Levein is not the answer mk2 ( merged )

[jock _turd]

Just now, Fozzyonthefence said:

 

No I don’t hate Levein, the guy is a Hearts legend but if he’s not up to the job he should move on and let someone else have a go.  

 

Out of the new recruits so far, only Uche, Haring and Dunne are looking like good signings and the latter is only on loan.

 

Add ing to my "strange" events in the game today. I thought that Haring was our undoing on many occasions today. He totally lacked the confidence to make the telling pass and more often than not stopped the forward movement of the ball and passed it sideways or back... I thought it strange because he has been very good since he has been in the team but today guff as far as I was concerned.

[Newton51]

Deserves until end of season with early season form. Top 4 a must.

[kila]

He has until the end of the season because of injuries and Vanecek arriving.

 

But it doesn't look good right now does it? We seem to nose dive every time we hit a bump and it has been a theme since he has been involved again.

 

I fear Ann will have a serious decision to make at the end of the season and if she opts to remain with Levein after all this (assuming the second half doesn't improve significantly) then there could be significant problems and unrest in the stands.

 

2019 will be a notable year one way or another.

 

 

Edited December 22, 2018 by kila

[frankblack]

3 minutes ago, kila said:

He has until the end of the season because of injuries and Vanecek arriving.

 

But it doesn't look good right now does it? We seem to nose dive every time we hit a bump and it has been a theme since he has been involved again.

 

I fear Ann will have a serious decision to make at the end of the season and if she opts to remain with Levein after all this (assuming the second half doesn't improve significantly) then there could be significant problems and unrest in the stands.

 

2019 will be a notable year one way or another.

 

 

 

Agreed.

 

Levein does need to understand why these backup players are spectacularly falling.  We  can't expect our best xi to be fit every week and these clowns are a complete disgrace just now.

[hearts00]

1 hour ago, JWL said:

 

He does have a point. Our record down there recently is brutal. Hardly had a shot on goal in the last few. What is it, something like 18 games against Aberdeen, Rangers, Celtic and Hibs away from home and Levein has 1 solitary point? Where does anyone's optimism for a result at Easter Road arise from?

You know I am trying to be positive and defend Levein and believe it will come good but being reminded of these sort of stats does make me think it is hopeless. 

Edited December 22, 2018 by hearts00

[Jingle Bells]

1 hour ago, jock _turd said:

 

Add ing to my "strange" events in the game today. I thought that Haring was our undoing on many occasions today. He totally lacked the confidence to make the telling pass and more often than not stopped the forward movement of the ball and passed it sideways or back... I thought it strange because he has been very good since he has been in the team but today guff as far as I was concerned.

Respect for attending under the present circumstances.

A pedestrian midfield don.t have an "out ball" because we play to "narrow".

This has been stubbornly stuck to from Cathro's time, even though it has not brought much success.

It's poor management to stick to a system,.which doesn't suit the players currently.available whilst hoping  the injured ones will turn things around when they eventually return, imho.

It doesn't give me much hope for the future as far as Hearts winning anything. under the current football management.

[Felix Lighter]

1 hour ago, campbell said:

Really they haven’t coped, I’m shocked, talk about stating the obvious. I think most clubs at our level would struggle with the injuries. I don’t think that has anything to do with the summer recruitment IMO. We’ve had to rely on several players who were always meant to be squad players or players who had potential in the future but we have had to throw them in at the deep end unforntunalty them all playing together has meant they have struggled, to say they are duds or the recruitment was poor for me is a bit harsh  I seen enough at the start of the season to make me think we have a good squad 

 

Your sarcasm only illustrates my point.

We were told back towards the end of last season that Levein should be judged after he'd had the chance to build his own squad.He has and results have shown that, missing three of our top players from last season,we are in a run of form that Hamilton would be embarrassed by.

I'm seeing little in the way of strength in depth and that, despite your protestations, has a lot to do with his summer recruitment. 

Apologies if I'm once again stating the obvious.

[FERRY HEARTS]

7 hours ago, jambogaza said:

4 points minimum from next 2 or he has to go.

