Stockbridgehibby

Congratulations, Villa! 3 things I suggest we have learned about SJM: 1. He’s being played OUT of position - whether up front to make up for the lack of a decent striker, or on the right side of CM, where he has to come in on his left, and plays far too many square balls, and where the cross field 60 yarder just runs away from the recipient. At Hibs he played on the left side of midfield and showed a greater range of passing, including a lovely cross field long pass that curled back into the path if the on-rushing striker. 2. He’s been found OUT - players in the PL have got wise to some of his tricks. He’s still great at protecting the ball with his arse, but too often they get a boot in now, flicking the ball away. Nor should any top flight player be so one-footed; he should work on his right, and give himself more options and become less predictable. Worrying too that he came back from injury and lockdown so overweight. As someone here put it, twice the man, and half the player. 5. He’s not going OUT - finally, he’s surely not going anywhere now next season, whereas there might have been a risk of this if we went down. It would take a massive offer to take him away, and don’t think we’ll hear much more of the silly figures that were being mentioned before his injury. Time for SJM to consolidate as a PL player, at Villa, where hopefully, with some good new players around him, he can flourish. Can’t wait for the season to start - UTV

Game opening up. Just up it’s us that gets the inevitable goal.

Congratulations Villa - on holiday in Majorca, bought a Sky subscription just to be able to watch the game on my mobile phone while at the beach, fell out with the Mrs, who screamed at me, saying, “I thought you were a Hibby”, and went mental when SJM leapt like a fine Scottish salmon to head the ball out of the flailing arms of the statuesque Rams keeper - cue the most lusty rendition of the SJM song ever heard in the Med! Now very much looking forward to following Villa next season in the Premiership. Occasionally I look back at the original post at the start of the season when you were thinking of signing John McGinn. I think it says something like, “Anyone know much about him?”... Aye, you do now! UTV!

Hé picked up a lot of yellows at Hibs but never a second yellow or a straight red (if you exclude the one that was rescinded). That suggests to me that he is more than capable of playing more cautiously when required, while still being effective. On the other hand, you could say that refs are generally more reluctant to dish out a second yellow, and therefore it may be more difficult for SJM to avoid being cautioned at all in any one game. Have tried to understand the EFL rules, and can’t believe they are so hard to find/difficult to understand. We shouldn’t have to be worrying over this!

The EFL rules define the “Play-off Competition” as a separate competition, so there should be no carry over of cautions. Agree it could be more clearly stated though.

Just back in Edinburgh, after a long weekend of celebrations with my new friends in the Trinity Rd Stand. The whole team played well, and it’s probably unfair to single anyone out, but I would have to mention Whelan, who was a huge improvement on what I had seen in the derby, and now at least I can understand some of the rave reviews he gets on here. Loved the stadium and the atmosphere, and looking forward to the up-coming friendly at Easter Road! UTV

Thanks Jay PA and Thug for the replies to my comment above on SJM, and everyone else for the likes. I hope you can forgive all these Hibs intrusions into your domain. We do realise SJM is yours now, and hope he flourishes with Villa. Good luck tonight against Forest, and looking forward to the Middlesbrough game: 6 points would put you right back in the mix.

Yet another Hibs fan here, coming down for the Middlesbrough game. Looking forward to seeing Grealish, Abraham and of course SJM - assuming he gets his game. Difficult to criticise Dean Smith for not starting him at the weekend, following the thrashing the previous week, but I would be genuinely concerned if McGinn were now thought to be a mere impact player or a super-sub or whatever. If he has a fault it may be that he tries to do too much; his best form at Hibs coming when he was complimented by excellent midfielders such as Scott Allan and Dylan McGeough. There was also a suggestion on here that SJM might have been dismissed, had he started, with comparisons being made to Roy Keane. While he certainly gets far too many yellows, I think Hibbys would be surprised that he might be regarded as some sort of hot-head: he was never red-carded at Hibs (the only one in 2015 was rescinded), and survived many, many Edinburgh derbies without getting himself sent off. Best thing about him was he played his heart out at Hibs, even when he knew he was going - he’ll do the same for you, and will see himself playing in the Premiership with Villa, not Leicester (so long as he is allowed to start occasionally!)

Hibby coming down for Middlesbrough game later in the month. Looking forward to seeing SJM - please don’t be playing him at LB!