Match Updates!: Hibs 1 v 2 Motherwell

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Purple & Green

Purple & Green

Radge McRadge
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Jun 27, 2002
Friday morning, one game out the way, another one coming down right down the line and it's a big one.

Let me start with something, in the corresponding game last season we drew 1-1. I would suggest that if we were to improve our points total this season, then we need to be turning losses in draws and draws into wins. This is exactly the kind of game that may guide us to where we are.

So, opening day at what will be a nigh on full house is versus Motherwell. Like us they were in European action this week, and unlike us they navigated it without any drama. However, I think their opponents were a considerable step down to ours.

Motherwell are in a state of flux after their excellent - for them - league finish last season and their manager has moved on. They've lost the heart of their team from last season with Elijah Just moving to the Championship with Swansea and Elliot Watt moving onto the Turkish super league. The goalie has also moved to the Championship with QPR and sadly Andy Halliday has retired. Did he ever win the Scottish Cup?

Their new manager Alfred Johansson has a point to prove after his recent sacking by Rosenborg. The young swede was bulleted after starting the season with just 1 win in the opening 7 games. That along with a 7th placed finish last season wasn't why Rosenborg appointed him.

He looks to have a job on his hands too, with none of the transfer income filtering through to the recruitment. They have managed to convinced goalkeeper Alex Paulsen to return from Bournemouth but the rest of the signings struggle to inspire.

But what of Hibs.

Well we got the season back on track last night, and a win would get the league season rolling and build momentum ahead of another European tie on Thursday night. Here's how I think we should line up:

Sallinger

O' Hora
Kerr
Obita

Passlack
Mulligan
Campbell
Chaiwa
Mayor

Lowe
Elding

There's some easy picks in there - I think Sallinger, O' Hora, Passlack, Mulligan, Chaiwa are reasonably straightforward

Iredale and Hanley can consider themselves unlucky but I wonder if 4 at the back may suit this game better and get the extra midfielder in. I feel we will see this going forward, but not on Sunday.

In midfield, hopefully Jamie McGrath is fit, because I think we look lesser without him, and Nicky Cadden back wouldn't go amiss either. Abdulai and Newell don't inspire me, so will need to do more to break into the team for me.

Up front, there is a bit of a dilemma wherever you stand on Martin Boyle's importance to the team - it's asking a lot for him to start 3 games in 8 days especially with Ibrox a week on Sunday to follow - this is the game to start differently. If Suto was available then I'd probably opt for him, but as he isn't I think it's Lowe and Elding ahead of Klidge. I don't see we could play Elding-Lowe-Boyle against Motherwell and three at the back - I think we'd just be giving up large sections of the pitch.

So, that's my views, I'm more intrested in hearing yours

Hibernian Forever[/]
 
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6 tickets left in the three home stands. Two blocks in the South Lower are open, 124 tickets left.
 
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I think this is a perfect game for Hibs to see exactly where we are at. Motherwell are a good side and this could lay down a marker or expose things. Its a great game to start with though.
 
Weehibbydrew said:
I don't think we can afford to go two in the middle and three up front against Motherwell. I'd want another man in midfield.
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I was being a bit sarcastic with that post but... I thought Elding dropped behind Lowe and Boyle for a spell last night. Might be an option.
 
I had the Motherwell game on the tv last night before our game, they played some decent stuff but nothing to be worried about, if we apply ourselves properly with the same aggression and drive like we started last night, and importantly keep going for the whole 90+ minutes , we should get a positive result
 
SDG gets criticism for his inflexibility in tactics and with formations - often justifief - but he's trying something new.

Instead of a holding midfielder who last season got bypassed when playing Grayball from the back out to the flanks, Chaiwa and Mulligan have been deployed as two box to box midfielders. Its given Chaiwa in particular much more responsibility and last night he made the team tick, both defending and going forward. A MOTM performance. Backward passes aint his thing. He drives forward and makes forward passes. He could be our leader on the pitch soon, if we can hold on to him.

The downside of this is the 2 mids need to play with an intensity and energy with little respite and thats relentless. Maybe this is why our energy levels dropped in midfield in the second half.

Whether this will work against quality opposition like Motherwell is debatable. Maybe for the first 45 mins.

IMO we need McGrath back asap, playing freely behind the two strikers, taking the ball from Chaiwa and Mulligan, opening teams up and getting into the box. If/when he's fit Elding or Boyle might need shifted to the bench. But I doubt if SDG will change the team much.
 
I'd be tempted to go with the team in the OP. However, I think DG will feel huge temptation to go again with the same starting 11.

Motherwell really are now an unknown quantity but their core principles from last season appear the same in terms of how they play.

It really feels a big game this. It really is an opportunity for us to really lay down a marker. A win would be huge and really change the mindset around the club. To win we will need to be better than last night.

