Mallan - Discuss

[BlackSheep]

I know this has been played out a million times on here, but as always a few games can change folks opinions on players.

I have always liked Mallan, but in the past few years I don’t think he has grown as a player.

Still rushes to take any set piece, which when they go in are great but more often than not I feel he delivers a poor cross or shot.

Opposition teams have his number when it comes to his long distance shooting, so he rarely gets a chance to let fly.

Defensively I think he is very poor, his timing for tackles and attempts to win aerial battles leave a lot to be desired and I genuinely feel that he is very anonymous in most games now.

I understand that with Doidge being out it gave us the opportunity to play Mallan in there with Newell, Gogic, Boyle and Murphy, but I think we have played better with 2 up top and the wide men supporting, rather than 1 up top and Mallan in behind.

Feel free to change my mind.

[Andymac85]

I don’t think there are many on here that still think Stevie is going to work out at Hibs. Personally, I think the positives he provides are far outweighed by his glaring weaknesses.

[Stuart93]

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I know this has been played out a million times on here, but as always a few games can change folks opinions on players.

I have always liked Mallan, but in the past few years I don’t think he has grown as a player.

Still rushes to take any set piece, which when they go in are great but more often than not I feel he delivers a poor cross or shot.

Opposition teams have his number when it comes to his long distance shooting, so he rarely gets a chance to let fly.

Defensively I think he is very poor, his timing for tackles and attempts to win aerial battles leave a lot to be desired and I genuinely feel that he is very anonymous in most games now.

I understand that with Doidge being out it gave us the opportunity to play Mallan in there with Newell, Gogic, Boyle and Murphy, but I think we have played better with 2 up top and the wide men supporting, rather than 1 up top and Mallan in behind.

Feel free to change my mind.

Also the fact that he is incredibly slow.

St Johnstone player jogged away from him with the ball last night.

I’m not sure if he’s carrying a bit extra weight but he doesn’t look overly mobile just now

[Peevemor]

Mallan isn't afraid to mix it, the problem is that he's crap at tackling. When he was playing a wee bit deeper under Heckingbottom he was picking up a booking a game - nothing malicious, just badly timed tackles.

Take that to conditions and a surface like last night and he's frightened to challenge as he knows he'll probably get sent off - therefore he becomes a "passenger".

I don't know why he takes corners with Newell sitting at the edge of the box - I'd inverse the roles every time.

[Stuart93]

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Mallan isn't afraid to mix it, the problem is that he's crap at tackling. When he was playing a wee bit deeper under Heckingbottom he was picking up a booking a game - nothing malicious, just badly timed tackles.

Take that to conditions and a surface like last night and he's frightened to challenge as he knows he'll probably get sent off - therefore he becomes a "passenger".

I don't know why he takes corners with Newell sitting at the edge of the box - I'd inverse the roles every time.

It wasn’t even about his tackling last night. His passing was horrendous. He gave the ball away more times than he found a hibs jersey. Definitely one to forget for him last night & time is running out for us to wait on him making his mark here

[MWHIBBIES]

Zero excuse about his position now. He played there last night, was responsible for creating for us, and was hopeless.

I don't see it at all. He hasn't even scored a free kick in 2 years.

[07BigD]

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Zero excuse about his position now. He played there last night, was responsible for creating for us, and was hopeless.

I don't see it at all. He hasn't even scored a free kick in 2 years.

I agree he is not the answer to our problems but neither are Hallberg, Wright or Magennis so far. A bit harsh on Magennis due to lack of opportunity in his"favoured position" so far but I think you get my point.

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[07BigD]

Stevie Mallan isn't the worst midfielder we've witnessed playing for Hibs but he isn't the best either.

He is neat and tidy on the ball and is a capable passer.

He couldn't tackle a fish supper but at least he is now committing some niggly fouls rather than letting folk ghost away from him.

He's not the tallest either but it doesn't stop him from trying to compete in the air.

He has proven himself capable as a goal scoring midfielder however I don't think the system we play allows him to take advantage of that part of his game often enough, but I don't think he is consistent enough to alter the shape purely to suit him.

Overall I get frustrated because I think he should be doing more but the same could be said of Boyle who sometimes struggles to make an impact.

Joe Newell is about the most consistent central midfielder we have currently and even he can struggle.

I think Mallan has gone as far as he can based on what he has to offer and it's not from a lack of effort but sometimes that's just the facts.

He's not the worst but he's never going to quite hit the heights we'd all like him to.

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[BSEJVT]

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Stevie Mallan isn't the worst midfielder we've witnessed playing for Hibs but he isn't the best either.

He is neat and tidy on the ball and is a capable passer.

