It certainly wasn't a classic, but it didn't need to be. Three points was the order of the day for Hibs, and they eventually recorded a deserved 2-0 win over St Johnstone.
It was a first Premiership victory as head coach for David Gray, and his team are now unbeaten in their last three as they head into another free weekl, having already been eliminated from the Premier Sports Cup. Goals from Mykola Kukharevych and Martin Boyle either side of the interval were enough on Saturday, albeit the performance itself was markedly better in the second 45.
Here's what the StatsBomb data tells us about the result and performance, plus some additional key talking points.
Slow start again
The word Gray used was 'lethargic', and it's hard to dispute his assessment. The first-half of Saturday's win was mostly a non-event, with Hibs unable to do enough to disrupt St Johnstone's shape, while being mostly untroubled themselves at the other end. Kukharevych's opener just before the break was the only moment of real note, and it was hugely important in determining the trajectory of the rest of the game. There were murmurings of discontent brewing around Easter Road the longer the first period meandered on, and the atmosphere would have been markedly different at the end of the half had Hibs not forced their way into the lead.
In the three home Premiership matches so far, Hibs have - to varying degrees - been better in the second-half than the first. The opening period against Dundee, in particular, followed a similar pattern, albeit without Hibs conceding. Again, it took a goal out of nothing to shift the tone that day, with Martin Boyle's brilliantly-executed free-kick setting up a very different second 45. But what's at the root of these slow starts? There could feasibly be a confidence issue given results hadn't gone Hibs' way in the league until Saturday, and it doesn't take all that long for the crowd to get restless. But as Gray himself pointed out post-Dundee, this is something players must be able to cope with.
The improvement was clear following the restart, though. StatsBomb's expected goals [xG] race chart below shows that around half of Hibs' xG in the opening period was generated solely through Kukharevych's goal, which was essentially a tap-in.
But you can see how Gray's side were much more productive in the second period, and well worth their victory. The pass network below also shows what could have been a half-time emphasis on playing higher up the pitch.
Look at the average positions of Rudi Molotnikov and Nicky Cadden from the first-half to second, as well as Boyle and Junior Hoilett compared to Elie Youan, who was substituted at half-time.
Better defensive solidity
Hibs' last two league outings have featured defensive improvements. Yes, there was the late lapse which resulted in a costly penalty at Rugby Park, but it was an otherwise solid performance against arguably the most physical side in the division, especially for centre-backs Warren O'Hora and Marvin Ekpiteta, whose partnership is showing some promising signs. On Saturday, they limited St Johnstone, and livewire forward Benjamin Kimpioka, to very, very little. It's not a stretch to suggest that Kimpioka's frustration boiling over into a red card lunge on Jordan Obita stemmed from just how much he was kept out of the game at large. The shot map below shows that Saints accumulated just 0.14xG in the game, all of it before the hour mark, Hibs restricted the visitors to just five total efforts on the day, each of them from relatively non-threatening areas.
The backline certainly seems to have been aided by the additions of Nectar Triantis and Kwon Hyeok-kyu. Deployed at the base of midfield on Saturday, the pair are still adjusting to playing alongside one another - at times they seem to want to occupy similar spaces - but their defensive value is obvious. They are effective pressers, can handle the physical battle, and at 6ft-plus, give Hibs some serious presence in midfield. Both are intelligent footballers, too, and are comfortable taking the ball under pressure.
Hoilett's debut and improving depth
We touched on Hoilett's impact in our instant match analysis - his touch, spatial awareness, and ability to make others around him better - and it's even clearer upon repeat viewings. He looked very much like the player who had a significant impact on Aberdeen's revived fortunes at the tail end of the 2023/24 season, all deft touches and experienced nous in the final third. Hibs were much better for his second-half presence.
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But that Hoilett was not the only player to positively impact the performance from the bench is a real positive for Gray. How often last season did we look to the Hibs bench and see little in the way of potential game-changing options? It's still too early to judge the summer transfer window as a success or otherwise, but it's undeniable that the head coach has multiple options in the wide areas, even without the injured Kieron Bowie. Nicky Cadden and Elie Youan were Saturday's starters, and their replacements were able to slot in and influence the game's outcome.
Gray may still have to figure out the optimum combination week-on-week, but there is certainly depth from which he can choose, with each player, on paper, offering something different. That's a positive.
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