Liam Boyce

[Bunny Munro]

1 hour ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

It is not one game though is it. I mean come on, our two main goal threats are our full backs and centre half.

 

Its not one game, but it's the same story each time. Boyce gets one chance and misses it. He gets two or three chances and he tends to score. 

 

Totally agree it's a disgrace that Kingsley and Smith are our biggest threats.

[SMJ_1874]

2 hours ago, Sertse said:

What year was this? My mate in the group says guys who are injured are either still employed by them under different roles, as instructors or they end up doing cushy private jobs for Megabucks.

He was in from 89-92. Came from the special unit of the RA.  At the time he held the fell running record in the unit and his nickname was Forrest (Gump) He was in Bosnia as part of the NATO peace keeping duties, which weren’t all that peaceful even for the unit. I think getting refused entry to collect his belongings left an everlasting impression that mentally scarred him. 

Edited November 29, 2020 by Saughton Jambo

[Sertse]

3 minutes ago, Saughton Jambo said:

He was in from 90-93. Came from the special unit of the RA.  At the time he held the fell running record in the unit. He was in Bosnia as part of the NATO peace keeping duties, which weren’t all that peaceful even for the unit. I think getting refused entry to collect his belongings left van everlasting impression that mentally scarred him. 

Sphinx battery? 

Thought it would be about this time, the attitude is very different now. Really shite of them though, was he fully badged etc?

[SMJ_1874]

26 minutes ago, Sertse said:

Sphinx battery? 

Thought it would be about this time, the attitude is very different now. Really shite of them though, was he fully badged etc?

I’ve seen his scrap book and that was something else. He was a sniper and had a confirmed kill in Bosnia as part of mountain troop, from 1750 yards with a Macmillan 21. I’m not usually one for listening to tales but everything he told me he could back it up with evidence.

 

If you were in the unit yourself or you pal was at the same time, then he’d be able to confirm who my mate is.

[Busby8]

He's not suddenly become a poor player.

Going through a bed spell admittedly, but I'm pretty sure that he recover from this.

[Sertse]

21 minutes ago, Saughton Jambo said:

I’ve seen his scrap book and that was something else. He was a sniper and had a confirmed kill in Bosnia as part of mountain troop, from 1750 yards with a Macmillan 21. I’m not usually one for listening to tales but everything he told me he could back it up with evidence.

 

If you were in the unit yourself or you pal was at the same time, then he’d be able to confirm who my mate is.

Long before my time mate, I was only born in 91 haha. I'm currently in but not anything sneaky, my mates in the group are all around the same age.

[Paul Shark]

Is Naismith and shit wingers the problem with Boyce ?

[SMJ_1874]

23 minutes ago, Sertse said:

Long before my time mate, I was only born in 91 haha. I'm currently in but not anything sneaky, my mates in the group are all around the same age.

Better not keep this going or we’ll end up in the shed lol 

[Sertse]

29 minutes ago, Paul Shark said:

Is Naismith and shit wingers the problem with Boyce ?

No. Delivery is poor but every time he's had the chance to get a shot away he messes it up. There's no excuse at this level.

[soonbe110]

31 minutes ago, Paul Shark said:

Is Naismith and shit wingers the problem with Boyce ?

Absolutely and a lack of other midfielders getting forward to support him. Lee is too slow as is Halliday. Walker is trying but also out of form, things just not coming off for them. 

[ford donald]

9 minutes ago, soonbe110 said:

Absolutely and a lack of other midfielders getting forward to support him. Lee is too slow as is Halliday. Walker is trying but also out of form, things just not coming off for them. 

 

Let's be honest our midfield is crap,Lee is to slow along with Walker who looks lost, Naismith hot and cold,there's no guts and fire there.

 

[Jamhammer]

Part of the problem is that, due to a lack of service he is coming deep too often.

Yeah he’s snatching at chances but there’s nothing much happening round about him

[One five]

1 hour ago, ford donald said:

 

Let's be honest our midfield is crap,Lee is to slow along with Walker who looks lost, Naismith hot and cold,there's no guts and fire there.