He couldn't tackle a fish supper but at least he is now committing some niggly fouls rather than letting folk ghost away from him.

He's not the tallest either but it doesn't stop him from trying to compete in the air.

He has proven himself capable as a goal scoring midfielder however I don't think the system we play allows him to take advantage of that part of his game often enough, but I don't think he is consistent enough to alter the shape purely to suit him.

Overall I get frustrated because I think he should be doing more but the same could be said of Boyle who sometimes struggles to make an impact.

Joe Newell is about the most consistent central midfielder we have currently and even he can struggle.

I think Mallan has gone as far as he can based on what he has to offer and it's not from a lack of effort but sometimes that's just the facts.

He's not the worst but he's never going to quite hit the heights we'd all like him to.

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If we could bring on a placekicker and then take them back off again Mallan would be ideal.

He would also be very good in a team that dominated possession and that sat back of him and let him ping world cup passes all over the park and shoot from distance, where in my lifetime only Sauzee compares.

As it is a long time since I have seen a Hibs team dominate possession or teams sit off us, Mallan is not at all what we require at present and I doubt he ever will be.

if you press this hibs team, you will see a lot of possession given up.

I actually feel sorry for him, he cant run worth a damn, so consequently cant track a runner, is usually caught the wrong side but cant tackle anyway so it wouldn't matter.

I would imagine he comes off every game really frustrated, to me he is like the old guy in your 5 a side team who has lost his legs, can still play a bit but is just too off it to be effective.

I doubt that Ross's system suits him at all and cant for the life of me think why we persist, I get he is recently back from long term injury but the faults above were evident long before that injury.

[07BigD]

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If we could bring on a placekicker and then take them back off again Mallan would be ideal.

He would also be very good in a team that dominated possession and that sat back of him and let him ping world cup passes all over the park and shoot from distance, where in my lifetime only Sauzee compares.

As it is a long time since I have seen a Hibs team dominate possession or teams sit off us, Mallan is not at all what we require at present and I doubt he ever will be.

if you press this hibs team, you will see a lot of possession given up.

I actually feel sorry for him, he cant run worth a damn, so consequently cant track a runner, is usually caught the wrong side but cant tackle anyway so it wouldn't matter.

I would imagine he comes off every game really frustrated, to me he is like the old guy in your 5 a side team who has lost his legs, can still play a bit but is just too off it to be effective.

I doubt that Ross's system suits him at all and cant for the life of me think why we persist, I get he is recently back from long term injury but the faults above were evident long before that injury.

have you been watching me play recently? He does look unhappy at how things are going.

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[Brightside]

He's a limited footballer and doesn't bring anything different from Newall. His lack of physicality and energy make him ineffectual when we lose possession. He takes a decent dead ball but I dont think you can have him and Newall in the same 11 if we want to be our most effective. We had the same issue with Allan / Mallan. We cannot have 2 players in the middle of the park who wont run box to box and win the ball back for us.
Decent squad player but id expect his time to be limited if we have a bigger squad after Jan.

[Key West]

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Stevie Mallan isn't the worst midfielder we've witnessed playing for Hibs but he isn't the best either.

He is neat and tidy on the ball and is a capable passer.

He couldn't tackle a fish supper but at least he is now committing some niggly fouls rather than letting folk ghost away from him.

He's not the tallest either but it doesn't stop him from trying to compete in the air.

He has proven himself capable as a goal scoring midfielder however I don't think the system we play allows him to take advantage of that part of his game often enough, but I don't think he is consistent enough to alter the shape purely to suit him.

Overall I get frustrated because I think he should be doing more but the same could be said of Boyle who sometimes struggles to make an impact.

Joe Newell is about the most consistent central midfielder we have currently and even he can struggle.

I think Mallan has gone as far as he can based on what he has to offer and it's not from a lack of effort but sometimes that's just the facts.

He's not the worst but he's never going to quite hit the heights we'd all like him to.

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A fair assessment in my opinion I still think like Murphy he needs games and is better suited to a more forward role, I hope Jack Ross sticks by him.

[easty]

Nowhere near as bad a player as some people make out. He’s playing poorly, in a midfield that’s playing poorly, but he’s got a decent amount of ability. I’d far rather have Scott Allan in there, but that’s not an option just now.

There were loads of folk on Hibs.net that thought Fraser Murray was worthy of a place in the team, before we sent him out to Dunfermline, but Mallan is miles ahead of him.

Can’t argue against the fact that he’s not playing well at all just now though.

[calumhibee1]

He’s definitely regressed since we signed him.

