Hibernian

Dundee United struck twice in injury time to snatch victory from a struggling Hibernian side who completely capitulated to fall to the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

United move up to fourth - a point behind Rangers - while Hibs drop to the bottom of the table on goal difference.

What did you think of that, Hibs fans? Did it feel inevitable when Joe Newell was sent off?

Where is it going wrong for Hibs at the moment, and what needs to change?

Let us know your thoughts here, external.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Plenty have accused Hibs of having a 'soft centre' in their defence, and United took full advantage of it late on.

Having gone ahead in the 72nd minute, during a relatively even game, their confidence completely evaporated when Newell was sent off after flying into a challenge recklessly when he was already on a booking.

Yes, he gets the ball, but he also gets a fair portion of Stephenson's calf and it was a silly challenge to make in the circumstances.

They now wilt to the bottom of the table. Next up is the Edinburgh derby. A defeat there will see David Gray come under serious, serious pressure.

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Dundee United: Walton, Adegboyega, Gallagher, Holt, Stephenson, Sevelj, Babunski, Ferry, Thomson, Dalby, Middleton.

Substitutes: Richards, Trapanovski, Odada, Fotheringham, Van der Sande, Stirton, Domeracki, Obuchioma.

Hibernian: Bursik, Miller, Ekpiteta, O'Hora, Obita, Kwon, Newell, Cadden, Molotnikov, Hoilett, Kuharevich.

Substitutes: Smith, Levitt, Youan, Boyle, Iredale, McKirdy, Campbell, Bushiri, Gayle.

Image source, SNS

Dundee United defender Ross Graham has been ruled out for several weeks with a hamstring injury while Louis Moult, Kristijan Trapanovski and Ryan Strain face a battle to return from injuries. Manager Jim Goodwin has several other unnamed doubts.

Hibs have Joe Newell and Martin Boyle back in contention but the suspended Nectarios Triantis joins Kieron Bowie (hamstring) and long-term absentee Jake Doyle-Hayes on the sidelines.

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Hibs head coach David Gray says improved performances count for nothing if results do not improve, as his side prepare to face Dundee United on Saturday.

The Easter Road side lost back-to-back games before the international break, and sit 10th in the Scottish Premiership with just one league win this season.

Gray branded his side's errors in the 2-1 defeat by Motherwell as "unprofessional" last time out, but he believes his players have learned from those mistakes.

"Take the Motherwell game for example, the basics in both boxes I think that was the key fundamental thing from the game," Gray said.

"We've looked at and reflected on it and worked on the areas and ultimately don't want to be a team that's playing well in the losing games, we need to win."

Gray insists he is unfazed by the demands that come with leading Hibs, having worn the shirt for so long as a player.

"This football club demands it and I'm well aware of that expectation," he added.

"The performance level has been good but if you're not winning games then it's irrelevant so we need to make sure that we put them both together.

"Having been a player, that demand is always on you, I've talked a lot about the squad and how strong it is and the competition for places but the result is the most important thing.

"Everybody needs to be pulling in the same direction, working as hard as we can to make sure we put that right as quickly as we can."

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David Gray has been speaking to the media before his side's trip to face Dundee United at Tannadice this weekend.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• He says performance levels have been good but that is "irrelevant if you're not winning games". Wants his side to deliver for "90 minutes plus".

• Joe Newell and Martin Boyle have trained during the international break, got minutes in a bounce game, and are available for selection this weekend.

• Acknowledges that pressure is always there at the club even if you're winning - "the demands are here all of the time".

• Emphasises that "results are the most important thing, everyone needs to pull in the same direction to put that right".

• Says opposite number Jim Goodwin has done a "fantastic job" and thinks Dundee United have "started exceptionally well". Gray knows Tannadice is a tough venue.

• On whether three points this weekend would be a boost going into next weekend's Edinburgh derby, he adds: "Regardless of the following game, three points will give everyone confidence".

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Hibs’ defensive structure must be improved if they are to climb the table, with a potentially tricky Edinburgh derby around the corner, says Leanne Crichton.

Despite having only one win in the Scottish Premierships so far this season, performances are beginning to take a turn for the better with David Gray's side's goals-conceded record the sixth-best in the top-flight.

