Training players. Guys that look like Lionel Messi for four days a week then turn into Lionel Missy on matchday.
I know it only too well because that was me for large parts of my career!
Honestly I was great in training, scoring goals for fun and producing the type of stuff that would have won me a move to the Premier League .. if only I could have done it when Saturday came round.
There’s no pressure on the training ground, you can try shots from 30 yards, you can nutmeg people, leave daft defender tied up in knots.
It’s a different story trying to do it in front of 20,000 or more at Ibrox and Parkhead though.
Good players produce their best on the big occasion. Top players just turn it on all the time.
Shaun Maloney has to work out who’s who in his Hibs squad because right now there’s a few important positions being taken by players that just aren’t producing when it matters.
Up until now the new manager has only really had training sessions and bounce games to base his selections on. But that’s about to change.
He will have learned a lot about certain players from the Celtic defeat on Monday.
Kevin Nisbet is the biggest name to be under pressure. He must be producing in training because he’s hit the skids on matchday.
Not so long ago he was the main man when it mattered. But he’s off the boil, not scoring goals, lacking confidence and the sitter he missed after just a couple of minutes at Celtic Park sums his situation up. His head dropped after that and he went into a shell.
The stick is flying from the Hibs fans and Kevin has to swallow that up, knuckle down and get through it because the pressure is about to intensify with the new arrivals in his position.
I know he’s a good player and his time will come round again.
But for now I’d take him out the team.
Chris Mueller has arrived from Orlando champing at the bit to go after having to wait six months for his deal to go through. The fans will be desperate to see what he brings.
Elias Melkersen will be the exact same when his work permit goes through. The Norwegian hasn’t been brought in on a decent fee just to sit in the stands. He’s going to play.
And Christian Doidge has been waiting patiently for a start after recovering from a long term injury.
I reckon Doidge will get the nod tomorrow night against Cove.
Nisbet isn’t playing well, he’s not holding the ball up well enough and at times against Celtic Hibs couldn’t get out their own half. Balls were being played up and Carl Starfelt or Cameron Carter-Vickers were bullying him off the ball.
The way Shaun wants to play with one main striker and two off him then that focal point through the middle has to hold the ball up, be physical and for me Kevin isn’t strong enough and that’s where Doidge would improve things.
It’s amazing how football can change. I said a year ago Hibs were right to boot out the £3m offer from Birmingham for Nisbet. He was excellent last season and I thought he was worth more than £3m.
It’s not just his goals that have dried up though. His all-round game has gone downhill and it doesn’t look as if he’s working as hard. I could be totally wrong and GPS numbers at Easter Road could tell another story.
But from the naked eye he looks like he’s not at the same level and Hibs fans are seeing it now aswell.
Maloney will be desperate to get his new boys up to speed and into the team because it was bad luck he could only play Rocky Bushiri against Celtic and it turned into a bit of a damp squib.
There was nothing wrong with the way he set the team up. They kept the ball well enough but without real purpose.
Nobody in the middle to front areas played particularly well. There was no spark. He brought on five subs but still got no spark.
There needs to be a reaction against Cove tomorrow.
Paul Hartley has the League 1 leaders flying. They’re a right good side, have top level experience and importantly have goals in them.
Mitch Megginson and Rory McAllister will likely both start and it’s a proper banana skin.
Hibs have to play to their potential and if they do they will win the game.
Another cup final has to be the target and Hibs fans’ expectations are to get to Hampden every time.
A win tomorrow will hopefully be the first step on that journey back to Mount Florida.
