Hibs return to Premiership duty this Sunday with a testing trip to Ibrox.
David Gray's side secured their first league win of the season a fortnight ago, comfortably seeing off St Johnstone 2-0 at Easter Road. With two weeks to prepare, there will be a confidence and anticipation among his players that they can spring a surprise against Rangers.
The head coach has enjoyed plenty of time to perfect his approach and, decide who gets the nod in his starting XI. Here, Patrick McPartlin and Liam Bryce analyse how Hibs could line up.
Patrick McPartlin
One of the most noticeable things about Hibs in recent seasons was a reluctance from more than one manager to mix things up for away games against Celtic and Rangers. While the idea of sticking to a particular style of play could be seen as admirable, heavy defeats do little for the players’ morale and that of the supporters.
Gray has shown himself to be pragmatic in certain games and spoke in pre-season about adapting his approach depending on the opposition. I think we could see that in action in Govan on Sunday, particularly given the head coach has never before taken charge of a game at Ibrox, and he will likely be without one or two starting players.
Were Martin Boyle and Joe Newell fit, I think at least one of them would be starting. As it is, Gray gave a somewhat non-committal answer when quizzed about their fitness during his pre-match press conference. That might have been to keep Rangers guessing, because he genuinely didn't know, or because he plans on giving them every chance to prove their fitness.
Defensively, Gray has a decision to make: does he keep faith with the same back four that delivered a first league clean sheet of the season last time out, or does he restore Lewis Miller to the rearguard, allowing him to have Chris Cadden as a versatile option off the bench in defence or attack?
In midfield, the return of Élie Youan and the availability of Junior Hoilett gives Gray options on the flanks in a 4231 / 433 and while he opted for a 532 when Hibs visited Celtic Park on Premier Sports Cup duty back in August, with limited centre-forward options at his disposal with Kieron Bowie sidelined, he might be tempted to go for a 451, which would likely see the return of Josh Campbell to the starting line-up without having to drop either Nectar Triantis or Kwon Hyeok-kyu, and also be easily convertible to a 4231/433 in attack with the wide midfielders pushing higher up to support.
Hoilett looked good during his substitute appearance against St Johnstone, but Gray might opt for Nicky Cadden on the left of a midfield five with the Canadian internationalist as an option off the bench. Youan was a little off the boil in his first league appearance of the season but further training sessions and minutes in a bounce game during Hibs’ break might have sharpened him up, and he does have a tendency to perk up for the bigger occasions. Alternatively, Hoilett could start on the right with Youan on the bench. Whatever Gray chooses, he will have strong candidates for back-up.
Mykola Kukharevych has looked better with each passing game and should maintain his role as centre-forward, while Dwight Gayle could be an intriguing option off the bench.
This would give a line-up of Joe Bursik; Lewis Miller, Marvin Ekpiteta, Warren O’Hora, Jordan Obita; Élie Youan, Nectar Triantis, Josh Campbell, Kwon Hyeok-kyu, Nicky Cadden; and Kukharevych.
Liam Bryce
Getting the balance of this selection right is an important task for Gray - how can he set up to nullify Rangers while also ensuring his team carries a threat? Pace on the counter will be key, which makes Boyle's seemingly likely absence especially frustrating. Youan looked understandably short of match sharpness in his return against St Johnstone, but the Frenchman is Hibs' best bet for exploiting any gaps left by Rangers' adventurous full-backs, and has had an additional two weeks to get himself up to speed. Gray could be tempted to start Hoilett on the opposite flank. The 34-year-old's calming influence and intelligence in possession were immediately apparent on his debut, and using the ball well becomes doubly important on a day when Hibs are likely to see far less of it. He could, though, just as easily stick with Nicky Cadden, whose set-piece threat could come in handy.
In midfield, you feel the Triantis-Newell-Kwon trifecta would have been the ideal fit for this fixture, but with Gray non-committal on the fitness of his captain, it'd be a very risky wager to bet on him making it to Ibrox. Does Molotnikov continue in the number 10 role? It would be harsh to drop the teenager given his contribution so far this season, and he deserves a chance to impress on this stage. Triantis-Kwon-Molotnikov would be bold considering the oldest of the trio is just 23, but it would also be a real show of faith, particularly in the latter.
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At the back, three of the four (four of five if you include Josef Bursik) pick themselves just now, with the partnership between O'Hora and Ekpiteta showing signs of solidifying over recent matches, and Jordan Obita ever-present at left-back. Right-back is a straight choice between Chris Cadden and Miller, with the former getting the nod in the win over St Johnstone, albeit Miller had just returned from an injury. The Australian has mostly been first choice under Gray, but Cadden may just have done enough last time out to keep his place for this one.
That would see Hibs line up as - Bursik; Cadden, Ekpiteta, O'Hora, Obita; Triantis, Kwon, Molotnikov; Hoilett, Kukharevych, Youan.
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