'Can't even remember his name' - Pundits weigh in on Hibs striker debate ahead of Edinburgh Derby
Hibs attacking options have been assessed ahead of Saturday’s visit to Edinburgh rivals Hearts.
Hibs are still ‘a couple of players’ short in attacking areas as they prepare to visit Edinburgh rivals Hearts in the first derby of the new Premiership season.
That was the verdict of former Rangers and Scotland striker Kris Boyd as he assessed the forward options available to Hibs boss David Gray ahead of the short trip to Tynecastle. As it stands, Hibs are sitting in sixth place in the Premiership table after winning one and drawing five of their league games during the opening weeks of the season and there is a feeling they are yet to really kickstart their season.
Despite the club record signing of Luzern forward Thibault Kildje, Gray has retained faith with the likes of Kieron Bowie and Martin Boyle in forward areas - and Boyd expressed his disappointment over the lack of an impact made by one of the latest additions to Boyle’s squad.
He told The Warm-Up podcast: “I can’t remember the boy’s name off the top of my head but the boy they spent a £1 million on, the one in the summer, he’s not come in and done it either. Boyle has changed his game, he’s a winger and everyone thought that’s what he’s going to be. He’s a pest through the middle, he’s caused teams problems, but I don’t see him as an out-and-out striker. I’m not comparing him to Maeda but it’s similar. You’re a wide player, you’re asking to go through the middle. He’s non-stop, energetic, running about, getting about, closing people down, a pest-type - but I don’t think he’s been at the level he’s been at previously.”
Rumours
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Adding to their options in attacking areas appeared to be a major focus for Hibs during the summer months and there was strong speculation suggesting Steven Fletcher and Scotland international Lyndon Dykes were both considered as possible targets. The latter of that duo reportedly came close to securing a move to Easter Road but has remained with ambitious English Championship club Birmingham City. Boyd believes the signing of Dykes would have left Hibs ‘in a far better place’ and insisted they remain short in a key area of the pitch.
He said: “I do think they are a couple of players short in certain positions - especially at the top end of the pitch. They tried to get Lyndon Dykes, there were rumours they were trying to get Steven Fletcher back, which would have been an interesting one. The Lyndon Dykes one, if they’d have got that over the line, which we were led to believe was very close, I can’t help but think Hibs would have been in a far better place and I’m taking nothing away from Bowie.”