Hanlon and Stevenson

[Stantons Angel]

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Think both have been on something of a downward trajectory since the 2017/18 season which was undoubtedly the best of their careers. Maybe it was the extra confidence gained from playing in a decent side? Stevenson actually even looked half-decent in an attacking sense. Be good if they could recapture that form.

These two guys have held that defence together throughout season after season plagued by injuries.

The support were raving about Paul getting us through in the cup game at Tyncastle.

Lewis has played under all of our recent merrygoround of managers and given us 110% all the time.

they like all of our players have their down times as well as their ups.

And when the team play as a team they excel. so dont forget this when looking at "a half decent player" attacking or defending.

Their form will hopefully return as the team hopefully progresses.

[Hibeesmad]

A month in and it’s still looking grim.

[Lex7zero]

To anyone that knows anything about football Hanlon has been the weakest link in that defence for a number of years. Lewis has also been part of our soft bottling side for too long. Both are nice guys but well past time for both to go.

[Weegreenman]

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These two guys have held that defence together throughout season after season plagued by injuries.

The support were raving about Paul getting us through in the cup game at Tyncastle.

Lewis has played under all of our recent merrygoround of managers and given us 110% all the time.

they like all of our players have their down times as well as their ups.

And when the team play as a team they excel. so dont forget this when looking at "a half decent player" attacking or defending.

Their form will hopefully return as the team hopefully progresses.

A soft touch. It’s beyond embarrassing now, everyone can see it. Hoping their form will return through a sense of loyalty is relegation talk.

[Heisenberg]

Just saw both goals again. Stevenson lets the boy lump it into the box for the equaliser unchallenged then Maxwell ****s it up. Hanlon then decides to inexplicably flick the ball into the box for their second. Two awful goals to concede.

[LancsHibs]

Im afraid to say Paul Hanlon is no longer anywhere near good enough anymore (along with big Daz), it was another huge mistake by Heckingbottom not to have replaced in the summer, Jackson is obviously not the quality we need. Thank god Porteous is back otherwise we would be in a right mess! Centre half position needs addressing pronto!

[MWHIBBIES]

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To anyone that knows anything about football Hanlon has been the weakest link in that defence for a number of years. Lewis has also been part of our soft bottling side for too long. Both are nice guys but well past time for both to go.

He hasn't been the weakest link for a number of years, that is just a lie. One of the strongest links during the 17/18 season.

Lewis has been a part of our greatest successes. More major honors for Hibs than anyone in 60 years but he is a bottler? GTF

[MWHIBBIES]

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Im afraid to say Paul Hanlon is no longer anywhere near good enough anymore (along with big Daz), it was another huge mistake by Heckingbottom not to have replaced in the summer, Jackson is obviously not the quality we need. Thank god Porteous is back otherwise we would be in a right mess! Centre half position needs addressing pronto!

Porteous isn't flawless either, ridiculous to pretend Hanlon isn't anywhere near good enough but Ryan is some saviour. He still has plenty to learn.

[JimBHibees]

Why do they have to be linked together they are totally different players. Personally think Lewis more than good enough to stay in the team but needs real competition. Paul imo needs rested at present as seems short physically assume some injury he is carrying however do we have sufficient quality to take over. He isn't the most physical or commanding but is much better on the ball than the replacements. Personally would bring big Daz in on Saturday and/or go three at back. Ryan not at his best either. The goals we are losing are killing us at present.

[Gloucester Hibs]

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Why do they have to be linked together they are totally different players. Personally think Lewis more than good enough to stay in the team but needs real competition. Paul imo needs rested at present as seems short physically assume some injury he is carrying however do we have sufficient quality to take over. He isn't the most physical or commanding but is much better on the ball than the replacements. Personally would bring big Daz in on Saturday and/or go three at back. Ryan not at his best either. The goals we are losing are killing us at present.

Also there is no replacement for LS in the current squad at present, so he gets to stay in the team by default. Agree Porteous shouldn't be immune from criticism either.

[superfurryhibby]

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He hasn't been the weakest link for a number of years, that is just a lie. One of the strongest links during the 17/18 season.

Lewis has been a part of our greatest successes. More major honors for Hibs than anyone in 60 years but he is a bottler? GTF

Agreed. I suggest anyone describing Lewis as lacking bottle isn’t a fan of Hibs. It’s plain nonsense. However, Hanlon has been been pretty poor since returning from injury ( early 2019.) and that has carried over into this season too.