Thought we actually played well in spells  today with the return of Naisy certainly lifting Lee s game  which is much needed 

BUT totally agree with you anything less than 4 points out the next 6 available 

is totally unexceptable  

[Fozzyonthefence]

2 hours ago, campbell said:

I seen enough at the start of the season to make me think we have a good squad 

 

The last 10 games have proved that the squad is pish and in relegation form.  Won 1, drawn 1, lost 8 is the kind of form that cost the Dundee and St Mirren managers their job - it was embarrassing even for them.

 

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you meant our best starting 11 is good but clearly the squad is nowhere near good enough.  That’s what having a strong squad is about - having guys that can come in and do a job when others are injured or suspended.  We coped well without Berra but at the other end of the park the replacements are nowhere near good enough and our midfield is particularly weak even if everyone is available.

 

We lack pace, width and creativity and it’s looking like being anther long, dull season.  Maybe another 18 signings in January and a couple of them might be up to top 6 SPL standard if we’re lucky.

[NB GIN]

44 minutes ago, Jingle Bells said:

Respect for attending under the present circumstances.

A pedestrian midfield don.t have an "out ball" because we play to "narrow".

This has been stubbornly stuck to from Cathro's time, even though it has not brought much success.

It's poor management to stick to a system,.which doesn't suit the players currently.available whilst hoping  the injured ones will turn things around when they eventually return, imho.

It doesn't give me much hope for the future as far as Hearts winning anything. under the current football management.

It’s do obvious it’s scary his tactics are about defending and pinching a goal from a scrap or a set piece 

dinosaur manager 

 

 

[luckydug]

After watching Ann Budge's interview last night it is obvious the only person who can make CL stand down is the man himself.

So no amount of bitching and starting threads on here is going to make any difference.

 

[gowestjambo]

28 minutes ago, Fozzyonthefence said:

 

The last 10 games have proved that the squad is pish and in relegation form.  Won 1, drawn 1, lost 8 is the kind of form that cost the Dundee and St Mirren managers their job - it was embarrassing even for them.

 

I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you meant our best starting 11 is good but clearly the squad is nowhere near good enough.  That’s what having a strong squad is about - having guys that can come in and do a job when others are injured or suspended.  We coped well without Berra but at the other end of the park the replacements are nowhere near good enough and our midfield is particularly weak even if everyone is available.

 

We lack pace, width and creativity and it’s looking like being anther long, dull season.  Maybe another 18 signings in January and a couple of them might be up to top 6 SPL standard if we’re lucky.

 

What a dreadful indictment for an experienced Manager. His failure to address our lack of pace, width and creativity has resulted in our recent form. He is so reliant on his narrow method, with a Target Man that once Uche was injured the whole system fell apart. The Midfield has been crying out for a Playmaker for years. We have no one who can run with the ball to scare defences. His ability to identify players is now in serious question with the majority of them being one paced plodders. What he and his coaches actually do with the team at training is not providing the necessary results. The fact that he would be the man tasked to identify the next batch of replacements should send shudders throughout the support.

[Jingle Bells]

40 minutes ago, NB GIN said:

It’s do obvious it’s scary his tactics are about defending and pinching a goal from a scrap or a set piece 

dinosaur manager 

 

 

Aye, it is a bit,  with three points available for a win whats the point in trying to get one.away from home, all the time?.

If MacClean can't hold up the ball then tell him to concentrate on getting into the penalty box .instead and have two wingers on crossing the ball into him.One might hit him on the erse and go in. 

One of Levein's problems is he is to risk adverse to attack down both flanks, which means his teams are lopsided and easy to defend against.

It would be a step up if we were any good at set pieces. At least a Pulis, Warnock or Alladyce would be working on them constantly to go along with their own dire brand of football.

[Inch Hearts]

We had a brand new team (again) expensively assembled too and when that happens it’s hard to work out how to play against.  There has to come a time and a place when you have to stop blaming injuries especially considering the run we are on.  We lose in Lochend and there’s literally no excuse. None.  He has to win there! A point against a shite hibs isn’t good enough - again! 

