Hibs V Motherwell. Discussion

[roly]

How the fuck is lasley suspended again? Surely after all his suspensions of late we get the slate wiped clean? Is he really so far down the line that he now gets a ban for every two yellow cards??

 

Last suspension was for a red card which also took him over the disciplanary points tally for an additional suspension, I think.

[steelboy]

How the fuck is lasley suspended again? Surely after all his suspensions of late we get the slate wiped clean? Is he really so far down the line that he now gets a ban for every two yellow cards??

 

 

all his suspensions so far have been for red cards. this one is for getting 6 yellows.

[well_nuts]

Good point after being piss poor in the first half.

[Tid]

really frustrating 80 mins until the goal which came from nowhere to be fair. I had just mentioned that if we scored now (with 15 mins to go) that we'd go on to win the game but once we scored I felt Hibs got a 2nd wind & if anything they looked slightly more likely to score than us

all in all we didn't play well but still bossed possession for the majority of the game without creating enough. Higdon, much as I've defended him most Saturday's was again pretty poor as were many others. Ojamaa tries hard but nothing is coming off for him unlike the first few weeks here. Personally thought that the two CF's were our best players with Humphrey putting in a hard-working shift against a team with two pacey players doubling up on him until Sproule went off. Folk can moan all they want about his final ball but if there's only a pretty static Michael Higdon to aim for most times he's in the position to cross with about four green jersey's round him the odds are it's not going to cause much panic in their ranks.

 

All in all though got to be happy with a point after having so much of the ball & never looking dangerous.

[Tid]

really frustrating 80 mins until the goal which came from nowhere to be fair. I had just mentioned that if we scored now (with 15 mins to go) that we'd go on to win the game but once we scored I felt Hibs got a 2nd wind & if anything they looked slightly more likely to score than us

all in all we didn't play well but still bossed possession for the majority of the game without creating enough. Higdon, much as I've defended him most Saturday's was again pretty poor as were many others. Ojamaa tries hard but nothing is coming off for him unlike the first few weeks here. Personally thought that the two CF's were our best players with Humphrey putting in a hard-working shift against a team with two pacey players doubling up on him until Sproule went off. Folk can moan all they want about his final ball but if there's only a pretty static Michael Higdon to aim for most times he's in the position to cross with about four green jersey's round him the odds are it's not going to cause much panic in their ranks.

 

All in all though got to be happy with a point after having so much of the ball & never looking dangerous.

 

 

the perils of typing when you're pished. forget CF's, meant centre halves. Fud.

[fat_tony]

It should be the easiest thing in the world to give a winger with the pace Humphrey has a ball to run on to. How often do we see Humphrey and Hateley pick the wrong options.

 

That's just it though, I don't think Hateley has the confidence in Humphrey to get after that ball. Too often, he waits for the ball to be played before moving, which results in a loss of possession. If Humphrey could learn to anticipate better, perhaps Hateley would be more open to playing the ball into space for him.

 

Not taking anything away from either player, I just simply don't think it's as clear cut as Hateley picking the wrong option, I think, as you say above, it's a combination of the two together that perhaps doesn't quite result in the deadly right flank that it potentially could. But, they're both still developing players, and there's a reason they're playing for Motherwell after all. I'd like to see them continuing to work on their partnership and hopefully anticipate one another better.

 

My point with Hammy is more that we don't have a left winger for him to link up with consistently, therefore I didn't think it was necessarily a fair comparison.

 

Certainly not having a go at anyone though and I'm more than happy to have both in the team! I don't really think our first 11 has any weak links as such.

[Inthebasement]

Hatley is miles better going forward than defending, don't understand these comments. He has some bad games but his delivery justifies his place. Think fit again Saunders will steal his place at RB no bother, but Hatley could yet make a quality right midfielder in a 4-4-2.

We were awful in first half today, and miles better in second. We managed one passing move whole first half. Second we dominated and passed quite well without really forcing a save.

