Exclusive:Lowe and Klidje Hibs strike pairing a 'definite opportunity' amid 'world of good' goal confidence promise

As Hibs seek a solution to their goal-scoring troubles, David Gray isn’t about to start dismissing options out of hand. In the current circumstances, he cannot afford to reject any potential combination that might unlock his team’s attacking potential.

That includes, most definitely, the possibility of playing Thibault Klidje alongisde Nathan Lowe in a traditional little-and-large pairing. If the circumstances allow and the stars align.

No. 9 bagged first Scottish Premiership goal in loss to St Johnstone

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Gray, open and frank about the need for his team to start putting chances away, is adamant that Lowe will score “a lot of goals” off the back of breaking his Scottish Premiership duck in Sunday’s loss to St Johnstone in Perth. The Hibs boss is also keeping faith – publicly, at least - with club record signing Klidje, despite the £1.5 million striker spending the second half of last season out on loan.

With Owen Elding still out, Martin Boyle hooked at half-time on Sunday and Ante Suto yet to prove himself as a starting striker, it doesn’t feel as if Hibs have loads of alternatives. Even though a lot does depend on starting formation – itself influenced by everything from opposition tactics to availability of key men in other positions.

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On-loan Stoke striker Lowe, who has also scored against Kosovan UEFA Conference League rivals Malisheva, took his goal against St Johnstone with something approaching aplomb, the target man dribbling from inside his own half and finishing into the bottom corner. Having missed a number of more-than-decent chances in big games since opening his account way back in July, he was obviously relieved to hit the net.

“The one thing I would say about Nathan is he's creating a lot,” said Gray, who has stuck with the 20-year-old as his first-choice line leader, the gaffer adding: “We're getting a lot of chances because of him.

“It's not as if he's not getting the chances. And he took it really well on Sunday. He did, and that’s a hard one. Especially when you could be a wee bit low on confidence potentially, having missed a couple of chances.

“The tell-tale sign for a striker is: ‘Will you constantly and consistently put yourself in that position?’ So does he start shying away from making a run across the front post, not making the run, being safe and going behind the defender rather than putting yourself out there?

“And I'm certainly not seeing that from him. I'm certainly not seeing it in training, in terms of the additional work he does to sharpen up in terms of finishing. Because he is a confident striker.

“I do believe there's goals to come. A lot of goals to come. Just because of the chances he's getting.

“And the one at the weekend will do him the world of good, because he had a lot of time to think about that one, when you're running in from the half-way line. And maybe confidence being a wee bit lower, I think, it’s very easy for you miss that when you're running through, because you've got a lot of time to think.

“Naturally, for it to turn for a striker, it can be just instinctive stuff that goes in, not one of those finishes. So it's great for him to go and get a goal, because he's needed it for his own personal levels of confidence.

“Specifically because of the type of goal it was as well. It'd be easy to miss that, when you're running that distance, and having a lot of time to think about it. So he'll certainly benefit from that.”

Club record signing lacks goal production

Klidje is a different case altogether. A much-heralded signing last summer, he was allowed to join Danish club Randers on loan halfway through his first season.

There have been questions about his physicality, an essential in the SPFL. And very clear concerns over his lack of production in front of goal.

Yet, whenever Hibs are struggling to put the ball in the net, many supporters inevitably rally around the Klidje cause. And ask why he isn’t being given more of a chance by Gray.

The manager, who gave the Togo international a start in last month’s win over Rangers at Ibrox, has gone to Klidje with more frequency this season – including bringing him on for half an hour against St Johnstone. The fact that he was still a Hibs player after Deadline Day also suggested a certain degree of willingness to persevere with a fast, technical forward who has scored a total of four goals in all competitions for his club.

“Yeah, I think he's a different type of striker, as you would see,” said Gray, when asked about Klidje. “Probably more lends himself to running in behind at times. And he is another one whose movement is really good in the box.

“So a different type, one of the options we’ve got. So there is competition for places up there.

“You've got Nathan, you've got Thibault. Ante can do it, Boyle can do it, and obviously we're missing Owen Elding at the minute, who is another one that can play up there.

“And it's probably just finding the balance. What I would say is Nathan plays the centre-forward role slightly different to Thibault. So if you're playing a certain way to try and link the play, going central or playing down the side, it depends which player’s style lends itself to how we want to play.”

Gray, pressed on whether we might see Klidje and Lowe pair together in the sort of strike partnership beloved by footballing traditionalists, said: “It's a different option, but I think so. I think I've demonstrated that in the past, the way we've played.

“I think we've played with two up front quite a bit, whether it's one and two behind, or the two up front and one in behind. I've done that a lot.

“A lot of it is to do with who we have available, as well. And that can be simple things, like we’ve not had Nicky Cadden in recent weeks.

“But if you think back to successful periods when Nicky's played, the crosses coming in. Nicky puts crosses in from everywhere, so having the two strikers on the box can definitely help with that.

“And just depending on who you're playing against. Is it a case of, do you want to run in behind? Do you think there is vulnerability down the side?

“If they're playing a really low block, then there's maybe less space in behind, so you're maybe looking to play more creative players in pocket. It is a real balance in trying to come up with what you believe the game plan to try and win games of football. I think that's the key to it.

“In terms of, do I think you could play Nathan and Thibault together? They can; of course they can.

“I think naturally what that would give you is one probably looking to hold up and one looking to go in behind. So there's a definite opportunity to do that, just depending on certain games and availability.”

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