Hibs final word: Plenty to be positive about despite flat stalemate

Goalless draw was far from a disaster, writes Patrick McPartlin

Paul McGinn foils Motherwell striker Tony Watt. The Hibs defence is yet to concede a goal from open play

Has a team ever reclaimed the number one league position with as little fanfare as Hibs managed on Saturday night?

After the goalless draw against a well-organised Motherwell side, the casual observer could be forgiven for assuming the Easter Road side hadn't continued their unbeaten run, leapfrogged Rangers into top spot, and collected another clean sheet with the defence still to concede from open play.

Stephen Robinson wanted a reaction from his Motherwell players after they twice surrendered the lead against Livingston in midweek, and he got one.

They won the midfield battle but Hibs can take the defensive plaudits.

While head coach Jack Ross was more than happy with ten points from twelve in the opening four games, he suggested in his post-match comments that a draw against Kilmarnock on the opening day of the 2020/21 season followed by three straight wins over Livingston, Dundee United, and Motherwell would have prompted a flurry of positivity.

He has a point.

After four games last season, Hibs had won just once - a narrow 1-0 win against St Mirren on the opening day of the season - and shipped 11 goals in three matches.

It's also worth remembering that Kilmarnock, Livingston, and Motherwell all defeated Hibs last season while the team needed two attempts to eliminate Dundee United from the Scottish Cup earlier this year.

Against Motherwell, it could have been very different. Jordan White’s first-half goal may have stood. Similarly, if Martin Boyle’s effort had gone in, or Christian Doidge had found the net with a header shortly before half-time, Hibs could have marched on to a fourth consecutive win.

Despite the draw, there are many positives to be taken from Hibs' start to the season and while Saturday's return to the summit of the Scottish Premiership may have been fleeting, that the team is performing so consistently this early on is testament to the work being carried out by the coaching staff and the players.

The Capital club's defence; so often criticised last term, has looked strong and resolute against tricky opponents.

Josh Doig, Paul Hanlon, Paul McGinn, and Ryan Porteous have all started in front of Ofir Marciano in the first four matches.

This time last season Hibs had used four different defensive combinations for each match and eight different players in the backline.

Consistency is key. Jack Ross has the players at his disposal to make changes during matches, or shuffle formations in a bid to protect a lead or chase a goal, but having a core number of players who can start every match when fit will only bring benefits in the long term.

It will also bring out the best in those squad members who are coming off the bench but not earning starting roles. It will inspire them to work harder to try and dislodge the player in front of them.

It will make them hungry, determined, and in turn will put pressure on the starting XI.

There is work to be done, however. Too many players underperformed on Saturday, although a flat performance that maintained an unbeaten run, produced a second consecutive clean sheet, and took Hibs top of the table is no doubt preferable to a good performance resulting in a defeat. As Ross has said previously, this is a results business.

There were few clear-cut chances for either side and just two shots on target for Hibs at home over the 90 minutes speaks for itself.

But even the best teams suffer blips. Look at Liverpool against Watford last season or Celtic’s 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock earlier this term.

There will be hiccoughs for Hibs this season, and it would be short-sighted to claim otherwise.

The biggest test for Jack Ross is how he tweaks his set-up to produce better performances, and how the team as a whole reacts to these bumps in the road.

Hibs now have a chance against St Johnstone next week to continue their unbeaten start to the season and potentially return to winning ways.

McDiarmid Park is not the easiest away ground to visit, and the Saints will be on a high after their last-minute winner against Kilmarnock this weekend.

A point would be a decent result, but the overriding feeling is that this Hibs team want to achieve more this season.

European qualification has to be the baseline for the club. The players know it, and the management knows it.

A win against St Johnstone would be a statement of intent and on the evidence so far this season, there's every chance that Hibs will leave Perth with the three points.