Mixu rues points that got away

10 April 2009 16:43
The Easter Road outfit make the trip to Paisley on Monday night for the televised encounter against relegation-threatened St Mirren with just goal difference separating them from seventh-placed Motherwell.[LNB]Hibs emerged with a point on their last away outing against the Buddies and Paatelainen admits his side's performances against the so-called weaker clubs in the league have not been up to scratch.[LNB]He said: "We have dropped too many points against the teams below us because we want to beat them every time.[LNB]"That's how the season goes.[LNB]"We do better against the teams above us and not so well against the ones below us - why does that happen?[LNB]"Is that because you don't concentrate or apply yourself correctly against the teams below you?[LNB]"I don't think so because our players are really good - it's just one of those things and unfortunately this season has gone like that.[LNB]"For example, Kilmarnock and Inverness have been difficult fixtures for us."[LNB]Paatelainen admits his side have simply blown hot and cold in all areas of the pitch this season.[LNB]Prior to last weekend's 2-2 draw at Dundee United - a game they led 2-0 at half-time - the Leith outfit had registered four clean sheets in a row.[LNB]And, in offensive positions, Paatelainen is not short of options, with the likes of Derek Riordan, Steven Fletcher and Colin Nish to choose from.[LNB]"It's a bit of everything, a bit of defending, a bit of attacking," said Paatelainen, who was named SPL Manager of the Month for March.[LNB]"You can't just say it's because of that reason only.[LNB]"We have had loads of chances to score goals. We have missed loads of clear-cut chances and have also made some horrendous errors in matches that we have been ahead and dropped points.[LNB]"It's everything, it's not just because we have conceded too many goals and have not defended well enough.[LNB]"At times, we have defended fantastically well, like our recent run.[LNB]"At times, we have scored goals regularly and freely, and at times, they have been hard to come by."[LNB][LNB]

Source: Team_Talk