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January window


Dusk_Till_Dawn

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The January window isn’t great for clubs like us to sign players because other clubs know that your obviously desperate to sign players and look to extort a higher price.

 

Realistically, we can’t afford to make all the changes that we really need to so we will have to prioritise. 

 

Lets say we can sign 3 players. I’d say the 3 main priorities are a big aerially dominant Centerhalf, a Central midfield who can run and a wide player with pace.

 

That is based on getting Souttar, Haring, Garuccio, Washington, Naismith back fit and players like Walker, Mulraney, Clare, Wighton, Meshino improving under Stendel. 🤷🏼‍♂️

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The Mercer Takeover
7 hours ago, Hampden Demolition said:

What are we looking at realistically then? Where do we need to recruit? Who can we actually get out the door?

 

While I appreciate January is a difficult window for clubs, I would personally be doing the following as a minimum;

 

•Send Pereira back to Man Utd.

•Try and mutually terminate the contracts of White, Wighton, Dikamona and Bozanic.

•Sell Clare to the highest bidder.

•Recall Cochrane and McDonald.

•Sign a new Goalkeeper, a centre back, at least 1 pacy winger and a striker.

 

The one thing Ann will need to accept is that money needs to be spent. Failing to do the minimum is going to result in relegation where we will lose more money than we are likely to spend. We need to be ruthless now.

Please try reading some of the reports on how Cochrane has been getting on at Dunfermline.

 

Absolutely horrendous.

 

We need pace and quality in the team, not him.

 

 

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cardboardcutout

With all due respect to Haring he was never a dynamic mobile midfielder before, the same can be said for all our midfielders frankly. We failed to buy pace and ability when we had the chance (cadden) and we're now left with contract rebels in Jan who will screw us and our own players nobody will want! It's stay in the league and a clear out come summer and let DS bring in athletic powerful players from wherever to get us to 3rd next season.

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21 hours ago, vegas-voss said:

Wonder if Stendel could maybe bring in a few from Bundesliga 2 who have some desire and are used to the gegenpress.

 

Or if Haring knows of anyone from Erste Liga who could also fit that bill.

 

11 minutes ago, The Mercer Takeover said:

Please try reading some of the reports on how Cochrane has been getting on at Dunfermline.

 

Absolutely horrendous.

 

We need pace and quality in the team, not him.

 

 

 

Sounds like Cochrane isn't having a good spell at Dunfermline and therefore wouldn't be ready to step back into the Hearts' first team squad, but definitely shouldn't be written-off just because he isn't doing the biz there. He has looked very impressive for us in spells and is still a young guy. OK, he may not have the pace to be a perfect fit for the high-pressing style but we have been lacking anyone with real creativity in midfield for a long time and so he could still have a part to play under DS if he rediscovers his mojo. (I hope...)

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1 minute ago, cardboardcutout said:

With all due respect to Haring he was never a dynamic mobile midfielder before, the same can be said for all our midfielders frankly. We failed to buy pace and ability when we had the chance (cadden) and we're now left with contract rebels in Jan who will screw us and our own players nobody will want! It's stay in the league and a clear out come summer and let DS bring in athletic powerful players from wherever to get us to 3rd next season.

 

He was miles better than any of our current DM options, however; let's hope he does manage to come back the same player. Yeah, he's not got blistering pace but was certainly mobile. He was composed and did the simple things effectively and he scored goals too. I think and very much hope he can still be a very valuable player for us under the new regime.

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On ‎12‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 12:20, Mort said:

I'm looking forward to guys like Mulraney and Clare being given fresh starts and hopefully improved tactics that suit them. They are clearly confidence players so hopefully then can build that up.

 

I can't see there being a queue of clubs for guys like MacLean and White so may have to grin and bear them for the time being.

 

 

I know MacLean isn't too well liked on here but Im sure I read comments by Stendel saying he was the only 1 who knew how to carry out game plan on the field

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6 minutes ago, Henroddy said:

I know MacLean isn't too well liked on here but Im sure I read comments by Stendel saying he was the only 1 who knew how to carry out game plan on the field

I agree entirely with Stendel. MacLean did everything he was asked to. He had no support and no supply yet he has been outed as the scapegoat for Saturday. He was no where near the worst and probably one of our better players. 

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Ex member of the SaS

Just because he's not doing so well at Dunfermline doesn't mean he rubbish. Playing in a different set up or tactics makes or breaks a player, he maybe better suited to how Stendel wants them to play.

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Ex member of the SaS
1 hour ago, Cruyff said:

I agree entirely with Stendel. MacLean did everything he was asked to. He had no support and no supply yet he has been outed as the scapegoat for Saturday. He was no where near the worst and probably one of our better players. 

My complaint against Maclean was he strolled around the half way line in the last 20 minutes or so, we were a goal down and he walked around uninterested in finding a space to run into to receive a pass.

Never a footballer and if he's the best we have then we really are in the dog crap.

