Hibernian v The Rangers

[Lyle Lanley]

Hibs to win 3-2 with a Nisbet double and Gogic to score the other. 

[Green Day]

Emergency staff to throw empty buckie bottles at The Rangers players in order to continue the tradition.

[G51]

Very interested to see what Hibs decide to do for this game. I presume Jack Ross will stick with his 4-4-2 but wonder if he might be tempted to swap Doidge out for a midfielder, otherwise he's effectively leaving us man-for-man.

[Grangemouth Bairn]

Should be a good game. 2 in form teams who will be full of confidence.

[St. Jude]

I don’t think Ross can play a 4-4-2 for this one. Aberdeen’s midfield completely dominated Gogic and Newell playing in a central 2 and I would expect it to be even worse on Sunday. 
 

I would go 3-5-2 and move Boyle to right wing back, he’s played there before on occasion and played it well. This would allow us to match up in central midfield, keep both strikers on and give protection to both wing backs. 

 

[Sauzee#4]

18 minutes ago, St. Jude said:

I don’t think Ross can play a 4-4-2 for this one. Aberdeen’s midfield completely dominated Gogic and Newell playing in a central 2 and I would expect it to be even worse on Sunday. 
 

I would go 3-5-2 and move Boyle to right wing back, he’s played there before on occasion and played it well. This would allow us to match up in central midfield, keep both strikers on and give protection to both wing backs. 

 

Was Gogic not out for that one because of the COVID test?

[TonyFerrino]

We're due this mob a doing.  

[The Other Foot]

1 hour ago, Sauzee#4 said:

Was Gogic not out for that one because of the COVID test?

Correct. 

[AJF]

It'll depend on who is available after the recent injuries we've suffered, but it's likely Barker is out so I'd be tempted to play Morelos from the start (if he is able to), then have one of Hagi/Roofe/Arfield playing off the striker with one of them playing off the right.

If Jack can't make it then Kamara will assume his role and Arfield will probably be pushing for a start after how well he played coming on against Dundee Utd. If Boyle is deployed as a RWB as suggested above, I'd probably prefer that as Barisic and Kent, being our main creative threats, will hopefully have him occupied on the defensive side of things rather than attacking us.

Predicted Line Up (if fit)

                        McLaughlin

Tav         Goldson       Helander       Barisic

                   Davis           Jack (Kamara)

Hagi                    Roofe                     Kent

                             Morelos

 

I think it'll be a close game: 2-1 Rangers.

Edited September 16, 2020 by AJF

[G51]

Noticed Modern Fitba saying that while Rangers haven't conceded a goal in seven games, Hibs haven't conceded a goal in seven games from open play...

Somebody's 0 has got to go!*

 

_{*Or it could be a 0-0 draw. But f**k you if you're pulling for that}

[St. Jude]

2 hours ago, Sauzee#4 said:

Was Gogic not out for that one because of the COVID test?

Sorry your spot on, every game fades into one with them all being on the box. 

[The Other Foot]

55 minutes ago, G51 said:

 

 

_{*Or it could be a 0-0 draw. But f**k you if you're pulling for that}

Was just about to tell you how stupid you were for even considering such a result, but...

http://stats.football.co.uk/head_to_head/hibernian/vs/rangers/index.shtml

...it appears we have drawn four times since the beginning of season 2018/19. Could have sworn there's been a goal in every Hibs Rangers game of living memory!! 

 

That website also confirms (if confirmation were required) that my memories of Hibs' Scottish Cup Final 2016 glory were merely the strands of a beautiful, hazy dream. 

Edited September 16, 2020 by The Other Foot

[G51]

2 minutes ago, The Other Foot said:

Was just about to tell you how stupid you were for even considering such a result, but...

http://stats.football.co.uk/head_to_head/hibernian/vs/rangers/index.shtml

...it appears we have drawn four times since the beginning of season 2018/19. Could have sworn there's been a goal in every Hibs Rangers game of living memory!! 

 

That website also confirms that my memories of Hibs' 3-2 humiliation of Rangers in the Scottish Cup Final 2016 were, as suspected, mere wisps of a beautiful dream. 

There's something a bit funny about that website.

There was that time around Christmas 2018 when we played you twice in a week and there were two draws, one of them goalless - unless I'm mistaken, did Brandon Barker not come on for Hibs in the last 20 minutes of one of those games and look absolutely class in that way he sometimes does?

 

[Les Cabbage]

10 minutes ago, G51 said:

There's something a bit funny about that website.

There was that time around Christmas 2018 when we played you twice in a week and there were two draws, one of them goalless - unless I'm mistaken, did Brandon Barker not come on for Hibs in the last 20 minutes of one of those games and look absolutely class in that way he sometimes does?

 

That was the game you beat us 2-1 where Stevenson scored early on and then Windass and Morelos scored about 2 mins apart just before half time, we battered you that night but contrived to hit the post about 4 different times, not to mention David Bates superman punching the ball in his own box without the ref seeing anything.

Fully expect both trends to continue this weekend, Hibs not to concede in open play, Rangers not to concede and to win.