[Alex Kintner]

10 minutes ago, Inch Hearts said:

We had a brand new team (again) expensively assembled too and when that happens it’s hard to work out how to play against.  There has to come a time and a place when you have to stop blaming injuries especially considering the run we are on.  We lose in Lochend and there’s literally no excuse. None.  He has to win there! A point against a shite hibs isn’t good enough - again! 

 

A shite Hibs team who beat Celtic and drew with Rangers and Livi in their last three matches? ?

[Inch Hearts]

Just now, To Be Frank said:

 

A shite Hibs team who beat Celtic and drew with Rangers and Livi in their last three matches? ?

 

They have won one game in about 10 too? When did Livi ever become a sort of benchmark? 

[Alex Kintner]

3 minutes ago, Inch Hearts said:

 

They have won one game in about 10 too? When did Livi ever become a sort of benchmark? 

 

When they started getting results against us, Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen ??

[shaun.lawson]

Current run? Appalling

 

Performances? Dreadful

 

Away record at any half-decent side? Disgraceful

 

Question marks about Levein? Growing

 

Winter shutdown coming at the right time for us? You bet

 

Hearts capable of turning it around on our return post-shutdown? Yes

 

Time for Levein to go? Nope 

 

If we can realistically no longer finish top 4 and if we're out of the Cup? Then it'd be time for him to go

 

Frank? Still offering bets. This one would be a decent saver IMO.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

5 hours ago, JackLadd said:

 

Calling our city rivals vermin is no surprise from you. Grow up.

Given that a group of vermin tried to actively block our route to staying in existence during administration, I'm more than happy with that epithet.

[Pheasant Plucker]

11 hours ago, Broxburn_Jambo said:

End up in the bottom 6 and out the scottish cup and the happy clappers will still be whining about injuries.

 

Correct. From Top of the league to mid-table dross in a matter of weeks, with Livi as our benchmark. Livi! And I thought the season that " Phoodle " chucked away 2nd was bad.

[It should have been ten]

12 hours ago, Sexton Hardcastle said:

Aye six points of second place sack your manager.

 

Welt.

 

This ??

[ri Alban]

18 minutes ago, Pheasant Plucker said:

 

Correct. From Top of the league to mid-table dross in a matter of weeks, with Livi as our benchmark. Livi! And I thought the season that " Phoodle " chucked away 2nd was bad.

FFS, 'Phoodle' , Really? You actually talk like this.  

[Hearts1975]

29 minutes ago, Pheasant Plucker said:

 

Correct. From Top of the league to mid-table dross in a matter of weeks, with Livi as our benchmark. Livi! And I thought the season that " Phoodle " chucked away 2nd was bad.

Phoodle aye ? 

 

At least Phoodle wasn't spending his life infiltrating vermin.net pretending to be a vermin fan and making an arse of it 

 

why don't u go pluck some pheasants and stick some needles up their arse ... that's more ur kind of scene is it not 

 

rattus norvegicus 

[Skacelsid]

Given that two of our recent injured (and most missed i.e. Naismith and Dunne) players are loanees and we have players in their thirties nearer the end of their careers, ( Mclean, Berra, Hughes, Smith, Djoum, Zamal, Naismith ). This does not seem to me like a squad being built for the future. Players already in the team have not been able to step up along with squad players that have had to be given more game time, and should we not be producing better than Godinho by now. It looks like another rebuild, but we need to get rid of a fair few again and we still have the likes Martin and Sammon. Coaching! The desire to get forward from our players is dire, negative, safety first, damage limitation football, we are easy to play against, as we carry no threat, (unless we count long throws). We do not try to counter-attack at pace with players getting forward quickly, it must not be in the manual, our coaching should have taken a new direction after the Cathro failed experiment but the structure is basically the same and through all levels and age groups. The concept of bootroom is supposedly one of continuity of excellence and not one of mediocrity.

[Pheasant Plucker]

1 hour ago, Hearts1975 said:

Phoodle aye ? 

