Three things we learned from Kilmarnock 3 - 0 Hibs

Here are three Hibs-related observations from today's 3-0 defeat at Rugby Park

Steven Whittaker started just his seventh league fixture this season. Pic: SNS

Is Steven Whittaker still equipped to play at the top level?

The full-back has come in for his fair share of criticism from Hibs supporters since rejoining the club last summer. The 34-year-old hasn’t shown anywhere near what is expected from someone who has played at the very highest level of the game. Whittaker started just his seventh league match of the season at Rugby Park and endured a torrid afternoon against Killie livewire Jordan Jones. The former Scotland international was hooked at half-time by manager Neil Lennon and replaced by Daryl Horgan as the Northern Irishman tried to inject some fresh impetus into his side. There is still a player in there - somewhere - but Whittaker, like many of his team-mates, is low on confidence at this moment in time.

Just four days to wait to try and put things right

With the visit of St Mirren just around the corner, the players don’t have long to dwell on their latest defeat. In truth, everyone connected with Hibs would play the match tomorrow if they could. Following St Mirren’s victory over Hearts last weekend, the Buddies were unable to register back-to-back wins after slumping to a 3-1 defeat at home to Hamilton, so their confidence might have taken a dip, too. They won’t fear Wednesday night’s trip to Easter Road given the Capital side’s current demise but Saints may just be the ideal opposition - under the lights - for Neil Lennon’s men to finally get their season back on track.

A lack of threat in the final third

Jamie Maclaren and Florian Kamberi’s undercooked displays have come under scrutiny these past few weeks and rightly so. The duo are a shadow of the players Hibs fans had become accustomed to during the second half of last season. That said, and perhaps more a cause for concern for the supporters, is the lack of genuine attacking threat of a side that put six past Hamilton just eight weeks ago.

Stevie Mallan has lost his spark, Daryl Horgan is in and out of the side and Martin Boyle has looked withdrawn since his return from international exertions with Australia. Thomas Agyepong can’t stay fit and Emerson Hyndman can’t get himself fit. If you take all these things into consideration then Neil Lennon’s options are fairly limited. Starting with seven defensive-minded outfield players against Kilmarnock tells its own story as to the predicament Lennon currently is in.