Hibs fell to a 1-0 defeat to on Wednesday night with an abject performance against a Motherwell side still reeling from a Scottish Cup exit to Championship outfit Ross County.
Let’s not beat about the bush. Hibs have been mediocre at best for the majority of the season with the solitary highlight being a 2-0 win over a Celtic side who were very much not at the races at Easter Road.
There was of course a 6-0 thrashing of Hamilton at the beginning of October which was meant to provide the impetus for the Hibees to push on and once again challenge for a top four spot however things have not so much crumbled since then but the whole house is in danger of collapsing.
Lennon is now not only overseeing his team perform like a Butcheresque era Hibs side but a run of 14 league matches since the annihilation of Accies has produced a miserly 2 victories.
Granted, during this run there’s been double headers against Rangers, Celtic and Hearts however the fact of the matter is there was also matches against Livingston, Dundee and St Mirren at Easter Road and Hibs failed to win any against the so-called Premiership minnows.
Good performances in Derby matches buy you time but 2 apathetic performances against our city rivals don’t help when your side is struggling to produce to anywhere near their capabilities.
Stevie Mallan has went from world beater to fans boo boy in a matter of a couple of months. David Gray’s continual ostracism from first team duty when fit in favour of a looking his age Steven Whittaker and a constant tinkering of starting X1 and formation has led to general bewilderment amongst the support.
Lennon produced the goods in sealing the Championship and continued the feelgood factor upon Hibs Premiership return last season playing open, entertaining football but this season has saw his stock plummet with generally poor recruitment and a squad of players who are performing way below their best.
The fixture list continues to be unkind. In normal circumstances a visit to St Mirren Park should hold no fear before Aberdeen visit. Can the Irishman rejuvenate the players to produce performances prior to a jaunt along the M8 to Celtic Park?
For the first time during his tenure serious questions are being asked about his propensity to oversee a side in rapid decline.
If our manager wasn’t Neil Lennon would the fans be calling for his head? Recent display’s wouldn’t have been tolerated under Pat Fenlon, Colin Calderwood or Butcher. Things don’t seem well at the club and disharmonious, disjointed, apathetic outings like tonight should be the exception rather than the rule.
Has time run out for the manager? Have your say below.
How long would you give him? End of season? None? Raith cup game?
Record season ticket sales but how many will renew?
if we cant get 4pts from next two matches,this cant keep going ,neil keeps changing the system,every week?
going back to milligan playing him at right back,after milligan playing 6 good games at defense midfielder’
he is australian captain, i live in australia/ iam scots/ followed hibs since i was7//i am now 79// one thing i
would sayto neil ask the players what is thier best position?where they feel confident and comfertable
neil some times you try to hard,,you pick the team //’h ave them in monday morning, one at a time put blame on them, individually,iknow it is ok for me to say this//i think you are a very conscencious hard workingmanager take a little bit of pressure of your self,put on players, all the very best,stay with hibs// tom
Lennon hasn’t a clue, he’s tinkered every game, halfway through the season and he still doesn’t know his best team!!! The constant excuse of players leaving last season is a smoke screen for his inability to get the best out of the present squad!!
Maybe his abrasive personality is losing confidence in the players, it’s time he looked in the mirror & came to a conclusion, as manager he is responsible for structure & strategy, both sadly lacking under his watch!! Maybe his time is up!!