Hibernian

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

David Gray has been speaking to the media before Hibs host St Mirren in the Premiership this weekend.

Here are the key points from the Hibs boss:

• He believes there were "so many positives" from last weekend's draw with Dundee United. The players "deserved to get the three points" and he told them that on Monday.

• On individual errors that have cost bottom club Hibs this season, he says "nobody makes mistakes on purpose" and it's not a time to feel sorry for themselves.

• Eradicating the errors is about "responsibility" and "accountability".

• Gray reinforced his belief that performances have been good, but knows he is judged purely on results.

• He admits "it can be difficult" to stay positive but he is seeing improvement and how close the group still is despite the poor run.

Hibernian head coach David Gray says data backs up his claim that his side are on the right track, feels that the club hierarchy are on board but realises that results must improve soon if he is to count of their continued support. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

• Hibs have lost three of their last four Scottish Premiership games against St Mirren (D1), more than their previous 17 beforehand (W11 D4 L2).

• St Mirren won both of their league trips to Easter Road last season, scoring exactly three goals each time. The Buddies had only won two of their previous 13 top-flight away games at Hibs before this (D5 L6).

• Hibs have drawn their last three Scottish Premiership games, last having a longer such run in the competition in October 2019 (5 in a row).

• St Mirren have picked up fewer away points in the Scottish Premiership this season than any side (1), losing their last three on the road.

• Hibs have dropped a league-high 11 points from winning positions in the Scottish Premiership this season, a metric they ranked joint second in for 2023-24 (21, level with Kilmarnock and behind only Dundee’s 25).

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

The buzz word in football at the moment seems to be "analytics". And Hibernian in particular are ripe for analysis just now.

Stats can be looked at in many different ways. For example: Hibs are unbeaten in their last three matches.

Or: Hibs are without a win in their last six matches.

The hard facts, though, are that the club have dropped no fewer than 13 points in the last 15 minutes of games this season.

You can say at times luck is against you, as may well have been the case at the weekend against Dundee United, but there is no doubt there is a nervousness about the team as they approach the final stages of a game.

With only one victory in the Premiership this season David Gray's team are rooted at the foot of the table after the first round of fixtures and will not want to go into another International break bottom of the pile.

The Hibs fans deserve better this season, as does Gray from his players.

When things go wrong, players who arrived in the summer will also come under intense scrutiny. It's fair to say the jury is still out on those brought in during the summer, particularly defenders Jack Iredale, Marvin Ekpiteta and Warren O’Hora and goalkeeper Josef Bursik.

This weekend St Mirren arrive at Easter Road, with the Paisley side having only picked up one point from their five away trips this season.

That said, it's just one win from six home games for Hibs. This Saturday they can go some way to rectifying that record, but only if they can get over what seems to be a mental block in seeing out games.

Defender Jack Iredale says Hibernian "need to do the dirty stuff to earn the right to be able to do the fun stuff". (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Hibs forward Dwight Gayle is winning his race to be fit for Saturday's Scottish Premiership trip to face St Mirren. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

More points lost from winning positions than any other side. More goals conceded late on than any other side.

There is a trend at Hibs and it reared its ugly head again on Sunday night as they conceded an 89th-minute penalty to Dundee United.

It all came from a long free-kick into the box that saw Mykola Kuharevich foul Emmanuel Adegboyega. The penalty was awarded, and the visitors stole a point.

It happened in the last home game, too - an 87th-minute Hearts equaliser in the Edinburgh derby, coming from a long throw into the box. Motherwell's 2-1 victory at Easter Road came from Andy Halliday's 80th-minute volley - from a Kofi Balmer long-throw.

Dundee's 2-2 draw was also the result of a late Simon Murray 88th-minute strike. Not a set-piece this time, at least.

It happens on the road, too. In the 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock, points were squandered when Jordan Obita clattered into the back of Bruce Anderson in the box in the 90th minute.

In October, David Gray's side led Dundee United 2-1 up until the 85th minute at Tannadice before a Joe Newell red card put Hibs on the ropes, and they conceded two goals in injury time.

There is a clear message to opposition managers in there. Get the ball into the Hibs box late on, and you'll get something from the game. Nerves will creep into the Hibs backline and someone will make a mistake.

"I'm going to have to say the same thing again, which I've said numerous times this season, we've let ourselves down in the final moment with people not doing their jobs," Gray said after the derby draw.

"When we were seriously asked questions, we failed to come up with the answers," he said the week before. Previously, he described Hibs' defending from set-pieces as "unprofessional".

It doesn't get much better at the top end of the pitch. They've scored just 10 goals - the lowest in the division, joint with Ross County.

"I feel sorry for him, because it's outwith his control," said Sportscene pundit Neil McCann. "As a manager, you can't affect that," agreed former Hibs midfielder Marvin Bartley.

The manager has said the buck stops with him, but he needs his players to start doing their jobs for the full 90 minutes, or they will continue to languish at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

I feel like I could copy and paste the words from last week and nobody would tell the difference. Hibs again found a way to not win a football match from a winning position late in the game, with a late Dundee United penalty and a red card for Mykola Kukharevych our undoing.