However, Motherwell's late winner in Hibs' last outing came from a long throw, something Crichton says Gray will have been particularly disappointed with.

"The players will be aware that David Gray does need a win," she said on BBC Scotland’s Scottish Football Podcast.

"There’s been proof in the pudding that there's positives there and performances have been better.

"They should have, and could have, had more from a number of the games but the reality is they haven't.

"The Motherwell game, you’re conceding off of a long throw. The reality is, in football if you want to climb the table, those are the types of moments that you need to get out of the game, it’s very rare that teams concede from long throws in.

"David Gray must have been coming away from that game really scratching his head. He needs his team to put it all together and a 90-minute performance is probably what he's after from his side. Nullifying and eradicating a number of individual errors would be a starting point for him.

"But if you don't pick up a win this weekend, you head into an Edinburgh derby, which for Neil Critchley and Gray even at this stage of the season, early on in both of their managerial careers, in an Edinburgh derby [they] could find that being one of the toughest."

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• Dundee United won their last league meeting with Hibernian 2-1 in April 2023, last winning successive top-flight clashes with Hibs in August 2012 (run of 3).

• Hibernian have won both of their last two league games against newly promoted opponents (both vs Dundee last season). Hibs last won three in a row versus promoted sides in the top-flight in October 2012 under Pat Fenlon.

• Dundee United have won three of their last five Scottish Premiership games (D1 L1), as many as their previous 21 beforehand (W3 D5 L13).

• Hibernian have won just one of their last 13 away league outings (D7 L5), a 3-1 victory at St. Johnstone in April. Hibs could suffer successive away league defeats for the first time since April 2023 – the second of which was to Dundee United.

• Dundee United’s nine league goals (excl. own goals) this season have been scored by eight different players. Only Celtic (12) have had more of their players score in the Scottish Premiership this season.

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Scottish FA head of referees Willie Collum says it was the "wrong decision" not to award Rangers a penalty against St Johnstone for a shirt pull on Cyriel Dessers.

It was announced earlier this week by the SFA's key match incident review panel that Saints defender Aaron Essel should have been penalised for a tug on the Rangers striker.

"We expect a penalty kick here and we expect the referee to be brought to the monitor to review the decision," Collum said.

"You hear the referee saying he saw a 'small hold but it has no impact'... but is what the refereeing saying actually what happened? We don’t regard this as a 'small hold' and as having 'no impact'.

"We believe if this holding offence doesn't happen, the attacker has the chance to challenge for the ball. It's excessive holding."

The previous weekend, defender John Souttar was penalised for handball in the box following a VAR review against Hibernian.

Mykola Kuharevich's spot-kick was saved and the hosts maintained their 1-0 lead until full-time.

"It's the correct decision for us," Collum said of the Souttar incident.

“We think the Rangers defender throws himself to save the shot, block the shot at all costs. Unfortunately for him he's made his body bigger, for us it’s not natural.

"There’s a slight arm movement, although it’s not deliberate, but it’s certainly a punishable handball.

"There is every opportunity the goalkeeper could save the shot. So we would not support a red card, it isn't an obvious goalscoring opportunity."

The position of goalkeeper Jack Butland's feet in relation to the goal line was also discussed and Collum was "content" there was no need for a re-take.

We asked for your views on what you want to see from Hibs.

Here's what some of you said:

Liam: The defence still looks fragile and disorganised. The persistence with playing one up front, including at home to Motherwell, shows a bit of a fear to change this. But overall, the mentality of the team is worrying. When we concede or suffer any kind of setback during the game we seem to just completely capitulate.

Craig: I firmly believe that once everyone is back from injury and match fit, we're going to be looking a lot better. This isn't just a view from my green-tinted glasses, but I've seen some of the football and link-up play and been impressed, the only statement I'd make is have two up front! Mykola Kuharevich and Dwight Gayle together could be a dynamite pairing.

Ross: While results haven't been ideal, there have been some good performances. After a pretty major overhaul in the summer, I think David Gray deserves, at the very least, a full season to shape the squad and playing style. Fed up of chopping and changing managers every season!

Dicky: A manager who wants to play fast free-flowing football instead of the garbage we watch week in, week out. Plenty of empty seats at home games this season and more to come. We have some decent players but also some bad ones who need to go. Why pay good money for Dylan Levitt and Dylan Vente and bench and loan them out? Bottom six again this year.