Oddest element was the absence of a right midfielder in first half, really until murphy was moved out there last twenty. Will the bammers shouting at Clancy consider how difficult it is for a right back with no right midfielder? We reverted to our worst end of last season form at times - punt to humph the only plan, chances of him trapping the ball, beating his man, crossing to the Higgdon head, higgdon getting it on target - ten million to one. Reliance on that plan makes us a very poor side.

Highlight was law's second half - couple of amazing passes to humph and great finish to get us out of jail. Both the team and fans dejected since we went out the cup, it showed today.

[Kmcalpin]

Very happy with a point and I think that was all we were ever going to get today given our suspensions. We missed Steve Jennings' drive and aggression and his absence affected our midfield big time. We had a bit of early pressure but always wanted to take that touch too many. At times too Higdon & Ojamaa were left a bit isolated. Darren Randolph was much the busier keeper having about 6 shots to deal with and he was none too pleased with his defence and midfield for leaving him very exposed.

 

The Hibs goal when it came was a disaster. Keith Lasley gave away a needless foul and our line up at the free kick was very poor to say the least. We trooped off 1-0 down at half time lucky to be losing by a solitary goal. Hibs it has to be said were very lucky to see half time with 11 players on the park after Steve O'Reilly bottled the decision to red card Gary O'Connor who lashed out at Shaun Hutchinson off the ball. Credit to Hibs though they played 100mph stuff which they were never going to maintain in the second half.

 

The second half was very different and we put Hibs under much more pressure although again our final ball was poor and we wanted to take one touch too many. Our build up was painfully slow and predictable and Hibs were grateful for that. However Nicky Law scored a cracking and deserved equaliser and just like O'Connor's first half strike everyone knew where it was heading as soon as he hit it.

 

Over the piece, I thought Hutch was our MOTM followed by Tim Clancy and Chris Humphrey. Jon page was rightly red carded but is entitled to ask question of the ref's inconsistency. Steve O'Reilly had a poor game riddled with wrong calls. He plainly doesn't like Micahel Higdon. Great to see Steven Saunders make an appearance and that'll give the squad a lift seeing a seriously wounded comrade return to the front line.

 

What about the cost of food and drink at Easter Road? £4.40 for a coffee and steak pie. Don't recall FP being that expensive.

[roly]

That's just it though, I don't think Hateley has the confidence in Humphrey to get after that ball. Too often, he waits for the ball to be played before moving, which results in a loss of possession. If Humphrey could learn to anticipate better, perhaps Hateley would be more open to playing the ball into space for him.

 

Not taking anything away from either player, I just simply don't think it's as clear cut as Hateley picking the wrong option, I think, as you say above, it's a combination of the two together that perhaps doesn't quite result in the deadly right flank that it potentially could. But, they're both still developing players, and there's a reason they're playing for Motherwell after all. I'd like to see them continuing to work on their partnership and hopefully anticipate one another better.

 

My point with Hammy is more that we don't have a left winger for him to link up with consistently, therefore I didn't think it was necessarily a fair comparison.

 

Certainly not having a go at anyone though and I'm more than happy to have both in the team! I don't really think our first 11 has any weak links as such.

 

I agree with the fact they don't seem to be a compatable pairing and don't solely blame Hateley for that...

 

Maybe Humphry too.

 

They seem on different wavelengths at times.

 

Sometimes the best ball to play is to one of our stirkers who comes short. Hateley make the wrong decisions regularly - not always his fault. I do think he is over-rated by our own fans and those of other team.

 

I'm actually quite surprised a pundits had a go at him. Most see him as Mr. Dependable. I'm just questioning his distribution at times.

 

 

Hatley is miles better going forward than defending, don't understand these comments. He has some bad games but his delivery justifies his place. Think fit again Saunders will steal his place at RB no bother, but Hatley could yet make a quality right midfielder in a 4-4-2.

 

I don't disagree with you too...

 

His delivery can be quality at times though.

 

Most will tell you he's 10x the RB than a CM. I wonder how he'd do as a RM.

