[0762]

So another cup final looms ever closer for Hibs after concluding a vg Scot Prem season albeit in the most surreal circumstances in living memory. No pressure from any critical Hibs fans in the stands this season and they adapted very well to such a challenging footie season. Saint Johnstone apparently still trying to deal with the constraints of a COVID crisis. But we'll ignore that situation altogether and focus on Hibs and demand a total commitment from the guys from KO to the dying seconds of this match - give it all you've got to offer and no regrets after the final whistle! So what starting line up does Jack Ross choose? Also one striker "up top" or two? IMO this is all down to a strong belief in the ability of his chosen players to "deliver the goods" on the day. Therefore he'll opt for "two up top" esp after resting Doidgy and Nisbet v Celtic and Nisbet will drop back to a mid role when required anyway. One of the big fan debates centres on Darren Mac or Porty for one of the CB positions and I'm still not sure which way JR will go on this. But I'm guessing that final decision will be based on what happens on the training ground this week. All I can say is, "Choose wisely"! Will he slot Gogic into that mid anchor role in front of Hibs CBs thereby losing a bit of forward mobility in an attacking sense? A case of defensive solidity and caution v a hi-press strategy to win a Scottish Cup final v a stuffy and well organised team. Lastly, re the goalie position I suspect Macey will be given the "thumbs up" as he has been a regular in previous Scot Cup rounds. In fact, he has the chance of picking up a cup winner's medal after doing the same with Arsenal in the FA Cup final last season - only as a sub though. C'mon Hibs - we can do this!!

GGTTH

[hibeejim21]

I think the team picks itself mate, and the only choice is really whether Darren Mac or Porteous starts. I'd deffo go with Darren as that was the best defensive display I've seen for a while with him back.

[HerefordBull]

I'd go with Darren also, but as for the rest it will be the usual line up provided they are fit with obviously Macey now in goal.

Not expecting much tomorrow but am quite relaxed about it...........................nothing will ever get near 21/5/16 for me, especially as there will be no fans in attendance..........just not the same day.

If we do somehow win, I hope the majority of fans follow Ron Gordons advice he sent out today. We do not need to see they type of "celebrations" we saw last week in Glasgow. Obviously some idiots will show up at Easter Road and I expect the Police will be taking a different line towards covid breaches compared to the carnage allowed in Glasgow and the press will be all over it.   Just as well we won it in 2016.

My English side , Hereford FC, are at Wembley tomorrow in the Trophy Final at 4.15pm, so will have one eye there and one at Hampden.    ( Hereford are taking 6000 fans .......difference between England and Scotland. )
Just seen Hibs game at 2pm so unless we have extra time and penalties I should have both eyes on each game.

'mon Hibs.........and the Bulls.  

GGTTH

[1Wattie]

I've followed Hibs for 40 years and that time have experienced annoyance, frustration, disappointment and jubilation but all will be forgiven and forgotten if we lift the Scottish cup again. In that time we've been in 7or 8 finals and won only 1 and a second would be well appreciated.
I have no doubt we are the better team - as the league table shows- and we must prove that in our performance on the day.
Knowing our history I hope for a celebration but am preparing myself for another disappointment so have stocked up with a few cans of lager to party OR drown my sorrows.
Good luck guys.
GGTTH

[hibeejim21]

Same failed tactics and formation as previously against SJ.

Porteous was the wrong choice.

Our forwards had an absolute mare.

A massive opportunity lost, too many players happy to pass it back and side Instead of trying to make it happen. Total lack of leadership and passion.

3rd is obviously a good season for us but I still feel a bit iffy about Ross.

[Inverurie Jambo]

Nae Sunshine on Leith tonight chaps. Never turned up as usual. Boyle, serial diver, Porteous a thug, - goal was like taking candy off a baby(Doig). Beware broken glass.
PS, if only we’d have beaten Brora!!!!

[HerefordBull]

Very much as expected and as I said in the earlier post, I was not expecting much.   At least we didn't have the disappointing trudge back from Hampden!

St J have had the Indian sign over us for a long time and for the fourth game in a row we failed to score against them.......and never looked like doing so.

Boyle needs to take the dives out of his game and well done ref for not falling for it.  

Hibs fans have been in this situation all to often with games at Hampden so we are used to it. We'll still be there next season supporting whoever wears the green and white.

Jack Ross shows again how his game plans are one dimensional and nothing ever changes to spark the team into life. We have had some tremendous luck this season , especially in the cup, where we had two glaring offside goals awarded which never should have stood. Ross showed again he has learnt zilch from playing St J this season ( 6 times?) and we again played tactics that never looked like breaking them down......apart for the lucky ricochet that fell to Irvine who couldn't beat Clarke.

Well done to Macey for his tremendous double penalty save.......perhaps the only hibs player to turn up today.

