Newell in the crown
Joe can’t wait to get stuck into Gers in top of table clash
Jack Ross’ side maintained their impressive start to the season with a commanding win against beleaguered St Mirren at the weekend with midfielder Newell on the scoresheet.
Hibs are just three points off Rangers and have a 100 per cent record on the road so far this term.
The win in Paisley was their fifth victory out of seven and Newell believes the confidence within the Easter Road side will set them up nicely for the visit of Gers.
Steven Gerrard’s side have yet to concede a goal since kicking off their league campaign but may find Leith provides a stern test on Sunday afternoon.
Newell said: “We’ve had a very good start and the way we are playing at the minute, with our defensive record, there’s no reason for us to fear anyone and we definitely won’t.
“Obviously we know the threats they have and the quality they have.
“But we’ve shown enough we can be feared as well. It should be a good game.
“It’s that winning mentality and the momentum you gain. They have that too because they’ve started the season well.
“But we’re going in with plenty of confidence.”
Newell has had a new lease of life since the arrival of Ross at Easter Road.
Hibs have lost only to Aberdeen this term – a penalty separated the teams – and there is a balance of creativity and solidity about the Leith side.
Kevin Nisbet kicked off the win against Saints when he left emergency keeper Bobby Zlamal on his backside to bundle the ball into the net before Newell added a second when he drilled home Martin Boyle’s cutback. Newell said: “Yeah, I don’t get many. The gaffer and the coaches have been on at me to try to improve. They’ve given lots of little tips.
“It’s all about me getting further forward and trying to get into the box more.
“I think that was the first time I’d thought about it and got in there and managed to tuck one away. “I’m playing more central now which I prefer. That’s definitely more my natural position. It’s where I grew up as a kid playing and I think that’s why the manager’s now getting the best out of me.
“If you look at my performances when I’ve played wide compared with centrally there’s a bit of a difference you could probably say.”
There was worse to come from Zlamal, who flapped at Newell’s cross before Boyle added a third, but there was a feeling that no matter who might have been in goals for Saints the end result would have been the same.
Hibs are currently separating Celtic and Rangers in the table and while sustaining that will be
difficult the longer the campaign goes on, current evidence suggests the Easter Road side will be firmly at the top end of the table.
Summer arrivals have enhanced the side with the workrate of Alex Gogic contributing to a strong defensive record.
Hibs have lost just three goals so far this term with Newell applauding the strength of a backline that allows the more creative players to focus on getting among the goals.
He said: “It feels like there’s a good balance to the team.
“You can see that with the defensive record we’ve started the season with.
“In a couple of those performances we weren’t free-flowing going forward but we ground it out.
“There have also been a couple of performances, like today’s, when we’ve shown that the attacking threat is there and it’s nice to watch.
“Gogic coming in has improved us in that respect plus the two lads at the back – Ryan Porteous and Paul Hanlon – have been magnificent as have been the back-four combined with Paul
McGinn and Josh Doig. As a collective, the defence including Gogic have done really well. In saying that, everyone knows that it’s the whole team.
“The two strikers work their socks off, I’m in there with Gogic and the two wide men are not shirking any responsibility either.
“The defensive record is down to a team effort.”
Ross has turned things around since the dark days of Paul Heckingbottom’s tenure.
And having hit the ground running this season, Newell is confident that Hibs have what it takes to keep their impressive form going – regardless of who they are up against.
Newell added: “As a team it’s just momentum. When you have that winning mentality, it’s easy to keep winning.
“And it was the opposite at the start of last season when we were on a bad run. It’s easy to carry that on.
“We’re just enjoying it. There’s a consistency – most of the team has stayed the same.
“It’s just a good place to be at the minute. The atmosphere is just good all around the place.”