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7 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

Since Levein left, was Hickey not sick, as Smith was and missed a game. Don’t think Zlamal has been out since then, Doyle either it was before. Not sure when Whelan was out. The point is it’s not one or two per game missing for weeks. Naismith was 7-10 days so should surely be back for Boxing Day at the latest.

It will all be about loans in January, usually is. Hopefully Stendel has a good network and some candidates already in mind. Wouldn’t mind Liam Lindsay and their keeper who is currently out on loan. 

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Hampden Demolition
2 hours ago, The Mercer Takeover said:

Please try reading some of the reports on how Cochrane has been getting on at Dunfermline.

 

Absolutely horrendous.

 

We need pace and quality in the team, not him.

 

 


put it this way, I would rather have him in the team ahead of Bozanic.

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Hampden Demolition
46 minutes ago, old school tie said:

Sell Clare to the highest bidder. 🤣


someone will take him. When I’m saying sell to the highest bidder, I’m not expecting bids of 6 or 7 figures. Even a token fee is better than nothing.

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Budge said at one of the shareholder dinners that we tried to move on 4 or 5 players in the summer but for one reason or another, it didnt work out, which I took to mean no one wanted them, or they were on decent wages with us and didnt want to leave. 

 

I reckon this will be the same in january and the summer. These guys will run their contracts down so it will be a good couple of years before we turn the squad around. 

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2 hours ago, Ex member of the SaS said:

My complaint against Maclean was he strolled around the half way line in the last 20 minutes or so, we were a goal down and he walked around uninterested in finding a space to run into to receive a pass.

Never a footballer and if he's the best we have then we really are in the dog crap.

MacLean was the only player in the attacking area of the pitch doing his job on Saturday. He won flick ons, he held the ball in and laid it off but he had absolutely no support. He was clearly asked to stay centrally and drop towards the midfield where he could take a Centerhalf out of play and for Walker & Clare to run into that space. Neither of the pair of them tried a leg.

 

There was even a moment during the second half where he won the ball v their 2 centerhalfs and was closed in by 4 St Johnstone players and ended up having to drop back into his own half and play the ball back to Hickey at Left back because he had no support.

 

I completely agree he is past it and shouldn’t be playing at this level, nevermind at Hearts but he was Saturdays scapegoat and that was just pure nonsense.

 

Keena was awful. I seen enough in the semi v ICT last season to say that, out of his depth v a Championship side that day. The laddie couldn’t trap a bag of cement. Might look good in the reserves playing against young laddies but he got ragdolled against experienced pros.

 

Walker was absolutely awful, he just stood on the touch line for most of the game. Never came inside, never made any runs. A Chicken hearted poser who needs to give 100 % more than he has.

 

Clare doesn’t have any heart and he takes up the wrong positions on the pitch all the time. He more than anyone had the legs to go beyond MacLean and he didn’t do it once. 

 

Meshino, when he came on gave him no support. A weak showpony who wouldn’t get his game for Man City u18s.

 

None of them were making runs off him, none of them were going beyond him. You can’t expect a 37 year old to be running into channels, that was their job not Stevens.

 

The alternative to MacLean at the moment is Uche, who’s 2nd touch is a tackle and gives away countless free kicks. 

 

Unfortunately this is where we are and there’s not much we can do until Washington and Naisy come back.

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4 hours ago, Cruyff said:

I agree entirely with Stendel. MacLean did everything he was asked to. He had no support and no supply yet he has been outed as the scapegoat for Saturday. He was no where near the worst and probably one of our better players. 

A perfect example of how two people can watch the same player and have diametrically different opinions.

Aftrr Bozanic I thought MacLean was the worst player on the pitch.

I don’t know what DS asked him to do though. Perhaps it was “point a lot, moan at the linesman and don’t jump for high balls”

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3 minutes ago, Jamhammer said:

A perfect example of how two people can watch the same player and have diametrically different opinions.

Aftrr Bozanic I thought MacLean was the worst player on the pitch.

I don’t know what DS asked him to do though. Perhaps it was “point a lot, moan at the linesman and don’t jump for high balls”

The worst player on the park was Keena by a distance.If you didn’t know who he was, you’d have thought he had won a prize to play for Hearts for the day. Worse than Mole, worse than Witteveen, worse than N’goo, than Tullberg, than McCallum, he was shocking, -10/10. 

 

Followed by Walker, Clare and Meshino and Bozanic. Bozanic at least tried but he’s just shite. His corners were worse.

 

The only players that i’d have given a 6/10 to were Berra and Hickey. Bobby would have got one if he didn’t give my heart murmurs everytime the ball went near him but that save was ridiculous. 

 

We were horrendous but MacLean certainly wasn’t as bad as folk are making out and was better than that lot mentioned above. 

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9 minutes ago, Jamhammer said:

A perfect example of how two people can watch the same player and have diametrically different opinions.

Aftrr Bozanic I thought MacLean was the worst player on the pitch.

