Stokes: Hibs don't need duo

Hibs were this week linked with a pre-contract move for Falkirk captain Barr, who manager John Hughes brought through during his time with the Bairns.Hughes also oversaw the development of midfielder Arfield, who has previously been touted to follow his former boss to Easter Road.Stokes played with both during a loan spell at Falkirk three years ago and rates them highly.He said: "They're two top-class players and I think they'd improve any side they went into."But would they get a chance here if they came?"Because you have to look at the squad we have."The midfielders we have are very good, I think the centre-halves we have have been tremendous this year."I think they'd be great for the squad but there'll still be a lot of competition because they'd have to be playing well week in, week out to get into this team at the minute."He added: "Obviously, the gaffer's going to decide what he wants to do."Maybe he'll look at one or two in January but I'll be very surprised if they get the two of them to be honest with you."So confident is summer signing Stokes in the quality of Hibs' squad, he recently claimed they could push the Old Firm all the way in the Scottish Premier League title race.With the Edinburgh club just two points off the summit going into Saturday's trip to Kilmarnock following a 10-match unbeaten run in the league, his opinion has not changed.But he knows the result at Rugby Park - where Celtic and Rangers win with metronomic regularity - will be a good indicator of Hibs' aspirations."If you're going to compete with the Old Firm, there's no point turning your home into a fortress and then going away and slipping up every second or third week," he said."It has to be a continuous, relentless, week-in, week-out sort of shift."We just have to keep working on grinding out results and playing football when we can."The 21-year-old netted both goals in last weekend's 2-0 win at Motherwell but that did not stop Hughes suggesting the forward needed to improve his work-rate.Stokes said: "I'll tell you what, I couldn't have done more running than I did on Saturday."I think I got my rewards for working hard because it's probably the hardest I've worked in any game this season."He added: "I heard the manager of Motherwell saying we maybe didn't work as hard as other teams."I think after the game there we showed we work as hard as any team in this league."You only get luck by hard work."Stokes goals last weekend took him level with Derek Riordan on six in all competitions as the pair vie to finish top scorer at the club this term.He said: "Obviously, I'd love to be top goalscorer this year but it's not something that, when I go on the pitch, I think about too much."In every game, I want to score as many goals as possible but, personally, if someone's in a better position, I'd rather give it to them because, at the end of the day, it's about the team doing well." Kilmarnock v Hibernian. Click here to bet.  

Source: Team_Talk