The Positive

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

1 goal conceded from a free kick in the last 315 minutes of football.

 

If you aren't conceding, you pick up at least a point. Clean sheets do breed a bit of confidence and they are a platform to build from.

 

Personally believe we are still trying to play too much football, a dogs of war approach might suit the situation more, but what he is doing is stabilizing things.

 

Got to get behind them and build the resilience. Going to be really tough on Sunday, but what a confidence boost it would be to carry another clean sheet out of that game.

[kila]

Lack of goals has been the problem for sometime.

 

Players are not confident or composed enough in front of goal enough of the time, so a lot of wasted chances.

[busby1985]

I get the mind set of people saying we should maybe change our approach a little but I fully support and understand why Stendel won’t. We have tinkered for years and that breeds uncertainty. The same message and approach every game breeds confidence in the manager for the players. I like his “do us right and we will win” approach. It’s refreshing. 
 

Sunday is a big test for me. We where shocking against Hibs and can’t afford to be that bad at home in a big game again. I think we will get something. 

[OmiyaHearts]

I think last night was a good point, considering we were away from home and missing a few players.

 

We gained on the teams above us and three games without a loss. It's going the right direction, no matter what happens v Rangers this weekend.

[Hearts007]

6 minutes ago, Sir Gio said:

1 goal conceded from a free kick in the last 315 minutes of football.

 

If you aren't conceding, you pick up at least a point. Clean sheets do breed a bit of confidence and they are a platform to build from.

 

Personally believe we are still trying to play too much football, a dogs of war approach might suit the situation more, but what he is doing is stabilizing things.

 

Got to get behind them and build the resilience. Going to be really tough on Sunday, but what a confidence boost it would be to carry another clean sheet out of that game.

yep

[Hearts1975]

1 minute ago, busby1985 said:

I get the mind set of people saying we should maybe change our approach a little but I fully support and understand why Stendel won’t. We have tinkered for years and that breeds uncertainty. The same message and approach every game breeds confidence in the manager for the players. I like his “do us right and we will win” approach. It’s refreshing. 
 

Sunday is a big test for me. We where shocking against Hibs and can’t afford to be that bad at home in a big game again. I think we will get something. 

Yup. Chopping changing and adapting is the preference for some managers and going for what they believe is the best system is the preference for other managers 

Noting wrong with that. The system is designed to score goals, create chances and win games 

let’s stick to learning it with no further changes 👍

[busby1985]

6 minutes ago, Hearts1975 said:

Yup. Chopping changing and adapting is the preference for some managers and going for what they believe is the best system is the preference for other managers 

Noting wrong with that. The system is designed to score goals, create chances and win games 

let’s stick to learning it with no further changes 👍

Only thing missing, apart from some dodgey moments at the back, is scoring the goals. That’ll come tho. 

[tartofmidlothian]

Great OP. Last night was the kind of game we would have surrendered 2-0 a couple of months ago, a tricky away point wasn't a bad result. As others have said, three games unbeaten with six for and one against isn't bad form either.

 

This is a shocking position for a team like Hearts to be in and our lack of confidence in front of goal has to be addressed, but the signs are that the brakes are being put on our slide. Hopefully the turnaround follows soon.

Edited January 23, 2020 by tartofmidlothian

[Mac80]

We really missed Hickey Smith and Clare last night, 

 

We need there energy for the way we want to play 

[Dazo]

13 minutes ago, kila said:

Lack of goals has been the problem for sometime.

 

Players are not confident or composed enough in front of goal enough of the time, so a lot of wasted chances.

Avdijaj and Naismith both missed very good chances, I doubt either of those players lack confidence. 
 

Agree with the theme of the thread though clean sheets should lift the whole team. Hopefully that will lead to composure in front of goal. 

[Hearts1975]

4 minutes ago, busby1985 said:

Only thing missing, apart from some dodgey moments at the back, is scoring the goals. That’ll come tho. 

100% agree. It’s not like our current squad have ever been sent out to create chances and get forward. Probably what Stendel is doing with them will feel a bit alien to what they were used too under Levein, but that will change the more time he gets with them 

Undefeated in 3 ...

