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In a team with plenty of moving parts, Dan Barlaser is content to play the role of immovable object. A breakwater to protect the defence from waves of opposition attack. And a supplier to team-mates who seem to have unearthed the secret to perpetual motion. It’s a little more complicated than that, of course. Hibs are benefiting as much from Barlaser’s range of passing as they are his defensive positioning at the moment. But the on-loan Middlesbrough midfielder, who has started the last five consecutive games for David Gray’s men, sounds like a man working to a very specific brief. Which is why he’s become an ever-present, even as Gray chops and changes some of the players around him. “I think I know my job, just to try and sit there and break up play for the more attacking players, and I think they're kind of getting the grips of my game,” said Barlaser, the 28-year-old adding: “So I'm really enjoying it. “With someone like Josh Mulligan, for example, he’s very good. Very good, a very talented player. With his running, he’s very physical, so I kind of just give him the ball and let him run! “It’s the same with Thibault and the other strikers. We've got so much pace up there, we just have to put it in good areas for them. “I mean, yeah, even though Thibault’s not the biggest guy, he’s a big target because of his movement –and he’s very good in the air, surprisingly. I couldn’t’ believe it. “But the pace we've got, even with wing-backs, obviously Chris and Nicky Cadden get up to put in great deliveries as well. So we've got a lot of good threats for me to find.” A Deadline Day arrival, Barlaser didn’t feature for Boro before his move north. He was inevitably short of match fitness on arrival. Getting a full 90 minutes in yesterday’s win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie, only the second full game he’s played this season, will have helped in terms of physical conditioning. With Rangers at Easter Road on Wednesday night, the midfielder won’t have much time to recover. But he’s used to a hectic schedule in the EFL Championship. And he’s adapting to a new league that is, he admits, every bit as competitive as he expected. “I wouldn’t say I’ve been surprised by the standards,” he explained, adding: “But I knew the standard would be better than people on the outside might say. “There's a lot of good footballers and there's a lot of good teams. So it's a very competitive league, which is good. “The fact that we’re back up to third, the manager mentioned it to us after the game, the fact that back-to-back wins is a very hard thing to do in this league. So to do that was very good – and now we obviously take that confidence into Wednesday. “If you look at the league, it's very tight, I think every game is very tough as well. Like you said, when you look at the results already, anyone can beat anyone in this league. It’s up to us to keep our heads down and just keep getting results. “The lads haven’t said anything about what playing Rangers at Easter Road is like, to be fair. But I assume it will be very loud and lively! “I’m looking forward to it. We’ll need the fans to get a result on Wednesday. When I think back to some of the earlier games, I was blowing a bit, to be fair – but I got 90 minutes against Aberdeen without feeling any cramp, so I’m feeling good.” Assuming he’s fit, Barlaser will definitely start on Wednesday. Regardless of how much hilarity there might be going on at Rangers, the Ibrox side will head to the capital boasting a formidable squad under new management. Hibs need someone to break up play BEFORE it gets too close to the red zone. GET THE LATEST HIBS NEWS DIRECTLY TO YOUR EMAIL INBOX WITH OUR FREE NEWSLETTER SERVICE Barlaser is happy to play a role that, fairly or not, will always invite comparison with Nectar Triantis. He’s enjoying it, in large part, because of the quality around him – with the back three instilling confidence in the midfield, especially. “Grant Hanley was unbelievable – again,” said Barlaser, reflecting on the win over Aberdeen. “But the entire back three. You could see Grant and Jack Iredale, Warren O’Hora and then Rocky Bushiri when he came on, winning so many headers. “But Grant especially, with his communication and his experience, to play in front of him is very easy. He’s a top player.” Your next Hibs read: Midfield talent gets Scotland World Cup encouragement
