Of the 11 summer signings to arrive at Easter Road, there are two who embody the clear shift in the profile of a David Gray-led Hibs.

Acquiring Kwon Hyeok-kyu from Celtic for the season looked like sensible business at the time; a £1 million player who looked very capable in a brief loan spell at St Mirren in the latter half of the 2023/24 campaign. The return of Nectar Triantis on a second loan from Sunderland was met with some very premature scepticism - the Australian had underwhelmed at centre-back before showing promise in Nick Montgomery's midfield - although that was, perhaps, exacerbated by the deadline day disappointment over Luke McCowan's eventual transfer to Parkhead.

But early showings from Hibs' new midfield pairing have been a practical demonstration of Gray's oft-repeated wish to be tactically adaptable. Much discussion on that topic centred on formations and systems, but in the last two matches, we've seen stylistic variation within an on-paper shape that didn't deviate drastically from St Johnstone at home to Rangers away. To do that, players like Triantis and Kwon are vital, owing to their suitability for different tactical approaches.

Hibs' last three matches captured a neat snapshot of the variety of challenges this team will face week-to-week. Kilmarnock away was an attritional battle on a difficult pitch against a very physical side; St Johnstone at home saw Gray's side dominate possession and territory, while a trip to Glasgow nearly always calls for defensive discipline, a high workrate, and composure. The early evidence is that Hibs' new midfield pair can do a bit of all those things but crucially, do them well.

A quick look at the StatsBomb radars for both players puts both above the Premiership average in several areas, albeit this season's sample size is still small.

(Image: StatsBomb) It's no surprise to see Triantis profiles well as the defensive midfielder he's been brought in to be - low turnovers, high numbers of tackles and interceptions, and an above-average return for progressing the ball from deep. Against Rangers, Triantis had a 90% pass completion, according to Wyscout. That stat in isolation can often be a little misleading - what use are completed passes if they're of no real value to the gameplan? But in a game where Hibs had much less possession than their hosts, you need to be able to rely on your number six to retain the ball whenever he gets it, and Triantis did that very well.

He won 80% of his defensive duels and recovered the ball 11 times, four of those being in the Rangers half, made four interceptions and conceded just one foul. What's less tangible is the added presence and physicality he brings: he's a powerhouse who can cover the pitch with ease and is comfortable dealing with the physical rigours of the SPFL, as was especially evident in that excellent second debut against Kilmarnock.

Kwon's numbers aren't quite as well-rounded (again, though, it's a small sample), but there are elements in the radar below that you can see on the pitch. The South Korean carries the ball well, and he's a tireless worker who has more responsibility in making forward runs than Triantis, who has tended to be the deepest-lying midfielder at all times.

(Image: StatsBomb)

According to FotMob, Kwon has won 85.7% of his attempted tackles since arriving, and you can see his energy is key in the moments Hibs choose to press. With Triantis' role primarily keeping him behind the ball, it will be interesting to see whether Kwon can begin to exert a more attacking influence moving forward. He did have a number of attempts on goal at Ibrox and although none of them tested Jack Butland in the Rangers goal, you would imagine Kwon providing a greater goal threat is just around the corner.

These stats are useful, of course, but practical examples provide a clearer representation of the qualities both players are bringing to th team. For instance, a key skill for the modern defensive midfielder is not only making the interceptions discussed above but turning those moments into attacking transitions as well. 

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It's no longer enough to simply get in the way of the ball and recycle possession. Of course, there will be moments where that's what needs to be done, but the message from managers to a player in Triantis' position will be, 'Once you've made the interception, can you play forward quickly?'

Take the example below from the Rangers game. Connor Barron overhits a pass into Tom Lawrence, and Triantis steps across to prevent it reaching Hamza Igamane. But he not only quells the danger, he plays the ball first time to Josh Campbell, starting a Hibs counter-attack.

(Image: Wyscout) Composure and pass selection are particular strengths in the Australian's game and both were key in the moments in which Hibs needed to utilise their limited possession at Ibrox. In the example below, Kwon lays off to his midfield partner, and he initially looks to the left to try and open the play.

(Image: Wyscout) There are few options in that direction, and to slip a pass to Junior Hoilett with several Rangers players in the vicinity would create the risk of a dangerous turnover, so he instead he beats Lawrence (who anticipates Triantis will pass to the left) with his own momentum, creating space to spray the ball wide to Chris Cadden on the right, which allows several Hibs players to make runs towards the box for a cross.

(Image: Wyscout) (Image: Wyscout) (Image: Wyscout)

Kwon's role in the midfield has been distinctly different to his fellow summer signing, and much of his work is perhaps a little obvious to the eye than the ultra-composed Triantis. But there are examples to show where he can be of real value to Hibs. How often last season was the lack of a breaking runner from midfield cited as an issue? Remember that disconnected feel between the middle of the park and the forward line? To borrow some modern football parlance, Kwon can give Hibs 'verticality'. Against Dundee and, to an extent, St Johnstone, there were instances where Kwon and Triantis looked to want to play in the same areas as they adjusted to each others' respective style of play.

But the example below shows how he can offer something different, especially in matches where Hibs are not faced with a deep-lying opposition. Hoilett steps in-field and fizzes a pass towards Kwon in space, and he's immediately pressed by Barron.

(Image: Wyscout)

His solution, though, is to pop a first-time pass into Campbell and immediately break in behind the Rangers midfield. His run isn't picked up this time, but last season Hibs didn't really have a midfield presence who could break from deeper areas.

(Image: Wyscout)

The above isn't an isolated example, either. Take this instance from the draw at Rugby Park in September Hibs clear a Kilmarnock attack and the ball drops to Rudi Molotnikov, which prompts Kwon to immediately break forward.

(Image: Wyscout) Molotnikov plays it forward to Mykola Kukharevych, who then finds Kwon's third-man run.

(Image: Wyscout)

With a few seconds, the Korean has carried the ball from his own half into Kilmarnock's final third.

(Image: Wyscout) The on-loan Celtic man hesitated slightly which allowed Kilmarnock to block his route to goal and clear the danger but it was his attacking intent, speed of thought, and movement that brought a roar of approval from the travelling Hibs fans.  

Kwon and Triantis are, of course, two cogs in a machine that remains a work in progress, but week by week it's becoming clearer to see what Gray wants his Hibs team to be. And no one quite personifies that like his current midfield pairing.