[kila]

1 minute ago, Dazo said:

Avdijaj and Naismith both missed very good chances, I doubt either of those players lack confidence. 
 

Agree with the theme of the thread though clean sheets should lift the whole team. Hopefully that will lead to composure in front of goal. 

 

I also said or composed enough, which they weren't otherwise they'd have hit the target at least

 

 

[Dazo]

Just now, kila said:

 

I also said or composed enough, which they weren't otherwise they'd have hit the target at least

 

 

I know you did I was just dismissing the confidence part, IMO of course. 

[David McCaig]

Last night's point may well be the one that lifts out the relegation spots in a few weeks time.  The simple fact is that we gained a point on all our nearest rivals last night.

 

With the way that Stendel wants to play the full backs are probably the most vital positions in the team and its incredible how important Sean Clare has become in the last few weeks.

 

We have now had two clean sheets in a row, which will be great for Pereira's confidence and the likes of Naismith, Washington, Garuccio, Souttar and Avdijaj all got important game time in their legs.

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

25 minutes ago, kila said:

Lack of goals has been the problem for sometime.

 

Players are not confident or composed enough in front of goal enough of the time, so a lot of wasted chances.

Yes that's the negative.

 

The positive, opposition chances are beginning to dry up

[hmfc_liam06]

The positive was that it's turned out to be not a bad point from a tricky trip up north midweek. 3 would have been great but we're 1 point closer to safety than we were yesterday.

[tartofmidlothian]

Looking at Ross County's home results, they seem to be cannon fodder for the top teams but very comfortable taking points from the bottom half. They've beaten Hamilton, St Mirren, Killie and Hibs, drawn with St Johnstone and us and been beaten by Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Motherwell and Livi.

 

Hate to count us among those lower placed teams, but we are where we are.

[Martin_T]

2 minutes ago, tartofmidlothian said:

Looking at Ross County's home results, they seem to be cannon fodder for the top teams but very comfortable taking points from the bottom half. They've beaten Hamilton, St Mirren, Killie and Hibs, drawn with St Johnstone and us and been beaten by Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Motherwell and Livi.

 

Hate to count us among those lower placed teams, but we are where we are.

 

I think a Hearts team in a more secure position in the league, might have gone up there and won by a couple of goals, but given our position there is a natural tension and nervousness that will creep into the players minds.

 

As others have said, we at least appear to have stopped giving away cheap goals, so even if we are able to increase our output marginally in the attacking third, that will turn what was previously losses and defeats into draws and wins.

[mc2607]

Positives I'm taking from last night:

 

- A point's a point - Ross County away is a tough place to go

- The gap is down to 4 points

- We were missing 3-4 key players

- Sounds like Perreira had a good game

- Aberdeen should beat St Mirren at the weekend

- Rangers didn't look up to much v St Mirren

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

38 minutes ago, mc2607 said:

Positives I'm taking from last night:

 

- A point's a point - Ross County away is a tough place to go

- The gap is down to 4 points

- We were missing 3-4 key players

- Sounds like Perreira had a good game

- Aberdeen should beat St Mirren at the weekend

- Rangers didn't look up to much v St Mirren

Wouldn't rely on Aberdeen mate. Should hear the abuse they are getting up here this morning!!

[Romulus]

Our defence is much improved now we have taken Berra out of the equation. Add Souttar's return to this and we have a solid base. 

 

I would personally quite like to see Smith sweeper with Halkett and Souttar either side and Clare/Hickey wing backs. Obviously once all are fit. 

 

If we bring in a couple of players between now and the window closing and lose a couple of bodies like Uche/Mulraney that are rumoured, then I think we have enough to stay up at least.

 

Massive games coming up.

[Marvin]

2 hours ago, Sir Gio said:

1 goal conceded from a free kick in the last 315 minutes of football.

 

If you aren't conceding, you pick up at least a point. Clean sheets do breed a bit of confidence and they are a platform to build from.

 

Personally believe we are still trying to play too much football, a dogs of war approach might suit the situation more, but what he is doing is stabilizing things.

