Scottish Premiership: Hibs boss Lee Johnson needs to build consistency while Motherwell need January signings, says James McFadden | Football News

Former Scotland striker James McFadden believes there is still work to be done for Lee Johnson at Hibs as he points to the January transfer window as vital for struggling Motherwell.

The Easter Road side beat Motherwell 3-2 at Fir Park on Sunday to give the manager more time to turn the club’s fortunes around.

They have won two games since the World Cup break and the victory moved them up to seventh in the Scottish Premiership.

Motherwell have won once at home this season and are currently 10th in the table, just three points above bottom side Ross County.

McFadden was on co-commentary for Sky Sports for the game and gave us his analysis…

‘The pressure isn’t off at Hibs’

“The result was massive for him because the pressure he was under coming into the game you always felt he had to get a win,” McFadden told Sky Sports News.

“The fact that his attacking play was good will please him as well because that was the challenge that was thrown down last week after the game and this week before the game for the players.

“I think all round he’ll be pleased with the performance, but the result was huge for him there’s no doubt.

“Having players like Aiden McGeady in the team will certainly help with that experience.

“They need to find consistency and performances and, if they do that, they’ll be able to get results.

“A massive couple of weeks coming up for them. The pressure’s not off, but it certainly helps them prepare for the weeks ahead.”

Kevin Nisbet scored a hat-trick at Fir Park as the striker continues to impress on his return from nine months out with an ACL injury.

McFadden believes he will have set himself high targets.

“Huge congratulations to him for coming back the way he has from his injury, it shows great professionalism and dedication to get back in the shape that he’s in.

“A brilliant hat-tick and it just showed you what he’s all about. His target will be to try and get a goal every week.

“He’ll take great confidence from the fact he’s come back from such a long injury, I think, looking better, looking sharper, looking stronger.

“For him, it’ll be to get into double figures and then score as many goals as he can.

“He will have an eye on the Scotland squad as well, big games coming up this year and he’ll be looking to try and force his way back into the squad.

‘Hammell needs to get it right in transfer window’

Steven Hammell has secured just four league wins for Motherwell since replacing Graham Alexander.

He added six players to his squad in the summer and McFadden insists his former Fir Park team-mate needs further backing this month.

“I think it’s a big transfer window for Stevie Hammell.

“He didn’t have a lot of time to bring players in the summer and he’s obviously had a chance now to look at the players and see where needs strengthened.

“He definitely needs to get some players in.

“You look at the bench and he’s got two 16-year-olds. They’re fantastic players but you want to have more strength and depth in your squad, you can’t be relying on 16-year-olds no matter how good they are because it’s a lot to ask.

“I think in general their play has been good, they’re still creating chances which is a positive but the goals they’re conceding are just too easy at the minute.

“That’s something that has to be fixed because it doesn’t matter how many chances you create, it doesn’t matter how many goals you score.

“If they’re going to leak goals the way they do then that’s a problem.

“It’s not that they’re conceding lots of goals, it’s just the goals they are conceding are important ones and are ones that are absolutely and totally avoidable.”