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Porteous isn't flawless either, ridiculous to pretend Hanlon isn't anywhere near good enough but Ryan is some saviour. He still has plenty to learn.

Porteous is raw and has a long way to go. As you say, plenty to learn. The pairing of him and Hanlon in the centre must have opposition strikers feeling confident they’ll get a goal.

[LancsHibs]

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Porteous isn't flawless either, ridiculous to pretend Hanlon isn't anywhere near good enough but Ryan is some saviour. He still has plenty to learn.

Yes Porteous is far from flawless but a better option than PH, don’t think many would argue with that. Porteous is at the start of his career, Hanlon is at the end of his, Hibs will be expecting to develop RP and sell for a big fee, PH isn’t with anything in the market. As stated the situation at the back needs addressing pronto. It was a massive failing over the summer, we were left with an ageing creaking defence, had to go and get an emergency right back. Ross has work to do

[we are hibs]

Find it embarrassing how every week people try to lambast porteous when defending Hanlon. You can defend him without doing that. Hes clearly our best defender by a distance and a young laddie whos played 1 full season in probably the hardest position for a young player to break into due to the fact any slight error or mistake that he makes is more likely to lead to a goal than if he was a midfielder/forward who has the defence covering him. You can say hes had a poor game if hes had a poor game or hes made a mistake but do it on its own rather than doing it to defend another player because that reeks and its something that seems to be creeping into the forum every week now.

[Brooster]

Completely agree. Hanlon and Stevenson are probably the main reasons why we lose so many ordinary goals. Great servants but time for them to be replaced.

[Brightside]

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Find it embarrassing how every week people try to lambast porteous when defending Hanlon. You can defend him without doing that. Hes clearly our best defender by a distance and a young laddie whos played 1 full season in probably the hardest position for a young player to break into due to the fact any slight error or mistake that he makes is more likely to lead to a goal than if he was a midfielder/forward who has the defence covering him. You can say hes had a poor game if hes had a poor game or hes made a mistake but do it on its own rather than doing it to defend another player because that reeks and its something that seems to be creeping into the forum every week now.

Porto clearly isn’t our best defender tho. Great player for us in time. But his mistakes are ignored. No one on here is having a go at him. No is calling him ****. Slow. Pulling a trailer. But that’s the standard for Hanlon? It’s bull.

[Pretty Boy]

I find myself a bit uncomfortable with the tone of some of the posts, and comments at games, being aimed at Hanlon and Stevenson. Whatever their current form both deserve a bit more respect than they are currently getting when you consider what they have achieved at Hibs.

That's not to say I don't think some of the criticism is merited and there are certainly tough decisions to be made. I said last night Jack Ross is going to have to be hard nosed and push sentiment to one side, he's a professional so I'm sure he will. Paul Hanlon has had a career that has been interrupted by injuries, maybe as he approaches 30 they have just caught up with him and he's lost a yard of pace and his movement isn't what it was. He certainly isn't performing consistently to the standards we know he has been capable off. Lewis Stevenson has been a stalwart under countless managers and every player we have brought in to cover that position hasn't really had a sniff. However he has just had the first relatively lengthy lay off of his career and is approaching 32 year old. It's not a stretch to say he has far more years behind him than ahead of him at Hibs. I believe Ross likes his full backs to push up and provide an attacking threat, does LS have that in him medium to long term?

Leaking late and soft goals has been a feature of our season. I've seen the diamond in midfield being blamed but it was an issue long before we changed to that shape. The issues go deeper than the defence of course but time waits for nobody and it's increasingly obvious we need to start planning for life after Gray, Mcgregor, Hanlon and Stevenson. I'll say again though that no one should underestimate what they have done for Hibs and that should be kept in mind when criticising any of them.

[we are hibs]

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Porto clearly isn’t our best defender tho. Great player for us in time. But his mistakes are ignored. No one on here is having a go at him. No is calling him ****. Slow. Pulling a trailer. But that’s the standard for Hanlon? It’s bull.

Whos our best defender then?

[J-C]

Naismith take away his goal on Saturday is a big standard average RB, Porteous is raw and culpable of a few rookie mistakes, Hanlon I feel although a great servant, isn't a great leader on the pitch and I think he takes a lot of negativity to heart and Lewis is a cracking LB who has been constantly exposed due to a weak left sided midfield

[Brightside]

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Naismith take away his goal on Saturday is a big standard average RB, Porteous is raw and culpable of a few rookie mistakes, Hanlon I feel although a great servant, isn't a great leader on the pitch and I think he takes a lot of negativity to heart and Lewis is a cracking LB who has been constantly exposed due to a weak left sided midfield

Hanlon doesn’t take it to heart. Don’t worry about him.

