Hibs can't affect hype around pundits' pets Motherwell - but can put Steelmen to test in Easter Road sell-out
Home win would put David Gray’s men above much-admired visitors in Scottish Premiership
Motherwell’s status as pundits’ pets is, as David Gray would put it, not something Hibs can control. Beyond taking the obvious action, there’s nothing Gray can do about the chatter surrounding either his team or the rivals they face in a fascinating head-to-head this afternoon.
As Easter Road prepares to welcome the silky Steelmen for a sold-out clash with the potential to be a classic, then, are the home team capable of bagging the win that would elevate them above Jens Berthel Askou’s team – in the league table, if not in the adoring eyes of so many love-struck observers – at a mighty stroke? More importantly, do Hibs believe they leapfrog the visitors to claim fourth place in the Scottish Premiership, while maintaining touch with the teams a place or two further up the ladder?
“What gets said, you can't really control and can’t affect that,” said Gray, when asked what it would say about his team’s season if they were to bag a fourth straight league win to overtake Motherwell today, the Hibs boss adding: “You have to internally believe in what you're doing and you can put things right and moving in the right direction.
Hibs have won three straight Scottish Premiership games
“And we've spoke a lot this season about maybe not having the points that we maybe should have at times, or I feel maybe our performances haven't always got results. But we're in a very good position at this moment in time and that's came off the back of a really important period, when you think of the last three games, four games actually, and the Dundee United game as well, that has given us an opportunity now to try and kick on.
“You see how tight the league is, I don't expect that to change any time soon. The strength and depth of the league, the competition and how tight it is.
“The opportunity we've now got against a team that, yes, Motherwell have done really well, their form's good, not lost many games this season, only three games all season, which tells you they're a hard team to beat. So we know the challenge, we know what we're facing.
“But we've also demonstrated ourselves that if we can put it together, we're in a good position. And I believe there's a lot more to come for the group. And if we keep believing in that and keep concentrating on what we're doing and keep improving all the time, it'll give us the best chance to be successful.”
Derby victory a ‘classic example’ of changed fortunes
Gray spoke in the wake of last month’s 3-2 home triumph over Hearts, a far more comfortable victory than the final score suggests, about his side finally getting a “statement win” to go with some of the big results they’d bagged over the second half of last season. Would a win over Motherwell, given everything being said about them, fall into that category?
“I think every game is a statement win,” said Gray. “I know I spoke about it not that long ago, just purely because of some of the performances we've had without winning, why we needed that.
“I think the derby was a classic example of that. But because Hearts were top of the league and we hadn't won a so-called, what you'd classify as a big game. They're all big games now and I think that's why every game can a statement win now.
“If you'd offered me the position we're in right now with an opportunity to play the team above us knowing we can go above them, a sell-out at Easter Road, going into it in the form we are, I'd be going into the game with confidence, which is great. But we know what we're up against; it'll be a difficult game.”
Insisting that his team must have the confidence to impose themselves on Motherwell, something they singularly failed to do even before going down to 10 men in November’s 2-0 loss at Fir Park, Gray said: “Definitely, definitely. I think that's something that I use the word belief a lot, especially when you're going along the M8 and playing Rangers and Celtic away from home.
“The mentality in the group here I think is very good and a big reason why I believe we've been successful. Because of the togetherness and that collectiveness in the dressing room.
“We've had good results recently when the squad's been tested, using a lot of your squad and rotating quite a bit through injuries and international players being away, so I think we are going in the right direction. It's a brilliant place to be.
“Definitely we've demonstrated in the last few weeks that we've put a run together and how positive that can change. We need to make sure we keep moving forward and keep chasing that team in front of us. As I say, tomorrow is a brilliant chance for us.
“We're well aware of the dangers Motherwell possess. You need to make sure the players are aware of the challenge that they’re going to face and try and get a structure with them without the ball that gives you the best chance.
“But I think the biggest thing, and I'm reminding the players again today, I think it's about how we approach the game, Making sure that you are aggressive, you are on the front foot. If we can do that and implement the way we play, we're a match for anybody.”