ictchris

I'm not a fan of Yogi, I don't think it was a good appointment and I'm very skeptical that he'll prove a success in the long term. BUT I think our form would've dipped even if we'd appointed a new manager or if Butcher had stayed. We have a very small squad and our start to the season was probably the best we could possibly have hoped for - all our players were fit, in form and new signings slotted together brilliantly. However, when you strip away a few of our experienced players we are relying on players playing out of position (Danny Williams in central midfield) or young lads who lack experience (Polworth from the start, Christie, Evans etc on the bench). There are some things I think Hughes could do better (we've dominated possession in quite a few games under Hughes but can't seem to turn that into goals, we need to play further up the park and be purposefully direct) but I doubt he's come in and destroyed our season. Yet.

He wasn't rubbish when he played for us before. He was clearly talented but didn't produce on a regular enough basis. He was excellent from dead balls as well. I think he's a bit better on the ball than Draper and Foran and would possibly offer us something different in there. He's also more experienced than when he came, has played at a higher level and will know what to expect from the SPL. One interesting aside about this is Yogi signing someone who was brought in by the Butcher-Marsala dream team scouting ticket. I was told before the Hearts game that the tips for most of the guys we have brought in from England actually came from an agent and that Marsala's role was to scout them. You have to assume that this is the route that Tansey came from first time round and if we bring him in it suggests that we are still using that avenue for recruitment, which is a positive.

Game's off.

Sack Hughes at half time.

To be honest, I think 9,000 and 12,000 are pish crowds for Aberdeen and Hibs during the festive period. A few years ago we played Aberdeen at the end of December and it was a sell out and Hibs have pulled in 13,000 + for games at this time before. Average crowds 1 Celtic FC 46.486 8 -0,9% 49.683 2 Heart of Midlothian FC 14.203 9 7,9% 16.621 3 Aberdeen FC 12.397 10 29,0% 20.017 4 Hibernian 1875 Edinburgh 10.206 10 -2,7% 14.220 5 Dundee United FC 7.196 9 -4,6% 10.586 6 Partick Thistle FC 1876 5.527 9 53,0% 7.978 7 Motherwell FC 5.298 9 -1,2% 9.117 8 St. Johnstone FC 4.368 10 17,7% 7.231 9 St. Mirren FC 4.334 10 -1,3% 5.601 10 Kilmarnock FC 4.029 9 -13,3% 6.149 11 Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC 3.899 9 -3,4% 6.384 12 Ross County FC 3.769 9 -14,9% 5.982 . Total 9.732 -2,9% 49.683 We've also seen our average crowd drop, although that's probably due to the fact that we had had a derby game and a game against Celtic by this time last season. County's crowds have fallen significantly but that's to be expected I think, given their poor form and the loss of the 'novelty factor'. Excellent rise for St Johnstone and I think the only reason that United's has gone down is that they had had a derby match last season with 3,000+ away fans.

You can't rearrange fixtures in January or February apparently so chances are we'll be getting two derbies in a short space of time.

We'd never be able to match what any team in the Championship could offer - neither could any non-Celtic SPL side.

I think the top and bottom six will be as they are now.

Vincent is stepping up his rehab apparently, hopefully back soon. Tough on Raven to be dropped but you can't disrupt a defence that isn't conceding and Shinnie has been brilliant at right back. Watkins has done very well, set up both goals yeserday, is strong and skillful and good in the air. A better option than Williams and/or Greenhalgh. Doran has a great shot on him and can deliver fantastic balls into the box but often takes the wrong option or delays and slows play down when moving the ball quicker would be better. He was playing better early in the season, I think he'll get back to that, Not sure Hibs could afford McKay, the guy is quality. Rumours have been that several Championship clubs have had him on their radar (Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall being two). His contract has a bit to go so unless we get an unturndownable bid in January I'd say no-sale until the summer.

