Fan view: Staggies, rather than Celtic, is the must-win game

Nick Montgomery’s unbeaten start at Hibs came to a juddering halt with his side given a rude awakening in Glasgow as Rangers swept them aside with a convincing 4-0 beating.

In the aftermath, much of the discussion focused on Montgomery’s decision to stick with his tried and tested 442 formation. Some argued that Monty was right to hold to his principles and that persevering with the formation is the only way that the players will improve over time. Others said that he was naïve, and that expecting to be able to go to Ibrox with such an attacking set up was asking for trouble.

A strong case could be made for either argument, and it’s hard to place the blame for the result solely at the feet of the formation when so many players simply failed to turn up on the day. You could reasonably argue that no matter the formation, when you have as many players off the pace as Hibs did on Saturday, you’re going to get a bloodied nose.

The stats show that Hibs competed in the first half, and they did, to a point. They had plenty of possession and got into good positions on several occasions without creating any quality chances, other than the one shot on target mustered all game – a near-post shot from Dylan Vente that barely tested Jack Butland in the Rangers goal.

You can get away with your attack having an off-day if you’re able to defend resolutely, but again, Hibs were guilty of conceding chances at an alarming rate. The two goals conceded in the first half eroded any lingering hopes of taking something from the match, and the fact that Rangers only scored two second-half goals meant the full time scoreline flattered Hibs. It was certainly an afternoon to forget.

Porous at the back

The defence is a huge concern. With 16 goals conceded in 9 games played, Hibs have the worst defence in the top flight. As a result, and despite being the top scorers outside of Rangers and Celtic, Hibs have slumped to ninth in the league – just two points ahead of Ross County in 11th, with Hibs having played a game more than their Highland counterparts, who visit the Capital next midweek.

Hibs host Ross County on Hallowe'en, and the game certainly has the potential to put the frighteners into the home support. The Staggies won comfortably on their last visit to Easter Road, and Hibs can’t afford any slip-ups as the first round of fixtures nears a close.

Before that, however, Hibs face an in-form Celtic side who dismantled Hearts at the weekend. Hibs simply cannot afford to show the same generosity to Celtic as they have to others this season.

The big questions is whether or not Montgomery sticks to his guns and sets up as he did against Rangers. There’s no doubt that our front four have the potential to trouble Celtic but to do so, the players need to give a far better account of themselves than they showed against Rangers.

Could Levitt make a difference?

Montgomery may see this game as an opportunity to pair Dylan Levitt with Joe Newell in the centre of midfield. That combination was very effective against Luzern at Easter Road and it’s likely they would have continued playing together had Levitt not picked up a nasty ankle injury in the away leg of that fixture. Levitt had an excellent game that evening, and his defensive contribution should not be underestimated. While Jimmy Jeggo may seem a more natural choice to fill that defensive midfielder role, Levitt’s overall game - particularly his quality on the ball - might be the key to bringing the attacking players into positions where they are more able to impact the game.

Montgomery will also be looking for more from Martin Boyle and Élie Youan to protect the full-backs against Celtic. Too often against Rangers, both Lewis Miller and Jordan Obita found themselves overloaded in the wide areas, and Celtic will look to exploit that potential weakness.

Time for a change between the sticks?

The other big decision that Montgomery must make, is whether to change his goalkeeper. David Marshall has not enjoyed a great start to the season, and there are a number of stats that place him as the worst performing goalkeeper in the league, despite a recent upturn in performances since Montgomery took over.

Hibs need a goalkeeper at the top of his game while the defensive issues are sorted out. Jojo Wollacott’s return from injury certainly gives Montgomery a dilemma. He has publicly backed Marshall and clearly trusts the veteran stopper. Managers are notoriously slow to change goalkeepers however Hibs paid a fee for Wollacott, and we can’t afford to have an underperforming goalkeeper continue in the first team while his replacement kicks his heels on the bench.

Celtic will be clear favourites on Saturday and realistically, most Hibs fans would be satisfied with the team having a proper go at them, even if we lose. Save for a hiding, it’s unlikely that a defeat to Celtic will be held against the manager but it does mean that Tuesday night’s game against Ross County is crucial. For me, that is the bigger game of the two and Hibs must get it right when it really matters.