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00:00 [Music]
00:04 Well, we're saying Aberdeen might be turning a corner,
00:08 Hearts might be turning a corner Barry, that's back-to-back wins now,
00:12 but I mean listen, you'll have been watching these games, in terms of the performances,
00:17 are you starting to see improvements from what was earlier in the season from Hearts?
00:23 There's definite improvement, yeah, I still don't think they're anywhere near close to where they want to be
00:29 in terms of their performance levels, and Stephen Naismith and the coaches would tell you that themselves.
00:34 They've been very, the last couple of games they've been very patient,
00:39 is probably the best word to use. They haven't been bombarding opponents
00:43 and creating chance after chance after chance, but when the chances have come they've tended to take them,
00:48 which is clearly something that you need, if you're going to improve as a team,
00:52 you're going to go forward, you have to take your chances when they come.
00:55 I would say that this weekend they play Hibs at Tyne Castle and that is a step up on playing against Kilmarnock and Ross County,
01:04 as they have done in the last two games. Going into that, back-to-back wins,
01:08 clearly they'd be in a better position than they were before the last two games,
01:12 but there's still a lot of gelling to be done at Tyne Castle, there's still a lot of things to click into place.
01:21 They have had injury problems, about to welcome some of the injured players back in the next three, four weeks, I would expect.
01:28 So that will have an impact if you can get likes of Craig Gordon and then thereafter Craig Halcutt back in the team.
01:34 They're always going to improve any side, but at the moment I think cautious optimism is probably the best way to describe it.
01:41 How much has these two wins, and particularly getting to the semi-finals,
01:46 relieved a bit of pressure that was probably starting to creep in on Stephen Naismith?
01:51 How much has it relieved that and how much is that pressure going to be back on if they don't come away from the derby at the weekend with the result they need?
01:59 Yes, it's always the way, isn't it? You can be doing well and you can be winning six games in a row,
02:05 but then if you lose a derby, people are all of a sudden, the perception changes and all the pressure comes back on.
02:12 So I think Naismith knows that. He's been around in football long enough. He's certainly been at hearts long enough to know how it works.
02:18 So it's a huge game, but it's a big game for Hibs as well.
02:22 Nick Montgomery's first derby in charge, they're obviously unbeaten since he came in, two draws and two wins.
02:28 So I don't think it'll be a particularly great game in terms of quality.
02:34 Most Denver derbies tend not to be, but I think there'll be a lot of drama.
02:39 I think it'll be quite intense and certainly be fiery. Huge Australian influence, as we've touched on before.
02:47 So the Australians on both sides will be wanting to get one over on each other,
02:51 but primarily it's the Edinburgh bragging rights on the table and both teams will be after that.
02:58 How big a game is it for Hibs, Lewis? I mean, look, sorry, a daft question because the Edinburgh derby is always a massive game for both clubs.
03:04 But I just mean in terms of their season as a whole, because it feels to me like Montgomery's in, things are looking pretty good.
03:12 The supercars tanked up with the rocket fuel, they've just taken off.
03:17 And it feels like this game to me is either going to be the thing that propels them into fifth gear or it's going to be the false start.
03:26 I mean, because if they lose this, then I just, I don't know, I feel like, did they bounce back or did they maybe start regressing?
03:35 It's very early in Nick Montgomery's tenure to maybe be suggesting that, but I don't know. What do you think?
03:42 I think at this stage in the season for Hibs, I mean, as Barry touched on, performances so far under Montgomery,
03:48 well, results have been good, but performances less so, I think it's fair to say.
03:53 They were obviously frustrated by Dundee at the weekend there, had plenty of shots on target.
03:59 What was it, 23 shots I think they had and only 10 of them were on target, which will be a slight concern.
04:04 I think in terms of building a bit of momentum, it would be huge for them to, as Barry touched on, to win this match this weekend.
04:13 I think Montgomery will bite your hand off for a scrappy 1-0 win at this moment in time with the way they're currently playing.
04:22 I think Hibs have another level to them. I do. I think they're still to prove that this season.
04:29 I watched the flashes of their game against St Mirren the other day as well, and they took a long time to get going in that match.
04:37 So, it's too early to say that their season will just drop off the end of a cliff.
04:42 I think he's obviously got the semi-final of the League Cup as well on the horizon.
04:47 So, plenty of points for Hibs fans to be optimistic about at this stage of the season.
04:55 However, a derby defeat would certainly rankle amongst the supporters, let's put it this way.
05:03 I think it's too easy to say that if they were to lose this derby at this stage of the season,
05:10 they'd be struggling to push for a third-place finish this season.
05:15 But it certainly gives them a big mountain to climb if they were to lose.
05:20 The League Cup semi-finals are just such a fascinating prospect at the moment, aren't they?
05:25 You look at where all four of these clubs were just a couple of weeks before their quarter-final matches,
05:32 and you look at where they are now, and as we've said, Aberdeen look like they're starting to turn a corner.
05:37 Hearts potentially could be in, certainly a derby win this weekend would do that for them, you would expect.
05:43 Hibs, I mean, they've got the new manager in, early signs are positive.
05:48 And Rangers, by the time that match comes around, they're going to have a new coach in who's going to be in his or her,
05:55 and they are early stages.
05:58 I mean, it's so interesting to me, I don't know, just that this is where we were just a week before those quarter-final matches,
06:06 and we don't know what any of these four sides are potentially going to look like when the semi-finals come around.
06:12 Right now, I don't think you can predict who is in the best position to go on and lift that trophy.
06:17 I suppose right now, if you were to press me on it, if they were to play these matches tomorrow, it would be Hibs,
06:24 but they're not going to play them tomorrow.
06:25 They're going to be playing them in a few weeks' time, and we don't know where any of these sides are going to be.
06:32 Yeah, it's going to be fascinating, isn't it?
06:35 As you touched on, a bit of a toss of the coin at this moment in time.
06:40 It's really difficult to predict.
06:42 I think, as you said, everyone's going to have something, a desperate opportunity to get to that place in the final,
06:52 arguably four of the strongest teams in Scottish football.
06:57 It's going to make for a thrilling occasion.
07:02 Put it this way, I don't think hearts will lie down easily against Rangers.
07:08 I think they'll be right up for that match, that's for sure.
07:11 Hibs' record against Aberdeen is certainly mixed.
07:15 I think that's fair to say.
07:17 It'll be an interesting one at this moment in time.
07:20 It's incredibly hard to predict.
07:22 I wouldn't like to say for sure who will be contesting that final later this year.
07:29 I'm not too sure what Barry's thoughts on that are.
07:34 Yeah, I would tend to agree.
07:37 I think it's very open, the last four.
07:40 The form that Rangers are in just now, you'd think Hearts would be fairly confident going in against them,
07:46 trying to cause an upset.
07:48 But again, Hearts have never beaten Rangers at Hampden.
07:51 So that's an issue in itself.
07:54 Hibs and Aberdeen very much probably on a level pegging at the moment.
07:58 So again, very open.
08:00 Hampden itself can be a game-changer depending on who adapts better to it.
08:06 The wider surface and slightly different ambience compared to Patorre or Easter Road,
08:12 or Tyne Castle for that matter, or Ibrox.
08:14 So yeah, certainly two games worth watching.
08:17 I think from a neutral point of view, if you're going to watch Scottish football,
08:20 then you should be watching both of those semifinals,
08:23 because I think you'll be guaranteed some decent entertainment.
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