Hibernian

• Excluding own goals, Hibernian have eight goals from 131 shots and Falkirk have five goals from 92 shots in the Scottish Premiership this season. Their shot conversion rates of 6.1% and 5.4% respectively are two of the bottom three in the division this term (Kilmarnock the other with 6.1%).

• Falkirk are the only side without an away win in the Scottish Premiership this season, drawing three and losing one of four outings.

• Hibernian are without a clean sheet in 14 league games, their longest run in the Scottish Premiership since going 15 games without a shutout from August to December 2019.

• Falkirk are winless in six top-flight visits to Hibernian (D2 L4) since a 1-0 victory in September 2006.

• Hibernian have only lost one of their last 14 top-flight meetings with Falkirk (W8 D5), a 4-1 away defeat in January last season.

Beveren technical director Bob Peeters believes new Hibernian manager Marink Reedijk will bring success to Easter Road, just as the 34-year-old did with the Belgian club despite a disappointing first season there. (Daily Record, external)

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

We didn't get the start we hoped for as Marink Reedijk took charge for the first time on Saturday.

A good opening 15 minutes gave some hope before old habits crept into the team and we struggled to create chances.

These are inherited issues for Reedijk, and we should know that it'll take more than the two weeks he's had with the team to put them to bed.

A "pre-season on steroids", as the head coach described it, can only take you so far, and by Reedijk's own admission there's a lot of work still to do.

The team looked disjointed and this again maybe shouldn't have been a surprise given we started with a new centre-half pairing and a refreshed front four.

With Falkirk up next, Reedijk's priority will most likely be finding a way to improve his side's potency in the final third. He lamented wasted passes, too many touches, and poor decisions when reflecting on Saturday's game.

I'm sure Gray would sympathise as these were issues he called out all too many times post-match during his tenure.

Solving that problem will be a huge step towards to a successful season.

You can find Matty Fairnie at Longbangers podcast, external

Andy Burke is joined by Hibernian Women head coach Joelle Murray and Scotsman sports editor Mark Atkinson to assess the contrasting fortunes of Edinburgh's two biggest clubs.

An early change of manager, a poor summer of recruitment and strife between fans and the Easter Road hierarchy, can Marink Reedijk turn it round?

Image source, SNS

Hibernian say they will "take appropriate action as necessary" after they "establish the full circumstances" surrounding the scenes that unfolded in the away end following their weekend defeat to Dundee United at Tannadice.

Pictures showed some visiting fans clashing with police and stewards after head coach Marink Reedijk's first match in charge.

The Leith club say they are aware of the incidents and are investigating the events "in collaboration with other supporters" who attended the Scottish Premiership match, as well as with the police and Dundee United.

"The safety, wellbeing and matchday experience of our supporters is extremely important to us," they add.

"We will provide a further update this week prior to our upcoming match against Falkirk at Easter Road."

Watch the Sportscene panel analyse new boss Marink Reedijk's first game as Hibs manager. Available to UK users only.

Dundee United inflict a debut defeat on new Hibs boss Marink Reedijk thanks to Daniel Bennie's first-half goal. (Available to UK users only)

Hibs fans, we asked you for your thoughts on the 1-0 loss to Dundee United in Marink Reedijk's first game in charge.

Here's a taste of what you had to say...

Martin: Started brightly and if Josh Mulligan scores his gilt-edged chance, things could go differently but after that we huffed and puffed without much quality in the final third. Reedijk has a huge job on his hands as, contrary to belief in the media, this is a poor squad with no decent strikers, no midfielder that can open up a team, and we also have very static defenders.

Bill: Please, national press, stop saying Hibs have a strong squad. We have the weakest, poorest players since before we won the Scottish Cup. Not a new manager wanted, just some quality players, fit for top six. We are facing a trouncing in upcoming semi. Please don't embarrass us supporters yet again.

Jason: Aye, David Gray was the problem! Serious change is needed from top to bottom at the club.

Ringo: I really didn't see much improvement under the new manager, but the players have to take some responsibility. They just ain't good enough. Reedijk will need his own players. Whoever's been signing players for Hibs needs to take a good hard look at himself, it's simply not good enough. The new manager will need time but with these players, who knows.