 

We'll probably never know as we're well stocked in that position.

 

I would say he's a better defender than you give him credit for though. He's only been given a roasting once or twice and considering this isn't his natual position (mibbies aye, mibbies naw) thats good going for a guy who played over 100 games there. Definetly decent a SPL standard FB - but most of our players have be above decent SPL standard this season.

[fatcalf]

Both the team and fans dejected since we went out the cup, it showed today.

Nope you've got me there

[fat_tony]

He plainly doesn't like Micahel Higdon.

 

To be honest, I don't think it's just Stevie O'Reilly. Higdon seems to get very little from referees at all, getting penalised for very little and getting nothing despite centre backs climbing all over him. That was one thing that John Sutton used to be great at, was winning those free kicks. He'd fall to his knees, more often than not forcing the ref to make a decision. Higdon tends to stay up and try and push back, so referees seem to just ignore it. Perhaps if he forced the matter more often, he'd get more joy out of them. Not a criticism of the man by the way, just the ridiculousness of the way referees seem to enforce the laws of the game.

 

I'm actually quite surprised a pundits had a go at him. Most see him as Mr. Dependable. I'm just questioning his distribution at times.

 

So, in summary, we all agree that Hateley's all-in-all no bad but we identify one or two things he and Humphrey could work on to improve.

[milo]

Having seen the highlights, Randolph really should've done better with the free kick. In my opinion.

[Lobey_Dosser]

Having seen the highlights, Randolph really should've done better with the free kick. In my opinion.

 

There aren't many criticisms you can level at Randolph but he has lost a few from distance.

 

Today, I thought Clancy got in his way running across his line of vision. Interesting that we adopted the same tactic with O'Connor's free kick at the death.

[Inthebasement]

Nope you've got me there

 

Really? Fans stayed in the pub for the rangers game - below average home gate for a chase for second place crunch game. And were you at the game today?

 

The team have just scraped one point from the last nine.

 

Maybe you could be more specific - what don't you get?

[Steve Diggle]

Wur brilliant

Wur doomed

Wur doomed

Wur brilliant

Wur brilliant

Wur doomed

Wur brilliant

 

etc etc

[Muzz]

Higdon, Hutchy, Hateley & Humps get pass marks for me, with Humps our best on show by a country mile.

 

Good free-kick but I agree with that other dude on page 6 or summit - Randy could have done better.

 

Tin hat on - Ojamaa turning into the new Jamie Murphy. He didn't look interested at all today. If Higdon had put in a performance in like that today, there would have people on here wanting him castrated. Hasn't kicked his own arse his he got a contract. Dunfermline doesn't count because I reckon you get 11 punters from my work to beat them.

 

Pass marks to the dude who gave pelters to Griffiths for being a virgin in the first 5 mins - even the wee nyaff had a laugh at it.

[Tweed]

First half was really frustrating. Thought it was pretty equal in terms of territory but we made a lot of bad touches and decisions round about their box, Ojamaa particularly culpable. I liked Law's deliveries from corners much more than Hateley's normal ones. Assuming that was done to allow Page and Clancy up though not sure.

 

Second half we purred around their box and played in some delightful balls in but just couldn't get the killer touch or finish but we thoroughly deserved our point because we kept going at them. I think most people in the ground thought if we got to 1-1 we'd go onto win 2-1 but the dynamic of the game changed and Hibs were back onto trying to win the game and it really opened up.

 

While we didn't create that many chances I think we did dictate the play more than Hibs though they were quick on the break. I think it was a crucial point as balance of probability is that Celtic will beat us next time out and I would have hated to go into the crunch game with St Johnstone having lost four on the belt.

 

I didn't think much of Stevie O'Reilly today - I think he is probably the strictest ref in the SPL but he did seem to give a bit of leeway today as I think Lasley and their left back whose name escapes me should have been booked. O'Connor should have been off for a kick - I could have understood if he hadn;t seen it because it was after the ball was away, but seeing as our player didn't go down and he booked him he must have seen it. Absolutely baffling. Also that was some save Randolph made in the first half when he have a goal kick. No complaints about Page's now - I thought the first one was harsh at the game but having seen it again, whilst he was entitled to go for it he was pretty high.

