My thoughts before the league game away to Hearts were that we would lose if we were complacent, took them lightly or lost concentration for a second, especially at set pieces. I also said that we should not rely on the referee to be as generous as he was to us versus Celtic..... All of the above I'd apply to this cup game aswell.
The game next Saturday will be a welcome break from league business for Hibs. Though they are playing shockingly just now we have also lost our last two away games, regardless of the manner of defeat a 1-0 registers the same result as a 4-0, we've been lucky in that the festive congestion allowed us to bounce back against the two poorest sides at home quickly. Our next games after the cup is versus Rangers and away to Motherwell, theres every chance that whatever momentum we've been able to carry through the Aberdeen and Falkirk defeats will be wiped out and the clubs challenging for the top 6 will start to open up a small gap on us, leaving us stranded somewhere in between Falkirk and the bottom 3 by February.
Obviously we're all enjoying the tussle for position between the mid table clubs, we have to make it last as long as possible and not let the next handful of fixtures put us in a position where we're chasing, to give us some hope of points versus Rangers a draw is the least we need next weekend, where we then stand in our relation to Motherwell will dictate our approach and expectations from them (they do have a couple of difficult games in hand). An argument can be made that getting knocked out of the SC will give us some focus on the league, but theres no substitute for the positivity thatll come from a cup win in Edinburgh, we'd also be giving the weakest of the challengers for a top 6 spot a serious confidence blow.
My own opinion is that we have an equal chance of reaching the top 6 and a Hampden semi final, if we're professional and hungry to win every ball in every game then we will achieve both. It's up to Brewster to get our heads straight, make sure everybody is 110% fit physically and mentally.
Well I'll be present no doubt at all. :sillywave:
My thoughts before the league game away to Hearts were that we would lose if we were complacent, took them lightly or lost concentration for a second, especially at set pieces. I also said that we should not rely on the referee to be as generous as he was to us versus Celtic..... All of the above I'd apply to this cup game aswell.
The game next Saturday will be a welcome break from league business for Hibs. Though they are playing shockingly just now we have also lost our last two away games, regardless of the manner of defeat a 1-0 registers the same result as a 4-0, we've been lucky in that the festive congestion allowed us to bounce back against the two poorest sides at home quickly. Our next games after the cup is versus Rangers and away to Motherwell, theres every chance that whatever momentum we've been able to carry through the Aberdeen and Falkirk defeats will be wiped out and the clubs challenging for the top 6 will start to open up a small gap on us, leaving us stranded somewhere in between Falkirk and the bottom 3 by February.
Obviously we're all enjoying the tussle for position between the mid table clubs, we have to make it last as long as possible and not let the next handful of fixtures put us in a position where we're chasing, to give us some hope of points versus Rangers a draw is the least we need next weekend, where we then stand in our relation to Motherwell will dictate our approach and expectations from them (they do have a couple of difficult games in hand). An argument can be made that getting knocked out of the SC will give us some focus on the league, but theres no substitute for the positivity thatll come from a cup win in Edinburgh, we'd also be giving the weakest of the challengers for a top 6 spot a serious confidence blow.
My own opinion is that we have an equal chance of reaching the top 6 and a Hampden semi final, if we're professional and hungry to win every ball in every game then we will achieve both. It's up to Brewster to get our heads straight, make sure everybody is 110% fit physically and mentally.
Hibs 1 ICT 2