The penalty was contentious. Myko was penalised for a shirt pull that nobody claimed for, and where the impeded player had no bearing on the play. If that wasn't contentious enough, VAR checked and cleared an apparently clearer foul on Warren O'Hora in the dying moments of the game, which could have given Hibs the chance to win a game they dominated from the first whistle.

The performances are almost there from David Gray's Hibs side. We're not being outplayed in games - quite the opposite really - but we're unable to put teams away and then have moments of madness which are invariably punished. That's why we sit at the foot of the table.

This was a game where three points were crucial, and another where we failed to get the win. It's a recurring theme this season, and we now look at the chance to go again next weekend when St Mirren come to Leith. Hibs really need to win that one.

Matty Fairnie can be found on the Longbangers Podcast, external.

Image source, SNS

Another weekend, another late goal conceded by Hibernian and more points dropped from winning positions.

That's the ninth goal conceded in the last 15 minutes of games this season. They have not scored any in that time, and David Gray is under increasing pressure as head coach.

"Ultimately the burden goes on the manager," said former Hibs winger Aiden McGeady on the Scottish Football Podcast. "But any game I've watched Hibs play in the last four or five weeks, they've actually been playing well.

"It's just that last 15 or 20 minutes of the game, they seem to almost deepen off and invite pressure. You don't want to put too much pressure on David Gray and the fans are demanding performances.

"They're getting them, but they're not getting the results. But he does have to start picking up wins. It's one win in 11 and it doesn't make for great reading."

If matches this season ended at the 75-minute mark, Hibs would be fourth in the Scottish Premiership. A hypothetical stat, of course, but it shows how dramatic that drop-off has been.

"It's that Achilles heel of conceding late goals," McGeady continued. "Who takes the blame for that? David Gray is the manager, of course he does.

"He can't control if something happens on a football pitch. The thing I heard about the game was the the lack of substitutions. That's something that the manager might look at and might learn from.

"But he's got to start picking up wins soon because the fans there are demanding success."

• Aiden McGeady was speaking on the Scottish Football Podcast.

Image source, SNS

"The thing that's toughest to take here is the inconsistency."

David Gray was left exasperated following the inconsistences in decisions made at Easter Road in Hibernian's 1-1 draw with Dundee United.

Hibs looked to be on track to end a five-game run without a win as they led through Lewis Miller’s first-half header, but United levelled with a 90th-minute penalty from Sam Dalby after Mykola Kuharevich was shown a second yellow card for pulling the shirt of Emmanuel Adegoboyega.

The decision was reached following a VAR review, with referee Colin Steven invited to go the monitor.

Despite being down to 10 men, Hibs thought they were about to be given the chance to go back in front, deep into stoppage time when VAR checked for a penalty after United forward Dalby appeared to grab the shirt of Warren O’Hora, but this time Steven was not asked to go to the monitor.

"I think if the first one's a penalty, the second one's a penalty," said Gray. "If I'm being really honest, I don't think either of them are penalties. The thing that’s toughest to take here is the inconsistency.

"Clearly, you always run the risk when you grab a jersey, so I'd never condone it anyway. It's stupid, it’s unprofessional, it's lazy defending, but we were told that the player has to be able to effect the ball.

"I don't think the player can effect the ball at all in the first one. The referee doesn't give it, then he's advised to go to the screen, so VAR intervenes and then he doesn't do it for the second one where O'Hora can actually head the ball.

"You can clearly see the centre-forward's got his jersey, pulls it up over his back, and he doesn't give the foul, so I'm a bit confused as to what is and what isn't, and why he wasn't asked even just to go over to the monitor.

"If you're talking about consistency, he should have at least been asked to go and see it, purely on what he gave the first one for."

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

I'm moving Lewis Miller to centre-back from left-back, as he has the attributes.

He's been criticised for his defensive displays of late but responded well with a great headed goal against Dundee United.

We asked for your views on Hibernian’s 1-1 draw against Dundee United.

Here's what some of you said:

Andy: Death, taxes and a Hibs capitulation - the three certainties in life. There are too many players that are simply not good enough and David Gray’s selections and substitutions show too much loyalty to a core squad that isn’t good enough. Hibs are relegation fodder.

Cameron: The blatantly obvious on show yet again. Another late goal due to defensive inability and another lead lost. We should just play the youth team defenders at this rate to gain experience for the future - they couldn't be any worse than the shambles we currently have at the back. Same story, different week.

Disco: Gray has been our defensive coach under the last few gaffers, which correlates with our inability to protect leads or capitalise when playing well. The club needs to act decisively and without sentiment. Gray’s place in our history is cemented, but our immediate future is unstable. Bill Foley should be wining and dining Davie Moyes.

John: David Gray has to go. He has not been capable of building a team which has any degree of physical or mental resilience and stamina. He might be a Hibs legend but he is clearly not an effective man-manager or coach.

