[ritchiebaby]

Hibs welcome Glasgow's finest moaners to Easter Road on Sunday at noon. As said on the previous thread, Hibs have gone off the boil a bit in the last couple of games, but still came out with points in the bag. I feel we'll need to step up a gear on Sunday to overcome a rejuvenated Rangers' side, jubilant after their victory over Celtic on Thursday.

Rangers are a good attacking side and only their defensive frailities let them down. This game is a free hit for Hibs and Rangers are famous for being shaky under sustained pressure, so the ideal scenario is for Hibs to put the pressure on early and make the Gers squirm.

Will it happen? I hope so, but I'll not be too worried if it doesn't. There are bigger games to come before the end of the month.

This will be my last new thread for the next few weeks as I depart this hemisphere for another - a lovely warm (even hot) summer awaits me.

[HerefordBull]

Both Rangers and Celtic throw up different game plans for the rest of the League as unlike the rest they will play an expansive game when they come to Easter Road........so defensively Hibs will have to be on their toes at the back as they will be pressed from the opening minute as Rangers will play much further up the pitch than the normal games where other sides, park the bus, allow Hibs the ball and look for the quick break or set piece..........a big test for the players at the back!

On the other side of the coin it does leave more space in the attacking third for the front men to exploit if possible.

I believe Tavernier is out which in some ways is a pity for Hibs as defensively I have never rated him highly although his set pieces will be missed by sevco.

Despite Hibs getting back on track in December I cannot see anything but a Sevco win so will go for 0 . 3.

[0762]

I'll just briefly give my "tuppence worth" of opinion re this upcoming match. Firstly, Rangers away record during this season is dreadful so far and it should be noted by David Gray that teams playing defensively tight, with aggressive physical counter-attacking sorties, pays dividends against them. Also I'd personally ignore their result v Celtic, apart from the fact they seriously "knocked their pans in" v Celtic - a lotta tired legs evident after two days rest??? I hope Gray takes note as well as realising the Hoops were seriously awful in this game - one of their most passive performances observed in years, lacking any real energy and commitment. Note Rangers are not playing at Ibronx either!! If Hibs show up in this way then we will indeed be "skelped"!!! I think this game will be a close match although it is a fixture that is dreadful historically in terms of attaining any positive result - we must try to change that tomorrow and I hope SDG instils that challenge upon the players to really "have a go"!! Tavernier missing??? I can hardly recall him having a bad game at Easter Road Stadium down the years to be frank about it!!!! So maybe it's no bad thing to have another player in that position and having a new experience at ER, a bad one!!! I hope so!!! As usual, I'm interested in Hibs current injury list because it is relevant to what kinda Hibs team can "do a job" on Rangers. I think we definitely have a Hibs side that can give Rangers a serious game of fitba, but certain player availability is important as well as the way that this Hibs side is set up. A win tomorrow would be huge for us and would continue Hibs unbeaten record. I'll be there tomorrow in the West Stand backing the Hibees all the way although I gather the match is threatened by adverse snowy weather. Che sera sera - see what happens eh!!

GGTTH

[hibeejim21]

They hardly ever struggle against us at Easter road.

[Lord Snooty]

Not a good start.

[Lord Snooty]

Good comeback though.

[HerefordBull]

Thought I'd have to return to congratulate Hibs on a hard fought and deserved ( in the end!) point.

For 30 minutes it looked like my prediction would come true as sevco went 2 . 0 up and could have / should have had a couple more. Once Boyle pulled one back the pendulum swung and as 0762 said once their back line is put under pressure they don't look too good ( especially away from Ibroke). I thought sevco were looking a little complacent especially after the start and having taken the foot off the gas found that they couldn't get back to the same heights as Hibs fought and harried them all over the park.

It would have been a shame if Bushiri having brought Hibs level then gifted sevco their fourth by a piece of poor defending but fortunately for the Hibs fans the final shot clipped the wrong side of the post and went to safety. ( Bushiri deserves some credit as having let the ball bounce to let the sevco forward in he did get back and harried enough to push him wide so the final angle was much tougher)

I like Cerny as a player but the plaudits must go to the whole of the Hibs team.........well done.

[hibeejim21]

Considering how poorly we started the game i'm happy with that. The fighting spirit in the team is night and day from earlier in the season, fitness levels have improved too.

I thought sevco were equally shaky at the back and Boyle caused them a lot of problems. The baldy loon was moaning about the pk afters but i thought it was a stonewaller. I'm genuinely wondering if he sacrifices performance levels just to try and compete in games with celtic and in europe. Their away record is abysmal.

Looking at todays bench and the defence today its obvious we need to turnover the squad and get some more quality in. Rocky is just Rocky at the end of the day, an absolute bombscare, rollercoaster ride of a player.

Well done hibs.

[ritchiebaby]

I just despair at Rocky. He can be brilliant, he can be abysmal. We just never know what's coming next.

[hibeejim21]

Of course no one asked baldy about the 2 horrendous challenges his players got away with today. Not even a yellow card.

The first was very like what the SJ player was sent off for.