14-04-2016, 14:46
(This post was last modified: 14-04-2016, 15:01 by 0762.
Edit Reason: Grammatical error
)
Two days to go until this crucial cup-tie v The Tangerines and I hope the new turf is down and bedded in lol!!!
Also this afternoon we have an unusual 'head to head' interview, a marketing/publicity interview at Hampden, between the two managers, Stubbsy and Mixu, and it will be curious to hear what they have to say re their chances in this match because both teams seem to be caught up in similar circumstances where poor, unpredictable form prevails. I'd say United are the favourites, the only reason being because they are the Scottish Premiership team, albeit bottom of the league.
This match reminds me of the 2007 SC semi-final v the Pars who were bottom of the league, couldn't buy a league win and ended up beating Hibs (another 'steal' of a match!) before being stuffed by Celtic in the final after being relegated!! Lets hope for a different result this time i.e. a Hibs win!!
Re the match? A big talking point for Hibs fans is the lack of preparation of the Ox's replacement in Hibs goal! I hope the manager has got it right because he's not currently impressing too many Hibs fans for various reasons! As said in a previous thread, I think Darren Mac is also suspended (two yellow cards) but not 100% sure re that one - someone confirm or correct me re that assumption. He picked up a yellow card v ICT and I thought he picked up a booking v Hearts at ER?
What is Stubbs' strongest lineup that is available to him? I think Gray is injured. So it looks like Gunnarson will replace him. Centre backs? Hanlon must be in there and it's either Fontaine or preferably Darren alongside him. Our midfield performance will be crucial and I rue the loss to injury of Dylan McGeouch who can 'stand on the baw' and play. Hence Hendo probably takes up the role, John McGinn is an easy on form attacking choice, Bartley will add a physical dimension in front of our back line and IMO AN Other deals with United's Paul Paton i.e. stop his involvement in the match a la Falkirk tactics!! If John McGinn is 'man marked', I'd immediately change his role and move him to similarly mark Paton and potentially take out two of their players!! Up front it looks like Stubbsy will stick with the Stokes-Cummings partnership and I'd instruct them to focus on the centre of United's makeshift defence - one of their CBs is suspended and Gunning was banished by Mixu but has been bizarrely invited to return back to the club. Will he play? I hope so because United apparently should've lost four goals in the 1st 20 mins of their recent match v ICT, a team that was always second best to Hibs in our recent QF ties!! Yogi has managed to 'soften them up' with that sickening defeat!
The result? This is a hard call based on the fact we needlessly f#### up v Falkirk and Stubbs needs to 'tweak' to a more balanced Hibs side with a solid spine to it. I'll be there and wanna see a controlled attacking match and hope Stubbs reverts to other attacking options fairly early in this match if Stokes and Cummings f### up again. We don't do frenetic matches very well and I don't trust Stubbs any more in these kinda matches. Here's hoping we pull it off and, more importantly, we 'get back on track' for the remainder of the season.
GGTTH
Also this afternoon we have an unusual 'head to head' interview, a marketing/publicity interview at Hampden, between the two managers, Stubbsy and Mixu, and it will be curious to hear what they have to say re their chances in this match because both teams seem to be caught up in similar circumstances where poor, unpredictable form prevails. I'd say United are the favourites, the only reason being because they are the Scottish Premiership team, albeit bottom of the league.
This match reminds me of the 2007 SC semi-final v the Pars who were bottom of the league, couldn't buy a league win and ended up beating Hibs (another 'steal' of a match!) before being stuffed by Celtic in the final after being relegated!! Lets hope for a different result this time i.e. a Hibs win!!
Re the match? A big talking point for Hibs fans is the lack of preparation of the Ox's replacement in Hibs goal! I hope the manager has got it right because he's not currently impressing too many Hibs fans for various reasons! As said in a previous thread, I think Darren Mac is also suspended (two yellow cards) but not 100% sure re that one - someone confirm or correct me re that assumption. He picked up a yellow card v ICT and I thought he picked up a booking v Hearts at ER?
What is Stubbs' strongest lineup that is available to him? I think Gray is injured. So it looks like Gunnarson will replace him. Centre backs? Hanlon must be in there and it's either Fontaine or preferably Darren alongside him. Our midfield performance will be crucial and I rue the loss to injury of Dylan McGeouch who can 'stand on the baw' and play. Hence Hendo probably takes up the role, John McGinn is an easy on form attacking choice, Bartley will add a physical dimension in front of our back line and IMO AN Other deals with United's Paul Paton i.e. stop his involvement in the match a la Falkirk tactics!! If John McGinn is 'man marked', I'd immediately change his role and move him to similarly mark Paton and potentially take out two of their players!! Up front it looks like Stubbsy will stick with the Stokes-Cummings partnership and I'd instruct them to focus on the centre of United's makeshift defence - one of their CBs is suspended and Gunning was banished by Mixu but has been bizarrely invited to return back to the club. Will he play? I hope so because United apparently should've lost four goals in the 1st 20 mins of their recent match v ICT, a team that was always second best to Hibs in our recent QF ties!! Yogi has managed to 'soften them up' with that sickening defeat!
The result? This is a hard call based on the fact we needlessly f#### up v Falkirk and Stubbs needs to 'tweak' to a more balanced Hibs side with a solid spine to it. I'll be there and wanna see a controlled attacking match and hope Stubbs reverts to other attacking options fairly early in this match if Stokes and Cummings f### up again. We don't do frenetic matches very well and I don't trust Stubbs any more in these kinda matches. Here's hoping we pull it off and, more importantly, we 'get back on track' for the remainder of the season.
GGTTH
On Tues night my son commented 'off the cuff' that he liked Hibs but he also hated them because of all the predictable let downs and the Falkirk capitulation was just another one. I remarked that it's called a love-hate relationship with the club 'hurting' so many fans down the years. 'It will change in time' was my reply and 'if I win a huge Euro lotto prize soon then you'll soon see a big version of the brief Gretna renaissance and a few suspects at Hibs would be 'oot the door' pronto' lol! I wish! 