 

Got to get behind them and build the resilience. Going to be really tough on Sunday, but what a confidence boost it would be to carry another clean sheet out of that game.

 

I don't think the 1970's game show poster from yesterday's match thread would agree.

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

16 minutes ago, Mort said:

Our defence is much improved now we have taken Berra out of the equation. Add Souttar's return to this and we have a solid base. 

 

I would personally quite like to see Smith sweeper with Halkett and Souttar either side and Clare/Hickey wing backs. Obviously once all are fit. 

 

If we bring in a couple of players between now and the window closing and lose a couple of bodies like Uche/Mulraney that are rumoured, then I think we have enough to stay up at least.

 

Massive games coming up.

I like the idea of Smith sweeping and the backs pushed further forwards.

 

4 minutes ago, Marvin said:

 

I don't think the 1970's game show poster from yesterday's match thread would agree.

Sorry you have lost me

 

[colinmaroon]

2 hours ago, Sir Gio said:

1 goal conceded from a free kick in the last 315 minutes of football.

 

If you aren't conceding, you pick up at least a point. Clean sheets do breed a bit of confidence and they are a platform to build from.

 

Personally believe we are still trying to play too much football, a dogs of war approach might suit the situation more, but what he is doing is stabilizing things.

 

Got to get behind them and build the resilience. Going to be really tough on Sunday, but what a confidence boost it would be to carry another clean sheet out of that game.

 

My thoughts exactly. 

 

 

[Mr Elwood P]

2 hours ago, Hearts1975 said:

Yup. Chopping changing and adapting is the preference for some managers and going for what they believe is the best system is the preference for other managers 

Noting wrong with that. The system is designed to score goals, create chances and win games 

let’s stick to learning it with no further changes 👍

We’re not scoring goals or winning games though? (In the Premiership)

[DH1986]

The exclusion of Berra is completely justified and our goals against is further evidence of that.

 

 

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

Just now, DH1986 said:

The exclusion of Berra is completely justified and our goals against is further evidence of that.

 

 

I thought that but didn't mention it, trying to be positive.

 

Souttar and Naismith in the same team, make us a far better team. No doubt, Berra sadly was a liability.

[Marvin]

1 minute ago, Sir Gio said:

 

 

Sorry you have lost me

 

 

At risk of a telling off from the Mods I criticised Dustybin for his comments on yesterday's match thread after he slagged off the current set up.

[Armageddon]

And our change in possession stats has been remarkable.  We’re definitely moving forward IMO

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

5 minutes ago, Marvin said:

 

At risk of a telling off from the Mods I criticised Dustybin for his comments on yesterday's match thread after he slagged off the current set up.

Kicking myself, loved the bin (the gameshow one, not the poster)

[DH1986]

6 minutes ago, Sir Gio said:

I thought that but didn't mention it, trying to be positive.

 

Souttar and Naismith in the same team, make us a far better team. No doubt, Berra sadly was a liability.

We just need a Haring and a proper CF and we’ve at last got a solid spine to the team.

[Bull's-eye]

You cannot change the mindset of players in a matter of weeks midseason, you can keep the same instruction going and hope for the best but that has proved to be a massive failure, unfortunately we are going to have to suck up the mistakes for them to be rectified, teams will sit in against us, they won't change because they know we have better players.

We need to be patient and work extremely hard on the training pitch to find a formula to break down stubborn very well drilled defensive minded teams. 

 

So far, so good, we've stopped conceding gifts, you now have to play to score against us. 

Now we need a win in the league to boost confidence and get the players enjoying themselves, then we'll flourish.

[mc2607]

59 minutes ago, Sir Gio said:

Wouldn't rely on Aberdeen mate. Should hear the abuse they are getting up here this morning!!

I know mate, they're woeful just now but you'd think they'd still beat St Mirren. Maybe 😂

[Hearts1975]

1 hour ago, Mr Elwood P said:

We’re not scoring goals or winning games though? (In the Premiership)

Not yet. But we weren’t for a long long time before Stendel arrived 

 

No question, we haven’t fully mastered Stendels system yet and we could really do with a striker or 2

 

Give him and Sievers a chance. They have inherited a squad of players which were and still are bottom of the league. 

