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The final league game against Rangers is coming on Sunday at 12.45pm. In some quarters this match is being billed as the make or break game of what is left of Rangers season. Not on here! This is the first of 8 games which will decide the play-off places and win, lose or draw it will not define any team's season. And it's more to do with Hibs than Rangers.
If Hibs can continue their commitment and style shown in their recent run, then Rangers can and will be defeated on Sunday. Rangers have now drawn their last 5 games, including ones against the bottom 3 teams. As we all know, that means nothing on the day, but what does mean a lot, is Hibs winning run and the confidence it brings. Rangers will be desperate to halt their slide before meeting Hearts and QOS at the beginning of next month, but Hibs have the players and the system to defeat them.
For a game against our closest rivals, as strong a team as possible will be required to do the job well and I would choose:-
Oxley,
Gray, Hanlon, Fontaine, Stevenson,
Fyvie, McGeouch, Robertson, Allan,
Cummings, Malonga.
Subs - Watson, Stanton, Dja Djedje
El Alagui is making a strong recovery, playing in recent Development Squad games, and might make the bench, but he'll be needed for the rest of the run-in, so I'd take no chances with his fitness.
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Cabbage is still good for you
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I see both Stuart McCall and Lee Wallace are playing down the Rangers' fans expectations of a good result against Hibs tomorrow. They're both experienced enough to try to play mind games and I'm certain that Alan Stubbs will know exactly what it is and be doubly mindful of a top Hibs' performance being required.
Even Barry Ferguson, a Rangers man through and through, seems to be suggesting it might be a good thing if Rangers didn't get promotion this year. Don't believe a word of it!!!
No slacking off, Hibs, play as you can and take this game by the scruff of the neck. Nothing less will do.
Cabbage is still good for you
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You apparently haven't seen how things have been going for us in matches recently. I think there are genuinely very few people among the Rangers staff and fans who think we have much chance of taking anything from this match. Even when our performances haven't let us down per se against you and Hearts, we've still lost every league game. Our defence will fail us yet again. It's become a fact of life.
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El Car, Hibs supporters should know by now to take nothing for granted. It doesn't matter how poor Rangers are, Hibs still have to go about their business the right way. When Rangers get their defence sorted out - and it may take a few weeks or even months - they will have a chance to climb back up.
Cabbage is still good for you
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I think Hibs have been the best team in this division on the whole. OK, so Hearts have been getting the results, but in terms of the football on display and who can do us the most damage you guys are a much bigger worry for me than Hearts. We might be doing better in other areas of the park now but our defence is like paper at the moment and you'll get plenty of chances to bury us. Realistically we have to be looking at another season in the Championship purely because there's nothing to suggest currently that we could beat any of our likely competitors in a playoff never win win the whole thing.
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22-03-2015, 16:55
(This post was last modified: 22-03-2015, 18:03 by ritchiebaby.)
Well, El Car, I hope you've changed your opinion. I've still not changed mine. Hibs never really troubled the Rangers defence, although they had a few chances to do it. Rangers did trouble our defence and they went toe-to-toe against our midfield.
It looked as though we really missed Jason Cummings, but we should have had enough resilience about us to overcome that. Cammy Bell was a virtual spectator. A really disappointing result, but we're still ahead in second place. It'll be a very interesting and nerve-wracking finish to the season now.
I should add that these comments are from someone who didn't see the match, so I reserve the right to claim all sorts of skull-doggery being used to ensure a Rangers victory.
skull-duggery, even.
when I type in "skull-duggery" it changes to "skull-doggery"
I know this is an English site, but aren't we allowed to type "dug" without it being anglicised?
Cabbage is still good for you
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Bad result for you guys on two fronts, first is it brings Rangers right back to you and gives them some confidence and secondly it adds a ton of pressure on your players going into the run-in!!
Still, your destiny is still in your hands as your GD is much better, but its going to be very tight right to the end I think!!
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Poor performance, poor crowd, poor result........nuff said
GGTTH
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