Derek McInnes

“From the start I thought we were very good in the game.

“In the first half I thought we were nice and compact, Hibs obviously had a lot of attacking players in their team.

“I thought the game was very stretched out. When you watch any team that plays a diamond formation, or your team comes up against a team that plays a diamond, between the two penalty boxes is where the game is played and it becomes a game of basketball. And it felt like that. They had a go, then we had a go.

“I thought we had the better of the opportunities in terms of penalty box action.

“I thought we were the ones forcing their keeper into saves and we were bemoaning at half-time that we needed to show a bit more quality in that final third. Because we certainly got ourselves into some fantastic areas to go and get that first goal.

“We spoke about the fact Hibs have been a bit anxious at home of late, and we thought if we get that first goal it would have a major bearing on the game.

“Unfortunately for us, we lose possession in the middle of the park, Hibs pick the ball up – I still think having looked back at it – we were still in a good position to deal with it but we allow too much space for the pass to be made. It is a good pass, but the pass should not be on.

“So everything we done right in the first half with denying them space, and stopping the runs in behind, we did not do. We were guilty of allowing that space for Boyle to run into and he has punished us emphatically. It was a fantastic finish from him.

“And then we become the team with all the possession and Hibs become the counter attacking team. They looked like the away team and they punished us. The next two goals we have lost possession and they have broken on us and punished us.

“I still expect the defending to be better in these situations and I still think we can maybe do a lot more to stop them getting into the box. It was all a bit too easy for them and they took full advantage.

Triple Change

“It is disappointing. Possibly we are guilty of going for it a bit too early if I look back on it.

“You could clearly see us go 3-4-1-2. We tied down their full-backs with Leigh and Hedges and our three centre backs still had to deal with their front two. But we were a man light in the middle of park as a consequence of trying to force the issue.

“I think you can clearly see we did a lot right in the game and were getting into some good areas but unfortunately for us they were far more clinical with their opportunities than what we were, and they picked us off.

“We wanted more of an attacking threat (when the triple substitutions were made). The system I went with was a system that you see a lot when you play against a team who play a diamond.

“We had to try and force the issue. There was 25 minutes to go and I still thought the game was there to be won. Even a 2-0 we moved the ball about well and I thought there something for us in the game, if we could have take our opportunities.

“Big Sam has had three or four chances today and normally he is far more deadly than that.

“So a combination of not defending well enough around our box in the second half, and not taking our chances in both half’s, has culminated in a 3-0 defeat.

“It did not feel like a 3-0 game.

“I thought the game was pretty even up until the second goal, but we have been countered again on the third goal. We are deep in their half and they have broken on us. Sometimes that is the trade off when you try and get yourself back into the game, there is a bit more space for them to work in. And the quality they have got at the top end of the pitch, they put us to the sword.”

(Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)