Ross: Those Hibs players should be ashamed of themselves. There was 2,500 away fans, a new manager - and that's how they turn up and perform. Really? I'm so fed up of being a Hibs supporter, I really am.

Gordon: Another woeful performance, displaying yet again that the blame should not have lain solely at the feet of David Gray, but with this totally inept group of so-called players. Yet again, no goalscoring threat and another poor, amateurish goal conceded. Potentially the worst Hibs team I have seen and I am in my sixties.

George: Hibs were, quite simply, terrible after the first 15 minutes. Three good chances in that period, all missed or blocked. Then, for unknown reasons, we stopped playing. At times in the second half we opened them up but our final ball was too often poor, including numerous misplaced passes.

Marink Reedijk's first game as Hibernian manager ended in a Scottish Premiership defeat as his side went down to Dundee United at Tannadice.

Read the match report here.

Give us your thoughts here

Image source, SNS

Hibernian manager Marink Reedijk tells BBC Scotland: "If you summarise it, it's imprecision and indecisiveness towards the final third in the final third, I think that's key.

"We lose a few times sloppy balls where they can counter attack us, but these are just normal balls we normally give in the right direction, in the right pace, at the right player. Then the doubt starts into the team.

"We started off well, tried our best to create something. We created some bits and bobs but then these moments decide the match. Then also little moments, details in terms of defending, in terms of their goal, that is something we should and need to avoid.

"For me, the referees are the boss and if he decides to do this [red card for Jacob Devaney], then that is his decision. I have to focus on Hibernian at the moment and not on the referee decisions.

"The most frustrating thing is that 2,500 people came all the way from Edinburgh and we were not able to give them what I hoped to do.

"That is what it is, but work to do here."

Former Hibernian forward Derek Riordan urges patience as new manager Marink Reedijk takes charge at Easter Road. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required, external)

Saturday's Scottish gossip

Image source, SNS

Dundee United have no fresh injury concerns but will continue to be without Mehdi Merghem and Emmanuel Agyei.

New Hibs boss Marink Reedijk could include new winger Rabbi Matondo, while Marko Ivezic is also in contention for a belated debut.

Adam Mayor, Jamie McGrath (calf), Kanayo Megwa (thigh), Rocky Bushiri (Achilles) and Jordan Obita (calf) are all set to miss out.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Marink Reedijk has been speaking to the media before his first game in charge of Hibs, away to Dundee United on Saturday (15:00 BST).

Here are the key points:

• Reedijk is "excited" to finally take charge of his first Hibs game and describes the club as "special".

• He had "a lot of conversations" with other clubs after leaving Beveren in the summer but was delighted to land the Hibs job.

• After a lengthy meeting with the board in London - "one of the best conversations I've had throughout my whole career" - the Dutchman was convinced Easter Road was the right place for him.

• Reedijk described his time since taking over, including a training camp in La Manga, as "very intense" and says he and the squad got through more work "than I thought was possible", adding: "The pre-season on steroids now is over."

• The 34-year-old stressed the importance of unity at the club: "Since I first entered the building it feels like a family. A key pillar for me is we become even more of a family and do things together, that everybody feels involved and has the identity and carries the identity on and off the pitch."

• Reedijk believes Scottish football is "underestimated" and is a great challenge because all teams can beat each other.

• He says only "winning games" will help him be a success and is determined to begin his tenure with victory at Tannadice.

• He adds: "Even if I play against my cousin of five years old, Monopoly or something like this, I want to win. This is a little bit not good behaviour sometimes towards this but in football it's handy to have."

Image source, Getty Images

Scott Allan is "really excited" to see what former club Hibernian look like under Marink Reedijk and points out that the Leith club's new Dutch manager is in a similar situation to Sebastien Pocognoli with Scotland.

The difference being that Reedijk's three weeks to prepare his new side have been without a competitive game.

"They went to La Manga, you get a chance to bed in your ideas and how you want to play and it seems, from his interviews, he's happy with how they're looking," former midfielder Allan told the BBC Scottish Football Podcast.

Similar to Pocognoli, Reedijk has talked about playing on the front foot.

"I'm really intrigued and excited to see how they're going to look," Allan said. "I think his record speaks for itself - his previous club at Beveren and all the things we heard about being aggressive with the ball and trying to play through the lines."

