Is There sunshine on Leith? season 2008-2009 Hibernian FC

Time for a New Defence

2008-12-02T02:10:00.000-08:00

Well we are beginning to get it right in attack but we need to call in the plumbers to stop leaking goals.Ian Murray is the only one of the back four who has been consisitent.Hogg and Jones seem to be happy to let opposition attackers run on to through balls unchallenged.Van zanten is being put under lots of pressure because opposition teams have identified him as a weekness,it could be worse Gavin Mccann could be fit.

I see we have still not made a move for Paul McQuade (pictured,and mentioned in previous post on this blog) of Cowdenbeath who was outstanding against us in the friendly.He has already scored 7 goals so far this season.

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Get a Deek at this

2008-09-04T17:01:00.000-07:00

Petrie actually got a deek into his purse

Derek Riordan is back which is great for us but the downside is that we will be able to see how unskilled some of his team mates are around about him.We are still leaking goal left right and mostly centre. Jones and Hoggy try really hard but surely we need more (much more)

I just hope Deek and Fletch can score more than the opposition because we are going to need to score 3 or more some weeks to win matches

Welcome back Deek !!

Hope Mr petrie wasnt too ill after spending some of our clubs money!!

Catch a Cub in it's den

2008-07-31T15:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a Chinese proverb for Mr Petrie to ponder
"Catch a Cub in Its Den" Risky as it is, if you are afraid of taking chances, there is no way you can succeed
Many have taken credit for the free flowing attractive football over the last four years
Here is something to consider
Guillaume Beuzelin Hibernian Coventry City 2 Jun 2008 Le Havre Hibernian 22 Jul 2004
Since beuzy left there is no one capable of running the game.for any of you who have recorded highlights of games Beuzy played in ,see how many time he broke up oppositions attacks,changed pace of game with a pass or a dummy , played a telling pass/made a goal to win a game.
Sometimes media people don't have the capability to see real greatness and so too many fans who can't see for themselves quote the daily rags when trying to sound knowledgable about the players.They build up guys like Stephenson who has great attitude but no finesse,trouble is managers feel obliged to please the board and the mindless by playing the untalented ones.I had to suffer Mccann at Raith giving the ball away every time he got it.

Fin on the ground

2008-07-31T12:54:00.000-07:00

Pick n Mixu not got a clue

He's a great guy but we need more than that

With only nine days remaining until they get their Premier League tilt under way in Kilmarnock, we have yet to win, are yet to score and have yet to show any sign of improvement as our pre-season campaign has progressed from one ignominy to the next.After last night's embarrassing defeat, the beleaguered Paatelainen, who is coming under more intense pressure by the day from disenchanted supporters, had even given up on the party line that pre-season results count for little. The big Finn conceded that the abject display in Cumbernauld was not becoming of a top-flight side just over a week away from the start of their competitive season. He has two more friendlies, against the relative might of Middlesbrough and Wigan Athletic, to try and coax a semblance of improvement from his side, but the manager admits he is deeply concerned about the way things are shaping up. "We were really poor," he said. "We tried to pass the ball but some players quite clearly are not yet, or maybe never will be good enough to do that. The mistakes at the back were unbelievable. If defenders defend like that, then I should still be playing. Whenever we get chances to score, the strikers are not sharp enough to convert them. We are nowhere near good enough."If we play like that against Kilmarnock it won't be a pretty sight. Every player must take more responsibility. There is no room for them to feel sorry for themselves."What made matters even more worrying for Paatelainen and the couple of hundred Hibs fans who had journeyed west from Edinburgh was the fact the team which played the bulk of last night's match – with the exception of absent captain Rob Jones – appeared close to that which he would probably have had in mind for starting duty at Rugby Park on Saturday week. However, he will surely be forced into a drastic rethink as, despite making a reasonable enough start to the match, the Premier League side ended up looking completely shorn of confidence, leadership, bite and quality.A deceptively purposeful start from the visitors saw Steven Fletcher thump a free kick straight into the defensive wall with only a minute having elapsed before Colin Nish squandered a promising opening when his angled strike from around 15 yards lacked the power to trouble Clyde goalkeeper Peter Cherrie. While Hibs were enjoying the bulk of the early possession, Clyde were proving pesky opponents on the counter-attack, and it wasn't the greatest surprise when the hosts fashioned themselves a 20th-minute lead. Willie McLaren's inswinging corner kick brushed off the head of Scott Gemmill and Dave McKay slid in to force the ball over the line from a couple of yards out. Hibs almost responded immediately, but Fletcher saw his glancing header from Alan O'Brien's cross go inches past. The goal clearly galvanised Clyde, however, and it became apparent that John Brown's men, who were playing some delightful stuff in forward areas, were on the scent of a second goal. An excellent turn from McLaren gave him space in the box, but he drove his effort into the near-post sidenetting. The hosts did double their lead three minutes before the interval when Roddy MacLennan found a yard of space before planting a powerful angled strike from around 16 yards out into the far corner.Hibs' wretched fortune at present was summed up moments later when Fletcher scampered down the left and delivered a sublime cross with the outside of his left boot. The on-rushing O'Brien looked certain to end Hibs' well-documented goal drought from six yards out, but Cherrie spread himself to make a miraculous save and ensure the visiting players left the field at the interval to a resounding chorus of boos from their fans.By contrast, the Clyde faithful were buoyant, and they were given further cause for revelry during the half-time break when the surviving heroes of their 1958 Hampden triumph appeared on the pitch.Things got worse for Hibs seven minutes into the second half when McKay drilled home his second of the match after McLaren's effort had broken kindly to him off the legs of Chris Hogg. The stuffing was well and truly knocked out of the hapless Edinburgh side and they rarely looked like reducing the deficit as Clyde ran down the clock on easy street.

