Anyone Else Think We Were Poor Last Night?

[UnionMen 411]

Don't get me wrong I enjoyed last night as much as the next bear, was great to see close to a full house and the place was absolutely bouncing (literally after the 2nd goal),

but performance wise I thought we were poor and only due to the gashness of hibs came away with a 2-0 victory.

Half-time came at a bad time, we were on the front foot and playing some nice stuff. But the entire 2nd 45 we spent it pegged back in our own half. We snatched a 2nd goal which was nicely taken and Vuckic should have scored that header at the back stick but it felt like 90% of the game was played in our own half in the 2nd peroid. We were totally dominated by Hibs. I don't even think we defended particularly well when we dropped deep and Hibs found spaces in our box, missing a couple of sitters.

Hibs looked the favorite to every high ball, front & back. Gave us nothing when crossing in to Clark (!?) and looked like scoring from 1 of their many corners.

I also don't understand McCalls thinking with Clark/Boyd. The only success Clark had was when the low cross from Foster set up his goal. Outwith that piece of craft from Vuckic our approach was high balls into the box, needless to say he never won 1.

He brings on Boyd with 15 mins or so to play when we're looking to counter out... So Clark spends the game being dominated in the air and Boyd spends it chasing balls down the channels?

Like I said, i'm delighted with the result, but at 2-0 we had about half an hour still to play, and Hibs are really shite. It was incredibly fustrating watching us being pinned into our half for the rest of the game, resorting to hoofing the ball up the pitch to nobody, unable to retain possession and pass out of our half - when we should have been pressing to kill the tie with a 3rd & 4th goal, they were there for the taking.

[LaudrupsPatrickBoots 13,540]

The positivity was getting boring anyway.

[King Jela 20,687]

Apart from the first 10-15 minutes we were in complete control. They never had an answer.

[cushynumber 25,178]

some of your points may be valid, however we are now at the stage where i couldn't give a flying fuck what we play like - as long as we win.

[GOAT 30,449]

We WERE poor. But these are our biggest games in a long, long, long time, so see as long as we go up I don't give a flying fuck how poor we are in the next (hopefully) three games.

[The Godfather 72,790]

We were average and they passed it about better.

We took our chances though and they fluffed there own, that's all that matters.

[sco22y 280]

Had the score line not favoured us I do not think they would have had anywhere near as much possession as they had, in our half. We allowed them to come forward, to an extent, perhaps to counter!

[Dutchy 1,200]

Taking a 2 goal lead to Erazer Road where we have every chance of wiping out the hivs challenge was great for me.

One aspect of the game last night that was very worrying was Callum Murray's(ref) useless and corrupt handling of the game. I don't think it helped us one little bit.

We had the crowd, they had the ref and we still won.

[the_r_sole 366]

had a game plan, wasn't pretty, scored 2, didn't concede, very strong position for the next game - but we were poor?

take yer head for a shite!

[left winger 14,689]

We struggled for the first 15/20 minutes and if they had scored we would have been in trouble. However, over the 90 mins we were well worth the victory.

[Big Al 55 9,322]

It's all relative really, we were outplayed but then Hibs are a far better footballing team with a much better midfield.

Were we poor compared to Rangers from 5 years ago...yes absolutely

Were we poor compared to Kenny McDowall's team...absolutely not

We all accept there are huge limitations with the squad, all most of us have ever asked is 100% commitment and effort. Did anyone give less than that that night...not in my opinion.

[minstral 5,375]

We were average but winning was the main thing.

[NeoGeo7 10,650]

it reminded me of our uefa cup run a little. We dug in and got what mattered most......the result.

The one time I felt we could steamroll them was just after the second goal. They were on the ropes and McCall had a decision to make. Keep going and try to get a third at the risk of perhaps losing a goal and not getting a third or take the 2-0, give tired legs a rest and tighten up.

It was never going to be a pretty display from us, we got stuck in and did what was required. That's what cup games and these play offs are about, it's about being tactical and strategic rather than going gung ho. Expect to see a similar approach on Saturday. We'll try to get a goal but not desperately seeking it and if we get it McCall will shut up shop again.

As for your point on Boyd and Clark I can see where you are coming from however I think this was made to give Clark a rest and use Boyd for defending set pieces. Clarks effort is never doubted whereas boyds is therefore he needed Clark to try and get ahead in the game. For me Boyd will work best if we have true width via the likes of Ferguson, Walsh, McKay etc. but last night again was the perfect balance of attacking and defending by Wallace and foster.

It was professional, determined and clinical.

[chris182 6,369]

I thought we were very average for most of the game, some of our passing was terrible. The no out-ball scenario in the last 15 mins had me bamboozled but hey, the goals are all that matter at this stage.

Big overhaul in the summer reqd.

[ianferguson 2,619]

Sadly

[Copland bear 7,966]

1st half was a shocker but got they goal at a good time, after the break the wee much better but sat back too deep for my liking.

But all said and done I do not remember Bell making a save, the defence were brilliant, Zaliuskas again shows us what we have been missing in a good centre half and Foster of all people was excellent the second half.

I would rather play poor than win, than play well and lose..

[LeeWallace5 222]

Didn't think we were too bad, don't remember them having a shot on target?

[Gartsherriederry 81]

The only thing I was amazed about was the fact they didn't score we left too many gsbs down either side and they got a lot of space however il take the win regardless of how we played ...I thought we looked dangerous going forward if we had better decision making in the final third we coulda scored a couple more but all in all over the moon with a two goal advantage

[UnionMen 411]

had a game plan, wasn't pretty, scored 2, didn't concede, very strong position for the next game - but we were poor?

take yer head for a shite!

it would seem that neither grammar nor anatomy are your strong points.

[RFC55 110,262]

After scudding qots yet drawing 1-1 we deserved to get a victory after that type of performance. Think we looked leggy and hibs sharp but hibs had no real quality.

[UnionMen 411]

The only thing I was amazed about was the fact they didn't score we left too many gsbs down either side and they got a lot of space however il take the win regardless of how we played ...I thought we looked dangerous going forward if we had better decision making in the final third we coulda scored a couple more but all in all over the moon with a two goal advantage

Don't get me wrong i woulda snatched a 2-0 pre-match, but yes they should have scored, the ball broke kindly to them in our box on a few occasions and they beat us to headers time & time again.

We missed a real chance at 2-0 to bury them, given how we played in the 2nd half i'm worried we go there and just sit at ER.

[the_r_sole 366]

it would seem that neither grammar nor anatomy are your strong points.

seems that neither observation and understanding are yours

[siamthedanger 2,867]

Law was poor for sure, lost the ball so many times. Also, in the first half especially, we seemed to take forever to close the Hibs boys down. Apart from that we did OK.

[kingtom80 166]

dont mind playing poor as long as we win the playoffs and get back where we belong.

[Bluepeter9 5,167]

The positivity was getting boring anyway.

class