The Hibs players who rose above the chaos in cup exit

A pair of red cards for Jordan Obita and Nathan Moriah-Welsh dominated the post-match discussion, as did Martin Boyle being taken to hospital with concussion near the end of the first half. It was a chaotic night, littered with incidents and talking points, taking focus away from what was, for long spells, a fairly even encounter.

Hibs did not do enough to seriously trouble their visitors in front of goal, with Myziane Maolida's attempt to block a Jack Butland clearance coming back off the post proving to be the closest Nick Montgomery's side would come to scoring. Against a Rangers side which had made light work of them in January's Premiership meeting, Hibs generally acquitted themselves much better.

In reviewing the match itself, and consulting Wyscout data, there were three players in green and white who largely managed to operate above the chaos.

Centre-backs impress

Rocky Bushiri was a colossus for Hibs on Sunday evening, delivering perhaps one of his most accomplished performances for the club. His form since returning from a long absence at the African Cup of Nations has been consistently good, marshalling Lawrence Shankland well in the Edinburgh derby and bringing a renewed sense of solidity to a back four that had toiled in his absence.

READ MORE: Chris Cadden speaks on milestone Hibs start, red cards and Boyle

Rangers' Cyriel Dessers is not one to shy away from a physical battle but the striker struggled to cope with Rocky's physicality in one-on-one duels, with the centre-back consistently coming out on top, often to the delight of the home fans. Few things, after all, trigger the roaring approval of a Scottish crowd than a defender decisively muscling a forward off the ball.

Being 'too soft' was the accusation levelled at Hibs at the turn of the year, but it's a label that will never apply to Bushiri, and he set the tone for a Hibs display containing far greater intensity than when Rangers cantered to a 3-0 Easter Road victory in January. Montgomery's side could not find the attacking edge to seriously trouble their visitors, but few home fans would have left Easter Road feeling Hibs had been rolled over meekly.

READ MORE: Martin Boyle out of hospital as Hibs winger recovering from concussion

Bushiri's performance typified that endeavour, and he was as fired up as anyone when tempers began to fray in the second half. In play, though, his game was all about controlled aggression.

Bushiri won 75 per cent of his defensive duels, second only to Will Fish (83 per cent), and it's a figure significantly higher than the team average of 48 per cent. He had a 91 per cent pass completion rate (13 of those were forward), made three interceptions, three clearances, and 18 ball recoveries - the joint highest on the pitch alongside James Tavernier.

Alongside him, Fish also posted impressive numbers. As well as his team-high 83 per cent defensive duel success rate, he completed 75 per cent of his passes (15 forward), made 13 interceptions, seven clearances, and 11 ball recoveries. Perhaps his most eye-catching moment came in the second half when he was left exposed one-on-one with Fabio Silva, but matched the on-loan Wolves attacker for pace before calmly robbing him of the ball. Bushiri's all-action style can be more eye-catching than that of his defensive partner, but the numbers say this was a quietly effective performance from Fish, despite the disappointing result.

Triantis steady in midfield

With Emiliano Marcondes pushed into the forward line by Dylan Vente's absence,  Nectar Triantis was handed a start in midfield. On loan from Sunderland, Triantis has been used as a late substitute over recent weeks, slotting in just ahead of the back four to quieten matches down in the closing stages. Triantis was Montgomery's primary centre-back target in January, but despite looking comfortable in possession, his initial appearances in the backline were punctuated by defensive errors; some unfortunate, some betraying the Australian's lack of senior experience.

Thrown into the engine room against some of the country's best midfield operators, however, Triantis' performance was mature and composed. He handled the ball as well, if not better at times, than Joe Newell and Nathan Moriah-Welsh, impressively retaining possession under pressure. 

Triantis has played in midfield before, and it was telling in how he protected and used the ball that he possesses an understanding of what's required. In the example below, he moves into space to receive a throw-in from Jordan Obita. These can be dangerous situations for midfielders - the throw is travelling a fair distance, which gives the opposition time to press, and a bouncing ball takes longer to control than a pass along the floor. Triantis, though, uses his body effectively to shield the ball from Dessers before driving through midfield, eventually being fouled by Tom Lawrence.

In the second example, Triantis drops into receive from Fish, and the pass into him prompts Mohamed Diomande to spring forward and press. Note how Triantis' angled approach and body position to receive the pass allows him to play first time into the channel for Élie Youan. If he takes the ball square on, it's so much more difficult to play out with a man closing in behind you.

We may not see Triantis in midfield for matches in which Hibs expect to dominate possession and territory, but it's clear from Sunday night that he possesses the tools to do an effective job in that area.

As well as passing the eye test, his Wyscout stats were solid. Triantis had an 81 per cent pass completion rate, including four passes into the final third. He won 50 per cent of his defensive duels (above the team average), 57 per cent of his offensive duels, plus four interceptions and three clearances. 

So while it was a disappointing result on the night, there were some crumbs of comfort for Montgomery and enough to suggest that, even without a handful of key players, Hibs should be more than able to compete as full focus returns to the league campaign.