 

We will come good under DS. I Believed that at the very beginning and still believe it now. 

 

 

[martoon]

Good op. 

 

We didn't concede, a point is not catastrophic, Donis and any other signings have time to have an impact and we're closer to the teams above us. 

 

Relegation can gtf. 

[Shaggy2]

Pushing it a bit to include the second half of the derby but it’s a fair point re the defence. Damour on the bench not gifting a chance or two to the opposition is another factor. Oh, and let’s stay well away from three at the back. Michael Smith’s ball winning in the middle of the park and driving forward at pace has been vital to the team’s recent upsurge or, if you like, the game v Aberdeen.

[Marvin]

2 hours ago, Sir Gio said:

Kicking myself, loved the bin (the gameshow one, not the poster)

 

Me too

[Mr Elwood P]

47 minutes ago, Hearts1975 said:

Not yet. But we weren’t for a long long time before Stendel arrived 

 

No question, we haven’t fully mastered Stendels system yet and we could really do with a striker or 2

 

Give him and Sievers a chance. They have inherited a squad of players which were and still are bottom of the league. 

 

We will come good under DS. I Believed that at the very beginning and still believe it now. 

 

 

How many days did we spend bottom

of the league pre-stendel? We scored 10 goals in Levein’s 11 Premiership games. We’ve scored 8 goals in the 11 premiership games since he left. 5 of those 8 goals came in one match under MacPhee! We were on almost equal points with Hibs, we now sit 14 points behind them ....

Edited January 23, 2020 by Mr Elwood P

[Hearts1975]

14 minutes ago, Mr Elwood P said:

How many days did we spend bottom

of the league pre-stendel? We scored 10 goals in Levein’s 11 Premiership games. We’ve scored 8 goals in the 11 premiership games since he left. 5 of those 8 goals came in one match under MacPhee! We were on almost equal points with Hibs, we now sit 14 points behind them ....

The wheels came off the wagon a long long time before Stendel arrived. Most folk get this in its entirety.

 

I don’t get why you are trying to make Leveins continued f... up’s become Stendels issue and then draw comparisons at this stage.

 

Levein picked or oversaw the full recruitment piece with that whole squad. Stendel inherited it and has to work with it. 

 

Give him a chance ffs. Even if Stendel just gets a fraction of the support that you gave Levein he will be doing very very well.

 

 

 

 

[Mr Elwood P]

14 minutes ago, Hearts1975 said:

The wheels came off the wagon a long long time before Stendel arrived. Most folk get this in its entirety.

 

I don’t get why you are trying to make Leveins continued f... up’s become Stendels issue and then draw comparisons at this stage.

 

Levein picked or oversaw the full recruitment piece with that whole squad. Stendel inherited it and has to work with it. 

 

Give him a chance ffs. Even if Stendel just gets a fraction of the support that you gave Levein he will be doing very very well.

 

 

 

 

The time for giving him a chance is evaporating very quickly. We need to get points on the board ASAP! We have had a run of home games and winnable away games under Stendel and taken two points. I had hoped the Airdrie game would result in a run of wins. Really need to avoid a bartering on Sunday or we might not recover.

[amadjambo]

It’s great that we aren’t losing goals now, and now have a decent back 4 in Clare/Halkett/Souttar/Hickey.

 

Now to sort out the problem at the other end of the park. 

[Bunny Munro]

56 minutes ago, Mr Elwood P said:

The time for giving him a chance is evaporating very quickly. We need to get points on the board ASAP! We have had a run of home games and winnable away games under Stendel and taken two points. I had hoped the Airdrie game would result in a run of wins. Really need to avoid a bartering on Sunday or we might not recover.

Whilst I understand where you're coming from, right now I don't care about points on the board, I care about the points gap above is closing. We are one point closer to safety than we were 24 hours ago. 

Edited January 23, 2020 by Bunny Munro

[martoon]

1 hour ago, Mr Elwood P said:

The time for giving him a chance is evaporating very quickly. We need to get points on the board ASAP! We have had a run of home games and winnable away games under Stendel and taken two points. I had hoped the Airdrie game would result in a run of wins. Really need to avoid a bartering on Sunday or we might not recover.

