Hibs against Rangers looked like the easiest Premiership team to play EVER and it’s time to get nasty – Tam McManus
The writing must have been on the wall when Todd Cantwell unintentionally knocked out Nick Montgomery in the opening half. On Wednesday, Hibs couldn’t compete with Rangers on any level; they were soft, bland, and, to be honest, terrible.
They never gave a thing to Philippe Clement’s team, and I have to admit, they might be the easiest elite team I have ever played against. That’s already quite awful. But in front of your own supporters, on your own ground? Startling. Montgomery was a tough boy who knew when and how to go nasty, and he would never tolerate being written off as a player. Why then does his team approve of it?
In this match, where is the brutality and intensity that we have become accustomed to seeing from Hibs teams? They’ve always had a player, like Ryan Porteous, Scott Brown, Grant Brebner, or, from my own era, Mathias Jack, Yogi Hughes, and Mixu Paatelainen, who is willing to fight when things go hard. But given the kind of player Montgomery was, it’s amazing that nobody on the current team has the same ambition to make an impression.
I’m not talking going out and smashing people but the willingness at least bare their teeth and try to make it difficult for the opposition. I took a few skelpings off the Old Firm but we never rolled over and got our bellies tickled like Hibs did on Wednesday night.
Everything is too nice at Hibs. They have a lovely stadium, training ground, everything is done for them.. is that seeping into the team? A lot of players look too comfortable.
But one look at the league table should have them shuffling awkwardly. They’re 14 points behind an average Hearts team that only has one top player – albeit with a game in hand – and it’s only January. That’s staggering.
Montgomery needs to sort it out. Every man and their dog can see the formation isn’t working. It’s admirable you’ve got principles but Hibs are so easy to play against at the minute. So easy to play through.
They have two pure wingers who don’t do any tracking back, and their two midfield players are getting hammered. Derek McInnes, the manager of Kilmarnock, would have been sitting there last night, watching that match and thought he knew precisely how he was going to play on Saturday against Hibs.
The liberty of Leith was granted to John Lundstram. He was running the game and dropping into acres of space. Dylan Vente doesn’t appear to be a goal threat at all as he was scurrying around chasing midfielders and defenders.
I’ll say it again: following the 4-0 loss at Ibrox, I felt that something needed to change. Montgomery must alter their formation and develop a playmaking strategy that makes them difficult to oppose.
In order to compete with Rangers, they require three midfield players. I was talking to Neil Lennon, who had a fantastic track record leading Hibs versus Celtic and Rangers. He would always play 3/5/2 with a middle three.
The two wing backs tucked in to make it 5/3/2 after they lost the ball. Rangers and Celtic found it difficult to play through that. When they land on the opposite end, you try to take your chances.
Hibs are using two out-and-out wingers to play 4/4/2, which borders on 4/2/4. Although it’s nice that they want to try, to be honest, I think it’s absurd.
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