Hibs Must Convert Improved Performances and Opportunities into Victories

Despite suffering a defeat at Celtic Park last weekend, Hibs demonstrated several positive aspects. Registering 14 attempts, with nine on target, against the reigning champions on their home ground is a notable achievement. The selection of Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel as man-of-the-match suggests that the home side faced considerable pressure. Even with only 24.5% possession, Hibs not only generated good scoring opportunities but also frequently penetrated Celtic’s defense. Data from Opta indicates that the Easter Road club’s expected goals (xG) figure of 2.19 represents the highest recorded (since the 2019-20 season) by an away team at Celtic Park in the Scottish Premiership. For context, Hearts, the most recent domestic team to secure a win at Parkhead, achieved this with an xG of merely 0.23 during their 2-0 triumph last December. The primary drawback for Hibs, however, was their inability to convert numerous clear-cut scoring chances. This served as a stark reminder of the necessity to capitalize on opportunities when competing against leading teams. David Gray has faced intense scrutiny in recent weeks, but his team now appears to be addressing some of the significant concerns that have been raised. Nevertheless, the team currently remains at the bottom of the Premiership standings. With Ross County visiting this week, Hibs recognize that a victory would elevate them above the Staggies on goal difference and improve their position by several places in the league. This particular fixture is one that Hibs supporters will anticipate a win from, which consequently places additional pressure on the players. While performances have shown improvement in recent weeks, the imperative now is to convert these displays into the victories necessary to ascend the league table and provide supporters with some early Christmas cheer.