Greg: We're going round in circles in terms of this situation. All teams performing well are down to a solid manager. Hopefully Gray can improve things but if he does happen to leave in the near future, there's once again no reason why we don't just appoint the best-performing manager in the Premiership outwith the the big five.

Ian: Nothing has improved, Gray is terrible, Hibs will be relegated this season.

Colin: We need to be clinical and take the chances we're creating and improve our defending as a team. Football is a game of fine margins and we're not far away from being a good team. Supporters need to be patient and note that Rome wasn't built in a day, and Hibs aren't a quick fix after years of poor decision asking.

Malcolm: I'd like to see Hibs play 4-2-4, with four up front we will pin back teams and chance the counter, but we need to trust the back four. We can score goals and can't defend, so may as well try to score more than we let in. One up front last time just brought them forward at pace.

Martin: Don't even care how we play anymore, just play two up front and win by doing whatever it takes.

With domestic football making its return this weekend, we want to know what you're looking for from your side.

With just one win in seven league games, it has been an unconvincing start for David Gray in the infancy of his managerial tenure at Easter Road.

So what needs to be improved between now and November's international break?

Give us your thoughts here, external.

Sam Martinez travelled from Belize to help Britain in the war effort, one of almost 900 forestry workers who came to Scotland from British Honduras - known now as Belize - during the Second World War. Until recently, their story was largely forgotten.

Martinez was the last surviving lumberjack, and also supported Hibs from the time he arrived in Edinburgh. In 2016, aged 106, Sam Martinez shared his memories just before he died, including the Easter Road side's Scottish Cup win that year.

This is his story and that of the men like him, who travelled 5000 miles from Central America to help Britain in the war effort.

Listen to the tale of the last lumberjack here.

BBC Scotland's Edinburgh football reporter Brian McLauchlin has been answering your questions.

Billy asked: How long do the Hibs board give David Gray in the hotseat if results continue to disappoint?

Brian answered: Who would want to be a football manager, Billy? Most are unlikely to last longer than a couple of years at best.

I have been covering Hibernian for the BBC since 1998 and in that time I have interviewed no fewer than 31 different (interim or permanent) managers.

Since Neil Lennon departed in January 2019 there have been 11 people either in temporary or permanent control of first-team matters at Easter Road.

It's little wonder that success on the pitch has been scarce.

Gray had three interim stints before being handed the full-time role in the summer, but after an indifferent start to this season there are some who say he has to go. Really?

Fans pay their money and are rightly entitled to have their say, but there has to be a sense of realism.

This will undoubtedly be a transitional season for the club, but Gray will have to steer Hibs into the top half of the table come the end of March and have a go at a potential Euro spot for next season.

Financially, this is where the greater rewards are now for Scottish clubs. If they could reach the Conference League proper, £5m to £7m would come into the club. Huge funding which if spent properly can take Hibs forward.

But for this to happen a period of stability is required. The constant chopping and changing of managers is unhealthy.

Yes, there may well be pain before there is light at the end of the tunnel, but given time and the right resources, only then should Gray be judged on his team's performances.

BBC Scotland's Edinburgh football reporter Brian McLauchlin has been answering your questions.

John asked: What has gone wrong with the Black Knights partnership?

Brian answered: It's a great question, John, as it is close on a year now since news broke that Bill Foley and his Black Knights consortium were in discussions with the Gordon family and looking to invest around £6m in the club.

The deal was then formally agreed by Hibernian shareholders in February this year.

Whenever any new investment reaches a club the immediate thoughts of the supporters is how can this improve the team?

The club said at the time that while some of the money would be used to assist with the squad, funds would also go towards the infrastructure at both Easter Road and the training ground.

I am sure Foley and everyone at Hibs were not expecting to end up in the bottom six.

CEO Ben Kensell said the deal was "game changing" for Hibs, but in reality nothing on the football side has changed.

Over the next few months there must be a progress on a number of matters to enable the partnership to become successful.

On the pitch players have to deliver. David Gray inherited a bloated squad and it’s mightily difficult to move players on when they are on high wages.

Off the pitch there has to be more of an alignment between the club and Foley. Disputes behind the scenes are unhealthy for any organisation and when Foley comes out publicly, as he has done in questioning board decisions, that can only cause outcry.

