Marvin Ekpiteta

[Centre Hawf]

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Ekpiteta was confirmed end of June and Gray at the start.

I do agree that a lot of the groundwork for those early signings would have been under previous regime though.

I also thought we saw that they weren’t a particularly good pair. O’Hora had played a lot on the right side of a 3 but ended up playing on the left of a 2 to start with.

You're right. Wiki had it has 28th of May and it was actually June on the Hibs website, my mistake.

[Roxyhibee]

Think Marv is decent but no more and OHora has been a bit disappointing for me. Going to sound like one of those entitled fans with unrealistic expectations who normally irritate me, but I think Hibs are clearly a club aiming to a different level now and I think we should be looking to recruit better. If they stay and Gray wants them, fine.

[B.H.F.C]

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Think Marv is decent but no more and OHora has been a bit disappointing for me. Going to sound like one of those entitled fans with unrealistic expectations who normally irritate me, but I think Hibs are clearly a club aiming to a different level now and I think we should be looking to recruit better. If they stay and Gray wants them, fine.

I think both have done all right at times, but not much more than that. In saying that, O’Hora played his part in our good run and, like many, was better in a more natural position.

It wouldn’t surprise me if one of them is back down south by the end of the summer.

[Centre Hawf]

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Think Marv is decent but no more and OHora has been a bit disappointing for me. Going to sound like one of those entitled fans with unrealistic expectations who normally irritate me, but I think Hibs are clearly a club aiming to a different level now and I think we should be looking to recruit better. If they stay and Gray wants them, fine.

I don't really buy into the O'Hora has been disappointing stuff to be honest. I think he's performed well, like the rest have, in our run to finishing 3rd. Miller probably performed better but when O'Hora stepped in for large chunks I thought he was more than good enough in the role.

[Donegal Hibby]

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I don't think it would be outlandish to suggest that they were both guys that were targeted by the recruitment team in advance. In fact Ekpiteta was announced as a Hibs player a week before Gray as Head Coach. I imagine Gray was part of the process for sure given he was already at the club and probably knew he was getting the gig, but if it was a case of getting guys in early there may have been starting talks even when Montgomery was manager.

I would have thought it strange if either were Monty targets as we know how much he loved to play out from the back . I would guess they were more Gray type players in they are big with a good physical presence about them though I suppose most CH’s are like that anyhow . Interesting the other poster that wonders who’s signings O’Hora and Ekpiteta were, says he thinks Gray prefers ball playing CH’s and yet the best one we had at the club didn’t get a look in at the start of the season.

[Centre Hawf]

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I would have thought it strange if either were Monty targets as we know how much he loved to play out from the back . I would guess they were more Gray type players in they are big with a good physical presence about them though I suppose most CH’s are like that anyhow . Interesting the other poster that wonders who’s signings O’Hora and Ekpiteta were, says he thinks Gray prefers ball playing CH’s and yet the best one we had at the club didn’t get a look in at the start of the season.

I think there's probably a difference in "Monty targets" and players the club were tracking themselves from a recruitment perspective anyway. Ultimately it may have been a case of Montgomery wouldn't have liked Ekpiteta for the reasons you say. But once he left and it was the club acting off it's own back to get the next season prepared we probably just had to snap into action on what work had been done to identify targets.

We signed both him and O'Hora fairly quickly out the gate as I believe only Rocky Bushiri was left for that position and I imagine there was also a chance for him to leave as well. So we probably felt it was best to get them in rather than wait too long and go off on pre-season with only recognised centre half.

[Donegal Hibby]

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I think there's probably a difference in "Monty targets" and players the club were tracking themselves from a recruitment perspective anyway. Ultimately it may have been a case of Montgomery wouldn't have liked Ekpiteta for the reasons you say. But once he left and it was the club acting off it's own back to get the next season prepared we probably just had to snap into action on what work had been done to identify targets.

We signed both him and O'Hora fairly quickly out the gate as I believe only Rocky Bushiri was left for that position and I imagine there was also a chance for him to leave as well. So we probably felt it was best to get them in rather than wait too long and go off on pre-season with only recognised centre half.

Probably was a difference , certainly think what Gray wants now is probably entirely different as to what Monty would have wanted. I think Ekpiteta has been unfortunate in getting injured when he did and still has a part to play especially now we are going to have more games to play.

I must admit O’Hora has worried me slightly when playing in the right of the back 3 , just think there’s a lack of pace with him , again I don’t think he’s a bad player either though. Rocky if he goes I think is going to be hard to replace though we’ll need to as he’s the best / most comfortable defender with the ball at his feet .

