Johnson: I won’t mix it just in case we trip up
HIBS boss Lee Johnson insists he’ll keep faith in his expansive away game plan despite trips to Ibrox and Tynecastle looming large.
The Hibees slipped out of the top half after six defeats in their last seven outings – four on the road.
That included a 6-1 thrashing at Celtic Park in which Johnson set his side up to have a go only to see them picked off.
Johnson claimed after that bruising afternoon players were “brainwashed” into believing they can’t beat Celtic or Rangers.
And with a trip to face Rangers up next in just 12 days followed by a New Year derby in Gorgie, Johnson insists the game plan won’t change dramatically – but the personnel might.
He said: “At Celtic we got battered, against St Mirren we were really poor.
“Against Dundee United we were good but I’m not kidding anyone when I say I’d rather play horrendously and nick a 1-0 win. Against Livingston we were poor. At
Aberdeen, we showed our fragility second half but the first half was decent.
“We’ve beaten St Johnstone and Ross County away from home. I believe over a period of 100 games, if you play consistently then turn the dial a bit depending on circumstances – like the personnel or form – I don’t think anything should really change.
“It’s the same pitch, generally the same conditions, everything else is the psychological side – the travelling, difficult environment, fans, referees.”
“If you look at Covid when it was no fans and just pitches results tended to be sometimes better.
“Hibs were a good example, sometimes they were better without two sets of supporters there.”