[B.H.F.C]

Last night should have been the perfect game for Mallan to show what he can do. With the extra body in midfield he wasn’t restricted in terms of getting forward or about the pitch. However, he continually gave the ball away. Free kick he had first half, where he couldn’t have hand picked a better position for himself, summed his performance up.

[wookie70]

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Last night should have been the perfect game for Mallan to show what he can do. With the extra body in midfield he wasn’t restricted in terms of getting forward or about the pitch. However, he continually gave the ball away. Free kick he had first half, where he couldn’t have hand picked a better position for himself, summed his performance up.

I think he played far too deep last night as Murphy was given a free role. I want to see Mallan just behind the strikers. He was honking last night though but so were most of the team. Murphy gave the ball away almost as much as Mallan and is even worse defensively. No point dribbling past people and then playing a terrible ball. I like Mallan but similar to Scott Allan he isn't the right type of midfielder for us. We need less specialised midfielders who can get forward but also defend. Newall is the closest we have to that as Gogic is a specialised defensive mid.

We appear to be still in the phase we were in at the later stages of Lennon's reign when we had good players but no real system of play. I'm not writing Stevie off just yet. He still has attributes but like Scott Allan and Jamie Murphy he is a man short when we don't have the ball. The issue is that is far too often these days as we are passive when the other team has the ball(obviously with Murphy and Mallan in midfield or being out numbered) and we are so wasteful when we do get the ball. Our possession stats usually read well, 65% last night, but to my eye that possession is in our own half mostly and we seem to lose the ball very cheaply when we get into the opposition's half usually without a cross or ball into the danger area. We struggle to keep pressure on other teams because of that and it allows them to have countless breaks which, without Gogic, are proving fatal. Last night Saints second goal is an example of what I mean. Nisbet gives it away and a few seconds later Wotherspoon scores without a Hibs Player making a challenge.

[The Modfather]

I think he’s a player we will always be waiting on to come good. He might end up a late developer but I don’t think he’ll ever develop the other parts of his game to match his technical ability and have the career that befits his technique which you simply can’t teach.

We’re well past time to move him on and use the money as party of the midfield rebuild IMO.

[Hibee Mac]

He should have been moved on already if you ask me, but I don't see who would take him in their side?

A lower premiership club is probably his level, but I'd be surprised if any of them could get away with a player who has such glaring defensive deficiencies.

[skyehibee]

How many years left on his contract now?

[Sir David Gray]

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How many years left on his contract now?

End of next season.

[hibee-boys]

Not for one second denying that he is trying his best but if it wasn’t for his ability to chip in with the occasional wonder strike he’d be employed by a championship club.

[Vault Boy]

He's a good player and has scored some stunning goals for us, but his defensive frailties have been reasonably highlighted on here. It's not for a lack of effort, it's really down to his physique, speed and agility. I believe he was the most dribbled past midfielder (it might have been player) in the league a season or two back, I can't imagine those metrics have improved all that much.

I don't think the rest of the team is defensively strong enough to have Mallan in the midfield on a regular basis. Certainly not as 1 of 2. I'm not sure many teams are, mind you.

We play two strikers OR Mallan, IMO.

[NorthNorfolkHFC]

Just not good enough. The guy has some passing and shooting ability but really cannot run.

Too frequently beaten to loose balls and overrun.

His lack of athleticism is unfortunate but I think many fans could out run him.


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[H18S NX]

Sorry to say but he is a passenger in a team who cannot afford any passengers,imo.

[Logie Green]

Runs like a dressage horse, is slow, no positional awareness and can’t tackle. Chips in with the odd spectacular goal but is generally a liability.

Hopefully he’ll not be a first pick long term or we’ll tumble down the league if he stays in the team.

[Brummie_Hibs]

He's only playing because we have nobody better. Says it all really.

[Peevemor]

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He's only playing because we have nobody better. Says it all really.

That's the case for any player is it not?

[easty]

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He's only playing because we have nobody better. Says it all really.

Literally applies to every player we have.

[Pretty Boy]

I think Mallan is the kind of player you need to build a team around to accommodate him. He just doesn't have the energy or mobility to be his own work horse. Is he good enough to justify building a team around? I'd argue probably not, certainly not in the way an on form Scott Allan is.

He's not a terrible player but I just don't see how he fits into a midfield, without free kicks I would struggle to name a really stand out attribute he has. He doesn't excel at anything that makes him indispensable. Our best midfield of recent times was McGeouch, McGinn and Allan and it's very easy to name what each of them brought to the party. With Mallan I think that's far harder to do. It's not the NFL, we can't have a specialist kicker.

[Magpie]

Don’t think he’s as bad as people make him out to be.