 

Are you serious, man? 

 

You, a poster who backed Levein to the very end (possibly still do). One of the "let's give Cwaigywaigy the first 11 games/the next 6/another window/injuries blah blah..." but your patience is already wearing thin with Stendel? 

 

I don't believe you, and some of your like minded chums on JKB, follow the same Hearts as me. You can't possibly. Your view from reality and sense is too skew whiff to make that possible. 

 

Heart of Midlothian?

 

From Edinburgh? 

 

Hearts, He'rts, The Jam Tarts, Gorgie...that Heart of Midlothian? 

 

 

[Ex member of the SaS]

Sorry can't find a single positive other than we didn't lose. Back Stendel to get it right,  but even without a manager, professional players should be able to have at least ONE shot on target in 90 mins. County's goalie could have sat in a deck chair all night and for me that is a disgusting stat for any professional team. We need results and we need them fast, can see Sunday being a bloodbath.

[Hearts1975]

1 hour ago, Mr Elwood P said:

The time for giving him a chance is evaporating very quickly. We need to get points on the board ASAP! We have had a run of home games and winnable away games under Stendel and taken two points. I had hoped the Airdrie game would result in a run of wins. Really need to avoid a bartering on Sunday or we might not recover.

But we pretty much gave Craig the run of it for 3 years with several transfer windows and lots and lots of funds

 

I am not saying that we do the same with Stendel but less than 10 games in and you are saying that his chance is evaporating very quickly ? 

 

Could we not maybe wait until the old guard have left, he has his own team in place, and before we start really judging him.

[Mr Elwood P]

1 hour ago, martoon said:

 

Are you serious, man? 

 

You, a poster who backed Levein to the very end (possibly still do). One of the "let's give Cwaigywaigy the first 11 games/the next 6/another window/injuries blah blah..." but your patience is already wearing thin with Stendel? 

 

I don't believe you, and some of your like minded chums on JKB, follow the same Hearts as me. You can't possibly. Your view from reality and sense is too skew whiff to make that possible. 

 

Heart of Midlothian?

 

From Edinburgh? 

 

Hearts, He'rts, The Jam Tarts, Gorgie...that Heart of Midlothian? 

 

 

 

We were never bottom of the league and in a serious relegation battle. I have stated that Stendel would have been an ideal appointment for a summer window. A January relegation battle, perhaps not ...

[redjambo]

6 minutes ago, Mr Elwood P said:

 

We were never bottom of the league and in a serious relegation battle. I have stated that Stendel would have been an ideal appointment for a summer window. A January relegation battle, perhaps not ...

 

I agree that I would have gone with someone more time-served in the ins and outs of Scottish football given the precariousness of our league position and the fact that it was a mid-season appointment, but iacta alea est, the die is cast. Daniel is now our manager, no matter whether you thought that it was the right decision or not. Given the short time he has been in post, it is far too early to criticise him on any fundamental level. He has to be given a good opportunity of turning our fortunes around.

Edited January 23, 2020 by redjambo

[Kiwidoug]

It would have been deeply frustrating for Stendel to missing 3 key players at Dingwall.  That won't always be the case.

 

I posted months ago that we would be in a much stronger position by the end of January when a host of key players were back and had some game time under their belts.

 

I stick to that but acknowledge the ongoing need for a consistent scorer.  Hopefully that will be Donis or Boyce or both.

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

3 hours ago, Ex member of the SaS said:

Sorry can't find a single positive other than we didn't lose. Back Stendel to get it right,  but even without a manager, professional players should be able to have at least ONE shot on target in 90 mins. County's goalie could have sat in a deck chair all night and for me that is a disgusting stat for any professional team. We need results and we need them fast, can see Sunday being a bloodbath.

To start winning,  first of all you need to stop losing. 

 

Win the home games we will be ok. We don't have long to get going though 

[gashauskis9]

Haven’t lost a goal from open play since we ruthlessly put Berra on the scrap heap with no explanation...🧐