Exclusive:Revealed: Hibs league stat that fills gaffer Gray with optimism as boss makes St Mirren 'bogey team' claim
Four defeats in 33 Scottish Premiership games, sitting third in table ... but boss still ‘frustrated’ by team
“I don't believe in bogey teams,” says David Gray, grinning as he adds: “But I can understand why you'd ask the question!”
The Hibs boss isn’t as baffled as some by his team’s inability to nick even a fortunate win against St Mirren, the only side to prevent Gray’s men from completing a Scottish Premiership clean sweep of victories last season. In a competition with such fine margins, the Easter Road gaffer points out, there are no guarantees.
After 11 rounds of Scottish Premiership fixtures, Hibs having faced everyone bar Motherwell in a slightly improvised SPFL calendar, the Edinburgh side will head to Paisley this weekend eager to break a long winless run against the Buddies. They haven’t beaten St Mirren since September of 2023. And last picked up an away win over Saints in February of that year.
Hibs on wrong side of ‘fine margins’
With his team sitting third in the table, Gray is bullish about their ‘difficult’ start to the season, pointing out that Hibs have lost just four of their last 33 games in the Scottish Premiership. View through that prism, they’re hardly struggling for form, last weekend’s dropped points at Livingston notwithstanding.
Yet he admits to being “frustrated” by what he’s seen. Because he knows there is more to come.
Hibs put together 17-game unbeaten run last season
Not quite a repeat of last season’s 17-game unbeaten run in the league, a record-breaking achievement that may not be repeated for a lifetime or more. But he sees no reason why this Hibs side can’t put together an impressive series of positive results over the coming months.
“I think there has to be a belief that that can happen,” said Gray. “And stats can always be used any way you like.
“I don't know exactly what it is now. Is it four defeats in 33 league games?
“So these players are capable, they're not used to losing games of football, that's for sure, which is a real good place to be. We just have to keep looking at ourselves.
“That's probably my frustration, though, the fact that we’re missing out by very fine margins at the moment. Apart from 45 minutes against Livingston, when I thought we were below the standard we've set, which can happen in football.
“There's no right to just turn up and beat everybody, you can't be at your best all the time. It's not through not trying; it just doesn't quite click for you on the day.
“We know there's more to come for the group, which gives you belief. I know the group are in a good place.
“We just really need to get over the line and make sure we start to pick up more points and make the most of the opportunities we're getting. And I think if we can do that in the next 11 fixtures, let's just say, I think we'll be in a good place.”
Gray admits that the half dozen draws next to Hibernian’s place in the table is making a major difference to the mood music around the club, pointing out: “Our season at the minute has very fine margins from looking very different. That said, it's still not looking too bad.
Sitting third after 11 games ‘not a bad return’ - David Gray
“We’re sitting third in the league after a full round of fixtures, albeit we've not played Motherwell. But that's 11 games now, so you're looking at it and saying: ‘That's the first round of fixtures, we need to really try and push on from here.’
“But if the season started tomorrow, and they said: ‘After 11 fixtures, you'll be sitting third in the league …’ it's not a bad return. Especially when you know there’s more to come, which is probably the pleasing thing – but also the hugely frustrating element of it, as well.”
Hibs, who lost two and drew two against Stephen Robinson’s men last season, also drew 1-1 with St Mirren in controversial circumstances at Easter Road back in September. The Scottish FA’s Key Match Incident panel later admitted that the home side should have been awarded a penalty for a handball by Jayden Richardson.
Gray, asked why his team seemed to have such struggles against the Saints, said: “I think when you look at all the games, they're always tight. They're very well organised, very athletic, very good without the ball as well. And they do carry that threat with their physicality at the top end of the pitch.
“So they're always a threat on transitions as well. They've got a real good blend in that group, which makes them really hard to beat, which we've experienced before.
“The last game, obviously we lost a goal from a set-piece, which was something that gave them an opportunity within the game. But they're always difficult games.”