Hibs reaction: Johnson ponders next move, attack best form of defence, card-happy Boyle

Hibs secured a hard-fought and well-deserved 3-1 victory over FC Luzern at Easter Road on Thursday night.

The night served up some memorable moments and more than a few questions about how they now approach the away leg of their Europa Conference League qualifier.

Attack the best form of defence?

HIbs manager Lee Johnson revealed that he had taken some stick in the build up to the game for just how bold he had been with his team selection. But, in the end, it delivered as the Leith side head to Lucerne next week with a two goal lead. But admitting that the Europa Conference League third round qualifier is still there to be won or lost, the conundrum now will be whether to stick or twist when it comes to personnel and tactics. WIth such a forward-thinking approach at Easter Road last night, there was a high degree of risk and reward, with gaps for FC Luzern to play in and around and in the spells that troubled the hosts. It required a mammoth input from the likes of goalscorer Joe Newell and Dylan Levitt in front of the back line and a quick switch in mindset from the attacking players in transition as they were charged with pressing high and hard whenever the Swiss side took possession. They managed to constrain the Swiss players enough to restrict them to one-goal on the night but will Johnson switch his mindset on the road and are Hibs good enough defensively to fly by the seat of their pants one again and come out on top once more?

Hibs winger Martin Boyle jokingly shows a yellow card to his opponents while referee Robertas Valikonis books Joe Newell for real during the Europa Conference League third qualifying round match between the Leith side and FC Luzern at Easter Road. Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group

“I honestly think it's nowhere near done, genuinely. I think they're a really good side with threats and quality everywhere,” said the Easter Road gaffer. “This is a completely new experience for us. We'll take a really strong travelling contingent. The atmosphere at their stadium is excellent. It's good because hopefully we can make it even better with the numbers we take, and I'm really looking forward to it. We've got the two-goal lead. There's a physiological element and we'll just try to pick a team, honestly to do a job, and look forward to a good occasion as long as we make it a good occasion.

“I don't see it like it's [just the job of] the backline. We defend as a team and attack as a team. We had two days to properly work on that shape but we were at home, we wanted to be on the front foot, as much as we could possibly be, and we banged in another three goals to give ourselves a two-goal lead. But I had to fill gaps with new players in the last 10 minutes to just try to maintain that lead. That is what the boys are used to, that 4-3-3.”

Switching things up, he addressed the vulnerabilities earlier than that, bringing on Jordan Obita for Elie Youan at the interval and it was a smart move as he provided greater resistance down that left flank whilst still getting high up the pitch and contributing crosses and linking up with the players who were spearheading the attack. Later on Christian Doidge, Jimmy Jeggo and Jake Doyle-Hayes gave the side extra legs, physicality, presence at set pieces and plugged several of the routes FC Luzern had been taking towards the backline and David Marshall’s goal. It was enough to stymie the visitors but Johnson now needs to decide whether they can do that for a full 90 minutes as their opponents probe for a way through, or stick with last night’s policy that, with this squad, attack might be the best form of defence.

Squad rotation and fresh striking options

While there are decisions to be made across the midfield, there will be a realisation that moving back to a 4-3-3 will deprive the side of either Adam Le Fondre or newcomer Dylan Vente, who made an impressive debut for the Leith club. Christian Doidge will have felt a little hard done by as he was relegated to a starting spot on the bench after a positive start to his season but it turned out to be a shrewd decision by the Hibs management team as both the strikers they selected were superb on a night where they pressed and linked up well with the team-mates behind them and on the flanks but especially with each other.

Considering how little time they have had to work together on the training pitch there was a dangerous understanding between the pair, as they instinctively moved into positions to complement each other and pose the biggest threat to FC Luzern’s rearguard. Le Fondre came alive alongside a player who matched his football intellect and was able to provide the pace and movement that worked so well with the runs he was making s they closed the defence down as a unit and played their part in both Newell’s and then Vente’s goal second, before Obita made it three.

It was a great way for the Dutchman to mark his debut for the club and, pledging that there are more goals to come, it will be interesting to see how Johnson utilises his strike options in the weeks ahead and whether he is tempted to switch formations up a bit more domestically as well as on the European stage, to accommodate the forward options at his disposal.

Having several options will possibly help for as long as they have to balance league and cup demands at home with the task of maintaining an interest in Europe and Johnson was right to suggest that having laid down a decent marker against their Swiss rivals on Thursday, his men now need to take the lessons learned from the defeat to St Mirren last Sunday into this weekend’s Premiership match away to Motherwell.

Sticking with the same side that came out on top in the last round of European competition backfired last weekend, with too many leggy players taking until the second half to get going against Stephen Robinson’s outfit and it cost them all three points. So, Johnson has choices to make. “We have set down a marker and I am extremely proud,” he said of Thursday’s victory. “But nothing is done in the tie and we also have to learn our lesson from Sunday because we have another game this Sunday and that is our bread and butter so we have to be at it right from the start and not from 45 minutes in.”

Card-happy Hibs character

Martin Boyle provided a moment of light relief in the vitally-important match against FC Luzern. A close and competitive contest, there was little opportunity to switch off, but the winger raised a few smiles as things threatened to boil over in the second half. After a couple of meaty challenges when former Bundesliga player Max Meyer was booked for a rash challenge on the halfway line and then Kemal Ademi was also cautioned as the fans and Hibs staff appealed for more, mayhem broke out after Newell lashed the ball off an opponent and centre-back Marco Burch squared up to the midfielder. Referee Robertas Valikonis tried to diffuse the situation with a couple of bookings but Boyle raised a few smiles as he picked up another yellow that had obviously fallen from the official’s pocket and proceed to walk around the muddle of players trying to get involved, flashing the card and a wide grin at every FC Luzern he came across, before returning the lost property.