Games come thick and fast when you remain in all competitions in late October. The Allianz Arena got your heart beating on Wednesday, but much more is on the line at Hampden Park tomorrow: the first trophy of the season.
While our unbeaten domestic run goes on the line every game we play in Scotland, I wish we were not facing an occasion as important as a cup semi-final immediately after such a huge Champions League occasion. The timing of this game contributes towards Hibernian’s chances of success.
Neil Lennon’s Hibs have already won at Ibrox and drawn at Celtic Park this season. They genuinely have no fears about making the trip along the M8 to face Celtic at the national stadium. While Celtic players were draining every muscle of energy on Wednesday, Hibs players were resting in front of the television. They would have been tucked up in bed before Scott Brown and his team-mates got to Munich Airport and have enjoyed the benefit of a week’s uninterrupted training.
For Brendan Rodgers, the challenge is to pick a team with sufficient energy and ability to ensure a cup final appearance next month. He is able to make changes, which I expect to happen.
Moussa Dembele and Tom Rogic should start. Callum McGregor enjoys the Hamden stage and I would give him the nod ahead of Olivier Ntcham or Stuart Armstrong in the central mid berth, although Brendan will think otherwise.
We are the champions and treble winners for a reason: that we have unerringly raised our standards to meet every challenge presented. Tomorrow is another occasion when our deep reserved will be called upon.
Enjoy your day at Hampden.
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MADMITCH on 20TH OCTOBER 2017 12:32 PM
I see the irony was lost!
However, neither Lisbon 67 or Eater Rd 74 makes defines us. We are far more than the sum of our parts as a football club.
If pinned down, I would say that our charitable beginnings and/or our fans Dom (though both are inextricably linked).
As far as being realist is concerned, the progress we have made since playing Fenerbache in October 2015 (which was IMHO a real low point in Europe) is immense. We have started on a journey and will have some ups and downs on the way. Wednesday was expected so no major issues with it as far as I can see.
KTF
CB @ 12.44
We need to work the squad regarding the defence.
Peak CFC last season — TFOD2.1 away tanking — had a very good unit on the park.
ML / JS / DB / KT
If we use that as our starting point we need help at RB as ML is not getting any younger and struggles with confidence going forward. AR is in the background but is very raw and needs a lot of development.
CB x 2 — JS / DB had been improving and offered the potential we should be aiming for this season. However they have issues and little back up. Better the ES leaves for more regular football and some half decent as in better back up brought in. That did not happen and we have been left exposed.
If the back up could play LB then great — however the main thing is we needed new blood in.
Then we have KA to develop — he has the height and the footballing ability we need.
Just a case of we need to work really hard to get him used to playing pressure football against very good players — BR and his team need to earn their wages with players like him.
Then we have LB where KT is a one man band about to collapse with exhaustion.
Good player with potential but nowhere near great and looking a bit jaded at times.
Needs back up and a bit of variety — playing in other formations / positions when games allow.
Consequently we were in a good position defensively last season but we have taken our eye of the ball and the weaknesses of some of the squad. Plus we need to make more use of the youths and the U20’s — they should be able to step up.
My thoughts are play KA tomorrow.
He is the future — ideally 2020 but now if needs must.
Plus get AR more involved — needs to mature in attitude to get to the next level.
Celtic have sold out their ticket allocation for tomorrow, Hibs have not even sold half of theirs. Lots of empty spaces inside and supporters who want to attend outside.
———————–
As far as I have seen neither the fans nor the club kicked up a big enough stooshie when this ridiculous decision was made to have a 50-50 split of tickets
Even the hibs fans i know were laughing at the stupidity of it
Though in saying that, im maybe glad we didnt speak up about it because it might have made lots of hibs fans buy tickets just to prove us wrong
But the idiocy will be laid bare for the country to see tomorrow with vast amounts of empty seats at 1 end of the ground and the other end full – and then the club and the supporters groups should go public with their feelings about it
VFR @ 1.06
The irony was missed but I do have a new centre parting.
If our beginnings and our charitable roots define us where were they on Wednesday?
The only people who came out ahead were low cost airlines and the Munich Chamber of Commerce — not good.
That was our Glee Club out in force and it left a lot to be desired on the park.
For me Lisbon 67 defines us a club — without it we would be in the pack of provincial clubs playing against the establishment odds which is ten a penny across the football world.
