Gray’s men short in key areas and sweating on fitness of new favourite
So are you feeling confident, Hibs fans? Displeased that Sunday morning arrived to interrupt that technicolour dream you were having about the mighty opening blow to be struck in the 2024-25 league campaign?
Apologies for just the slightest hint of sarcasm. Consider it an essential element of the oil that lubricates the wheels of Scottish football. Mixed with gallows humour and blind faith, it forms a necessary defence against the daily frictions that threaten to bring this runaway charabanc grinding to a halt.
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The truth, according to the prevailing mood around Easter Road? Even if they do land a centre forward before this weekend’s first round of Scottish Premiership fixtures, David Gray’s Hibs – very much an early work in progress – would still be considered outsiders in their contest with St Mirren in Paisley. Even if the hosts might be flat-out knackered by their exertions in the Europa Conference League, second qualifying round on Thursday night.
If Gray ISN’T able to add some frontline oomph to a team currently operating on a chance conversion ratio directly inverse to their need for goals, of course, the odds against Hibs will justifiably drift even further towards unbackable territory. The absence of a proper No. 9 is so glaring that astronauts on the International Space Station could spot the problem just by looking out of the nearest window.
Leaving aside that one issue, though, what have we learned from the games played leading up to this weekend’s big kick-off? Taking everything from those first pre-season kickabouts to the final knockings of an oddly unsatisfying Premier Sports Cup campaign, what do we know about Gray’s Hibs?
They need Warren O’Hora to be OK
The Irish centre-half has quickly proven himself to be crucial to Hibs. Not just because he does the basics well. But because of the added extras he brings to the game.
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