I don’t know what DS asked him to do though. Perhaps it was “point a lot, moan at the linesman and don’t jump for high balls”

The vast majority of people at the game are with you . The effort when he was put through with a beautiful pass to leave him one on one with the goalie was truly horrendous. Brought nothing to the game and I'll be amazed if he starts on Wednesday regardless of what DS said in his post match interviews . 

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I know he’s not been at his best, but surely Uche offers much more than MacLean. What is up with Uche at the moment? I know we are grim but seems like there is more to it than that.

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45 minutes ago, Mort said:

I know he’s not been at his best, but surely Uche offers much more than MacLean. What is up with Uche at the moment? I know we are grim but seems like there is more to it than that.

 

I just don't see him as particularly talented. Do you think he would be playing at this level at all if he weren't a physical hulk of a guy? And 19 goals in 69 games at Cambridge in league 2 is hardly impressive.

But it seems that's simply where Hearts have been recently. Going down the sheep path of just trying to be bigger and more physical than the opposition.

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I would get Lee, Burns, Cochrane and McDonald back in. Send Pereira back to Man Utd and get rid of shite like Dikamona, Bozanic, MacLean, Clare. Then I’d sign at least a goalkeeper, defender, centre mid, winger and a striker. I think this season is about surviving. Summer is when the revamp will begin.

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10 hours ago, Uncle Buck said:

I would get Lee, Burns, Cochrane and McDonald back in. Send Pereira back to Man Utd and get rid of shite like Dikamona, Bozanic, MacLean, Clare. Then I’d sign at least a goalkeeper, defender, centre mid, winger and a striker. I think this season is about surviving. Summer is when the revamp will begin.

Burns, Mulraney, Irving and Morrison would give us more energy but all are lacking quality but I think youngsters are required 

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11 minutes ago, Jamhammer said:

Burns, Mulraney, Irving and Morrison would give us more energy but all are lacking quality but I think youngsters are required 

 

none of they four players would be regular starters in top end championship teams.

 

thats how far we've sunk

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14 hours ago, Hampden Demolition said:


someone will take him. When I’m saying sell to the highest bidder, I’m not expecting bids of 6 or 7 figures. Even a token fee is better than nothing.

 

Yowza 🤤😨🤤😨

 

Champy Man delusions here, sorry to say that matey....

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1 hour ago, sam? said:

 

none of they four players would be regular starters in top end championship teams.

 

thats how far we've sunk

We need energy now as well as quality. My OP mentions their lack of quality: Of course we could just leave things as they are and whine about how dreadful we are. The senior players are a disgrace with a real lack of desire and responsibility 

 

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Pasquale for King
On 16/12/2019 at 18:55, soonbe110 said:

It will all be about loans in January, usually is. Hopefully Stendel has a good network and some candidates already in mind. Wouldn’t mind Liam Lindsay and their keeper who is currently out on loan. 

Hopefully Stoke will loan us a couple of players with O’Neill there now. It would need to be guys with the right attitude if we are fighting relegation though.

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On 16/12/2019 at 17:41, Cruyff said:

I agree entirely with Stendel. MacLean did everything he was asked to. He had no support and no supply yet he has been outed as the scapegoat for Saturday. He was no where near the worst and probably one of our better players. 

Can we change MacLean's plan to one which actually involves scoring goals then?

 

He was clean through at one point from Pereira kick out and rather than letting the ball run on, it bounced off the back of his head towards his own goal.

 

His record is now one team goal in 761 minutes and he has missed numerous gilt-edged opportunities in that time.

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28 minutes ago, David McCaig said:

Can we change MacLean's plan to one which actually involves scoring goals then?

 

He was clean through at one point from Pereira kick out and rather than letting the ball run on, it bounced off the back of his head towards his own goal.

 

His record is now one team goal in 761 minutes and he has missed numerous gilt-edged opportunities in that time.

You’re wrong about the kick from Pereira. He was never winning that race, he knew it and tried to play in his team mate.

 

I’ve watched or been at every game, he hasn’t had many gilt-edged opportunities at all. 

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4 minutes ago, Cruyff said:

You’re wrong about the kick from Pereira. He was never winning that race, he knew it and tried to play in his team mate.

 

I’ve watched or been at every game, he hasn’t had many gilt-edged opportunities at all. 

Off the top of my head, two at Motherwell, a sitter at St Mirren, the chance to win the game v Livingston... the worst thing is that alongside is obvious flaws and deficiencies physically, he's also a truly awful finisher!!

 

Ultimately, MacLean will be dropped and Hearts will begin scoring goals and winning games again.

 

 

Edited by David McCaig
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1 minute ago, David McCaig said:

Off the top of my head, two at Motherwell, a sitter at St Mirren, the chance to win the game v Livingston... the worst thing is that alongside is obvious flaws and deficiencies physically, he's also a truly awful finisher!!

 

Ultimately, MacLean will be dropped and Hearts will begin scoring goals and winning games again.

 

 

Hearts not scoring isn’t solely down to MacLean, you’d have to be a complete simpleton to come to that conclusion. There’s another 9 outfield players on the park who have been horrific for 12 months up until Wednesday night. 

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