Hibs boss Lee Johnson is looking for a response from his squad in Saturday’s pre-season friendly at Blackpool after Thursday’s defeat in the 2-1 Europa Conference League second qualifying round, first-leg, in Andorra.
Johnson said: “The first half performance was really poor. We didn’t perform well enough at an individual level and we didn’t perform well enough at a team level.”
He told Hibs TV that you have to give the opposition respect and credit for their performance but he added: “In the second half we made changes, were much more on the front foot and we had shots, crosses, corners, set plays and a lot of partial success.”
He underlined the importance of Joe Newell’s free-kick goal a minute into injury time in the second half and he said: “I understand there is negativity from the game and we have to learn lessons as a group from that.”
The second-leg of is at Easter Road on Thursday (19.15) and Johnson said: “The tie is very much still there for us and everything is to play for. We are at half-time. I’m disappointed by not discouraged.”
Meanwhile, Will Fish has returned on loan from Manchester United and the player was a key factor in the second half of last season when he made 21 appearances, forming a partnership with Paul Hanlon.
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