 

This, I’m as disappointed as everyone at the moment with his recent performances but strikers only score goals when they get the service and let’s be honest the service he gets is sh*t  from our midfield . 

[Paul Shark]

1 hour ago, Sertse said:

No. Delivery is poor but every time he's had the chance to get a shot away he messes it up. There's no excuse at this level.

I have to disagree with you. At our current level we are never signing a striker with a goal to every 2 or 3 chances ratio. Not a hope. Boyce has been poor so far this season because of what's around him. We are never going to find a goalscorer that can carry these imposters !!

[Thomaso]

4 hours ago, Busby8 said:

He's not suddenly become a poor player.

Going through a bed spell admittedly, but I'm pretty sure that he recover from this.

He’d better be quick! 😳

[Thomaso]

1 hour ago, Paul Shark said:

I have to disagree with you. At our current level we are never signing a striker with a goal to every 2 or 3 chances ratio. Not a hope. Boyce has been poor so far this season because of what's around him. We are never going to find a goalscorer that can carry these imposters !!

Regardless of “what’s around him” and the “imposters”, missing numerous golden chances is solely down to Boyce! 

[Barney bulge]

Boyce will come good 

all strikers throughout their careers have periods like this. It’s a fact. Even the best ones.

it’s not Boyce we need to worry about more Walker Robert’s frear etc and the bag of crap we have who fail to support him. 
 

[BervieJambo]

1 hour ago, One five said:

This, I’m as disappointed as everyone at the moment with his recent performances but strikers only score goals when they get the service and let’s be honest the service he gets is sh*t  from our midfield . 

 
Correct - decent strikers will only score about 1 in 7/8 chances... the difference between Boyce & the likes of Robbo is that Robbo got about 7/8 chances most matches & Boyce is lucky if he’s getting 2/3 due to the poor supply from midfield/wingers. This also affects confidence which in turn will reduce his effectiveness. We simply need to get better balls in the box and someone alongside him to help with lay-offs, then the goals will come.

[Thomaso]

7 hours ago, Inch Hearts said:

He would ironically do better with someone up beside him like Washington. 

Would having Washington beside him have resulted in him tucking away his numerous chances instead of fluffing them? 🤔

[Thomaso]

2 hours ago, One five said:

This, I’m as disappointed as everyone at the moment with his recent performances but strikers only score goals when they get the service and let’s be honest the service he gets is sh*t  from our midfield . 

Regardless of the service, he has had numerous chances laid on a plate - he has fluffed every one bar one. That is the point.

[Japan Jambo]

22 minutes ago, BervieJambo said:

 
Correct - decent strikers will only score about 1 in 7/8 chances... the difference between Boyce & the likes of Robbo is that Robbo got about 7/8 chances most matches & Boyce is lucky if he’s getting 2/3 due to the poor supply from midfield/wingers. This also affects confidence which in turn will reduce his effectiveness. We simply need to get better balls in the box and someone alongside him to help with lay-offs, then the goals will come.

 

bet Robbo never missed two penalties in a row - even in training. Boyce has missed a bundle of chances, doesn't mean he's a rubbish player but currently he is ineffective. If that can't be fixed he needs dropping.

 

[jambopilms]

How many times over the last year or two have we seen opposition strikers scoring with the first decent chance they get. 

ATM he isn't an improvement on MacLean, uche or Wighton. He just turning into another Naismith he will come good, just needs a goal etc etc

[One five]

20 minutes ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

Regardless of the service, he has had numerous chances laid on a plate - he has fluffed every one bar one. That is the point.

As I stated ive been disappointed with his performances lately  but strikers need confidence and his is pretty low atm.

[One five]

12 minutes ago, Jap Jambo said:

 

bet Robbo never missed two penalties in a row - even in training. Boyce has missed a bundle of chances, doesn't mean he's a rubbish player but currently he is ineffective. If that can't be fixed he needs dropping.

 

I don’t think we can possibly put him in the same ball park as Robbo !

[Japan Jambo]

2 minutes ago, One five said:

I don’t think we can possibly put him in the same ball park as Robbo !

 

quite, not a comparison I would have chosen either. Just responding to the original poster...

[One five]

1 minute ago, Jap Jambo said:

 

quite, not a comparison I would have chosen either. Just responding to the original poster...

