What Harry McKirdy injury setback means for a Hibs team and player starting to find their rhythm

It’s hard not to feel sorry for Harry McKirdy. The striker hasn’t had the most straightforward start to his time at Hibs – niggly injuries, substitute appearances and the occasional start, but no goals or assists as yet.

There was also a bit of a social media uproar which resulted in the 25-year-old being ‘reminded of his responsibilities’ but in recent weeks he has looked sharper, more involved, and more threatening, so the news that he has been ruled out for up to six weeks with an ankle ligament injury is a blow for both player and club.

Lee Johnson has been particularly positive about the former Swindon Town forward, praising his efforts in training and adapting to life at a Scottish top-flight side. With Martin Boyle and Mykola Kukharevych both sidelined, albeit with the latter working his way back from a medial ligament injury, Hibs are looking a little light in attack. With everyone fit – not something Johnson has experienced so far – there are plenty of options in the forward line. That’s not the case at the moment and with Hibs having gone five games without defeat the onus is on those who are fit to keep the run going.

Keeping the run going

Hibs forward Harry McKirdy is facing an extended spell on the sidelines

In terms of consecutive results, this is Hibs’ best period of the campaign to date. There were the four wins on the spin between mid-September and mid-October but they were preceded by two draws and a defeat and followed by three straight losses.

Despite a rocky start to the calendar year Hibs have found something resembling form. Had VAR intervened in Dingwall, they may even have finished last week with nine points from nine but even so, seven points including all three from the SMiSA Stadium where St Mirren have been unbeaten in the league since July 31, was a good return.

At previous clubs, Johnson was hampered by the nickname ‘Streaky Lee’, something he admitted bugged him. Hibs’ remaining eight games before the cinch Premiership split see them take on Celtic, Hearts, and Rangers but there are also winnable matches against Kilmarnock and Motherwell at home.

With fourth place still achievable, Hibs will need to maintain their unbeaten form while Johnson will hope to shift his unwanted sobriquet by presiding over more positive results than negative ones.

Hibs consigned St Mirren to a first defeat at home in six months and will hope to keep their own unbeaten run going

Kilmarnock visit Easter Road on February 18 before a trip to face Livingston in West Lothian. The clash at the Tony Macaroni Arena will effectively be the acid test of whether or not the club is making progress on the pitch.

It’s the Hoppe that bolsters you…?

The arrival of Matthew Hoppe on transfer deadline day has added a new dimension to the Hibs attack. The American internationalist may have the physique of a target man but he is more than just a battering ram, as evidenced by his three different positions in the 1-0 victory over St Mirren.

He may find himself getting more gametime earlier than he may have envisaged given McKirdy’s setback but with Hoppe keen to impress both his parent club Middlesbrough and the USMNT selectors, he will be looking to make an impression whenever he is on the pitch – and that will certainly benefit Hibs.

"I just have to improve some minor things in my game and then I’ll be flying,” he told the Evening News after contributing to the three points in Paisley. His versatility will be a boon and allow him to fulfil a role up top or on either flank.

Youngsters stepping up

Ethan Laidlaw and Josh O’Connor have both been involved with the first team in recent weeks and the under-19 duo started Tuesday night’s UEFA Youth League play-off defeat by Borussia Dortmund at Easter Road. Neither scored but Laidlaw possibly caught the eye a little more for his hard running on the right flank and his chance early in the second half that started with him clearing a corner from his own box before running the length of the pitch and hammering an effort narrowly wide. Both are likely to be in and around the squad for the foreseeable but Laidlaw’s ability to operate out wide as well as centrally may see him finally make his senior debut. Much depends on the youngsters’ contract situation as well but the club has indicated that with the Dortmund game out of the way, there could well be progress on that front.

What next for McKirdy?

Hampered by niggly injuries at the start of his Hibs career and now sidelined by a more long-term issue, McKirdy hasn’t really been able to get going for his new club since signing from Swindon on the final day of the summer transfer window. If he can come back and build up his minutes, followed by a full pre-season, he should be ready to hit the ground running come the start of the new season. By then he will ideally feel at home in Scotland and have fully adapted to the Scottish game.

It is to the player’s credit that he has knuckled down and sheer bad luck that just when he seemed to be coming onto a game, suffered a setback, but 2023/24 could be a big year for him. Hibs have to make a decision on whether or not to activate the buyout clause in Élie Youan’s contract, while Johnson has also hinted at exploring ways of keeping Kukharevych at Easter Road beyond the end of his current loan spell. Hoppe will return to Middlesbrough in the summer and Nisbet’s future remains uncertain after a projected move to Millwall collapsed towards the end of the January window.

McKirdy has a point to prove and most likely, a fairly significant section of the Hibs support to convince. But he is also the sort of player to thrive on that sort of challenge and that could well benefit Hibs towards the end of this term, and into next season.