[0762]

Got it in one Fredster! Certain Hibs players badly let down Stubbs but the manager didn't do himself any favours in certain matches that Hibs really should've won anyway- he had the power to change it or even close ranks and shut shop - didn't do it!

[Fredstersafool]

I know where you're coming from 0762 but those players have chucked it Hibs should not be in this position regardless of what Stubbs tactics have been,however he doesn't escape criticism either but the players have embarrassed themselves.

[St Charles Owl]

he is not getting the best out of a decent squad of players - they should not be losing to a shit Raith team TBF!!!

To be fair, since the end of the January transfer window no team in the division has won more points than Raith Rovers. They clearly are not a shit team.

Get with the programme: Raith are shit and Falkirk are inferior.

That sums up a Hibs sandwich.

Get with the debate and make a constructive comment eh! Not a stupid one! Oh I forgot, it's you again - looking for the appropriate reaction because you have nothing better to do with your time!  You must be bored!

0762, to be fair Worthinger is right in terms of the overall comments regarding the other playoff contenders on here!! Cliches such as the table does not lie are generally correct, and even you commented that the Raith defence wasn't resilient against you last night, but it was resilient enough to keep a clean sheet!! Good teams do not get relegated and shit teams do not get promoted, so while I think Hibs will win this tie overall the fact Raith are there is testament to their efforts over the whole season.

[0762]

You've not observed Raith Rovers in 'real time' over a number of 90min periods Saint Charles Owl!!!! I have and I base my critical comments on those observations. I acknowledge the good work of their manager, McKinnon, but they were never that good. I've never seen them outplay Hibs yet and I don't expect to see it either. As for having a resilient defence last night? Leave it out! I classify a resilient defence as one that concedes very few chances in 90 mins. I attended this match and their defenders stuck to their task but I lost count of how many times they were ripped by Hibs!!!! And we should've been awarded a pen for a blatant push on Stokes' back - sheer luck + you'll gather huge criticism of a certain misfiring Hibs striker!! As commented previously, this result was daylight robbery by an inferior team that was asking to be beaten and should've been 'put to the sword' last night! 

[TheWorthinGer]

Not outplayed but outscored - welcome to the reality of football.

The level of flipfloppery on this particular board is comical. Every victory a new dawn and every defeat Armageddon. This thread is the epitome of that seesaw fandom

Hibs are managed by a man who, depending on what posts you read from one individual, is deserving of the sack and should share a taxi with the club executive, and at the same time is due a statue at Easter Road and an eternal seat amongst the pantheon of Hibs legends should he lead the team to a Scottish Cup win.

Still as long as the comments are "constructive".

Inferior teams don't finish above you in the league. And a team with the resources of Raith winning the first leg of a two leg tie against a team with Hibs resources does not make them shit.

I said it earlier Hibs have possibly been undone by their own success. What Hibs fan was complaining when they were progressing in the league and then Scottish cup? None. But you can't tell me that the efforts put into those campaigns wouldn't have had an effect on the league season, sure it has and would've done for the majority of teams in a similar situation. Yet the moaning gets louder.

Now I've no idea if all Hibs fans are reacting in the same way, but positive support for the team at the business end of the season might be more appropriate than constant knocking and demands for heads should the results not be as desired. Condemned men are hardly likely to give their best.

[1Wattie]

If you guys would cast your mind back to the time that it all started to go wrong, it clearly points to the time we signed Stokes up on loan.
There was talk on here of him causing unrest in the dressing room, some supporters point out that he and Cummings don`t go well together (think about when Cummings form started to slip). Stokes has been an ever present since his arrival as a striker but he has only produced half a dozen goals in 16 or so games. That`s not acceptable from someone that we altered our line up to accommodate.
Some of you will disagree with me but it`s only my opinion and open to criticism.