 

Overall satisfied with how we did today.

[Andy_P]

Couple of further dull observations about our line up yesterday.

 

Just two Scots in the starting XI - Carswell and Lasley. Have we ever had just as few Scots as that before?

 

And no Scots at all in the with the defence. With the enduring presence of Stevie Hammell at left-back (save for his wee holiday in south-east England ofcourse) over the last dozen years, that can't have happened too much either really. If ever?

[fatcalf]

Nope you've got me there

 

Really? Fans stayed in the pub for the rangers game - below average home gate for a chase for second place crunch game. And were you at the game today?

 

The team have just scraped one point from the last nine.

 

Maybe you could be more specific - what don't you get?

 

The bit where you say we're all dejected after the cup game, I didn't go today cos I rarely go to away games due to the cost. The fact it was stupid O'Clock on TV (both recent games) made some more decisions easy for folk, going out of the cup is hardly a factor IMO when we're going for a Champions League place. With that to look forward to I'd give up a Cup run anytime, just don't thnk anyone's dejected at losing to Aberdeen a few weeks ago.

[fat_tony]

Really? Fans stayed in the pub for the rangers game - below average home gate for a chase for second place crunch game. And were you at the game today?

 

Plenty of fans always stay away from Rangers games (same with Celtic) as a lot of them don't like to put up with all the added hassle the scum bring with them.

 

We may have only taken 1 point out of the last 3 games, but took plenty in the few games before that and we're still several points clear of our rivals.

[trainbus]

Couple of things, the ref books O'Connor for an off the ball kick at a Motherwell player in the centre of the park while play went on elswhere, why no red card? Secondly, did you see the picture of the team bus after it's wee accident on the way home from the game? You can delete the last part if it's been mentioned already

[steelboy]

To be honest, I don't think it's just Stevie O'Reilly. Higdon seems to get very little from referees at all, getting penalised for very little and getting nothing despite centre backs climbing all over him. That was one thing that John Sutton used to be great at, was winning those free kicks. He'd fall to his knees, more often than not forcing the ref to make a decision. Higdon tends to stay up and try and push back, so referees seem to just ignore it. Perhaps if he forced the matter more often, he'd get more joy out of them. Not a criticism of the man by the way, just the ridiculousness of the way referees seem to enforce the laws of the game.

 

 

considering the fact that about the one consistent thing from refs is how they referee higdon perhaps he should consider changing his style and work more on jumping for the ball without clawing at defenders?

 

he's committed 85 fouls which is 30 more than anyone else in the league. pretty much everyone else who has committed more than 40 is a hard tackling centre mid - las, jenno, goodwin, edu, osbourne, aranson. he needs to play within the rules as we are constantly pissing away possesion.

[wellfan09]

considering the fact that about the one consistent thing from refs is how they referee higdon perhaps he should consider changing his style and work more on jumping for the ball without clawing at defenders?

 

he's committed 85 fouls which is 30 more than anyone else in the league. pretty much everyone else who has committed more than 40 is a hard tackling centre mid - las, jenno, goodwin, edu, osbourne, aranson. he needs to play within the rules as we are constantly pissing away possesion.

 

 

Do you get enjoyment from being constantly critical about one of the players who plays for the team that you are supposed to "support"?

[steelboy]

Do you get enjoyment from being constantly critical about one of the players who plays for the team that you are supposed to "support"?

 

i don't understand what you mean. i support the team at games.

 

on here we talk about what we've seen. do you think it's a positive thing that our striker gives away far more free kicks than any other player in the entire league?

[Rickoza]

If opposing players stopped trying to wrestle Higdon to the ground he might actually be able to jump for the ball now and again. He's easily more fouled than fouling players.