Hibs visit another of Allan's former clubs, Dundee United, on Saturday and he points out that the hosts should be confident being off the back of a 3-0 win over St Mirren.

"So lot of eyes on Hibs," he added. "Is it a gamble - young manager? Yes, but it was a gamble for me that Hibs had to take.

"It was the style of play under David Gray which was the biggest criticism from the Hibs support. So I think Marink Reedijk knows what type of team he has to put out there to get the fans on board."

However, like Pocognoli with Scotland, "you can work on all the ideas", but it requires a buy-in from the players.

• This will be Marink Reedijk's first game as Hibernian boss. The last permanent Hibs manager to lose his first top-flight game in charge was Pat Fenlon in December 2011 (2-0 v Rangers).

• Despite starting just four of their seven Premiership games this season, Jesse Randall has scored (2) or assisted (2) 44% of Dundee United's league goals (4/9), the third-highest ratio by any player for a side, behind only Aberdeen's Kevin Nisbet (71%) and St Johnstone's Josh Fowler (56%).

• Both teams have scored in each of the past nine league meetings between Dundee United (16 goals) and Hibs (19), with these fixtures averaging 3.9 goals per game.

• Hibs are unbeaten in six league games against Dundee United (W3 D3) since a 3-2 defeat in October 2024.

• Dundee United have won two of their past four league games (D1 L1), as many as their previous 10 beforehand (W2 D3 L5).

Image source, SNS

Rabbi Matondo has "unfinished business" in Scottish football as the Wales winger looks to create "magical memories" with Hibs.

The 26-year-old has earned a contract until the end of the season after impressing new boss Marink Reedijk at Hibs' training camp in La Manga last week.

Matondo feels he has a point to prove after his near four-year Rangers stay was disrupted by injuries.

Having left Ibrox in March, he spent five months with Norway's Brann before becoming Reedijk's first Hibs recruit.

"The Hibs fans should expect someone that's going to give 100% every time I have the shirt on and me trying to get them off their seats as well with a bit of excitement," Matondo told Hibs TV.

"When I arrived, it was the first day for the manager as well, so it probably worked out well in that sense.

"He could have a look at me, look at the group, and then also I could have a look at the group and look at the way the gaffer wants to play, and it all aligned very well.

"The group's amazing and it's a good group of lads. I'm raring to go and ready for this challenge.

"I feel like I'm still relatively young, but I've got a lot of experience and even for the younger boys in the group, I can help and push the boys forward.

"Easter Road was one of the stadiums I enjoyed playing at when I was in Scotland. I still feel like it's unfinished business, so I'm happy to be back and hopefully I can show that with Hibs.

"I look forward to this next chapter and hopefully we can create magical memories."

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

Are underlying numbers from the start of the Scottish Premiership season suggesting a refreshed approach could be taking hold across the league?

Well, the success stories at Motherwell and Falkirk last season seem to have had an influence.

Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin was humble enough to reveal that Jens Berthel Askou - now head coach at Toulouse in Ligue 1 - has inspired him to change his ways after more than 15 years as a player and manager in Scotland.

Goodwin's side are one of a number of Premiership teams to have undergone a stylistic shift this term, and that is reflected in the league's overall numbers, albeit the sample size remains small after just seven matches for each club.

Compared with the previous five Scottish top-flight seasons, passes per game have soared to 886. That is an increase of 58 on last term. Five years ago, the average was 795.

Passing accuracy is also at a high of 81%, which is quite a remarkable increase on the 73% recorded in 2023-24.

That is down to more short passing. The percentage of long passes across the league (13%) is now at its lowest level of the past five years. Perhaps surprisingly, Hearts and Rangers go long more than any other teams.

Goodwin's United, meanwhile, have gone from average possession of 42% last term to 50% this season. Their accurate passes per match have rocketed from 219 to 320.

It is a similar story for St Mirren under Craig McLeish and Neil McCann's Kilmarnock, while league leaders Celtic and Alfred Johansson's Motherwell are locked at the top of the possession chart on 61%.

The promotion of St Johnstone back into the league, replacing Livingston, has added another side who aim to play a more expansive brand.

The recent appointment of Dutch head coach Marink Reedijk at Hibernian will only enhance that.

Read more: Why early-season data points to Premiership style shift