Hibs’ Head Coach Alan Stubbs was delighted with his team’s ‘professional’ performance in yesterday’s comfortable victory over Dumbarton at Easter Road and is now looking forward to using his management skills to best effect in the run in.
After the game, Stubbs said: “Before the game we spoke about having to be patient, keep moving the ball and waiting for opportunities, but early on we were a little bit slack, but I thought that once we got into our stride which to be fair didn’t take us that long, maybe the first ten minutes or so we were too slow, but once we got the first goal, that put the onus on them and what they were going to do about it.
“We said at half time even though we were winning 2-0, we were in total control of the game and we shouldn’t cause ourselves any unnecessary pressure by conceding from a set piece or a throw in. and I thought we were very professional and dominated the game from start to finish and the scoreline could have been a lot more.”
One headache the manager will have in forthcoming weeks is who to choose at right back after new signing Keith Watson produced a superb performance, creating the first two goals and had the referee been watching the game winning a second half penalty as he replaced vice captain David Gray who watched the game from the bench.
Gray has become a firm favourite of the fans since his move to Easter Road in the summer but he now has real competition for his place.
Stubbs continued: “It’s a nice position that I am in now, I have to make decisions and try to manage the squad, because hopefully we are going to be busy in the run in. We are still involved in the cup and I want the players to be as fresh as possible and that is what it was. It wasn’t a call between David (Gray) and Keith (Watson). It’s management. That’s what happens when you have a good squad, you can give players a rest.
“David is still coming back from his operation and was a little bit stiff. He will say he wasn’t but I know he was so I thought that I could give him a little bit of a break today.
“I had to make a couple of changes today but I didn’t want to make too many to stop the flow and the run we have been on recently. I don’t like changing a winning team too much, but Liam (Craig) was suspended, Scotty (Allan) has a chest infection and Sam (Stanton) has the mumps.
“I have options on the bench just as good as what I have on the pitch and from my point of view it’s fantastic.
One surprise for the supporters was the dropping of Jason Cummings to the bench as Stubbs went for the more experienced pairing of Dominique Malonga and Franck Dja Djedje, but his decision was more than vindicated as both strikers scored.“It looks like I have got it right. It’s great for them because we have played and they have scored goals.
“I though JJ (Franck Dja Djedje) was a threat. His work rate for the team was very good and it will do him the world of good getting 90 minutes under his belt.
“Sometimes Dom (Dominique Malonga) gives the impression that he is not really interested in the game but that’s just his style. He is very slow but on the pitch he comes alive. He is the slowest man ever off the pitch. He is exactly the same coming into training but when you put a ball on the pitch he comes alive.
“He is very clever and picks up good positions. He has a lovely first touch and has an awareness about him. I think he needed a game. He hadn’t played for a month when he went away and when he came back he was off the tempo a little bit and I will expect more form him in the next game.”
Hibs currently sit second in the Championship, two points in front of Rangers who have three games in hand.
They face Alloa Athletic at Recreation Park next Saturday.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
