Hibs crisis talk addressed as David Gray gives honest verdict on Josef Bursik and Elie Youan

Hibs head coach David Gray has refuted suggestions that the club are in a “crisis” ahead of this weekend’s Edinburgh derby against Hearts.

The Easter Road side slumped to the bottom of the Premiership table at the weekend after conceding two goals in a stoppage-time defeat by Dundee United, with their capital rivals moving above them on goal difference following a 4-0 victory over St Mirren.

Hibs have only won one domestic match all season and with rancour increasing from the Easter Road club’s fanbase, the pressure is on ahead of the Jambos’ visit on Sunday. Their cause has not been helped by red cards in their past two games for midfielders Nectarios Triantis and Joe Newell, plus a glut of individual mistakes from a number of players.

Hibs head coach David Gray. | SNS Group

"No, it's not a crisis,” said Gray. “I think it needs to be better. I think we all know that. As I've said to the players, we're not looking for excuses at all.

“We're not using the fact that we went down to ten men in the last two games as an excuse for not getting results in the last two.

"Is it a factor? Of course it is. I think momentum in games, there's all sorts of things that go that way against you at times but we also know what's in the group, we also know how good we can be when we do get it right and I've still got that firm belief in everybody involved that we will turn it round.

"You can't forget the league position. Where we find ourselves at the moment isn't good enough and we all know that. That's what makes it even more frustrating after the game when you look at the league after it and you say, 'Right, it's not good enough'.

"We know that. But it's a great opportunity to change that. It'll be a full house at Easter Road. We really need the fans to be right behind us, which I know they will be. They can really play a part in driving us at the start of the game.”

One of the players who has come under intense scrutiny is goalkeeper Josef Bursik, who was at fault for Dundee United’s 98th-minute winner at Tannadice. However, the on-loan Club Brugge player has the total backing of his manager.

"One hundred per cent I believe in the goalkeeper,” continued Gray. “It's why you put a group of goalkeepers together. I've got a good coach at the club as well working hard on it all the time. Josef has at times made wrong decisions but he's also made some very good decisions as well so I've not lost any faith in him at all, he's training very hard.

Hibs goalkeeper Josef Bursik. | SNS Group

"One thing I do know is when a goalkeeper makes a mistake or an error in a judgement usually they're punished more often than not and it's about obviously reducing that as much as you can. But that goes right through the whole team. It starts right with the centre forward, if he doesn't hold the ball up at one time, making sure we properly demand from each other a little bit more and making sure we're all on the same page.

"It's making sure we're staying together and making sure we're all pulling in the same direction."

Gray will wait until the last minute before deciding whether to include forward Elie Youan in his team for Sunday’s derby. The French forward, who this time last year scored a double in a 2-2 draw with Hearts, was an unused substitute last weekend and has struggled to break into the starting XI following a summer of uncertainty over his future.

"Is he ready physically? Yes he is,” Gray said on Youan, “He's someone who's been returning from injury, he's got on a few times in the last couple of weeks, he obviously never got on at the weekend there.

"But he's been training now for two to three weeks, four weeks maybe, as long as that, he's played in a couple of bounce games, so from a physical point of view he's ready and he comes into contention like every other player at the weekend.

"We've got good strength and depth in wide areas and he definitely gives you that, he's got pace, he's got quality as well, and as you said he's played in these games so you know what to expect.

"But he's one of three, four, or five players who can all play in that position, so I've not decided on the team to give you an answer on that one."