As has been said a deserved victory for us. The conditions were very poor and in the first half especially it made playing decent football difficult. We were playing into the wind in the first period and this meant that we were pushed back somewhat. Hearts probably had most of the possession but they didn't really threaten us and never really got into any threatening positions, although Graeme Shinnie was caught out a couple of times - the first time during his run as a right back that he's looked vulnerable defensively. We didn't really create any clear cut opportunities, the best attempts being a long range effort from Shinnie that was deflected wide for a corner and another effort from distance from Doran was saved very well by McDonald. In the second half we raised things and, with the wind in our backs, pressed Hearts back. I thought Marley Watkins had a great game, all our good attacks came through him. He can cut inside and attack through the channels or stick to his flank and advance that way, in either situation he uses the ball very well. Nick Ross also did well in the 'hole' and used possession very well again, great to see from him. Doran had a poor game though and has dipped a bit. He is capable from distance but in the last few matches hasn't taken the right option enough. The first goal was a beauty. Watkins slipped it through to McKay, who advanced into the box, then cut inside the defender and curled a shot into the far corner, a great finish. McKay nearly added another shortly afterwards when he volleyed a pull back against the foot of the post, a great effort considering the ball was just behind him. The second goal was another cracker, Watkins again set it up, attacking in the centre of the pitch, he fed the ball to McKay who cracked a shot left footed high into the net. We created a few other great chances in the second half, Warren should've hit the target when the ball was rolled into him from a corner and Watkins could easily have had a penalty when he was pulled to the ground just before the second goal. Overall, three points we deserved although it's pleasing to take them without too much bother. The conditions were terrible and it's the sort of game that could sometimes slip through a teams fingers. With regards to Hearts, they looked like what they are - a young side who are lacking in confidence and can't get a result. I didn't think they caused us any trouble and in the second half we walked over them without any trouble. I don't think they are doomed though - I think they'll have an upswing before the end of the season and a few of the teams above them look as though they could have a dip and be caught. The big thing that'll count against them is that Killie, County and Partick will all get a chance to strengthen in January whereas Hearts can't.

Robertson's is a dive. About ten better pubs around Gorgie and the ground.

They give you £5 off a private dance in Bottoms Up if you are wearing a Christmas jumper #jinglebantz I am going.

TopSix, Stephen's no longer do the catering at East End. No more steak bridies.

Ryan Christie doesn't really look like Charlie Christie, it's disappointing. Having said that, Charlie Christie looks exactly the same as he did when he was playing so that's a consolation.

Shocking stuff from Gary Warren. He should've rolled around on the floor hodling his face, then jumped up and started waving an imaginary card at the ref.

New Offense Coach Shearer shaping up the Thistles for game day 14 with Paisley Saints. LET'S GOOOOOO THISTLES!

What do you expect Richie to say? "Booooooooooooooo! Hughes Out!"

Richie Foran

He's a nice guy it seems. Hopefully he does OK. I can't see it though.

Chris - it's from 6 ­1/2 years ago! It may not have been hindsight, but it is now! Yes, it's thoughts of a Falkirk fan from the time Hughes was their manager.

Here's a post from P&B from a Falkirk fan about Hughes. This was made at the time he was manager, it isn't hindsight.

Hopefully we do OK for the rst of the season, he leaves in June and Richie takes over. That's the best case scenario.

I'll give him a chance but if we lose to St MIrren he should be sacked.

Derek Riordan is pish now. He can't get a gig in the lower leagues. If Hughes tries to sign him we should sack him.

Absolutely awful appointment. He did OK at Falkirk but succeeded with a bigger budget than his First Division rivals and he left them with a squad of raw kids and past-it old pros. Then at Hibs he had a good start, mainly due to signing Anthony Stokes, but followed that up with a horror run towards the end. If Yogi's last 38 games were taken as a full season then they'd probably have been relegated (they got 33 points). Since then it's been Livingston and Hartlepool, doing nothing. He's one of these managers who "tries to play football the right way" which is code for playing tippy-tappy garbage with no cutting edge, passing the ball back and forth in your own centre circle then either losing possession or knocking it long. He's from the Alex Smith school of Scottish football management, no doubt we'll hear that SMith singing his praises in the press soon enough. I can also see him making unnecessary changes to our team with the justification that he "has confidence in his own methods" and wants to "put his own stamp on things". This is one of the things you get with an 'experienced' manager - managers who have failed yet have the arrogance to persist with the methods that have seen them fail. We didn't/don't need an experienced manager, we are the perfect job for a young new fresh manager. As it is we've joined the Scottish football merry-go-round of pish managers. Terrible, terrible move from the board.