Anon: Another monumental mistake by the board in appointing David Gray. Bring in Neil Lennon at least until the end of this season, otherwise relegation beckons. The Gordon clan, Ben Kensell, Malky Mackay et al should depart.

Rob: There’s a distinct lack of confidence at the back. This is bred by having a goalkeeper who isn’t ready for this level and makes continuous howlers. This needs addressed urgently in January. Screaming out for a creative number 10 who can unlock defences. Should have stumped up the cash at the first hurdle for Luke McGowan. We need results fast.

Stuart: Enough is enough. Time for Gray to go! We will be in the Championship next season if he continues.

James: We are a disaster at the moment. No confidence in the current regime to get us out of this predicament. New manager and new direction needed before it’s too late.

Image source, SNS

• Hibernian have lost 11 points from winning positions in the Premiership this season, more than any other team.

• They have conceded nine goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other team in the Premiership this season.

• David Gray's side attempted 387 passes in this match, higher than their season average of 328.6 in the Premiership. They also attempted 47 crosses - higher than their average 21.7 - and attempted 15 shots - higher than their average of 12.5.

• Lewis Miller has scored his first goal in the Premiership this season, netting for the first time since 25 November 2023 against Dundee.

• Hibs have avoided defeat in their last five matches when scoring first in the Premiership, since a 1-2 loss to Ross County on 4 May 2024.

• Hibernian have scored in their last five Premiership home games.

Watch the best of the action from Easter Road as Dundee United claim a dramatic late point against Hibs.

(Available to UK users only)

Head coach David Gray lamented "inconsistent" officiating after Hibs were not awarded a stoppage-time penalty for shirt-tugging just minutes after Dundee United salvaged a 1-1 draw from a spot-kick given for the same offence. (Scotsman), external

David Gray suggests Hibs striker Mykola Kuharevich may have been "stupid, unprofessional and lazy" in conceding the penalty that gifted visitors Dundee United a draw at Easter Road. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read the rest of Monday's Scottish gossip.

Sam Dalby's 89th-minute penalty secured a dramatic draw for Dundee United and extended bottom club Hibernian's winless run in the Scottish Premiership to six games.

Hibs remain at the foot of the table, albeit with a game in hand on second-bottom Hearts, while United return to fourth.

What did you make of that then, Hibs fans? Was a draw a fair result?

Where did it go right, and where did it go wrong? Did anyone impress you?

Let us know your thoughts here., external

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Hibs' late collapse came as no surprise. They've conceded nine goals in the last 15 minutes of matches this season, more than any other side in the Premiership.

As a result, they've lost 11 points from winning positions - also more than any other team. If matches ended in the 75th minute, they'd sit fourth.

It speaks of either a fitness issue, or a mental fragility that has seemingly plagued this Hibs squad for a couple of years despite personnel changes.

The hosts were pretty comfortable for most of this game, but they failed to capitalise on their dominance in possession and should have been further ahead at half-time.

Once more, Gray will have to point to individual errors that have cost Hibs. Once more, his players have let him down.

Image source, SNS

Jordan Obita. Another Hibs' goal created from the boot of their left-back. There's an argument to be made that he's their most creative player.

He is fantastic at getting up the pitch and his delivery is often inch-perfect.

Image source, SNS

Hibernian: Bursik, Miller, Ekpiteta, O'Hora, Obita, Newell, Kwon, Triantis, Hoilett, Boyle, Kuharevich.

Substitutes: Smith, Levitt, Youan, Iredale, McKirdy, N Cadden, Campbell, Bushiri, Molotninkov.

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

Substitutes: Richards, Trapanovski, Odada, Fotheringham, Van der Sande, Thomson, Constable, Stirton, Ubochioma.

Hibernian defender Warren O'Hora, 25, says becoming a new father is giving him the impetus to succeed in football. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription), external

Read Sunday's Scottish gossip

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Hibernian Training Centre

Image source, SNS

Nicky Cadden says Hibernian are "not getting the rub of the green" but insists they are "a really good team" who just need one victory for things to "snowball".

The Leith side are second bottom in the Scottish Premiership with just one win from their first 10 games, but winger Cadden says a much-needed second victory is imminent.

The 28-year-old has been watching from the stands recently, having missed four games with an injury, but he made his return midweek against Ross County.

"It's very close, very close," he said when previewing Sunday's game against Dundee United.

"Even in the games when I was injured, I'm watching and I'm thinking, 'we're a really good team here and we're playing good stuff' and it's just maybe the ball's not falling in the box at the right time or we're just not getting that rub of the green.

"I think we just need one win. Once we get that out the road I think we’ll be fine. We're a good group."

Cadden, who joined twin brother Chris at Hibs this summer, has played north and south of the border.

Such experiences during his 11-year career make him sure things will swiftly change.

"I've been in changing rooms a lot worse that were doing a lot better," he adds. "So I think it's just about getting that first win and knowing we can do it.

"And then it'll take care of itself. Once we get that first win, I think it'll snowball from there."