Accies .V. Hibernian - MATCH THREAD

[Admin]

Back at it!

Your comments please...

[Gav]

Dont think we will lose this one but need to score first.

2-1 home win.

[Euan]

Missed a few home games so far with other commitments, so I’ve been looking forward to this one. Usually a decent game against Hibs at NDP.
If we play with a good tempo and can score first we’ll keep up our good home record and win.

[TerracingTomas]

As far as the League is concerned Hibs haven’t won since an opening day 1 - 0 over St Mirren. It’s a pretty horrendous run of form. If we have any likelihood of reaching Maitlands’ 40 points total then this is a game we should be looking to take all 3 points from so a draw it is!

[Bluesy]

I hadn't given this match too much thought until this morning.
It's a decent run of matches coming up and no reason to be defensive. Let's take it to them.
I would love to see .. OFW, McGowan, Stubbs, Hamilton, McMann; Smith, Gogic, Alston, Collar; Oggie, Oakley.

Important in particular I think to have Smith back in on our own park.

Any news on McGowan?

[Big Wurzil]

Hibs should’ve been out of sight in the first half but for a horrific miss from Horgan but as long as stayed 0-1 your still in it.

Looked a clumsy challenge for me from Mallan and rightly given but apart from that we very rarely if any troubled their keeper, delivery from the corners we got was terrible. We don’t create a great deal from open play so when we get set pieces we need to be more ruthless and clinical.

8 goals in 9 games with 3 of those penalties tells a story but the bottom half with the exception of Livingston seem to have the same issues.

St Johnstone next week is a great opportunity to go and beat them as their confidence must be shot to bits. 1 win in 14 all season and that was Brechin in the betfred cup so start with 2 up top and go for them.

[TerracingTomas]

Hibs should’ve been out of sight in the first half but for a horrific miss from Horgan but as long as stayed 0-1 your still in it.

Looked a clumsy challenge for me from Mallan and rightly given but apart from that we very rarely if any troubled their keeper, delivery from the corners we got was terrible. We don’t create a great deal from open play so when we get set pieces we need to be more ruthless and clinical.

Pretty much sums it up for me. Had it not been for the penalty then Hibs were going home with the 3 points. Our weakness at right back when Mcgowan is out was very evident yesterday. Asking Martin to take on an unfamiliar role in his first game back after a long abscence was far from ideal but I dont think there was another option but it showed. Scott is clearly lacking in match sharpness judging by some his passes and the Hibs players targeted our right hand side of the field. Anyway I’ll take that point and we are still in 8th. 3 points next week a must.

[Yummy Fur]

I notice that social media was speculating what the in attendance Martin Canning thought of Saturday's game and I wonder if he went away perplexed about how 3 more points from this time last season translates into the difference between being public enemy number 1 and being cheered onto the park as "Brian Rice's Hamilton Accies". He probably saw some of the same old deficiencies with the inability to create goal scoring opportunities and us scoring with our only real effort of any note. Perhaps he even recognised some of the curious selection policies with Beck being judged good enough to start at Ibrox but not even making the bench the following week. And lastly he maybe would have questioned the transfer policy which left us with 3 central defenders sitting in the stand, 1 sitting on the bench and 1 playing for East Kilbride while not having any back up at right back at all.

In saying all that there was some positives - that was a point we wouldn't have won under Canning. The centre of defence is looking solid and in particular it was good to see Brian Easton looking fit and playing like a natural CB. Also what a transformation in Alex Gogic in recent weeks - on Saturday he broke up play constantly, won tackle after tackle while passing the ball well.

I quite liked the formation and was pleased to see us actually looking for the ball rather than sitting in and giving the opposition the vast majority of possession, however for it to work properly it needs for both wide players to be on form and get up to support the lone striker. That didn't happen with Smith looking tired and Miller devoid of any confidence.

Onto next week with confidence undented, a point we maybe didn't really deserve on the balance of play and a good opportunity to put St Johnstone into full scale crisis mode if indeed they aren't there already.

[TerracingTomas]

Agree Yummy Fur re Easton and Gocic. I had all but written off Big Brian as a wasted signing but the moral of the story is that players who have been on the sidelines through injury for long periods of time require patience from the fans while they regain not just fitness but match ‘sharpness’. Given Easton was out for 15 months he’s come back quicker than might have been expected. The same goes for Scott Martin. It will take a while before he’s back to his best. Miller however seems to have lost his way and I honestly think we should let him go in January to return south. Best for all parties.

[Colombian Boffin]

I wasn't there on Saturday, but it is a real pity re Mickel Miller. When he plays well, he's just the type of creative player we desperately need.

[Bluesy]

I would say that Miller simply needs more game time. He is capable of something different. I think Miller and Smith need to be in the team to give us the creativity that we really need. A right back as back up to McGowan has to be a priority in January.

[Colombian Boffin]

Agreed as usual!