Guys, I went back to Easter Road yesterday for a match and it was the first time in almost a year and a half!!
We played Arsenal in a pre-season friendly and omg, we only bloody won!
I've seen a lot of Arsenal fans telling us to pipe down because we played our full eleven that we would play in say a cup final. Let me tell you, we most definitely did not.
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Of our starting line up, a good portion could definitely start in a major cup final but have a look at how thin our bench is at the moment. Stevenson is probably no longer our top choice left back with Doig injured and Mackie also injured so being forced to play him. McGinn was our top choice right back last season but we didn't actually have another right back to play with Cadden also injured. Scott Allan is back playing in a Hibs shirt properly for the first time in almost a year after being diagnosed with the same heart condition as Christian Eriksen. He played immensely yesterday but it's important that we manage him correctly since he's also diabetic. Stephen Bradley is just a youngster, coming up through the academy. Nisbet, Boyle and Gogic have all just come back from international duties.
Looking at our bench, Dabrowski was our third choice keeper last season but has come up through the academy and put in an amazing performance yesterday. Macey was second choice behind Marciano last season but both have proven that they'll be fighting for top spot. Brydon and Campbell both came up through the academy and are still young. Probably only recently been promoted to the first team. Hallberg is a great wee player, so happy all the time, adorable, love him to bits but been demoted to the bench ever since Newell got back to fitness and Gogic came in. Magennis, again, had a tough time with injury so just about getting minutes into him. Wright, needs to be given more of a chance, looks promising at times but isn't really a first team player. Mackay is a new signing so probably hasn't gelled with the team properly. And last but not least, Gullan who, for whatever reason, isn't on the team sheet, is again, fairly young, left sided player who was on loan last season so again, breaking through into the first team.
Now, let's take a look at who was missing. No Doidge (striker who has had a tough time with covid recently), no Doig (19 year old left back who is incredible going forward, Bellerín would have found his match), Doyle-Hayes (new signing but injured), Murphy (injured), McGregor (centre back, we actually had none on the bench so Gogic had to play there for a bit), Mackie (left back, injured), no Mallan (suspect he's leaving), Cadden (right back, right wing back etc, injured).
We only had one striker and Nisbet went off to rest up.
Not to mention the players that we've lost such as Irvine, Stephen McGinn (don't worry, we've had them all at this point), David Gray retiring but now a first team coach, Marciano left, Tom James etc.
We're a bit light on numbers so really hoping that we get a few more signings in before the season starts.
Our first half team was a lot stronger than our second half team and I would argue that Arsenal's second half team was stronger than their first half team.
You all know how much of an advocate I am for Scottish football and the Scottish football leagues. I might be biased but I think they're so much more entertaining and authentic and a bit more aggressive in the way that we play. However, as I've mentioned before, the money that our players are on is peanuts in comparison to the Arsenal players.
The likes of Aubameyang, Lacazette and Pépé were bought for between £40-75 million. Our most expensive player that we've bought? Probably a couple hundred thousand.
I was excited to see Aubameyang play in the flesh but I can't lie to you, I was more star struck by Scott Allan being back than Auba...
Aubameyang got Porto'd so um, that's a bit awkward. And Scott Allan played how Willian should have.
We are one week ahead of Arsenal in terms of their preparations but when you look at the money they're on, the training facilities and top class sports scientists etc, they definitely should have beaten us.
Anyway, we're playing Raith on Friday in a testimonial and then I think we start our European campaign next week!