Finally congratulations to the Perth Saints, well deserved win today, especially as they were the ones to put sevco out...................to win both Scottish Cups in one season in this day and age, with the Uglies miles ahead of anyone else is a tremendous feat. Especially pleased for Booth and Wotherspoon who should have got more of a chance at Hibs but are proving this point time and time again when we play them. None more so than with their goal, where 2 tremendous tackles by Booth , falling to Wotherspoon whose dummy and then cross led to the goal.

Looking forward to next season Hibs, with or without the Jack Ross Plan A.    

GGTTH


PS:  

Oh, and Hereford got gubbed aswell......"Hibsed it", winning 1.0 till the 75th minute before conceding 3 times in the last 15!..........who said I was a pot hunter

[1Wattie]

Saints looked well up for it today and we looked like preparing to go on holiday.
Our long suffering fans were let down badly, if we made an effort to win fine - this was a capitulation
Drowning my sorrows already, maybe next year!!!!!
GGTTH

[hibeejim21]

I still can't believe those players couldn't lift themselves for a cup final. First half we just launched it up the park but Saints back 3 dealt with it easy... Doidge won FA.

2nd half it just broke down all too easy... One shot on target is shocking in a final. If Boyle doesae fancy it we just don't create enough.

It's a sore one... Seems like anyone can do us at hampden... Except sevco... LOL.

Well done to Davidson, that's some achievement - 2 Cup wins and top 6 - in your first season. Anywhere else that's manager of the year material.

[0762]

A good accurate summary of events by newhavenhibby. A well deserved win by Saint Johnstone and their astute young manager, Calum Davidson, with some top class defending and a solid shape about the team. They knew their game plan and they stuck to it! Well done!
As for Hibs? Well I commented about three weeks ago that I didn't want Hibs to play Saint Johnstone in the semi-final or final. The main reason for that wish is because JACK ROSS CANNOT FIGURE OUT THIS MANAGER OR HIS TEAM TACTICS!!! As NH previously commented - single-dimensional footie in a game that needed much more than this uninspiring stuff!! Doidgy hardly won a high ball all afternoon!! Therefore one has to surely "change it" and opt for a more direct (and fast-moving game plan) "on the deck". He should've considered that change about 15 mins before HT or right after HT. Then, surprise surprise, he tried to change it in the second half by bringing on Murphy for Newell. Murphy was never the answer to solving their probs - still hitting hi balls into the centre of their defence to be "gobbled up"!!!???? Newell briefly showed how it can be done in the 1st half by "doing a John McGinn" and driving forward from a deep mid position - their defenders backtracked, the gap opened up in front of their pen box but he didn't have the skill or class to finish hard and low beyond Clarke! Meanwhile Boyly played out his usual Hampden "anonymity part" for most of this match - that is three times in different Hampden matches and on such a huge pitch!!! I'd also luv to find out if Ross actually highlighted the threat of Rooney on "cross balls" with Doig exposed by that great cross from David Wotherspoon for the only goal of the match. IMO Doig should've at least jumped to head the ball or even better - block Rooney's approach run!! Or defensive cover provided to back him up!! Note they were "doubling up" and "tripling up" on Boyly's threatening position!! Any fool could see, on previous analysis of the Saints' successful League Cup campaign, that Rooney was the MOTM in the semi-final v Hibs and the match winner in the final v Livy plus his threat was obvious in their Scot Cup semi-final v Saint Mirren. Re the issue of Hibs not registering a goal against them, what on earth was Irvine thinking about after getting the "break of the ball" in their pen box in the 1st half - you hit a near post shot from that position and you score, 1-0 Hibs and a huge lift for the team! He didn't do it - a huge moment in the match and the glum expression on his face said it all!! Like NH, huge praise deserved for big Macey re that double save from Middleton's pk and keeping Hibs in the game but why no "spark" or lift after that to seriously push for that elusive equalising goal?????? I put the blame on Ross and his uninspiring tactics and I believe we would've won this final if we'd swapped managers well before ever meeting up at Hampden. I'll be very surprised if Davidson is still managing the Perth club by midsummer!
Lastly, where do Hibs go from here?? I'll be setting up a new thread re "Who leaves and who comes in" during the close season. On that theme I'd suggest that Hibs only way forward is to improve this team and make it stronger - it is imperative that Hibs realise their frailties and do that!! Leigh Griffiths to "return to the fold" shortly and I'd also like to see Hibs quickly make a move for Jason Kerr who is similarly a Hibs fan and comes from a Hibee family. I'd luv to take McCart as well btw !! But realistically I'd like to see a move for Morton's CB, Fjortoft, an experienced defender who has really impressed me this season - that would be a really cute piece of transfer biz! Consider M'well's out of contract mid player Campbell? Lotsa other transfer biz to follow but IMO that is for starters!! WE MUST NOT "REST ON OUR LAURELS" - TIME TO STRENGTHEN UP AND IMPROVE THE WHOLE MAKEUP OF THIS HIBS TEAM!!

GGTTH