Hibs 'will be successful in time' says Lee Johnson as he longs for return of injured players

Lee Johnson insists Hibs will be successful ‘over a period of time’ – because his side are working too hard not to be.

The Easter Road boss held his hands up after Tuesday night’s 2-0 defeat by Ross County, sending the Capital club down to sixth in the cinch Premiership table as they lost a fifth game in six, with a trip to Kilmarnock the final match before the break for the 2022 World Cup. 4

Speaking to BBC Scotland after the game Johnson said: “We were nowhere near good enough in the final third. We let them off the hook with poor crosses. We work on that in training and they deliver good balls, but for some reason in games it’s not quite happening. Not enough players were on their game. I didn’t perform well either. We absolutely let the supporters down."

Johnson believes Hibs have played well in parts of recent defeats but hopes the return of key players can reinvigorate his team.

Lee Johnson gives instructions from the touchline during Hibs' 2-0 defeat by Ross County

"We’ve got to get through to the World Cup break and bring players back from injury where possible. Until then we have to be a bit more resolute than we have been; our fragility has come out in the goals we’ve conceded.

"I’d love a clean run at it in terms of a fully-fit squad, but while we were missing some really quality players that’s not an excuse for the performance; we had enough youth on the pitch and enough speed and technique to create a lot more problems than we did.

"Over a period of time we will be successful because we’ve worked too hard not to be.”