Hibs foe makes Easter Road prediction as key change puts club on right path
· Alistair Gordon · 2026-08-16T09:02:59+00:00 · nguồn gốc
Hibs foe makes Easter Road prediction as key change puts club on path to becoming 'really good team'
Partick Thistle star has spotted a key change in their Premier Sports Cup opponents
Hibs have the makings of a ‘really good team’ given the depth of their squad, according to Partick Thistle striker Tony Watt - but he insists his side will be heading to Easter Road with no fear for their last 16 League Cup clash.
The veteran Scottish football journeyman is part of a Jags side who’ve enjoyed a flawless start to life in the Scottish Championship ahead of their trip to Leith on Sunday afternoon. While he remains ‘confident’ his team can get something from the game, Watt is also well aware of the threat the hosts carry, from not only the starting XI but also the bench.
The Hibs summer additions of defenders Jason Kerr and Adam Mayor, midfielders Callum Wright and Akeem Abdulai, plus the loan signing of striker Nathan Lowe has given manager David Gray more options to choose from in his squad - something which is particularly handy while navigating European games during midweek. The squad handled the heat of North Macedonia triumphantly during their Conference League qualifier away to FK Shkendija. Partick Thistle have made eight new signings of their own this season, as Watt draws a comparison between the two clubs.
Hibs depth makes them a ‘really good team’ - Watt
Ahead of Thistle’s trip to the capital, Watt was asked whether he thinks Hibs’ Skopje side-quest could work against them on Sunday. He answered: “It's hard because they’re similar to us this season, we've probably gotten stronger and have a bigger squad. We've got more options now. I think Hibs look like a team like that as well. I think they'll be a really good team this year because they can mix it up a lot more with their squad.”
The 32-year old has previously visited the away dressing room at Easter Road with Celtic, Hearts and Motherwell among many others. When asked what his personal record is like in Leith, he responded: “I think it’s been alright, couple of wins, couple of draws and a few defeats - obviously I try and forget those! I think my first game there was with Celtic when Leigh Griffiths scored for Hibs and we lost 1-0. So it’s been a good place and a bad place for me, but we’ll be going there confident enough at the weekend.”
Thistle ready for step up in opposition
Last season, Thistle faced top tier opposition three times - St Mirren and Celtic in the cups, then the Buddies again over two legs in the Premiership play-off. Despite recording a draw and three defeats in these fixtures, Watt believes they took enough positives from them than they can now play without fear against Hibs. He continued: “I think last season we showed a good account of ourselves in all three games against St Mirren.
“I think we just fancy ourselves in any game at the moment. Even in the game against Celtic last year we showed glimpses - we had a few chances and kept the ball well. I think we're just a team that enjoy the way we play and the style set out for us. Everybody's together, so whoever the opponents are, we won't want to get scared. I don't think any professional footballer should be going into a game scared.”