Hibs favourite Scott Allan names key failing in Rangers loss as Boyle absence and Bowie isolation addressed
Elie Youan surprise selection failed to pay off, says Scotland and Rangers veteran Billy Dodds
Former Hibs favourite Scott Allan has identified a lack of service from wide areas as the key element in David Gray’s men failing to hurt Rangers at Ibrox. And ex-Scotland and Rangers striker Billy Dodds believes illness to Martin Boyle robbed the visitors of their most electrifying threat in Monday night’s 1-0 loss to Danny Rohl’s team.
Easter Road hero Allan, who was commentating on the game for BBC Radio Scotland, was disappointed that striker Kieron Bowie – supported by Elie Youan making just his second start since Boxing Day of 2024 – didn’t get even a single chance to test Jack Butland in the Rangers goal. Despite the Scotland striker putting in a ferocious shift leading the line.
Scott Allan is an all-time Easter Road favourite
“Kieron Bowie, it's hard being that sort of striker, because of the physical presence that you bring,” said the former midfield playmaker. “It's very easy for your defence to just, if they don't have that pass through the middle of the park, to just launch it up to you and you need to fight people, and take it in, spin. And when you're dropping in, you're spinning in, have to make the box.
“Ultimately when the ball did go wide, the quality didn't come in from the wide areas from Hibs, it really didn't. It was either front post man or it was cleared away. Again, execution, times where they can just stand up for a guy like Kieron Bowie to go and attack. We hardly saw that all night when it was in wide areas.
Creative midfielder on ‘hardest part of game’
“Listen, it is the hardest part of the game, having that awareness, having that presence of mind to make the right decision, and they worked the ball into the area as well. But they just didn't take enough care, whether it was the wrong pass, the right pass, the execution of the pass, a touch instead of getting a shot away early, it was a mix of all of the above. And that's what led to ultimately not getting in the game, not putting enough pressure on Jack Butland, that was the story of the game.
“So you can have all the nice play up until there, but what matters is what you do, and that final third, and for me, Hibs just didn't do enough tonight. There's a lot you can coach, but it's very hard to coach decision-making in those moments.
“You’re then trusting the players who you've selected to go and make the decisions themselves, and take that responsibility that you want to be the guy that gets you back in the game.”
Assessing the performance of Youan, who lasted 68 minutes, Allan said: “He’s been given an opportunity. Boyle's obviously not trained. What a platform, come to Ibrox, David Gray is trusting you to go and be that creative guy.
“He probably had the best chances for Hibs, and he snatched it at. I think if he shows a bit more composure he gets a shot on target, and at least makes Jack Butland have to make a save.”
Martin Boyle illness hampered Hibs attack
Dodds, whose most recent coaching gig was as an assistant at Rangers, felt the absence of Boyle was crucial in putting Hibs on the back foot, revealing: “I can only tell you as a staff, the first thing you mention and you worry about him (Boyle), is his pace. You point him out to players right away - we've got to be knowing where this guy is, what areas of the pitch, especially when we're attacking. Don't hold too high a line, because he's got blistering pace, so give yourself a bit of depth.
“I was surprised, but he hadn't trained a lot, so that's why he's not been involved as much tonight. And then he played him out in the wide area, which sometimes when he plays that second striker and he drops in, it gives the centre-halves a problem where they step in with him - and that leaves channel runs for Bowie. So they lost out on that bit of it tonight.
“I've seen Hibs, I think, three times this season, and every game I feel you could do more going forward, especially with the personnel they've got there. They just didn't look as if they were confident tonight to create the right opportunity.”
Offering his take on Youan, Dodds said: “There's all that (talent), and there's pace, but Scott said it during commentary, he probably doesn't know what he's going to do next, and neither does his teammates. I bet you David Gray sold it to him tonight at the start of the game: ‘Look at the stage, you want a move or whatever, you want to play in a bigger or a higher level, go and win the game tonight for us, go and grab it.’
“But I'm not just blaming Elie Youan. It was an opportunity, there was space out there, and for a player who has ability. You'd think he would capitalise on that and go and grab it, and maybe score a couple of goals, but he was miles off it tonight.”