The Hibs selection choice that 'backfired spectacularly' as lack of quality exposed - talking points
Tackety boots, ‘Kick Me’ signs and the danger of making big promises
Good news, Hibs fans. If it really is the hope that kills you, the average life expectancy of Easter Road regulars should currently be enjoying a significant statistical spike.
Bleak? That doesn’t begin to describe the mood among supporters who know, deep in their bones, that this team can have few complaints about being demoted to the foot of the Scottish Premiership table after nine games.
With half an eye on next weekend’s visit of Celtic, the most optimistic of punters will fall back on the old footballing adage about a clash with the reigning champions being the ideal opportunity for a stirring recovery. Some may also tell you that St Mirren away on Wednesday week is an eminently winnable fixture.
And the derby at Hampden on November 1? Already a factor contributing to fan frustration before today’s infuriating 2-1 home loss to lowly (hey, who are YOU calling lowly?) Falkirk, it now looms on the horizon like some menacing ogre clad in deep maroon.
What did we learn from Marink Reedijk’s second game at the helm, his home debut? Let’s take a look at the main talking points:
Silk purse, sow’s ear – you figure out the rest
Reedijk will attract plenty of flak over everything from his formation to a selection process that resulted in Azeem Abdulai finding his way into the Hibs starting XI for the first time. A bold decision that simply had to pay off with a 7/10 performance from the midfielder in an impressive home win, it backfired spectacularly.
Abdulai’s role in the opening Falkirk goal handed disgruntled Hibs fans a big old tackety boot – and slapped a ‘Kick Me’ sign on the manager’s back.
Put bluntly, nothing we’ve seen from the former Scotland Under-21 international suggests that he has the ability to play at the top end of the Scottish Premiership. And he wasn’t actually the worst player in green-and-white today.
Hibs may talk about their ambition to compete regularly in Europe and contend for silverware. They’ve spent a few quid along the way, too, outbidding a few decent-sized domestic rivals to land key signings.
But there is hardly a player on the books who isn’t struggling at the minute. Old heads and new boys alike, there just seems to be a dearth of genuine quality, composure and efficiency. From goalkeeper through to centre forward, under two different managers now, Hibs would appear to lack basic ability. Fix that, if you can, gaffer.
The man with the plan
The Scottish Premiership is not the place to faff around and find out. It’s a hard, intense, ultra-competitive environment where every single team has something about them – and nothing is given away for free. Well, unless you put a bit of pressure on Hibs …
There’s nothing ostensibly wrong with how Reedijk wants his team to play. The worst thing he could do would be to change tack after just two games.
Despite enjoying 70 per cent possession, however, there were few genuinely thrilling passages of play from the home side today. The odd sweeping attack, yes. But not a lot of reason for fans to get carried away.
Reedijk, naturally, is sticking to his guns, insisting: "I'm just here for three weeks, so for me, it's one of the things where we have to be careful in terms of what kind of conclusions I can get out of this. I think they are more than capable of what we are doing. Otherwise, we don't do it in this way.
“And then it's just recognising certain moments, having the confidence to sometimes take a risk higher up the pitch, but then avoiding the risk and make sure our technical execution is done well in other parts of the game. So it's not for me something where I think we can't do it or something like this.
"I think if we do it like this, like we played today, and avoid these mistakes and make more of our chances, because I heard we had 20 shots, of which there are seven on goal, then there will be more shots on goal eventually. And also, eventually, there will be no goals against.
“So that gives us at least something that we are creating. And if we then don't make the individual mistakes, then we also don't concede a lot."
Hibs had 17 shots, according to FotMob, with three on target. Falkirk hit the target five times from their 10 efforts on goal. On almost every available metric, the home side dominated.
But 70 per cent possession doesn’t really count when the opposition don’t want the ball. And it’ll take more than a few positive stats to win hearts and minds heading into a potentially season-defining week of football.
Fans entitled to be furious
The mood of the Hibs support can hardly be described as ebullient. A matter of weeks on from coming oh so close to qualifying for the UEFA Conference League proper, something needs to happen – something big, something quick – to dispel the despair and lift spirits.
Even at 1-0 down today, home fans were beginning to get more than antsy. Players were booed for playing a backwards pass. Booed for playing forward to quickly. Booed for taking the safe option. Booed for not taking a chance.
It’s not all about the game, of course. The mood is dark because fans were sold a dream of consistent high achievement, with executive chairman Ian Gordon – speaking on the day of Reedijk’s appointment – declaring: “He shares our ambition to develop players and consistently compete at the top end of Scottish football and in Europe.”
Impatience is the prerogative of every supporter who ever paid their money to watch 22 men batter a leather ball around in pursuit of goals and points. In this instance, you can’t blame Hibs fans for feeling short of patience – and short-changed by the team they still love, despite everything.