Consequently we need to get our finger out and start to make a mark where it matters.
No more millionaire CEO’s marking time.
No more fans in track suits living the dream.
No more players on the park playing with the fear.
The building blocks are there — just a case of rolling up our sleeves and leaving the excuses at the door.
If Kris Ajer starts tomorrow I will eat my organically sourced, vegan hand dyed, virgin crushed hipster bearded t-shirt…
MIkael Lustig the Hunskelper in the middle with Dendryck the Bold please, keep these Hibbees right in order..
HH
i feel we as a squad are very top heavy with midfielders and need to ‘offload’ and concentrate our spending on other areas of our squad.
Surely its Brendan Rodgers responsibility to make the team difficult to beat when we are playing Europe’s elite clubs. Otherwise players and fans alike will go into these games expecting to get a doing and this cannot be right.
Good Afternoon CQN
Keeping same back 4 as we lack fit defenders. Where is Erik?
In midfield, Callum to start for me, along with Big Tam Rogic, resting Ntcham and Stuart A.
Moooooousa up front to terrorise the Hibees Defenders, with Griff on bench.
James Forrest in for Paddy
Celtic 3 Hibs 0; Simples
HH
CRC
ps Chelski also to win in LMS9 :-)
Heidi Klum’s secret to looking good at 44 is “having lots of sex,” she says.
Amazing how one little bit of trivia can lift a whole day.
For what it’s worth, I put my name on the list. Long queue.
Think Ajer might be injured HH
R67 @ 1.20
Fair point but the SA situation comes into play.
All the talk about losing him and how it would affect us for years to come.
Signs a contract and what happens?
PD turns up for a bit of coaching and as if by magic he disappears.
Then we have a noisy element of the support that takes the view that no SPL player is good enough for our MF no matter how many times we are bossed in the midfield by a “limited” player with energy and belief — JMcG of ER fame for one example.
The MF is a work in progress until SB moves on and we can start from scratch —
1) Proper defensive CM.
2) Box to box with a goal threat and dig.
3) Creative with a bit of energy and dig.
SB used to the second type but he now fits nothing in particular and the team has to fit in around him — we need to work this area to take us to the next level.
Madmitch
Jonnie Hayes is a very decent back up left back, if required
Played there regularly for Aberdeen
CRC, you just trying to wind me up :-))))
Hope all is well Bhud
CB @ 1.36
JH @ LB — Not that I have seen and especially not at £1mill plus.
At that kind of money he is starting to make NC look good value.
I would be interested to finding out more regarding the agents involved.
They seem to be very good at their job.
Teams who want a 50/50 split and don’t sell out, are costing themselves money, as all monies from semi finals are pooled.
Gordon
Gamboa Lustig Boyata Tierney
Forrest Broon Kouassi McGregor
Sinclair
Dembele
MADMITCH
I genuinely do not know where this idea of a “Scottish cringe” came from.
I’d never heard it before the 2014 referendum so I assume it’s an Alex Salmond sounddbite.
He’s good at them,built a career on them-and talking over/avoiding questions without answering them.
Never known a Scot to cringe. I’ve spent most of my adult life in England. Never witnessed a cringe.
Perhaps you can explain
Bada
All the teams are flush
They got £370k each courtesy of Celtic on Wednesday
I applaud to Hibs fans for boycotting FtSFA ground, and sticking their fingers up to Petrie
I think tomorrow’s game will be decided in the middle of the park, not where our 2 c central defenders are playing, so Boyata and any one from 3 (Ajer, Lustig or Bitton) will do.
McGinn was able too impose himself at times in the recent game at Celtic Park; if we don’t let him, we will win the game comfortably. Brown, Ntcham, McGregor and Rogic will be there to do that.
Out wide Sinclair and Roberts/Forrest will provide the attacking threat to link up with Rogic and Dembele. 3-1 to the Leather Belts!
KTF
Cowiebhoy- didn’t realise a boycott was on…
Can anyone tell me if the game is on telly tomorrow please. Looked but cannot find it.
Thanks in advance.
KINGLuBO
Sandman, don’t think that team will be far away….
probably get slated for saying it but i think the loanee left back from Cardiff ? looks a decent player going forward ,as a backup to KT.
An Tearmann,
Hail Hail Big Mhan,
Thanks for the vote for Niamh, every one counts.
