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It almost feels as if the entire season is hanging by a thread. Or to be more accurate, the frayed hamstring of a 34-year-old striker desperately eager to make an impact.
That Hibs are in a must-win situation ahead of Saturday’s visit of St Mirren is obvious; when you’re at the bottom of the table, the fixture list is packed full of opportunities that must be seized with alacrity. That they’re struggling to score goals is also fairly clear to anyone who can read basic data.
Currently scoring less than once per game, David Gray’s men also have the second lowest xG (expected goals) return of any team in Scotland’s top division. But they are creating more chances. Which is a real positive.
All they need, then, is an experienced, clever, proven striker to tuck those chances away. Simple, right?
With Kieron Bowie on the long-term injury list and Mykola Kuharevich suspended following his red card in Sunday’s late mugging by Dundee United at Easter Road, all eyes naturally turn to Dwight Gayle. The only fully-fledged senior centre forward available to face Saints.
Gray is hopeful that former Newcastle and Crystal Palace goal scorer Gayle will return from the hamstring strain that caused him to miss the 0-0 draw with Ross County in Dingwall and last weekend’s 1-1 draw with United. The fact that the veteran has been back in full training bodes well.
But the gaffer also said he’d put the team through a number of different scenarios in training, in preparation for the possibility of Gayle not making the starting line-up. Let’s took a look, then, at some of the options … from the obvious and logical to the unlikely but intriguing.
5. Josh Campbell
Maybe not as a starter, given his limited game time of late. Although he did play for the Development Squad – including filling in at right back for a stint – earlier this week. Assuming Gayle is fit but doesn’t last 90 minutes, though, would there be some merit in throwing Hibernian’s own multi-use all-rounder into the mix? Technically an attacking midfielder these days, Campbell’s athleticism and energy should make him an emergency option on the bench, at least. | SNS Group
6. Junior Hoilett
OK, so this one is way out of left field. In terms of the starting XI, and allowing for Gray possibly tinkering with the formation, Hoilett is likely to be either on the left wing or in the No. 10 position. Depending on how the game goes, however, Gray may look to change things by playing two up front at some stage. Experienced Canadian attacker Hoilett might be an option for one of those forward roles, in an emergency, | SNS Group