Hibs v Livingston: 'Decision to make' over injured defender as boss Gray seeks 'freshness' after Rangers loss
One eye already on January transfer window, says Easter Road gaffer
David Gray admits he has a “decision” to make over one of his most reliable defenders ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Livingston. And the Hibs boss says he wants to add “a bit of freshness” for his team’s third game in a week.
The Easter Road side lost 1-0 at home to Rangers on Wednesday night, suffering their first league defeat on home soil in almost a full calendar year – and disrupting the momentum built with back-to-back wins over Livi at home and Aberdeen away. Irish centre-half Warren O’Hora picked up a shoulder injury at Pittodrie and missed the midweek loss, with Rocky Bushiri stepping in on the right side of the back three AND taking on the captain’s armband for the night.
O’Hora trained today
Gray, providing an injury update today, said: "A few bumps and bruises, as you'd imagine, from the game. More contact injuries than anything else, just the type of game it was, so nothing major off the back of it.
"We'll just see how everybody comes through. Everybody trained today.
"Warren O'Hora trained again today; there's still a decision to be made on him with how he is. And then the three who still aren't quite right are Rudi Molotnikov, Joe Newell and Alasana Manneh. But everybody else has trained this morning and came through it."
Pressed on whether he’d be inclined to change his team around, Gray said: “You're always looking at the balance – three games in six days, what that looks like. A bit of freshness at times.
"And obviously managing the group and managing how players are feeling. But ultimately the whole thing is about getting a reaction and making sure we bounce back from a poor result on Wednesday night and try to finish the week with three points."
Recruitment work ‘never stops’ for Hibs
Gray revealed, meanwhile, that Hibs are already looking at the January transfer window for potential recruits. And preparing themselves for bids on their own prized assets.
"The way we work is always the same,” he said, adding: “It'll start to be spoken about now that the window's getting closer, it's always the same.
"But the work never stops. The recruitment department are always working hard, you're always looking at the squad, you're always looking at everyone's situation – what are players looking like at the end of the season? Are they under contract, not under contract?
"You always need to be looking at the squad and making sure, and the support has always been there and I'm sure will be there. If we feel something's there that can make us better, that moves us forward and makes the squad better, then the club are certainly being supportive on that."
Asked if he might go back for players who slipped out of the club’s grasp during a busy summer, Gray said: “There's always a list of targets, there are always situations that you're looking at. The big thing I always talk about is being proactive at looking at your own group as well.
“We need to be mindful of the fact that we've got a lot of good players here as well, who have all got ambitions to play the highest possible level. That is the challenge of the recruitment department and the football club, to make sure that we've got targets, we've got players identified who can maybe come in if we need it, but at the same time, appreciating what we've actually got in the building as well."
Hibs still find themselves sitting fourth in the Scottish Premiership despite their midweek reversal, Gray pointing out: “It's not as if we're sitting in a bad position. I'll keep reminding the players of this as well.
"We missed two big chances the other night. If we take one of them, it's a very different game going into the last ten minutes and the momentum's with us.
"That looks very different. I don't think we'd lose the game, that's for sure.
"Then, it's a completely different challenge this weekend, but if we're going to win the game, we can't affect anything that's happened previously. But it puts us in a really good position."