Pundit makes 'fuming' Hibs claim after watching St Johnstone defeat as fan mood brings uncertain verdict
Hibs suffered a day to forget in Perth against St Johnstone.
Former Scotland defender Charlie Mulgrew believes Hibs are currently ‘scratching for something’ after a bruising week that included two Premiership disappointments.
A 3-1 Edinburgh derby defeat at home to Hearts was followed up by a 2-1 loss versus newly-promoted St Johnstone away from home. Mulgrew covered both matches for Premier Sports, with head coach Gray’s post-match verdict from Perth dissected. He reckons defender Jason Kerr has drawn the manager’s ire after Josh Fowler got away from him for the Saints opener but playing style was scrutinised in particular by Mulgrew.
He was left unsure of what Hibs were trying to achieve and feels fans are currently unhappy over what they are seeing on the pitch. Former Celtic and Scotland star Mulgrew explained: “He's fuming. I think he's fuming. He said that my defenders are guessing in the box.
Charlie Mulgrew on Hibs under David Gray
“That's referring to Jason Kerr, who's tried to go for the cutback, and it gets put across in front of him. Bad defending and he's fuming with that. He's annoyed. He's disappointed with his team.
“The Hibs fans, you can feel something from them, even when they're doing well at times last year. There's something for the Hibs fans that they're not happy with, something with the style of play, or something. I think when I watch Hibs, I don't know how they're trying to score goals. I don't know what they're trying to do.
“It’s the first time I've seen St Johnstone this season and I can clearly see what they're doing. Hibs seem to me... that's two games at half-time they've made two changes, or a couple of changes, the other night. They make a change at half-time. They're scratching for something. It's not like they're going, ‘this is our style, this is what we're doing, and we just hammer home with that.’ We might not do it right the first half, but this is how we can solve it.
“They completely changed the midfield the other night. They put two ball winners in there, and more legs in there, and they take the footballers off. Jacob Devaney plays, Miguel Chaiwa plays, Devaney then comes off. I don't know what Hibs are trying to do. I don't see how they're trying to score goals. They had a couple of chances but it's almost like they're scratching for something.
Hibs verdict after latest loss
“I don't see exactly what Hibs are trying to do. I see Hibs playing short from the back, a couple of times across the back, and then launching it forward to a striker that's got no physical presence, with no bodies around them, where everybody's spread out. They don't play through any lines. I just don't see them doing it. They've picked up results at times, but that'll only be in fits and starts, peaks and troughs.”
Ex-Scotland and Rangers man Alan Hutton said after listening to Gray’s post-match verdict: “I think he'd have been holding it in. I think he'd be angry, in my opinion. He's off the back at the derby game. Yes, there were moments where they played well, but ultimately they got beat. He keeps speaking about reaction. He shouldn't have to get them up for this game. They should have went out there, with everything, to show the fans that they're all in, and that didn’t happen.”
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