Hibs 0-2 Rangers (Barisic free kick and Tavernier penalty)

[G51]

4 minutes ago, Les Cabbage said:

That was the game you beat us 2-1 where Stevenson scored early on and then Windass and Morelos scored about 2 mins apart just before half time, we battered you that night but contrived to hit the post about 4 different times, not to mention David Bates superman punching the ball in his own box without the ref seeing anything.

Fully expect both trends to continue this weekend, Hibs not to concede in open play, Rangers not to concede and to win.

Hibs 0-2 Rangers (Barisic free kick and Tavernier penalty)

Right enough aye, I knew there was some kind of patter about that game.

Further to what I said earlier, I think Ross is almost between a rock and a hard place here. If he goes 4-4-2, he's going man-for-man and it'll allow our No. 10 (either Hagi or Kent) to drop into midfield to create a 3v2 in the middle, before taking up that space between the Hibs defence and midfield which could cause confusion with defensive responsibilities.

If he goes 3-5-2, he's conceding the wings, which is exactly what Rangers want you to do. It'll pull the wide CB's out and create a pile of space in there.

The solution is probably 4-3-3, but I'm not sure how often Hibs have played that this year or whether they have the personnel for it - it likely means sacrificing Nisbet.

[The Other Foot]

13 minutes ago, G51 said:

Right enough aye, I knew there was some kind of patter about that game.

Further to what I said earlier, I think Ross is almost between a rock and a hard place here. If he goes 4-4-2, he's going man-for-man and it'll allow our No. 10 (either Hagi or Kent) to drop into midfield to create a 3v2 in the middle, before taking up that space between the Hibs defence and midfield which could cause confusion with defensive responsibilities.

If he goes 3-5-2, he's conceding the wings, which is exactly what Rangers want you to do. It'll pull the wide CB's out and create a pile of space in there.

The solution is probably 4-3-3, but I'm not sure how often Hibs have played that this year or whether they have the personnel for it - it likely means sacrificing Nisbet.

Very interesting insight, G51, and though I am tactically-inept when it comes to formations - I would predict that Nisbet won't be dropped. Played too big a role on his return last week. 

[G51]

1 minute ago, The Other Foot said:

Very interesting insight, G51, and though I am tactically-inept when it comes to formations - I would predict that Nisbet won't be dropped. Played too big a role on his return last week. 

Aye, that's why I'm thinking he might be stuck. I'm not sure Nisbet would do much as a lone striker up against Goldson and Helander, they'll be too physical for him.

Dundee Utd tried the three at the back tactic last saturday (though with a 3-4-3 rather than 3-5-2) and combined it with a decent attempt at a press. They took a bodying after Rangers figured it out five minutes into the game.

I think he probably gives the 4-4-2 a try and just hopes enough Hibs players win their 1v1's.

[Les Cabbage]

37 minutes ago, G51 said:

Right enough aye, I knew there was some kind of patter about that game.

Further to what I said earlier, I think Ross is almost between a rock and a hard place here. If he goes 4-4-2, he's going man-for-man and it'll allow our No. 10 (either Hagi or Kent) to drop into midfield to create a 3v2 in the middle, before taking up that space between the Hibs defence and midfield which could cause confusion with defensive responsibilities.

If he goes 3-5-2, he's conceding the wings, which is exactly what Rangers want you to do. It'll pull the wide CB's out and create a pile of space in there.

The solution is probably 4-3-3, but I'm not sure how often Hibs have played that this year or whether they have the personnel for it - it likely means sacrificing Nisbet.

With Murphy being unavailable we also don’t really have anyone that can play left wing in a 4-3-3, I’m not exactly confident in any central midfielder we could bring in either for that matter that would make a great deal of difference.

I would suspect we go with 3-5-2/5-3-2 like you say with Boyle and Doig as our “wing backs” and either bring Allan, Mallan or Hallberg in for Murphy to play in the middle, which in honesty gives me the fear, Allan isn’t Allan at the moment, Mallan is Mallan and I’m yet to work out what Hallbergs attributes actually are.

[G51]

8 minutes ago, Les Cabbage said:

With Murphy being unavailable we also don’t really have anyone that can play left wing in a 4-3-3, I’m not exactly confident in any central midfielder we could bring in either for that matter that would make a great deal of difference.

I would suspect we go with 3-5-2/5-3-2 like you say with Boyle and Doig as our “wing backs” and either bring Allan, Mallan or Hallberg in for Murphy to play in the middle, which in honesty gives me the fear, Allan isn’t Allan at the moment, Mallan is Mallan and I’m yet to work out what Hallbergs attributes actually are.

Has Boyle done the RWB role before? I can't remember him doing it, but obviously I won't follow Hibs as much as yourselves

[Les Cabbage]

10 minutes ago, G51 said:

Has Boyle done the RWB role before? I can't remember him doing it, but obviously I won't follow Hibs as much as yourselves

He has yeah, quite a lot, defensively not great (as you’ll see if you saw the penalty he gave away against Aberdeen) but he does pick the ball up deep and acts as a good ball carrier, could also be played there to match Kent for pace.