So until they physically sit down and thrash out some agreement on how to move forward, there will always be people looking to criticise.

Image source, Getty Images

Hibernian defender Lewis Miller scored his first international goal as Australia came from behind to beat China 3-1 in World Cup qualifying.

In Tony Popovic's first game as new head coach, China took the lead in Adelaide before Miller powered in a header from a wide free-kick just before the break.

The Socceroos went on to take the lead in the second half through Craig Goodwin before Nishan Velupillay added a late third.

Hearts' Kye Rowles played the entire game in defence, but there were no minutes for Motherwell striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, who did not get off the bench.

What would you like to ask Brian McLauchlin about Hibs?

Our Edinburgh football reporter is in the hotseat ready to answer your questions and offer his insight and opinion on your club.

Who has been the top performer so far? Is the manager living up to expectations?

Put your questions to Brian here, external.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

When the full-time whistle blew at Easter Road on Saturday the home fans were far from happy.

The loss to Motherwell was Hibs' fifth in eight matches and with only one victory in that period, those who doubted the appointment of David Gray in the summer were given more ammunition.

But some grace should be given to 'Sir David' as he is yet to be able to put what could be described as his best team on the pitch.

Martin Boyle and Joe Newell, both certain starters in recent years, have been missing games through injury and are sorely missed.

In addition, a number of players recruited in the summer have yet to hit top form and, along with the fact a new centre-back pairing of Warren O'Hora and Marvin Ekpiteta and new goalkeeper Josef Bursik are now in place, it's understandable mistakes can happen.

However, what is not acceptable is the action of Nectarios Triantis. Booked for simulation early in the game, there was no reason for the challenge on Tony Watt that left referee Matt McDermid with no option other than to send him off.

The Australian has played well since his return in the summer and looks more assured in midfield rather than the defender he was originally brought in to be.

The fact there is a two-week break now before the next game will irk both Gray and his players.

Losing, particularly at home, is sore to take and there will be lots of thought between now and the visit to Tannadice as to how they turn their fortunes around.

Also looming large is the first Edinburgh derby of the season. Given the form of the Tynecastle club, this is the type of game you want to go into brimming with confidence. Nothing could be further from the truth for either side right now.

A win against Dundee United would help enormously.

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

It was a familiar tale at Easter Road on Saturday.

Pre-match optimism about the chance to kickstart the season (see also pre-match optimism against St Mirren, Dundee, and Kilmarnock this season) on the back of a good showing at Ibrox ultimately proved to be misplaced as Hibs were humbled by in-form Motherwell.

It probably shouldn't be a surprise by this point. Hibs are a bottom-six team in all but turnover these days.

It’s rare we compete with the traditional top-six sides consistently, and we are finding it a more regular occurrence than we'd like that we are struggling against even the traditional bottom-half sides (not that Motherwell fall into that category).

Another game of missed opportunities when we had them, and a missing defence when we needed them, saw to it that Hibs slumped to another defeat.

Nectarios Triantis' second-half red card didn't help matters. His first booking – for a dive – seemed harsh. It was one of those instances where the player hasn’t dived and it's also not a penalty but was punished by the referee and, as with all yellow cards, VAR could not intervene to correct the error.

Triantis should have known better than to fly into a challenge in the second half that was a booking all day long, and Hibs' hopes of taking anything from the game left the field with him.

Frustratingly, Hibs are still looking for the spark to ignite the season, and the players better get used to the idea that it’s not going to happen without a lift in performance from them.

Otherwise this season, like last, is going to be another disappointment. Third and fourth already seem out of reach at this early stage and we can't wait until it's touch and go for a top-six spot before getting our act together.

A big performance and a win are required at Tannadice next week.

Matty Fairnie can be found at Longbangers Podcast, external

The "character and drive" of Kieron Bowie will bring the Hibernian forward back stronger after successful surgery to address a hamstring issue, says head coach David Gray. (Edinburgh Evening News)

Read the rest of Tuesday's Scottish gossip.

Sportscene pundits Michael Stewart and Shelley Kerr assess Hibs defending in their 2-1 defeat against Motherwell.

Watch highlights as Motherwell win 2-1 against Hibs in the Scottish Premiership.