 

At least Phoodle wasn't spending his life infiltrating vermin.net pretending to be a vermin fan and making an arse of it 

 

why don't u go pluck some pheasants and stick some needles up their arse ... that's more ur kind of scene is it not 

 

rattus norvegicus 

? someone's been at the cooking lager.

 

Is this season worse than under Neilson in you're opinion?

[Forever Hearts]

14 hours ago, Sexton Hardcastle said:

Aye six points of second place sack your manager.

 

Welt.

Fortunately we're not all happy clappers. Results and performances have been atrocious and change is needed now.

[Pheasant Plucker]

4 minutes ago, Forever Hearts said:

Fortunately we're not all happy clappers. Results and performances have been atrocious and change is needed now.

Agreed. Not looking forward to the Derby at all.

[ramrod]

See all this 6 points of 2nd and when the injuries clear up. we will be motoring back up the table it's cringeworthy stuff . 

We are henoraging points at an alarming rate .We have  a team devoid of basic skill and character and a manager who by his own admission hasn't got a clue out to get us scoring a goal . 

Craig is one of footballs great survivors he will pull out a run of results now and again that will keep him safe in his job  but ultimately middle table mediocrity is what we are looking at  for the foreseeable future I'm afraid . 

I've backed Craig and Austin all the way but we are making zero progress on the footballing side of things . 

From the coaching to the first team and in fact the academy I've yet to see any sort of progress 

[The Duke]

Agreed, very worrying.

 

We’ve actually suddenly become a bit of a laughing stock. I’ve no doubt Levein will be given to the end of the season (if he has the stomach for it) but feels like a massive overhaul may be required on the footballing side as I can’t see how anything less than a complete cutting of ties would work with CL still DOF.

[John mcCartney]

33 minutes ago, The Duke said:

 

 

We’ve actually suddenly become a bit of a laughing stock.

suddenly chief ?

massive overhaul,fresh image,young dynamic manager/coach in and dinosaurs out

standing section,less alienation of fanbase and less ****ing flannel...........

[The Duke]

Amen to that!!

[CumbrianJambo]

How can people defend the indefensible- we have taken 4 point from 15 - in the last 2 games we've shipped 7 goals without reply and had 2 shots on goal. The team fell to pieces against Livi. If Hibs had lost yesterday we would be 6th so to say we are only 6 points of 2nd is moot. If St J beat Rangers today we will be further down. It's ok though it's not the coaches fault, it's not even the players fault it's those dang referees not giving us penalties, sending our players off (not lack of discipline) and giving other teams soft pens against us. 

[Smith&Weston]

12 hours ago, graygo said:

 

Do you mean if?

 

If they don't improve then you will be hard pushed to find anyone defending him. Doesn't make attacking hi

 

Just watched Match of the Day.  What a difference in Man Utd when you don’t suffocate the players with negative tactics and let them go out and play.

 

i suspect there is something similar going on at Tynie.  We have more than enough in this squad to be producing better performances than we have seen and Mitchell for one is someone who is clearly suffering a lack of confidence as you can’t go from what he was last year to this year by becoming a bad player overnight.

 

Every other fan fan in the SPL would tell you that Levein is a negative manager and tactically naive but our maroon tinted specs defend him due to his past history at the club.  

[CumbrianJambo]

9 hours ago, FERRY HEARTS said:

Thought we actually played well in spells  today with the return of Naisy certainly lifting Lee s game  which is much needed 

BUT totally agree with you anything less than 4 points out the next 6 available 

is totally unexceptable  

We have no chance on current form, can you honestly see us beating Hibs at the moment? I can't or even Hamilton who held Killie the in form team. Noticeable again yesterday was the lack of Hughes, he plays a part of a game then has a month off waste of wages

[Debut 4]

1 hour ago, ramrod said:

See all this 6 points of 2nd and when the injuries clear up. we will be motoring back up the table it's cringeworthy stuff . 

We are henoraging points at an alarming rate .We have  a team devoid of basic skill and character and a manager who by his own admission hasn't got a clue out to get us scoring a goal . 

