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Paatelainen promises to attack Gers

Thu 01 May, 11:15 AM


Hibernian manager Mixu Paatelainen has vowed to attack Rangers on Sunday in a bid to put their UEFA Cup challenge back on track.Hibs are two points off third-placed Motherwell after they threw away a lead to lose 2-1 at Aberdeen on Saturday.

Red cards for Colin Nish and Thierry Gatheussi at Pittodrie mean they will miss Sunday's clash with the SPL title favourites at Easter Road, while Guillaume Beuzelin is also suspended.

Paatelainen told Hibernian's website: "Regardless of our result last weekend we were always going to approach this game in a very positive manner.

"We will go out to attack and try and win the game on Sunday.

"Rangers will have some changes in their side because of injuries and suspensions and so will we, the physios at both clubs seem to be working extra-time at the moment.

"We have these three suspensions that do not help our cause but we have a big, quality squad and everyone is needed in that squad. This is a time when players will come in and we will look to them to do a job for us."

However, Paatelainen admits suspensions and injuries have affected his team in recent weeks.

Rob Jones returned from a two-match ban at Pittodrie while central defensive partner Chris Hogg has missed two games with a knee injury and is likely to sit out again.

Paatelainen, who recently lost the influential Merouane Zemmama to a broken foot, added: "It certainly helps if you have your back four out there playing all the time together, but we have had lots of changes in the side because of injuries and suspensions so it does not make it easy.

"And perhaps sometimes players are not too sure about what the other player is thinking.

"It is important to have players as a defensive unit where everyone knows exactly what is happening and what kind of thinking is going on in their heads. That was not the case on Saturday and something we work on."

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