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- Jun 27, 2002
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Down to earth with a bump then, after the highs of Sunday we have the lows of tonight. First off though, well done to the Hibs fans who made their way to Dingwall tonight on a cold wet night.
I watched the game on a feed on hesgoal, without commentary, so I have the benefit of replays and no great overall perception like you get from being at the game. County edged it on goals, and we edged it on red cards. Doidge's red card looked hard to argue with. Boyle's just looked petulant and daft. Two players now missing for game on Saturday at Perth - Doidge obviously wasn't a likely starter anyway, but it will be interesting to see how Jack shuffles the pack, it might mean a chance for Drey Wright who is probably the most obvious fit. I think it's more likely JR will shuffle the regular players.
One thing struck me about tonight - if you review the match before the goal, in fact let's split the match into 2 the bits before and after the goal - pre goal, I think I could probably live with the performance after Sunday. If we don't lose the first goal, we probably wouldn't lose the match and Ross County didn't really look like scoring. Not earth shattering but enough to see the game out for a point at least. However - and this is my greatest bug bear about JR - once we lose that soft goal, we never looked like coming back. It's like all confidence just drains from the team when we lose the first goal in a game. Ross County could easily have won by more if they had even a modicum of composure. The last 15 minutes of the game, we were unfocussed on the aim to save a point and I wonder if we actually prepare the players properly for how to play when we are chasing the game. That said, if we score the first goal I'm sure we would have seen out the match and nobody would be too critical of the performance. Goals change games.
Ross County chased harried and shut down all over the pitch. Pleasant to watch it was not. Effective it was. Their wage bill must be a fraction of ours. I'm not sure I would say they deserved the win, but they certainly worked hard for it.
On the night I thought our best players were Cadden and Newell. I didn't think anyone was way off it, and I even thought Nisbet contributed albeit he looks like a guy that's not enjoying his football.
So the team:
Macey makes me want to shop around for a new keeper. I think we've been spoiled with what has gone previously, and he made a great save when the game was lost, but some of his kicking is awful.
McGinn was quiet, wasn't troubled, didn't have a lot to do.
Darren well this is the kind of game that Darren is good for, solid unspectacular and cover for Porteous. I can't remember if it was him or Hanlon that didn't block the goal, well that wasn't so good.
I thought Paul also done well, not really troubled
Josh D had a quiet game, some good runs, but maybe didn't get forward enough. Maybe just not the type of game that suits him.
JDH was fine, it was a midfield battle, he held his own.
Joe Newell, I'm not his biggest fan but he was okay. Some cracking passes. Just not enough passes further up the pitch.
Martin Boyle always looked dangerous, quick and troubled County. Didn't see what he was so hacked off about to get the red, but it looked petulant and stupid.
Josh Campbell. I really don't understand why it took so long for him to get a chance. Fought well.
Cadden certainly was not his best performance, but I thought he did well, giving options in attack and he put in some good crosses. Not sure we're getting the best of him and Boyle in how we set up, I think I would tweak that.
Nisbet, not back to his best, or even normal, but worked hard and got a couple of chances he might have done better with or might have fallen differently.
Subs
Another moan - why so late with the subs? It's so reactive. Just once it would be nice for JR to make subs that put us on the front foot.
First change was Doidge for Scottie on 67. Doidge lasted 17 minutes before getting emptied for following through on one of their midfield thugs.
Allan replaced Campbell after 76 and lost possession cheaply to give Ross County a chance they could have scored from. Too little time to make his mark on the game, especially when down to 10 men.
Gullan replaced Doig with 9 to go, not enough time to impact on the game.
The boss
Did okay until we conceded a goal. I could have switched the feed off at that point. If we had taken a grip of the game for the last 20 and had a go, I think I could accept it. We didn't and we didn't.
Staggies
Their football is a hard watch, and they don't have much about them creatively. Can't believe they beat someone 5-0 this season. That's a lot of defensive mistakes to capitalize on.
The referee was his usual poor self. I seem to remember his promotion to Grade 1 was put back. I'd unpromote him, if it wasn't for the fact that the refs coming through are worse.
Again, well done to the fans that made the journey after being messed about.