[RIP]

When Marvin first arrived, my reaction was "At last we have signed a tall, strong, two-footed centre-half".

Given our form at the start of the season, I don't believe anyone has seen enough of Ekpetita to claim that he's not good enough.

Gray and his coaching team have managed to improve each player in the squad so far. I'll trust their judgement on Big Marv.

[bingo70]

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When Marvin first arrived, my reaction was "At last we have signed a tall, strong, two-footed centre-half".

Given our form at the start of the season, I don't believe anyone has seen enough of Ekpetita to claim that he's not good enough.

Gray and his coaching team have managed to improve each player in the squad so far. I'll trust their judgement on Big Marv.

What made or makes you think he’s a two footed centre half?

That’s the polar opposite of what we’ve seen from him in a Hibs strip.

[RIP]

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What made or makes you think he’s a two footed centre half?

That’s the polar opposite of what we’ve seen from him in a Hibs strip.

More his tackling than his passing. He was excellent at blocking crosses too. We had lacked that skill under Montgomery. He displayed excellent timing in an otherwise shaky defence.

[blackpoolhibs]

I've said it before, but if you want to have a team that plays out from the back, Ekpeteta wont be good enough to play in that defence. As a stopper he's very good, he will put his body on the line for the cause.

I cant believe Gray watched him play and thought he could play in the way we currently play, he had to change to a 3 at the back and imho we wont see him much if that's the way are to continue.

[RMQ1967]

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I've said it before, but if you want to have a team that plays out from the back, Ekpeteta wont be good enough to play in that defence. As a stopper he's very good, he will put his body on the line for the cause.

I cant believe Gray watched him play and thought he could play in the way we currently play, he had to change to a 3 at the back and imho we wont see him much if that's the way are to continue.

There were probably plenty saying similar about Rocky (& others) at the start of last season.

In SDG & the coaching staff we trust, let's see what they do with Marv & co before we write anyone off 😉

[I'm_cabbaged]

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I've said it before, but if you want to have a team that plays out from the back, Ekpeteta wont be good enough to play in that defence. As a stopper he's very good, he will put his body on the line for the cause.

I cant believe Gray watched him play and thought he could play in the way we currently play, he had to change to a 3 at the back and imho we wont see him much if that's the way are to continue.

And to be honest he only did it because he got injured. Luckiest injury ever, even though I personally think he’s decent.

[KWJ]

Surprised he didn't get an opportunities ahead of O'Hora once he was back.

[andrew70]

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Surprised he didn't get an opportunities ahead of O'Hora once he was back.

Probably because O’Hora was playing well, is right sided and was swapping in and out with Miller. Ekpiteta more of a Rocky replacement.

[blackpoolhibs]

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There were probably plenty saying similar about Rocky (& others) at the start of last season.

In SDG & the coaching staff we trust, let's see what they do with Marv & co before we write anyone off 😉

I'd seen a lot of him playing for Blackpool, the last thing he is, is a footballing central defender who you have playing out from the back.

[LancsHibs]

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I'd seen a lot of him playing for Blackpool, the last thing he is, is a footballing central defender who you have playing out from the back.

Deffo, best suited in a centre half pairing in a conventional back 4.

[blackpoolhibs]

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Deffo, best suited in a centre half pairing in a conventional back 4.

Which does question why we signed him and O'Hora as a pairing, with Miller on the right and Obita on the left, not a back 4 that screams football.

Early in the campaign with that 4, we had Newell dropping that deep i was convinced we had 3 centre halves and the opposition were happy for us to have the ball at the back, as we were so slow playing out, every team were all back in place before we had the ball reasonably under control.

Then we'd pass it about between them and the keeper before launching it forward to then lose it and do the same all over again.

Going to a 3 with the 2 wingbacks was the best thing to happen along with the additions in January.

As i said earlier in the thread, if we are going with the 3 again, i dont think Ekpeteta has a future at the club and i can see us letting him find another club if we get someone else in this coming window, someone better suited to the formation we will play.

[matty_f]

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There were probably plenty saying similar about Rocky (& others) at the start of last season.

In SDG & the coaching staff we trust, let's see what they do with Marv & co before we write anyone off 😉

This is how I see it as well, I don’t think, maybe with the exception of Mowbray, that I’ve seen a Hibs manager improve players to the extent that Gray did last season.