[ritchiebaby]

It's certainly not quiet on the Eastern Front just now. A couple of days ago, Hibs signed Tomas Cerny, ex Hamilton Accies goalkeeper, and they have now signed right-back Keith Watson on loan from Dundee United and allowed left-back Callum Booth to go out on loan to Partick Thistle, with both deals until the end of the season. Young Booth has not had many starts this season, but has usually covered for David Gray when he has been out injured. Presumably this means that Watson will be straight into Saturday's team. It's all Huddersfield Town's doing, in that United are seemingly interested in bringing back Paul Dixon to Tannadice and Town recalling Jake Carroll from Thistle, in a merry-go-round of full-backs.

Raith Rovers, on the other hand, have been quiet so far on the transfer/loan front. They drew 1-1 at Easter Road early in the season and Hibs beat them at Starks Park with 2 late goals just before Christmas. However, since then Raith have won 3 and drawn 1 of their last 4 matches and are quite capable of joining the battle for 4th place with QOS and Falkirk. With their next home game being against Falkirk in 2 week's time, they have plenty of incentive to do well against Hibs.

Hibs should have much more incentive to get the 3 points, as that would put them above Rangers, who are on League Cup duty this weekend. Surely that would make the Rangers v Hibs game in a fortnight's time much more interesting. However, back to Saturday and my Hibs team (barring any other last minute deals) would be:-

Oxley
Watson, Fontaine, Hanlon, Stevenson,
Handling, McGeouch, Robertson, Allan,
Boyle, Cummings.

Substitutes - Stanton, Forster, Craig.

[Lord Snooty]

A merry go round of full backs. Not a phrase you hear every day.

[TIN TIN]

Big chance missed today Ritchie to catch up and put pressure on Sevco- Nade FFs said. Still think Hibs will get 2nd place as Sevco will get pumped by Celtic in cup tie tomorrow in the " Firm" game and that will totally feck up,the remainder of their season, bearing in mind a "big" announcement on Monday- seems they have spent the £5 million loan already. Tick tock

[ritchiebaby]

You're right, TinTin. 25 shots, 12 on target - I'm not sure whether that includes hitting the post and the bar - 65% possession and then we're hit in the 90th minute with a goal by Christian Nade of all people! Once again we're the victims of our own inadequacies and seemingly take a twisted pleasure in making life as difficult as possible. Still, we're there or thereabouts and our promotion chances are still in our own hands.

[HerefordBull]

The number of draws at home has hurt us. Again yesterday we should have killed the game off well before we again saw Oxley playing " should I come or should I stay? " We were right in line with the 6 yard line and a commanding keeper would have got to the ball and at least punched. Nade actually got to the ball a yard inside this line and with no man on that post Oxley had no chance once he decided to stay.

I'm afraid our defense is not good enough and I would have liked to have seen more activity in this area in this transfer window. All we can hope is Cerny is given a chance and he proves to command the area on cross balls more so than Oxley. Raith offered little up front yesterday but on the half dozen crosses they put in our box at least 3 caused some panic and they scored from one! Having said this the attackers have to take some blame for not converting more than one of the chances created....Nades goal should have been little more than a consolation.

Chasing the Holy Grail again next week so lets hope for no slip ups against Arbroath and get safely into the next round.

GGTTH

[St Charles Owl]

Definitely 2 points dropped and a missed chance to really add pressure on Rangers. Still, lots of games to go and your form is better than theirs at the moment, may come down to which lower teams can pull off the upsets!!