Man of the Match for me was Chris Cadden
Next up is St Johnstone of Saturday. Could be more of the same from tonight. I hope we score the first goal.
Forever Hibs!
I watched the game on a feed on hesgoal, without commentary, so I have the benefit of replays and no great overall perception like you get from being at the game. County edged it on goals, and we edged it on red cards. Doidge's red card looked hard to argue with. Boyle's just looked petulant and daft. Two players now missing for game on Saturday at Perth - Doidge obviously wasn't a likely starter anyway, but it will be interesting to see how Jack shuffles the pack, it might mean a chance for Drey Wright who is probably the most obvious fit. I think it's more likely JR will shuffle the regular players.
One thing struck me about tonight - if you review the match before the goal, in fact let's split the match into 2 the bits before and after the goal - pre goal, I think I could probably live with the performance after Sunday. If we don't lose the first goal, we probably wouldn't lose the match and Ross County didn't really look like scoring. Not earth shattering but enough to see the game out for a point at least. However - and this is my greatest bug bear about JR - once we lose that soft goal, we never looked like coming back. It's like all confidence just drains from the team when we lose the first goal in a game. Ross County could easily have won by more if they had even a modicum of composure. The last 15 minutes of the game, we were unfocussed on the aim to save a point and I wonder if we actually prepare the players properly for how to play when we are chasing the game. That said, if we score the first goal I'm sure we would have seen out the match and nobody would be too critical of the performance. Goals change games.
Ross County chased harried and shut down all over the pitch. Pleasant to watch it was not. Effective it was. Their wage bill must be a fraction of ours. I'm not sure I would say they deserved the win, but they certainly worked hard for it.
On the night I thought our best players were Cadden and Newell. I didn't think anyone was way off it, and I even thought Nisbet contributed albeit he looks like a guy that's not enjoying his football.
So the team:
Macey makes me want to shop around for a new keeper. I think we've been spoiled with what has gone previously, and he made a great save when the game was lost, but some of his kicking is awful.
McGinn was quiet, wasn't troubled, didn't have a lot to do.
Darren well this is the kind of game that Darren is good for, solid unspectacular and cover for Porteous. I can't remember if it was him or Hanlon that didn't block the goal, well that wasn't so good.
I thought Paul also done well, not really troubled
Josh D had a quiet game, some good runs, but maybe didn't get forward enough. Maybe just not the type of game that suits him.
JDH was fine, it was a midfield battle, he held his own.
Joe Newell, I'm not his biggest fan but he was okay. Some cracking passes. Just not enough passes further up the pitch.
Martin Boyle always looked dangerous, quick and troubled County. Didn't see what he was so hacked off about to get the red, but it looked petulant and stupid.
Josh Campbell. I really don't understand why it took so long for him to get a chance. Fought well.
Cadden certainly was not his best performance, but I thought he did well, giving options in attack and he put in some good crosses. Not sure we're getting the best of him and Boyle in how we set up, I think I would tweak that.
Nisbet, not back to his best, or even normal, but worked hard and got a couple of chances he might have done better with or might have fallen differently.
Subs
Another moan - why so late with the subs? It's so reactive. Just once it would be nice for JR to make subs that put us on the front foot.
First change was Doidge for Scottie on 67. Doidge lasted 17 minutes before getting emptied for following through on one of their midfield thugs.
Allan replaced Campbell after 76 and lost possession cheaply to give Ross County a chance they could have scored from. Too little time to make his mark on the game, especially when down to 10 men.
Gullan replaced Doig with 9 to go, not enough time to impact on the game.
The boss
Did okay until we conceded a goal. I could have switched the feed off at that point. If we had taken a grip of the game for the last 20 and had a go, I think I could accept it. We didn't and we didn't.
Staggies
Their football is a hard watch, and they don't have much about them creatively. Can't believe they beat someone 5-0 this season. That's a lot of defensive mistakes to capitalize on.
The referee was his usual poor self. I seem to remember his promotion to Grade 1 was put back. I'd unpromote him, if it wasn't for the fact that the refs coming through are worse.
Again, well done to the fans that made the journey after being messed about.
Man of the Match for me was Chris Cadden
Next up is St Johnstone of Saturday. Could be more of the same from tonight. I hope we score the first goal.
Forever Hibs!