Fin on the ground

Pick n Mixu not got a clue

He's a great guy but we need more than that

With only nine days remaining until they get their Premier League tilt under way in Kilmarnock, we have yet to win, are yet to score and have yet to show any sign of improvement as our pre-season campaign has progressed from one ignominy to the next.After last night's embarrassing defeat, the beleaguered Paatelainen, who is coming under more intense pressure by the day from disenchanted supporters, had even given up on the party line that pre-season results count for little. The big Finn conceded that the abject display in Cumbernauld was not becoming of a top-flight side just over a week away from the start of their competitive season. He has two more friendlies, against the relative might of Middlesbrough and Wigan Athletic, to try and coax a semblance of improvement from his side, but the manager admits he is deeply concerned about the way things are shaping up. "We were really poor," he said. "We tried to pass the ball but some players quite clearly are not yet, or maybe never will be good enough to do that. The mistakes at the back were unbelievable. If defenders defend like that, then I should still be playing. Whenever we get chances to score, the strikers are not sharp enough to convert them. We are nowhere near good enough."If we play like that against Kilmarnock it won't be a pretty sight. Every player must take more responsibility. There is no room for them to feel sorry for themselves."What made matters even more worrying for Paatelainen and the couple of hundred Hibs fans who had journeyed west from Edinburgh was the fact the team which played the bulk of last night's match – with the exception of absent captain Rob Jones – appeared close to that which he would probably have had in mind for starting duty at Rugby Park on Saturday week. However, he will surely be forced into a drastic rethink as, despite making a reasonable enough start to the match, the Premier League side ended up looking completely shorn of confidence, leadership, bite and quality.A deceptively purposeful start from the visitors saw Steven Fletcher thump a free kick straight into the defensive wall with only a minute having elapsed before Colin Nish squandered a promising opening when his angled strike from around 15 yards lacked the power to trouble Clyde goalkeeper Peter Cherrie. While Hibs were enjoying the bulk of the early possession, Clyde were proving pesky opponents on the counter-attack, and it wasn't the greatest surprise when the hosts fashioned themselves a 20th-minute lead. Willie McLaren's inswinging corner kick brushed off the head of Scott Gemmill and Dave McKay slid in to force the ball over the line from a couple of yards out. Hibs almost responded immediately, but Fletcher saw his glancing header from Alan O'Brien's cross go inches past. The goal clearly galvanised Clyde, however, and it became apparent that John Brown's men, who were playing some delightful stuff in forward areas, were on the scent of a second goal. An excellent turn from McLaren gave him space in the box, but he drove his effort into the near-post sidenetting. The hosts did double their lead three minutes before the interval when Roddy MacLennan found a yard of space before planting a powerful angled strike from around 16 yards out into the far corner.Hibs' wretched fortune at present was summed up moments later when Fletcher scampered down the left and delivered a sublime cross with the outside of his left boot. The on-rushing O'Brien looked certain to end Hibs' well-documented goal drought from six yards out, but Cherrie spread himself to make a miraculous save and ensure the visiting players left the field at the interval to a resounding chorus of boos from their fans.By contrast, the Clyde faithful were buoyant, and they were given further cause for revelry during the half-time break when the surviving heroes of their 1958 Hampden triumph appeared on the pitch.Things got worse for Hibs seven minutes into the second half when McKay drilled home his second of the match after McLaren's effort had broken kindly to him off the legs of Chris Hogg. The stuffing was well and truly knocked out of the hapless Edinburgh side and they rarely looked like reducing the deficit as Clyde ran down the clock on easy street.