[TheWorthinGer]

If you guys would cast your mind back to the time that it all started to go wrong, it clearly points to the time we signed Stokes up on loan.
There was talk on here of him causing unrest in the dressing room, some supporters point out that he and Cummings don`t go well together (think about when Cummings form started to slip). Stokes has been an ever present since his arrival as a striker but he has only produced half a dozen goals in 16 or so games. That`s not acceptable from someone that we altered our line up to accommodate.
Some of you will disagree with me but it`s only my opinion and open to criticism.

I tend to agree but would add that the wheels came off 3 it so weeks after he arrived.

[ritchiebaby]

Spot on, wattie. I've never been a fan of his and although he puts in a shift - when he's interested - he is still not a striker, and that's why he was brought here.

Hibs regularly outplay opponents but never seem to score enough goals to reflect their superiority, and we've been caught out a few times because of it. However, we're still in the hunt for promotion and a Scottish Cup win, so I'll be backing Hibs in every game, albeit it from a bar in Spain.

PS - I should add that it is certainly not the time to protest.

[0762]

I commented in another thread, ref OP Raith 1st leg match, asking if Stokes is a striker or an inside forward? I sat watching last night's game at Starks Park and again couldn't fathom what Stokes' role is? He plays predominantly as a goal provider/inside forward and yet he's supposed to be one of our main strikers!!! Hence his lack of goals. So he plays in that role and Cummings spends a lotta time on either wing!!! What about the spearhead striker???? Absolutely bizarre but surely our manager should have a say in influencing how, and where, Stokes should be playing in these matches! He does indeed put in a shift but are we getting the best out of this striker???? His goals stats indicate no!!!
PS: I have no faith in Cummings and Stokes together any more - a case of pot luck IMO! Keatings had some kinda scoring form about him but Stubbs relegated him, and others, to make way for his favourites. Notice the manager does not hold to a settled, same team policy, which does not help either 

[hibeejim21]

If you guys would cast your mind back to the time that it all started to go wrong, it clearly points to the time we signed Stokes up on loan.
There was talk on here of him causing unrest in the dressing room, some supporters point out that he and Cummings don`t go well together (think about when Cummings form started to slip). Stokes has been an ever present since his arrival as a striker but he has only produced half a dozen goals in 16 or so games. That`s not acceptable from someone that we altered our line up to accommodate.
Some of you will disagree with me but it`s only my opinion and open to criticism.

Cummings form was getting patchy before stokes arrived wattie (as were one or two others),and they both played up front in the cup win v hertz. But i do agree they don't convince as a partnership,mainly because they are too similar in style.

I honestly don't think there has been any issue with stokes,watching him closely in recent weeks he has been putting in a power of work and you can see him talking to the players and providing support.

 More i look at things i think we just collapsed after a really intense cup tie and found it hard to recover. It's happened to better teams than us and it's not easy to switch it back on.

---

I commented in another thread, ref OP Raith 1st leg match, asking if Stokes is a striker or an inside forward? I sat watching last night's game at Starks Park and again couldn't fathom what Stokes' role is? He plays predominantly as a goal provider/inside forward and yet he's supposed to be one of our main strikers!!! Hence his lack of goals. So he plays in that role and Cummings spends a lotta time on either wing!!! What about the spearhead striker???? Absolutely bizarre but surely our manager should have a say in influencing how, and where, Stokes should be playing in these matches! He does indeed put in a shift but are we getting the best out of this striker???? His goals stats indicate no!!!
PS: I have no faith in Cummings and Stokes together any more - a case of pot luck IMO! Keatings had some kinda scoring form about him but Stubbs relegated him, and others, to make way for his favourites. Notice the manager does not hold to a settled, same team policy, which does not help either 

It looks a bit like stubbs is asking stokes to play the same we he did latterly at celtic (when he was getting a game) working the channels and holding it up/bringing other players in. He's a bit predictable at times playing that way IMO and is definitely at his best part of a 4-4-2 with him playing though the middle. 

It would work a lot better if we had some more goals from the midfield i think.