Though if Passlack, Chaiwa, Elding, Lowe and Boyle are as good as last night I reckon we go home winning 3-1. 💚
 
First game of the new league season is very difficult to predict as you have nothing to go on.
I wish we had more players available, certainly if Jamie McGrath and Calum Wright were available that would give us more options in midfield.
I hope Ante Suto is fit to play, even from the bench to come on later in the game.
The manager needs as many options available as he can get, especially with the Europe/league thing we are in the middle of just now.

Motherwell were outstanding last season, and I think they will be a tough challenge this season as well.
Hibs need to get the midfield balance right this season above all else, and be more resilient defensively...that was what really let us down last season.
Our inability to see out matches has been our big weakness in the last year or so.

Our squad looks not bad, but lacks experience in the forward areas.
We could do with a couple more left sided options both attacking and defensively.
Lowe looks a big unit for his age so hopefully he can handle the intensity and physicality of our league.

Motherwell, having travelled this week, could be at a disadvantage.
Likely a draw, but i'm going for a Hibs win and a good positive start to the new campaign.
2-1 Hibs.
 
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Chaiwa was like a man possessed on Thursday, mair of the same 🙏 please. Hopefully McGrath returns and I agree, Boyler on bench due to frequency of games.
 
Smurf said:
I'd be tempted to go with the team in the OP. However, I think DG will feel huge temptation to go again with the same starting 11.

Motherwell really are now an unknown quantity but their core principles from last season appear the same in terms of how they play.

It really feels a big game this. It really is an opportunity for us to really lay down a marker. A win would be huge and really change the mindset around the club. To win we will need to be better than last night.

Though if Passlack, Chaiwa, Elding, Lowe and Boyle are as good as last night I reckon we go home winning 3-1. 💚
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I go with most of that mate but not the score!

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BIG G
 
Both teams are coming into this on the back of positive results on Thursday night and confidence should be high, hopefully Well might be a bit leggy after their travels . Starting the season with a win is always a good thing puts you on a positive track from the start and helps to build confidence and positivity, I’m going for a home win 2-1
 
Thanks for the preview Purple and Green, and for the JB from Thursday.I am quietly confident that we will win today,on Thursday at times we moved the ball quickly and looked quite good (against lesser opponents), I hope we play like that and in Lowe we have a CF who can hold the ball up and pass it when he gets support.Cmon the Cabbage 🥬
 
Sadly won’t be there today. I’d be surprised if Boyle doesn’t start for a bit of experience up front as both Lowe and Elding are (comparative) youngsters. Apart from that I think P&Gs team is about right.

I said it on Thursday night but I sincerely hope Sallinger hasn’t been told to keep hoofing it to Nathan Lowe. Our biggest sin for so long is our woeful ball retention. We don’t need to keep the ball all the time but we do need it some of the time.
 
With Euro midweek games coming thick and fast wondering if have a strong enough squad to rest some key players against Motherwell and der hun. The front line could be rotated but midfield is more worrying as Chaiwa and Mulligan are such key players. Whether they can play with such intensity twice a week in tough matches is debatable. Resting either is risky too.
 
Green Sleeves said:
With Euro midweek games coming thick and fast wondering if have a strong enough squad to rest some key players against Motherwell and der hun. The front line could be rotated but midfield is more worrying as Chaiwa and Mulligan are such key players. Whether they can play with such intensity twice a week in tough matches is debatable. Resting either is risky too.
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Thursday/Sunday schedule is a killer for all non-Old Firm clubs, and even they struggle with it at times.
It will have an effect on Hibs, it's a real challenge for the management team to manage the squad as best they can to make sure the players get enough recovery, and that the squad is utilised as best we can.
It doesn't help at all when at the very start of the season we have so many key players unavailable for whatever reason.
If we did make it to the European group stages it would definitely have an adverse effect on our domestic campaign, that's just reality for clubs like ours, but every club has to try to deal with that.
 
Same team as Thursday night...a wee bit surprised at that but suitable alternatives are thin on the ground.
Ante Suto back and makes the bench instead of Jacob McIntyre.
 
Playing the front 3 against them is ballsy, but I think it'll work if we attack them. First half the other night is the standard for me now. They've shown they're capable.

Missing today so will be keeping up through here 😢
 
Greenmachine said:
Same team as Thursday night...a wee bit surprised at that but suitable alternatives are thin on the ground.
Ante Suto back and makes the bench instead of Jacob McIntyre.
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Hopefully we can get far enough ahead to then swop Suto for Lowe and Klidje for Boyle and Campbell or Molotnikov for Elding maybe. Likely we will see Newell and Abdulai like Thursday
 
Greenmachine said:
Same team as Thursday night...a wee bit surprised at that but suitable alternatives are thin on the ground.
Ante Suto back and makes the bench instead of Jacob McIntyre.
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Yup.
But at this stage of the season everyone should be fit enough and ready to rock!
 
The worst thing about not being there is suffering Stuart Lovell commentating on the telly.

If I hadn't endured his performances in a Hibs jersey, I wouldn't have believed Hibs had ever paid his wages.

He's worse than the hibs hating pundits.
 
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