Craig is one of footballs great survivors he will pull out a run of results now and again that will keep him safe in his job  but ultimately middle table mediocrity is what we are looking at  for the foreseeable future I'm afraid . 

I've backed Craig and Austin all the way but we are making zero progress on the footballing side of things . 

From the coaching to the first team and in fact the academy I've yet to see any sort of progress 

In football you are meant to recognise when things are taking a downward spiral and do something worthy to remedy it.

 

As you more or less point out, a section of the support are still rushing to put a positive spin on the current situation. Grasping at straws really.

 

The third paragraph in your post is interesting. The winter shutdown may be the saving grace as players return and we manage to cobble together a face saving run of results. 

[Bull's-eye]

2 minutes ago, Smith&Weston said:

 

Just watched Match of the Day.  What a difference in Man Utd when you don’t suffocate the players with negative tactics and let them go out and play.

 

i suspect there is something similar going on at Tynie.  We have more than enough in this squad to be producing better performances than we have seen and Mitchell for one is someone who is clearly suffering a lack of confidence as you can’t go from what he was last year to this year by becoming a bad player overnight.

 

Every other fan fan in the SPL would tell you that Levein is a negative manager and tactically naive but our maroon tinted specs defend him due to his past history at the club.  

 

 

Was waiting for a reference to Man United yesterday.

 

Negative tactics  

 

JKB Bingo

 

[graygo]

4 minutes ago, CumbrianJambo said:

We have no chance on current form, can you honestly see us beating Hibs at the moment? I can't or even Hamilton who held Killie the in form team. Noticeable again yesterday was the lack of Hughes, he plays a part of a game then has a month off waste of wages

 

That'll be the Hughes who almost without exception everyone on here says should have been nowhere near yesterday's team.

[graygo]

1 hour ago, ramrod said:

See all this 6 points of 2nd and when the injuries clear up. we will be motoring back up the table it's cringeworthy stuff . 

We are henoraging points at an alarming rate .We have  a team devoid of basic skill and character and a manager who by his own admission hasn't got a clue out to get us scoring a goal . 

Craig is one of footballs great survivors he will pull out a run of results now and again that will keep him safe in his job  but ultimately middle table mediocrity is what we are looking at  for the foreseeable future I'm afraid . 

I've backed Craig and Austin all the way but we are making zero progress on the footballing side of things . 

From the coaching to the first team and in fact the academy I've yet to see any sort of progress 

 

That last sentence is just shite, pure shite.

[karipidis]

11 minutes ago, CumbrianJambo said:

We have no chance on current form, can you honestly see us beating Hibs at the moment? I can't or even Hamilton who held Killie the in form team. Noticeable again yesterday was the lack of Hughes, he plays a part of a game then has a month off waste of wages

Only hope against Hibs is they’re just as bad as us but at least there manager can get them up for big matches. 

[Markymark]

5 minutes ago, graygo said:

 

That last sentence is just shite, pure shite.

 

Bollocks! Name a single player in 4 years that has cemented first team status? 

[Alex Kintner]

6 hours ago, shaun.lawson said:

Current run? Appalling

 

Performances? Dreadful

 

Away record at any half-decent side? Disgraceful

 

Question marks about Levein? Growing

 

Winter shutdown coming at the right time for us? You bet

 

Hearts capable of turning it around on our return post-shutdown? Yes

 

Time for Levein to go? Nope 

 

If we can realistically no longer finish top 4 and if we're out of the Cup? Then it'd be time for him to go

 

Frank? Still offering bets. This one would be a decent saver IMO.

 

Happy to offer you the bet then Shaun? £50?

[Alex Kintner]

15 hours ago, Markymark said:

 

Conicides but I don’t think he’s lost his mojo, I just don’t rate him. 

 

He thought we matched Aberdeen today and nothing in the game. Ffs he’s delusional and now insulting the fans with this shite! 

 

1 shot in 90 mins! 

 

He needs to leave now. Excuse after excuse getting rolled out. I’ll put money on us being 8th by the end of December. 

