Hibs v Kilmarnock, Sat 16 January, KO 3.00pm

0762 · 13-01-2021, 22:38

Well it is back to nitty gritty league matches again and the players taking up the challenge to start playing well and attaining victories at ER Stadium. We are not playing a vg Killie team to be too worried about. So I expect Hibs and Jack Ross to start this particular match positively and deploy a hi-press game plan from the start. Wright definitely doesn't play and Boyly should be a natural swap with his pace hopefully utilised to good effect and maybe he'll score this time. We need someone to help Nisbet in scoring crucial goals. So why not Boyly?? Do we play Gogic in this game? IMO this is a hard call! Do we respect Killie's threat that much or "go for it" and be positive and creative in the mid area? I reckon Newell will not play after observing him holding a groin injury v Celtic. He will be a big loss as he has been playing very well. Is Scott Allan available again? IMO we need someone like him in this kinda match! C'mon Hibs! Lets play well - keep it "tight at the back" and lets score a few goals for a change!!

GGTTH

**HerefordBull** · (This post was last modified: 14-01-2021, 12:37 by HerefordBull.)

Impossible to predict with Hibs.

We struggle with teams that defend deep at ER and we seem to run out of ideas of how to break them down, then we get hit with a sucker punch. Some games playing the old firm show us in a better light as Smeltic and sevco won't park the bus and so gives us more space and options in the attacking third.

Hopefully we have our shooting boots on, which have certainly deserted us lately.

'mon Hibs

GGTTH

0762 · 14-01-2021, 14:15

After reading that 2nd para I must add IMO the biggest "miss" in our midfield is John McGinn. Hibs got a lotta money from his transfer deal although he did want to progress to a far better standard of footie than what we are currently watching up here - many of the Scot Prem matches are f###### dire and I don't apologise re my previous comparison/criticism with some of the top National League teams in England. John was a workhorse and more in Hibs midfield - look at some of the results of him playing for Hibs in some vg cup campaigns and league challenges in Hibs sides that obviously didn't have a full quota of top players around him to compliment his style and commitment. If a club offloads our best players for money, the challenge always is to try to maintain a consistently high standard of team performance after the event. IMO Hibs have failed in that respect when one compares the standard with eg Aberdeen FC. One of the probs centres on players transfers in and out of the club - lotsa mistakes made in that activity alone and must do better if we are gonna advance as aspired by Ron Gordon.

hibeejim21 · 16-01-2021, 17:12

What has happened to the playing surface at easter road ?

**HerefordBull** · (This post was last modified: 16-01-2021, 18:55 by HerefordBull.)

0 . 0 at halftime.

Killie defending deep knowing we struggle to break this down. Signs in the last ten that they were pushing players forward a little more. This should create a little more space but so far we have created very little and the final ball is lacking once again.

If Killie get a little bit of belief............

Pitch is poor which I mentioned at the last game. Groundsman said that planned maintenance last year was cancelled. Lot of hoofball from us, don't know if this is tactical or pitch related or..... Big Grin

2 . 0 win for Hibs thanks to an own goal from Power and a good Gogic strike. Got lucky with their shot that hit the post ( may have been different if they had pulled level) but the 3 points are the most important thing despite another home lack lustre display.

GGTTH

BouncingHibees · 16-01-2021, 19:08

Not a great game to watch but Kilmarnock are no pushovers and we managed a good 2-0 win, Irvine played well for a gu who's not played in 10 months and Gogic was MOTM, personally not into Nisbet up top by himself.

**St Charles Owl** · 16-01-2021, 19:12

Good day for you guys with Aberdeen being hammered and Celtic only drawing!! Keeps the slim hope of 2nd spot alive.

0762 · (This post was last modified: 16-01-2021, 23:30 by 0762.)

Aye! Not a great game of footie today and I think the previous use of the "lacklustre" word is as accurate as it gets. However, the 3 pts definitely welcomed with "open arms" - good to win these kindsa matches esp after seeing Hibs previously being "on the wrong end" of this dour type of game. Well done to Gogic for "lighting up" this match with that cracking 2nd half "strike" from outside their pen box!! Thumb up

I reckon he decided to just "have a go" with that great shot on goal after watching all the "huff n puff" stuff up front that preceded his goal. As I've said to many young kids in a previous coaching role - "If you don't shoot on goal/target at every reasonable opp, you'll never score a goal for the team". I wish more Hibs players would heed that advice and focus on doing that! I must also mention young Doigy who I think prob had one of his best games in a Hibs shirt - did well on Hibs left flank while many other Hibs players didnae impress. So we're back up to 3rd place in the Scot Prem. Now we must see if the team can consolidate that position.

**HerefordBull** · 17-01-2021, 12:11

Agree about young Doig, 0762, he is turning into a cracking player.

hibeejim21 · (This post was last modified: 17-01-2021, 16:38 by hibeejim21.)

Wasn't much of a game to watch bar patches of the 2nd half but a good result, we matched up to killie then gradually overpowered them. Even better news with the Aberdeen result.
Thought Gogic was MOTM, Irvine looked every inch someone who hadn't trained much with us or played for a while. We really could use another forward though.

Wish we could play them every week!