John Hughes wants strikers to stop being selfish and start playing together

Published on Monday 14 December 2009 22:02

HIBERNIAN may have an exciting contest ahead to establish who will be their top goalscorer this season, but manager John Hughes has told his four-man attack to rid themselves of their selfish streaks if the club are to stay on the Old Firm's coat-tails at the top of the SPL.

Hughes feels his striking quartet are playing as individuals rather than for the good of the Edinburgh team.

Hibs enjoyed periods of possession in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock but Derek Riordan, Colin Nish, Merouane Zemmama and Anthony Stokes created few clear-cut chances. Substitute Abdessalam Benjelloun also found it difficult to get a whiff of goalscoring opportunities when he entered the fray in the closing stages in place of goalscorer Stokes.

Hibs stretched their unbeaten SPL run to 11 matches thanks to Stokes' strike but have slipped four points adrift of leaders Celtic and two behind Rangers, who play their game in hand at Dundee United tonight.

Hughes said: "I just felt in the final third our final pass was lacking on Saturday. I may as well be honest – I think the four of them up front are playing as individuals. "There were a couple of times last week (against Motherwell) that also happened. Until they start playing together, combining, slotting each other in, we'll be better for that.

"They just have to go and trust and respect each other. I just feel all of them are wanting to score the goals. It's all about the team and I've said that.

"Saturday kept the run going, but I think we could have been a bit better than what we showed."

Hughes, meanwhile, has defended Yves Makalambay after the keeper was deemed at fault for Kilmarnock's opener. The error-prone Belgian – deputising for back victim Graham Stack – failed to clutch a Jamie Hamill cross and Mark Burchill nodded home.

But Hughes felt Simon Ford impeded the custodian and said: "I was disappointed with the goal we lost. I felt there might have been a foul on big Maka."

Stokes, too, had sympathy for his goalkeeper. "From where I was it definitely looked like there was contact with him. It was disappointing but we just had to get on with it," said the Irishman.

Stokes' strike was his third in two games and took his tally to seven goals for the season in all competitions, while Riordan stands on six after his recent 'goal' against Falkirk was adjudged by the referee to be an own goal. If the two forwards can stay fit, they should continue to swell their totals as the season progresses.

Stokes, though, is only concentrating at the moment on preserving Hibs unbeaten run, and while he conceded that one point instead of three from the Rugby Park trip fell below the team's high expectations, no-one at Easter Road was despondent.

He told the club's official website: "I think with the standards we are setting ourselves we are a bit disappointed to go to Rugby Park and draw, but considering how the game went and going a goal down it was not perhaps so bad – it can be hard to come back when you are away from home. It was a good result and we are happy enough.

"I think we have shown over the last few weeks that even when we are not playing particularly well we are working hard and grinding out results. That was the case again on Saturday – but we were really looking to win the game."

Hibs face Aberdeen away on Saturday as they bid to stretch their unbeaten SPL run to 12.