 

12 hours ago, To Be Frank said:

 

I’ll take that bet. How much you want to put on it?

 

12 hours ago, Markymark said:

 

£50. 

 

12 hours ago, To Be Frank said:

 

You want to bet £50 that we’ll be 8th at the end of December?

 

@Markymark?

[graygo]

11 minutes ago, Markymark said:

 

Bollocks! Name a single player in 4 years that has cemented first team status? 

 

Seriously?

 

Over the last 4 years there are probably over a dozen who have been certain first team picks when fit.

[portobellojambo1]

I don't want to get involved in any arguments about the manager, but sometimes when you do look at figures it can be a bit of an eye opener, in terms of comments from those who express their opinion that he is not the right man to take us to the top.

 

Just taking Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen and Hibs, for example, in the last 18 matches we have played away to them the outcomes have been 1 draw and 17 defeats. Whether anyone likes it or not it isn't a good record to have.

[heartsfc_fan]

Prepared to give Levein until the end of January before making my decision.

He's treading in thin ice at the moment, but injuries aren't helping.

[way out west jambo]

We should give Levein until the new signings arrive and the injured players are back. If we don’t get the results once this has happened, then we know we have a serious problem. 

Theres been a dip in form which really kicked in from Naismith getting injured against Celtic in the cup however, if you took Naismith out of any SPL side (apart from Rangers & Celtic) I believe you would see a similar dip in that teams performances for the duration of the injury.

Once the signings arrive and the injuries have cleared, Levein will be left with no excuses.

[ramrod]

36 minutes ago, graygo said:

 

That last sentence is just shite, pure shite.

You see this is another myth that Craig has quite cleverly manipulated . 

This progress of talented youngsters from the acafemy  ready for the first team , where is the evidence they are anywhere near ready ? 

Yesterday Godinho was the only starter and while I didn't see the game last week against Well he had a horrendous game and had to be hooked . 

Morrison has been in and around the first team all season a striker who can't score or assist . 

Harry looked a real prospect but has regressed for whatever reason . He had a terrible game against Rangers but maybe thee is a player in there . 

McDonald , Henderson , Moore , Irving miles away from doing a good job in the first team . 

Othe SPFL teams have got a few youngsters making a real impact on their first team , I'm not seeing any making a real impact on ours . 

 

Edited December 23, 2018 by ramrod

[jambomjm74]

6 minutes ago, portobellojambo1 said:

I don't want to get involved in any arguments about the manager, but sometimes when you do look at figures it can be a bit of an eye opener, in terms of comments from those who express their opinion that he is not the right man to take us to the top.

 

Just taking Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen and Hibs, for example, in the last 18 matches we have played away to them the outcomes have been 1 draw and 17 defeats. Whether anyone likes it or not it isn't a good record to have.

Indefensible.... 

for me he has to win the Hamilton game, they are an awful team. Front up at Easter road.

and beat livi in the cup - revenge and with a virtually full team. 

Or it’s time to go.

He overhauled the squad - signed players for big fees (relative to other teams)

it is crunch time !!

 

[Tynecastlesmychurch]

17 hours ago, Jambos_1874 said:

Steady. It's no coincidence that our form dropped off after our four most important players got injured. Have you forgotten the start of the season already. Surely he deserves a bit more time following the return of all injured players?

Correct. 

Yes it's been a frustrating couple of months. And it could be a real pish end to the year football wise for us. But we know why our form is the way it is. People can't just dismiss our injuries because they're tired of hearing about it. People along with the media are forgetting that we were top of the league from day one till roughly mid November about two weeks after Naismith's injury wich really was the catalyst for the downturn in form. It was one injury tomany to our key players.

But we've got two key players back now. And hopefully the never ending injuries will start drop off and give us a chance at top 3 maybe top 2 were not two far off it as it stands!

Edited December 23, 2018 by Tynecastlesmychurch

[Alex Kintner]

Come on @Marky mark and @shaun.lawson. Let’s get this bet sorted before the St J Vs Rangers game kicks off at lunchtime.

 

That’s assuming you’re not just full of hot air