(Pic: SNS)
Hibernian’s defensive record after 13 games;
2012/13: 17 conceded
2013/14: 14 conceded
2014/15: 13 conceded
2015/16: 9 conceded
& 2016/17: 7 conceded
Notice something different?
Defensive stability is never something you would historically associate with Hibs, whether it be down to a weak mentality, lack of consistency or otherwise. We’ve never particularly been the toughest nut to crack.
Yet so far this season we find ourselves with one the best defensive records so far in Britian this season, just a single goal behind Tottenham Hotspur, who, like Hibs, have resembled a wall at times. Neil Lennon has managed to discover a balance between a solid, hard-to-break down outfit and a side that can equally play their opponents off the pitch. With this perfect mix, it’s no surprise that Hibs sit on top of the Championship for the first time since relegation in 2014. While Dundee United may only be a single point away at the time of writing, the gap could be far greater had it not been for more than a few dubious red card decisions and other questionable calls.
Whilst the division we play in shouldn’t be ignored, what is it exactly that has led to this unfamiliar tightness at the back?
Consistency in selection
Up until the last few games, the back-line had previously been without question this season, with Gray-McGregor-Hanlon-Stevenson keeping the goals out more often than not, and with the now settled Ofir Marciano nailing his place in goals down since his loan move from FC Ashdod in the summer.
Since the Israeli stopper’s arrival in August, he has kept six clean sheets in nine league games, conceding just two goals in his last six appearances and having the same defence to rely upon most weeks, who, in turn, look to have great faith in him aswell. Just recently Marciano produced a stunning save up at Ayr, with a narrow 1-0 lead, to keep us right in the game and help us to an eventual 3-0 win.
Two of the occasions recently when he failed to keep the ball out, coincidentally, occurred when Paul Hanlon was moved to left-back and Lewis Stevenson dropped out with a suspension, against both St Mirren in the Betfred Cup and Dundee United in the league. As shown in these games, the importance of keeping a settled defence week-in week-out is not to be underestimated. Whilst Ross Laidlaw looked a more than capable option earlier in the season, keeping Marciano in goal every week must be a top priority.
Once again, the importance in keeping a settled defence was shown at the weekend, as Hibs failed to keep out Falkirk from scoring with their only attempt of the game, as Laidlaw stood in for Marciano – who had received a well deserved return to the Israel squad.
The Formation
Recently, Neil Lennon has opted to switch to a formation which was very familiar to Hibs fans last season under Alan Stubbs- a 3-5-2 – with Lewis Stevenson and David Gray deployed as wing-backs at times, and the much-welcomed re-emergence of Liam Fontaine after an injury-hit start to the season. Complimented perfectly by Darren McGregor and Paul Hanlon, this system looks to have become a favourite of Neil Lennon, using it in the last four games in a row.
In the first quarter of the season , the simple four-man defence had looked out of question, appearing every game until a trip to East End Park in late October, when Fontaine slotted seamlessly back into the side. In the three games that followed with this tactic, Hibs have conceded just the single goal, against Falkirk, which came with their only shot throughout the game. It’s also helped the goals to start flowing again, with ten of them coming in the last four games, nearly half of the tally for the entire league season so far.
The thing that offers the most comfort to fans, is that Hibs seem to be solid this season no matter which system is deployed, as the back four which was frequent in the first quarter of the season conceded just 5 goals in 9 games; the most impressive perhaps was the 1-0 win away to Brondby at the start of the season, which was Hibs’ first clean sheet on the road in Europe for ten years.
Neil Lennon
When you think of the ex-Celtic manager you think his solid, hard-to-beat and physically-dominant Celtic side, which recorded the Scottish record for clean-sheets in a row (13 games). Since he’s swapped the green and white of Glasgow for that of Leith, the mentality has stayed the same; keep things tidy at the back, and improve your chances of winning as a result.
If Hibs are finally to regain promotion back to the Scottish Premiership after three long years in this league; it might not be goals that get them there, but the lack of goals.
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