Brazil Blues

2008-07-28T17:12:00.000-07:00

Cowdenbeath 2 - Hibernian 0
Oh Dear
It gets worse not only did Hibs fail to score tonight we were totally outplayed.Cowdenbeath should have been at least 3 up by half time,instead of the one goal from a penalty, and thats being kind.In the second half they also created all the chances and Marek Tomana converted a great goal from a strike from the edge of the box,following great build up and cut back.Minutes before that cowden a managed to miss from 2 yards.
Mixu feeling the pressure was sent to the stand for giving the referee and his assistant a hard time.I am glad I have not bought a hibees season ticket yet,I think Ill keep the money and spend it on hankies and earplugs.

Fabian Yantorno made an appearance but he looks a long way short of his skillful self due to being out for so long.

The Cowdenbeath striker Paul Mcquade showed simailar skills and touch as Motherwells Ross Macormack but we won't sign him as Mixu won't have noticed him.

Barc Holes

2008-07-24T17:52:00.001-07:00

Six Nil to Barca I am relieved as I predicted a cricket score!!

Like I said in my previous posts we no longer have the squad and we are now shopping in the Smart price aisles. We have come a long way since the days of debt but we have sold all of our top shelf items. We are now rummaging about the clearance shelves and this is so hard to take. fergie built a team on youth at Old Trafford but his board were brave enough to back him,in the wage market, when he wanted to keep players like Keane in order to kick on and win things.petrie has had a good formula to get rid of debt, but didnt know when to adopt a new one when the old one no longer applied.
We are now going back to the Jim Duffy era where we were signing whoever we could get on the cheap.

Raith Rovers Friendly

2008-07-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

Kevin Mccann made one pass to a team mate all night, and seconds later the referee blew for full time. The midfield we had out was like the pigmy national squad, canning,stevenson,joe keenan,ross campbell.At one stage there was a gust of wind and they all fell over.Spain showed you can have a small midfield and be successful but their players have skill.

Keenan showed some skill early on before running out of steam and campbell didnt get the time on the ball to show his.By the end of the match I was beginning to wish Raith would score a couple to make Mixu realise how bad hibs were.The best players all night were Andrew Cook at left back for Raith and his team mate Lee Bryce who came on later in the second half.

Mixu its a long time since we've had so many poor players. Mccann needs to get tested for colour blindness as I could swear he thought the Raith players were team mates. He is not a scottish premier league player despite his great attitude. What price is Mixu to make it until christmas?

The only thing Mixu should take from the game should be Lee Bryce and Andrew Cooks signatures.

Will we sign anyone?

2008-07-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

Why did Motherwell get kennedy on loan, he would have been a great partner for Rob Jones.
Come on Mixu get the finger out as you are running out of time!!

Hibs out already

2008-07-14T18:14:00.001-07:00

Not looking good as we lost the second leg 2-0 also agg 0-4
Hibs are starting to play players like O'brien who don't have the composure we have become accustomed to. While O'Brien,Stevenson and Murray cannot be found wanting in effort it is a step backwards playing players that effort is their main attribute.We have become accustomed to a skillful as well as hardworking players. If Mixu does not realise this is the way forward then we will return to the pre Mowbray era

Hibernian Season 2008 to 2009

2008-07-06T15:42:00.000-07:00

The season got off to a bad start with loss o-2 to swedish outfit Elfsborg. Hibs missed the leadership of Guillame Beuzelin and this is something that has been underestimated by many Hibernian fans and media alike. Looking back at many of the recorded highlights I have on Sky plus there are numerous occassions when beuzy robbed the opposion of the ball or broke up attacks,this will be missed more than hisinventive creative play.The press undoubtedly will not realise this and blame lack of match practice etc etc etc.We all wish some of them had played football so that when they feed the fans who are unable to see what is going on during the game are not mislead.

I hope we get Yantorno signed and back playing as he is a very exciting talent.We still need to improve at centre back position as we are a bit porous to say the least.

Not much happening on the transfer market for us at Easter Road and best that we can aim for is top 6, pity for all of Hibees that have coughed up for the season ticket.Some want to swap it for one for Coventry apparently they are going to have a great season, with a new midfielder going to change the level they play at.