BT sport 12:15pm kick off….
a couple of points.
protection for the back four from the other outfield six.
learn how to pass the ball to a team mate from 5 to 10 yards.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 20TH OCTOBER 2017 1:44 PM
The expression seems to pre date the referendum.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3494686.stm
TIMHORTON on 20TH OCTOBER 2017 1:59 PM
‘learn how to pass the ball to a team mate from 5 to 10 yards.’
##
And if, for whatever reason, you are consistently unable to do that on the night, don’t be afraid to just blooter it up the field, rather than try to pass it out of defence.
It’s better to lose possession in your opponent’s box than your own.
MADMITCH I agree that the building blocks are in place and we need to progress.
However, I find your disparaging comments about the travelling Celtic support to be very poor from someone purporting (sic) to be a fellow fan. The support travel in great numbers and always act as fantastic ambassadors for the club.
Also, I don’t think the manager or any of the players made excuses for the performance the other night; just a frank admission of being bested by a much better team. Finally, it’s always easy to have a pop at the CEO when things don’t go as you wanted; the reverse of this (credit when things go well: a great manager, unbeaten domestic treble etc.) doesn’t seem to come from his critics. If he is culpable for the bad, he is also partly responsible for the good; wouldn’t you say?
KTF
Madmitch 12:21
“Travelling Drunks” ?
Appalling comment to make, whether it’s yours or you’re quoting someone else.
Shame on you if you think you need to be drunk to enjoy yourself.
IMTIM on 20TH OCTOBER 2017 10:16 AM
Btw .peter thompson was a right blue nose .but fair .
*no nae never, no nae never no more, Jock didnae call him blue peter for nothing, I can still see the smug look on his face as he told us they had “lost” the 2nd half of the 7-1 game, even though that was 60 year ago.
BB @ 2.04
What are we?
A football support or a glee club?
Wednesday was peak City Break CFC.
I would rather our reputation was made on the park than in the stands.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15608081.Orange_walks_and_parades_under_threat_as_police_react_to_fresh_legal_advice/
ERNIELYNCH 159
As you know,I don’t live in Scotland,but I recall my comments about McConnell to my family and friends when he was elected leader.
Similar to Blair. Wouldn’t vote for him,would never vote against him.
Dead man’s shoes,how I wish John Smith and Donald Dewar were still with us.
Or had even lived another ten or fifteen years,that would have done.
Scottish cringe,my arse. They could do wi remembering a PROPER soundbite,one from centuries ago.
Wha’s better?
Madmitch,
I have agreed with much of what you have said, however our reputation is as valuable off the park as it is on it. Maybe even more so.
HH.
Does anyone know when the Away Goal Rule was introduced?
50 years ago tomorrow we lost 2-1 against Racing Club in Argentina, having taken a 1-0 lead over there.
Had the away goal rule applied, we would have been World Club Champions and would not have had to take part in that farce of a play-off.
There seems to be some mythical thought process that Hibs are some kind of good team. Maybe it’s because Neil Lennon is the Manager or there are other reasons. They are not. Like any of the other provincial Club they are rotten. They have won only 1 of their last 5 league games and 3 out of 9. We should freshen things up with a few changes and go there tomorrow to impose ourselves and dominate the game. I expect nothing less.
BATEENBHOY
Good spot.
Travelling drunks,it suggests that Lisbon67 and Lisbon17,Seville,Milan70,et al were all 100%Temperance Society.
Or that we turn up and go home without even the thought of a pint every Saturday and indeed every other day of the week.
Alternatively,we can go on our merry way,making friends with opposing fans and singing their songs as we teach them ours.
And having drinks bought by the best player in the world in his home country. And by the most famous couple in the world in the middle of the Soviet Bloc!
Not one for the sackcloth and ashes,me. Im quite happy with that.
I think we will win comfortably tomorrow.The tired nonsense is just that.Only KT coud claim this.Broony just back from 2 weeks out,Calmac,hardly featured in full games,shjould be raring to go,same with Dembele,Forrest,Eboue,Gamboa.Paddy will be busting a gut to play,as will Griff,Ntcham.Ask the players if they feel tired,and would prefer to sit this game out.
Although I would much prefer us to play much more tighter,against these world class teams,4_5_1,which does not need to be parking the bus,BR is the boss,and if getting into the EL is our reward this season,then its a massive step forward,no matter what the A_holes in the media say.Just ignore them.