It’s been another eventful week at Easter Road, with a defeat to Rangers last Wednesday, a spirited fightback at Rugby Park, and the news that, finally, the SFA have given Hibs dispensation on their dual ownership rules, paving the way for Bill Foley’s Black Knights to invest in the club.

To focus on the football first, both matches highlighted a worrying trend in Hibs’ performances this season, which is the propensity to concede goals without really making their opponent work for them.

In both games, Hibs started brightly, and while they didn’t dominate Rangers in the way they did the early exchanges against Killie, Hibs were competitive and largely holding their own only to be undone by worryingly easy goals.

A ball over the top for Rangers’ first, an unchallenged shot for their second, and a calamitous third goal from a miscued kick meant that Hibs again saw the Glasgow side leave with a gift-wrapped three points. Hibs have worked hard to improve the hospitality at Easter Road, but surely it shouldn’t extend to the matches!

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Killie, too, were able to score without too much fuss. Dylan Vente headed into his own net under the weight of Kyle Vassell’s challenge. Vente must be scratching his head at how he was penalised for a foul against Rangers while Hibs claimed for a penalty, but not awarded one in his favour here, particularly as both incidents were VAR reviewed.

Killie’s second goal saw a cross evade everyone to reach former Hibee, Matty Kennedy, at the back post. Both Kanyo Megwa and David Marshall will be disappointed with their role in it.. Megwa was replaced immediately after the goal, as Montgomery chased a way back into the game.

That was the bad, but there was plenty of good as well - particularly on Saturday. For starters, the two goals that Hibs scored to claw Killie back were straight out of the top drawer. Joe Newell – not known for his goalscoring exploits – volleyed a right foot shot into the top corner before new boy Myziane Maolida collected a Dylan Levitt pass before firing the ball high past Kieran O’Hara in the Killie goal.

Maolida looked a real threat whenever he was on the ball and looked like he had benefitted from the minutes gained against Rangers, where he was understandably less effective with that match being his first meaningful game in some time. However, it was Emiliano Marcondes who caught the eye.  The midfielder was busy and inventive, and looked determined to impact the match. He was the one player in the Hibs line up who would not have looked out of place in the Rangers side, such was his quality.

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Marcondes described himself as ‘cold pasta’ in the press conference after the Rangers game, saying that he’ll need to warm up before people want him, but if this is him starting the process, then he may well prove to be one of Hibs’ best signings since John McGinn.

There’s no doubt that Montgomery needs reinforcements, Marcondes and Maolida look like they will lift the quality of the squad, while the signings of Nathan Moriah-Welsh and Luke Amos give the Hibs boss options in midfield.

We’re still at least one centre half short, however, and it’s essential Hibs address that before the window closes on Thursday. This brings us on to the other news, which is that of the SFA agreeing (with conditions) to Bill Foley’s investment into the club.

Hibs have confirmed that the money will be used to develop the training centre and the stadium as well as the first team squad, and while the initial £6m won’t go too far when spread across three projects, the deals for Marcondes and Moriah-Welsh perhaps give a better insight into how Hibs will benefit from the investment.

Clearly, it’s not all about money, as welcome as that is as Hibs will also benefit from Bournemouth’s expertise and off-field resources. Moriah-Welsh signed a permanent deal on undisclosed terms, having come through Bournemouth’s youth team. At a guess, I would suggest that those undisclosed terms include a future option for Bournemouth to sign the player. Marcondes’ wages have reportedly been picked up in full by Bournemouth during his loan to the end of the season.

Both players would likely have been out of Hibs’ reach without the Foley connection, and we may well see more of these types of deals going forward. Regardless, the investment should bring about a great deal of excitement for Hibs. This has the potential to genuinely elevate Hibs and with both Foley and the Gordon family on record as wanting to be, at least, the third force in Scotland, the club now truly has the means to achieve it.