Hibs create Hampden repeat at Pittodrie as duo named key to perfect Marink Reedijk game plan
Hibees built on their League Cup heroics at Aberdeen
Hibs picked up at Pittodrie from where they left off at Hampden, according to pundit Andy Halliday, who believes midfielders Jamie McGrath and Josh Mulligan were once again the standouts.
The duo were influential in the 4-0 victory at Aberdeen, which marked Hibs’ first league win under new gaffer Marink Reedijk. McGrath bagged the opener in the Granite City, before substitutes Callum Wright, Nicky Cadden and Thibault Klidje piled on the Dons’ misery, leaving their manager Stephen Robinson on thin ice.
Having defeated rivals Hearts 2-1 at Hampden last weekend to secure a place in the Premier Sports Cup final, Hibs emphatically ensured it wasn’t a one-off. Their midfield controlled the game against the Jambos last week - and Halliday believes Pittodrie was a carbon copy.
Hibs take cup heroics into the league
Speaking on BBC Sportscene, the former Hearts and Rangers man said: “I was really looking forward to watching Hibs today to see if they could carry on that positive momentum that they built up last week at Hampden. It was a continuation of performance levels for me.
“I thought the dynamic movement, the fluidity of that midfield in particular, they caused Aberdeen problems all game long. I was so impressed with their willingness to play through the middle of the pitch and try and create overloads as much as possible. And I think a big part of that was down to the two, Jamie McGrath and Josh Mulligan. I mean, the spaces they picked up to not only receive it, but receive it and play forward.”
Having failed to win his first four league matches, Reedijk is now beginning to build some well-timed momentum at Easter Road, with a cup final against Rangers to look forward to next month. The result at Pittodrie has taken Hibs off the foot of the table into 10th place, ahead of their opponents and Kilmarnock.
Hibs defeat piles pressure on Robinson - Halliday
On the contrary, the heavy defeat has piled the pressure on Robinson, whose side have lost five of their last six. Halliday believes the Dons boss is likely to become the second Premiership managerial casualty of the season after Reedijk’s predecessor David Gray. However, he also believes the players must take their share of the blame.
When asked if he thinks Robinson will survive the Hibs defeat, he responded: “Truthfully, I don't think he will. I don't think it was a popular appointment when it first came in, rightly or wrongly. If you look at the last five games, they've had four home fixtures within that. All very winnable on paper - and they've got three points to show for a possible 15.
“But the Aberdeen players are very, very fortunate that it's not as easy to sack players as it is managers. Because Aberdeen's players today were abysmal. It's one thing having a lack of quality, but having a lack of fight (is unforgivable), especially when you're in the position you're at.”