[0762]

At long last, a home match for Hibs!!! We'll see if it makes any difference though!! I see this fixture as a match between two big SPFL clubs that have clearly "lost their way" due to various circumstances; in Hibs case, hammered by injuries, hardly any strikers left while Hibs selling off a prime scoring asset named Martin Boyle. I don't see Hibs winning this game v a poor Dons' team that has has its own probs. Therefore, a draw is my only hope for this match unless a Hibs player crops up from somewhere and scores a "random goal" at ER Stadium, a rare event indeed during an SPFL season in which the whole league has collectively regressed beyond belief. In Hibs case, this particular season is one to forget and we are part of this unimpressive regression where the standard is nowhere near what it should be.

GGTTH

[Inverurie Jambo]

Is this the same shite league that you were enthusing about after 8 or 9 games when Hibs were unbeaten and were top of the league?

[ritchiebaby]

I'll agree that Hibs are suffering regression this season, but not everyone is suffering the same. Ask Ross County and Dundee United if they are going backwards. Nevertheless we are where we are and this is a winnable game, but we've had winnable games against Aberdeen before and lost them. Lack of firepower is the one thing holding us back and any goal from anywhere gives us a chance.

[0762]

It's interesting to read that contrary opinion (and everybody to their own opinion eh!!) esp after listening to a very good debate on BBC Sportsound about a week ago covering this subject and a general consensus amongst three or four footie guests, incl the journo Tom English, actually covering this very topic and agreeing that the regression is startlingly clear and, "in their opinion", very disappointing to see such a mish mash regression in standards where the majority of SP footie teams were stumbling along from week to week and some of the errors throughout the season were absolutely laughable and embarrassing TBF esp in a league that is looking to be reputable. For example, did you know that Dundee Utd only picked up 5 league pts since January up to their last fixture on Saturday when they finally picked up 3 pts. I think the Tangerines have done alright, but are nothing special at all. Indeed my "opinion" is that Hibs are a better footie team than Dundee Utd and I base that opinion on all the fixtures Hibs played v them; at the end, we just just didn't have a striker to finish them off in our last fixture v them at ER. The "steel men" are similarly "stumbling along" regardless, their fans not knowing what they'll get, week in-week out. Ross Co have done really well, but in reality they will dismantle most of their player squad in the summer and reset for next season, just like Livingston FC operate, Martindale seasonally admitting, "That's the way it is and loanees/short term signings leave the club"!! Lotsa players leaving and likely some of the good ones gone as well. Lastly, may I add that I didn't send in a special request to BBC Sportsound to cover this specific topic, BUT HOW REFRESHING IT WAS TO HEAR SUCH A COMMON THEME OF CRITICISM BEING UTTERED FROM DIFFERENT PARTIES WHO HAVE SOME INTEREST AND KNOWLEDGE IN SCOTTISH FOOTIE - THAT WAS THEIR OPINION AND I GENERALLY CONCURRED WITH MOST OF THE CRITICISMS AND THE OBSERVATIONS THEY HAD MADE THROUGHOUT THIS PARTICULAR SEASON!!!!! Btw it's a footie season that I'd describe as being very unusual overall and I've watched lots n lots of Scot footie seasons going back decades n decades n decades, watched some great Scot footie teams, not just Hibs ones!!!!!!! Was it due to the aftermath/after effects of a COVID crisis, post lockdown, financial constraints or just an accumulation of bad injuries for many clubs?????? I have no idea what the main reasons were, but it was interesting to listen to the debate covering the various issues that may have had a bearing on the events of season 2021-22 for a lotta Scot Prem clubs. Lastly, I've previously commented on a number of occasions that a good number of National League sides in England would "turn over" most of the Scot Prem clubs. That view has not changed one jot and the fact of the matter is that these NL clubs are sadly financially better off than most SP clubs - they have a superior wage structure that is attractive to a lotta decent players!!!

[HerefordBull]

Good post and agreed 0762.........even Hereford in the National League North ( division below the National League) have Miles Storey who I watched at Hibs playing for Aberdeen, Partick and ICT in the last 6 years. If he hadn't done his hamstring we would almost certainly have reached the play offs, only coming back for the last game v Brackley when it was too late Amongst our League and certainly in the National League there are many players who would do a job in the SPL / Scottish Championship, but wouldn't as they are on good / better contracts where they are.

[0762]

It just proves again how injuries to key players or to players in key areas of the pitch can really affect the prospect of a footie club having a vg season or just falling short. Long term injuries are even more damaging and the dreaded accumulation of injuries could, in effect, relegate some footie clubs if the prob is not mitigated in time.

[ritchiebaby]

I certainly agree with both your comments about the English National Leagues. Money does talk and they have available money and we don't. There are numerous excuses we could bring up, but these excuses apply to just about everybody in Scotland and even the Old Firm lose players to English clubs.

Everything is relative and other Scottish Premiership clubs are punching above their weight and we're not. In the past, every Hibee on here has expressed an interest in Hibs buying players from rival clubs, making them weaker. Look at St Johnstone's fall from last season to this - a perfect example of a strong team losing players and losing it's way.

[0762]

St J achieved a fantastic cup double that other more fancied Scot clubs and their fans would've literally "killed for" in the same situation although no coincidence it was attained in front of no fans during a horrendous pandemic and subsequent lockdown conditions. They played in Euro footie at the beginning of the season, the same as Hibs, and I predicted that it was a distraction that could well scupper them in the latter part of the season, history tells us it has happened to other Scot footie clubs in the same position - never realised how prophetic that warning was to the extreme where they could be relegated though. And Hibs affected, not as badly, but bad enough to ruin the season!! Of course, don't forget St J's success meant selling some of their prized assets/players, no different from other clubs that have done the same things and taking the dosh - definitely affected by that move at the start of the season after their Euro aspirations were extinguished by Galatasaray(?) and never recovered!!

[hibeejim21]

The very definition of a nothing game from 2 teams that just want the season over with.

[0762]

1-1 and another non-striker, Paul McGinn (taking a "leaf" out of his brother, John's, book), scores a Hibs goal!! This regular failure must be close to a Hibs record re the number of games in which no goals scored by any recognised striker. In Paul's case, he'll be in a positive mood as his wedding will be taking place in a few weeks. Well done!!