Kevin Nisbet will return as an even better version of himself and like a new multi-million pound signing. And Lee Johnson desperately needs it after the devastating news over Martin Boyle.
Confirmation Boyle is out for the rest of the season is a hammer blow to Hibs. I’ve said before he’s a talisman for the team and it’s sickener for him. It’s bad enough for the guy having to miss a World Cup finals, but to have your season now ended is awful. The thought of teaming Boyle and Nisbet up again was a mouth-watering one, but that’s not going to happen now. Frankly, it makes it imperative Nisbet can get back into it starting in Saturday’s friendly against Middlesbrough.
It won’t be easy having been out since February, but I genuinely believe that this long spell stuck on the sidelines will make him even better. When he first went into Hibs, he was outstanding. His form got him the Scotland call-up and people forget that he played in all three of Scotland fixtures at the Euro 2020 Finals, so that shows a manager of the stature of Stevie Clarke also believes in him.
Kevin will have been able to watch games from the stand and take in plenty of information and I remember what that was like for myself. During my time at Hibs, I was out for six months with a broken leg and was sat in the stand watching.
When I came back the following season, I finished up the club’s top scorer. That was down to keeping a close eye on things.
Watching other strikers, watching my team’s movement and watching how the team was putting balls into the box. Thinking I should have been there, or here. Knowing that’s where I’d want to be when the balls are coming into the penalty area.
Genuinely, you get to see a lot of the game from up in that vantage point and it can be a real help. I came back a better player.
You get yourself into better positions. You don’t drop too deep. You don’t come short as much getting involved in the build-up play. You are working on getting into the box because you know which areas are going to be hit by team-mates.
So he will return even better because there is also the aspect of spending a lot of time in the gym doing body work when you are injured. That can help to get your upper body stronger.
Hibs ’ problem this season has been scoring goals. I’m sure they are up there in the top two or three in the league in terms of creating chances and having crosses into the box, but the most important aspect of the game is putting the ball in the net and Hibs haven’t done it nearly enough.
I’m excited to see him back because Hibs have missed him and so has the manager. With this Boyle nightmare, it’s a huge boost for Lee and he needs it.
When I look at Hibs, Nisbet, Boyle and Aiden McGeady are three who would start every week. Lee has been robbed of them and that is the area where Hibs have struggled. The lead-up work has been good at times, but they are devoid of inspiration up top.
He had spoken about maybe using Kevin in a couple of games just before the World Cup break, but the last one at Rugby Park was on astroturf and I don’t think returning from a serious knee injury on that surface was the right game to risk him. Lee needs him to fire because he’s getting some stick at the moment and, although it’s too early to be talking in terms of his job, I was at Hibs for seven years and know the demands of the supporters.
As a manager, you have to buy yourself time and credit by getting results while you are building and reshaping the squad. I don’t believe Lee is in any danger of losing his job, but the first four games back after the shutdown are Rangers, Livingston, Celtic and Hearts.
It’s a really tough run of games, but points have to be collected. Right now, Lee is on a run of six games lost out of seven.
You lose those four and you don’t need a calculator to work out that’d be 10 out of 11 defeated. That would put serious pressure on him, so it’s a huge period from the resumption until January 2 against Hearts. He has to pick up points.
Losing Boyle is a brutal setback. But getting an improved Nisbet back will, hopefully, cushion some of that savage blow.
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