Michael Weir: Why Hibs fans haven't yet seen the best of Martin Boyle this season

Flying winger is still getting up to speed, writes Michael Weir

Martin Boyle hasn't quite managed to replicate his form of the first match - but he will come bouncing back, says Michael Weir

After the lengthy lay-off from the coronavirus pandemic, there will have been a lot of players whose enthusiasm to get back to playing will have carried them through the first couple of games, then they've hit a lull, but they'll come back stronger for it.

Martin Boyle got off to a brilliant start against Kilmarnock and has faded a bit since, but it's not easy for the players. I don't blame them at all.

The circumstances they’ve been through mean a lot of the players aren't quite there yet and I would never criticise a footballer after that sort of lay-off.

For some players it will take them eight, nine, ten games for them to be fully up to speed.

I've spoken a lot about wide players and I've always said that creative players are so important in teams. They've got to be at their best to create chances for their team-mates.

Watching the games so far this season, I just think a lot of players just aren't quite there yet in terms of full match fitness. I fully believe that, in another month or two, we'll start seeing the best of these players. I think we'll see a big difference in terms of fitness.

The season always starts around Christmas time and that's when we start to get a real feel for things.

A lot of the players aren't quite there yet and it'll be four or five weeks at least before they start to look back to their best.

It could be that Boyle's contract situation is weighing on his mind - that can happen to any football player - but I don't see it that way, I think the lad's giving all he's got at the moment but everything is a bonus right now. Players are just getting through the games and no more.

On Sunday I can't remember one midfield player getting into the box and getting on the end of a cross and that tells me a lot.

I just thought Hibs sat so deep, especially in the second half when they invited St Johnstone to attack.

That can happen in my experience; when you're tired and not feeling quite right, you just go deeper and deeper.

But I'm delighted Hibs got all three points and hopefully the performances pick up soon as well.

Aberdeen will be the biggest challenge for Hibs so far this season. I think this will be the one that tells us how far the team have come.

I think Hibs are capable of giving the Dons a good game - Derek McInnes’ side are proven in the league, they know how to win games, and they've got the experience of winning games like Sunday’s meeting.

They struggled at the start but got a result against Livingston, and then St Johnstone, so they look stronger than they did.

The game will be a good gauge for Hibs' chances of breaking into the top four, and it will be interesting to see the reaction to last Sunday.

The players had a bad performance against Motherwell and didn't play particularly well against St Johnstone but still got the result.

That's what confidence brings to a football club, and to the players, and sooner rather than later I think we'll see most, if not all of the players looking back to their best.