[0762]

Well it is back to Scot Prem business after a period of success for the Scotland team that certainly resulted in euphoric scenes of celebration that haven't been witnessed since 1997, the last time Scotland qualified for a major international footie tourney. I've no doubt this will be a tough match with Celtic attacking both our flanks. However, Hibs defensive qualities have been generally good and we need to set up to stifle and counter Celtic's attacking forays. Gogic must play to provide that "anchor role" in front of a solid back four. Rocky is playing well as witnessed last night v Scotland in Israel. I'd play Jamie Gullan up front alongside Kevin Nisbet and drop Doidgy. Also tempted to drop Boyly but prob initially field him and "hook" quickly if he's gonna provide another one of his usual shit performances - time for Jack Ross to show an element of tough decision-making for a change in order to improve the "shape" of the team.

GGTTH

[HerefordBull]

Cannot see this going well for us. Feel we will be over run in midfield and with the pace they have out wide it will be a difficult afternoon for the defense. Porteous for me, still has to recapture his form prior to injury and I wouldn't play Doig.

Just have to hope luck goes with us, Rocky keeps his Israel form and Boyle has learnt to at least control the ball. Certainly we will not get the time and space enjoyed by our players against Dundee last weekend.

Having said that our results against the smellies at Easter Road have been fairly good in the last 8 or so years.......so everything crossed.
GGTTH

[BouncingHibees]

Think I'll watch this game from behind the sofa, our midfeild area is far too lightweight and lacking quality against a very tough Celtic midfeild with class players such as Rogic and McGregor.

[hibeejim21]

We have a decent record at home v sellick, and they are going to have a makeshift defence again by the looks of it. They are so slow at the back so I'd persevere with Boyle and try to pressure Duffy on the counter. I'd probably also stick with Murphy as well because he will likely be up fir this one.

[HerefordBull]

Agree about Murphy, Jim

[HerefordBull]

Feels a bit like a defeat, when with a little composure we could have held on to the win. ............bit more composure Hanlon!!

As expected Smeltic had plenty of the ball but seemed to only produce long range efforts which Rocky dealt with.........and then one of those soft handballs for a penalty and Hanlons moment, gave them a point.

Thought we stuck at it and created a few good chances of our own and pleased Nisbet scored after another penalty miss. ( difficult for him today with no Doidge to hold the ball up) Special mentions to Marciano , who did continue with his Israel form , Murphy and Mackie at LB........Frimpong seemed reluctant to take him on , on the outside? Gogic, again, seemed to break things up a lot of the time with subtle fouls and tackles which doesn't attract the refs interest much of the time........Aberdeenesque

Boyle still needs to work on his initial control!

Feels like a defeat as I said but would have taken a point at the start, so not all bad.

GGTTH

[0762]

Celtic "flat as a pancake" up to the point when Hibs were winning 2-0. Indeed soon after that point Hibs could've been leading 4-0, lets not "beat about the bush", they were there to get a "hiding" today, only Hibs didnae oblige TBH!! That McGinn pk decision was never a pk IMO and we were "done" on that Madden call and how Mackie missed that sitter after their goal is beyond me - an easy back post header/goal to make it 3-2!

[hibeejim21]

Im still no sure what to make of that tbh. We should have won the game no doubt but i actually don't think we were that great today. However for long periods in the 2nd half we were better than them and had the game in the bag, yet still managed to throw it all away. A couple of half decent clearances and we were home and hosed with the 3 points. Madden is an absolute clown and denied us a good penalty in the first half as well.

Still I'd have taken a point beforehand, thought Mackie did well overall bar the header.

That Celtic team are definitely there for the taking, it looked to me for long periods that the players didn't know what they were supposed to be doing.

[0762]

Curiously Celtic have not won at ER Stadium for years (2013?) - a bogey that is self-evident and they were "mince" for most of this afternoon's match. I think Neil Lennon's position is in jeopardy now mainly because it is clear his use of players in certain positions is "open to question" and his team formations are unbalanced plus it is no coincidence that his Hoops' teams have been "flat" in a lotta matches this season. He never compared with the "legend" that is Brendan Rodgers and I reckon that is why lotsa Celtic fans want him to be removed/replaced by Dermot Desmond asap as they also don't like his style of footie on the pitch.

[HerefordBull]

Agree with your comment re the Mackie miss, 0762. What pleased me about that, was the fact we went up the other end and created something. Recently we would have packed everybody behind the ball and seen out the last couple of minutes, as though at the Alamo.