[Brightside]

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Whos our best defender then?

Hanlon remains our best defender.

[easty]

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Naismith take away his goal on Saturday is a big standard average RB, Porteous is raw and culpable of a few rookie mistakes, Hanlon I feel although a great servant, isn't a great leader on the pitch and I think he takes a lot of negativity to heart and Lewis is a cracking LB who has been constantly exposed due to a weak left sided midfield

Agree with all of that.

[Stuart93]

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Hanlon remains our best defender.

We get it, you like Hanlon and won’t have a bad word said about him.

Very tiresome

[Brightside]

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We get it, you like Hanlon and won’t have a bad word said about him.

Very tiresome

He should have done better with his defensive header last night. It’s called a measured opinion. Same I have about all the players when they make a mistake. I don’t start a thread saying Get him out, he’s the reason we’ve lost so many games, they are the reason we went down a league, he’s soft. Have a bit of respect in your criticism. Half the people slagging them off don’t even go to games. (Thankfully)

[Gypsy King]

Hanlon for me is just too soft and his technical ability isn't good enough to make up for the lack of physicality. A new centre half is a must. I hate to say it, but I hope Pauls time is over.

Lewis gives you a 6 most weeks and wears his hart on his sleeve. But again his time is over.

I think Ross will identify this and seek replacements in January.

Efe and Mulumbu on 6 month contracts with a new LB loaned from a prem club would be Ideal.

[blackpoolhibs]

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Naismith take away his goal on Saturday is a big standard average RB, Porteous is raw and culpable of a few rookie mistakes, Hanlon I feel although a great servant, isn't a great leader on the pitch and I think he takes a lot of negativity to heart and Lewis is a cracking LB who has been constantly exposed due to a weak left sided midfield

Sticking up a little for Lewis, like you say he's a cracking full back, but he's now again being asked to work the lines as a wing back, he's just not very good at going past anyone or delivering crosses.

[J-C]

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Hanlon doesn’t take it to heart. Don’t worry about him.

I always feel he plays better with Daz and Gray in the team, added strength and leadership.

[easty]

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Hanlon remains our best defender.

Porteous could be better in time, but he isn't at the moment

[J-C]

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Sticking up a little for Lewis, like you say he's a cracking full back, but he's now again being asked to work the lines as a wing back, he's just not very good at going past anyone or delivering crosses.

The diamond hangs us out to dry and leaves the full backs exposed, both Horgan and Newell are not good enough defensively, so for me a propr DM would sort that or even a left sided box2box in the McGinn role. Boyle needs to play as a winger and not an auxiliary striker, he scored plenty as a winger and his energy to track back is essential for the RB.
The 3-5-2 when we went on that great run 2 years ago is about as balanced a team as you'll see, I'd be tempted to go for that again.

[Anthony Soprano]

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they were both absolutely brilliant under lennon when we were flying, especially lewis.

heckingbottom and his crap signings and crap tactics have been the problem this season. There would be no harm in getting in a bit of competition, but it's by no means the priority IMO, especially lewis's position.

Disagree, strengthening the centre back position is absolutely a priority, Hanlon looks well beyond his years in terms of sharpness and has always been too soft for my liking, gets bullied too often by strikers, happened again last night

Also cover for left back is something we should be looking at as Lewis is the only natural left back in the team.

[B.H.F.C]

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The diamond hangs us out to dry and leaves the full backs exposed, both Horgan and Newell are not good enough defensively, so for me a propr DM would sort that or even a left sided box2box in the McGinn role. Boyle needs to play as a winger and not an auxiliary striker, he scored plenty as a winger and his energy to track back is essential for the RB.
The 3-5-2 when we went on that great run 2 years ago is about as balanced a team as you'll see, I'd be tempted to go for that again.

The diamond hanging us out to dry could become a bit of a myth IMO.

The diamond, whilst I don’t think it is a long term solution, has allowed us to be more successful than in the reverse fixtures earlier in the season, losing less goals.

Formations are overrated. Players need to do their individual jobs nobody in our team is doing their job defensively. The goalie doing a superman impression and our centre half heading the ball in to the middle of the box were nothing to do with formation. The fact we left two Kilmarnock centre halves standing on their own in the middle of our box on Saturday was nothing to do with formation either.