Hibs final word: International break coming at just the right time for Jack Ross' men

Perhaps the defeat came at just the right time for Hibs. With an international break coming up, the bulk of the Easter Road squad will have time to rest and recover after a hectic August in which they played six games and accrued a very respectable 13 points from 18.

While the unbeaten run was impressive, there was always going to be a bump, and the longer a team goes without losing a game, the greater the pressure and the harder the fall.

The narrow defeat at the hands of the Dons will also prevent any complacency from taking hold in the Easter Road dressing room.

To get it over and done with at the start of a 12-day break before the next league fixture will allow plenty of time for analysis, discussion, and a rethink ahead of the trip to St Mirren on September 12.

The irony is that the manner of Aberdeen’s victory was similar to the narrow wins Hibs eked out against Dundee United and St Johnstone and if the Capital club is to be in the mix for those European spots and presumably challenging Derek McInnes’ side then there may have to be more performances like the gritty, niggly affairs at Tannadice and McDiarmid Park.

That’s something fans will have to accept.

Supporters would presumably want to watch swashbuckling, attacking football every week, but most of them would surely accept some ugly performances over the course of the campaign in exchange for third or fourth in the league and European football.

There is still work to be done on the Hibs squad. While the defence has toughened up since last season, there is still something missing in the midfield area, which Jack Ross has already vowed to address before the transfer window closes, but Hibs were also lacking in imagination and incision in the final third against the Dons.

The arrival of Jamie Murphy may help to reinvigorate the forward line while Kevin Nisbet is still to return from his spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. The latter’s comeback may help bring out the best once again in Christian Doidge, who struggled for an opening against Aberdeen, while Murphy’s versatility will ideally bring an extra dimension to an attack that has petered out over the last couple of matches.

There are plenty of positives to take from the opening six games: the emergence of Josh Doig as the heir apparent to Lewis Stevenson; how well Doidge and Nisbet have linked up so far; the meanness of the defence; the improvement in Ofir Marciano's performances, and Alex Gogic finally filling the void left by Marvin Bartley.

All the pieces are there and while it may take time for everything to click exactly into place, it suggests that the club is moving in the right direction - no mean feat given the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the financial implications.

It’s worth noting that Aberdeen are on their own unbeaten run, having seen off St Johnstone and Livingston by single-goal margins as well as conducting a comprehensive dismantling of NSI Runavik in the Europa League.

The Pittodrie side will have their own blips as well this season, as will the other ten Scottish Premiership teams.

What Hibs lacked against Aberdeen may have been simply down to tiredness. Some of these players have played the full 90 minutes in all six matches after spending four months without a competitive game. There are going to be one or two jaded characters out there.

Had Hibs beaten Aberdeen then the reaction would have been that the international break was halting the club's momentum.

As it is, an extended break before the next fixture could be vital for this Hibs squad in hitting the ground running when the league campaign resumes. Nisbet could be fit to play, Gogic will have completed his period of self-isolation, Murphy could get minutes if a bounce game is organised, and those needing a break will have had a chance to recuperate.

It’s important to remember that this is not an ordinary football season. Matches are being played without fans in stadiums, teams are having to get changed in hospitality suites at some grounds, and transfer activity has been affected both financially and by the fact the English season is still to get up and running.

It could be argued that the Scottish Premiership season is still to really get going which, if anything, further highlights the progress the Easter Road side has made since last term.

By the time the trip to Paisley comes around, don’t bet against this Hibs squad coming out all guns blazing.