. Complete powderpuff.

[Lee Marvin]

Nobody in midfield or forwards can tackle. Not one single player. That is an absolute disgrace!!!

Hearts are going to ******g love playing this hibs team. I'm actually terrified fkr the derby

[Hibee Mac]

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From open play Mallan is our worst midfielder. Think all fans can see that apart from his shots and set pieces he is worthless. He doesn’t track his man, he is never touch tight, can’t tackle and jumps for headers with zero intent to win the header. He is a passenger.

Some on here shot others down, myself included, for saying this almost a year ago. Seems they have slowly begun to realise how useless a player Mallan really is in open play.

I couldn't care less if he can take a set piece he is a passenger in our midfield that we cannot afford to carry any longer.

[Smartie]

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Agreed. His decent free kicks and corners have been missing for ages, I do not understand why he got his place back today.

I couldn't understand why he got his place back today at Slivka's expense, but when Slivka went on he had an absolute nightmare himself.

We have serious problems in the middle of the park - serious, serious problems. The new guy by all accounts is a good player, but is ANOTHER more attacking player. No football club in the world can win games without ball winners, people who track runners, people who make tackles, people who do the ugly side of the game.

Allan is our best player and we need to find a formation and team that allows us to get the best out of him. Mallan should be his deputy, Newell his deputy. Not sure where this new guy fits in. Vela has something going for him but I don't know exactly what kind of player he is yet.

The midfield is woefully, pitifully short on defensive attributes. Anybody, just anybody who watches us can see that, it is screaming out. Heckingbottom can talk about stuff not being natural to players all he wants - you need to have at least one player amongst the midfielders and forwards who can count the ugly stuff amongst what comes naturally - soon who can run, tackle, graft and compete.

The forwards today were very impressive. We've got some decent wide players. Our goalie was a bit wobbly today but he's amongst the best in the league. For long periods the defence actually stood up quite well to waves and waves and waves of pressure.

That, for me, is a relegation midfield. It didn't get on top of St Mirren at home. It was torn apart by St Johnstone at home today. It was destroyed at Ibrox. The two Saints teams will surely be amongst the weakest in the league and we've not been great against either.

Heckingbottom's job depends on fixing this pronto.

[Unseen work]

People moaning about our strikers and midfield, our bloody defenders can’t tackle or defend properly!

[GreenCastle]

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Nobody in midfield or forwards can tackle. Not one single player. That is an absolute disgrace!!!

Hearts are going to ******g love playing this hibs team. I'm actually terrified fkr the derby

We couldn’t tackle in midfield till Milligan returned from Asia Cup and Omeonga came in and turned over the ball.

Closest we have had since SJM to regularly do that and RUN with the ball.

Currently we pretend to tackle, leave massive gaps and pass when there is often space to run into.

Oppositions find it so easy to defend against.

[madhatter]

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People moaning about our strikers and midfield, our bloody defenders can’t tackle or defend properly!

Jackson made two excellent blocks that were required after our midfield made no attempt to close down, we give far too much away for free. Every clearance in the last 15 mins was essentially us just saying “give that another bash” to St Johnstone. No opposition to balls being crossed in. Gap between Kamberi and the other 9 must have been 30 yards. Midfield were at most 5 yards in front of defence and never budged. Looked like Hecky was at the wheel and decided to park the bus.

[GreenCastle]

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People moaning about our strikers and midfield, our bloody defenders can’t tackle or defend properly!

They are so exposed - several 2v1s and 1v1s with last ditch tackles or fouls.

2 defensive midfielders who win the ball urgently needed otherwise teams will rip us to shreds.

[Diclonius]

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Nobody in midfield or forwards can tackle. Not one single player. That is an absolute disgrace!!!

Hearts are going to ******g love playing this hibs team. I'm actually terrified fkr the derby

Yup. We're going to keep Levein his job!

[RIP]

The young laddie Stirling played in midfield against Arbroath. A big hulk of a guy. The yams bloodied youth last season and being brave means at least you get players that give their all for the jerseys.

Not at Hibs. 14 managers in 21 years and every new guy gets carte blanche to stuff the team with his own signings whilst abandoning youth development. Tony Mowbray’s youth academy dream has been an investment disaster of Darien proportions

[Sammy7nil]

Allan and Mallan just let players walk round them shy from 50/50 tackles we can only afford one luxury. Horgan,Slivka and Middelton are not much better. No idea about Vela as he is mostly annonymous.

I bet our midfield can't wait for the battle of a Derby

[Unseen work]

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The young laddie Stirling played in midfield against Arbroath. A big hulk of a guy. The yams bloodied youth last season and being brave means at least you get players that give their all for the jerseys.

Not at Hibs. 14 managers in 21 years and every new guy gets carte blanche to stuff the team with his own signings whilst abandoning youth development. Tony Mowbray’s youth academy dream has been an investment disaster of Darien proportions

I really like Stirling, is very comfortable on the ball and gets stuck in.

[RIP]

Still far too much chat about formations, defensive midfielders and ‘1v1s’.

The problem is that teams playing against us have no fear of running past or through us. They know that our players will do anything to avoid a tackle.

Replacing the manager may immediately improve supporter morale but then who will want to inherit a team of bottlers? That’s my biggest concern.

[The Leith Dutch]

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They are so exposed - several 2v1s and 1v1s with last ditch tackles or fouls.

This.

You can take any defensive task like, say, dealing with crosses.
World class defenders might deal with 19 out of 20.
Then you'll go down the ranks with good, average and poor defenders dealing with a lesser percentage.

The point would be that even the best defenders will concede if you give them enough to deal with.
That's not to say we couldn't or shouldn't look to improve the defence.
It's just an observation that if we don't protect them, we can sign a top notch back four and we'll still be conceding.

Almost all our problems right now stem from having no control at all of the midfield.