👍

[Thomaso]

24 minutes ago, One five said:

As I stated ive been disappointed with his performances lately  but strikers need confidence and his is pretty low atm.

Agreed

[feedthefox]

On 24/11/2020 at 20:51, davemclaren said:

Put Wighton in on Saturday with Boyce on the bench. Looks a bit  jaded but I think he will come good. 

 

Exactly.

[William H. Bonney]

1 hour ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

Would having Washington beside him have resulted in him tucking away his numerous chances instead of fluffing them? 🤔

Washington would have missed all the chances instead, taking the heat of Boyce. 

[Thomaso]

41 minutes ago, Furious Styles said:

Washington would have missed all the chances instead, taking the heat of Boyce. 

👍😂

[Paul Shark]

9 hours ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

Regardless of “what’s around him” and the “imposters”, missing numerous golden chances is solely down to Boyce! 

Yes if Boyce misses, or fails to hit the target at least, it's down to him. My point is that we as a club are not going to be able to sign a striker that scores from every chance created. 

We need to create more chances. Boyce will probably need 30 or 40 chances/half chances to score 10 goals. But he is currently our best striker, which says it all really. How many chances do you think Euan Henderson would need to score 10 goals?

[Shaggy2]

This is a cruel thread. Boyce is clearly going through an absolute crisis in confidence in front of goal. I would still have him way down the list of Saturday’s culprits, though. He was clearly fouled (well INSIDE the box) when he turned their centre half early on. He played a delightful pass to put Lee in on goal (very similar to the pass to Halliday on Wednesday) but Lee shat it from the goalie and fresh aired it, then the keeper made a good save from Boyce himself. 

I’d definitely bin 4-2-3-1 and give him a partner next week, probably Naismith. I don’t think they’ve been tried as a pair since Boyce’s debut, which went rather well, iirc.

Edited November 30, 2020 by Shaggy2

[Lambo85]

5 hours ago, Shaggy2 said:

This is a cruel thread. Boyce is clearly going through an absolute crisis in confidence in front of goal. I would still have him way down the list of Saturday’s culprits, though. He was clearly fouled (well INSIDE the box) when he turned their centre half early on. He played a delightful pass to put Lee in on goal (very similar to the pass to Halliday on Wednesday) but Lee shat it from the goalie and fresh aired it, then the keeper made a good save from Boyce himself. 

I’d definitely bin 4-2-3-1 and give him a partner next week, probably Naismith. I don’t think they’ve been tried as a pair since Boyce’s debut, which went rather well, iirc.

 

We need to try something and he needs to start scoring goals or we are going to be heading up shit creek.

 

Another tough away game on Saturday. We do not want Dunfermline to starting pulling away from us.

 

Not sure there is much money kicking about for us to sign another striker.

Edited November 30, 2020 by Lambo85

[Rods]

He will come of the bench to score on Saturday you heard it here first.

[Gimme an H...]

Boyce is class. Just like everyone else in the team he's going through a bad phase.

 

Even if you look at his hold up play, touches, general play from Saturday you can see how good a player he is.

[Jambo61]

7 hours ago, Paul Shark said:

Yes if Boyce misses, or fails to hit the target at least, it's down to him. My point is that we as a club are not going to be able to sign a striker that scores from every chance created. 

We need to create more chances. Boyce will probably need 30 or 40 chances/half chances to score 10 goals. But he is currently our best striker, which says it all really. How many chances do you think Euan Henderson would need to score 10 goals?

Not sure about chances but probably 3 years!

[bobskeldon]

1 minute ago, Gimme an H... said:

Boyce is class. Just like everyone else in the team he's going through a bad phase.

 

Even if you look at his hold up play, touches, general play from Saturday you can see how good a player he is.

I agree, he is certainly going through a bad run just now in terms of finishing BUT his overall play outside the box is great and he very rarely gives the ball away in tight situations. I do think he needs someone closer to him in the last third more than the very occasional run in front of him by a central midfielder.

[TheBigO]

19 hours ago, ford donald said:

 

Let's be honest our midfield is crap,Lee is to slow along with Walker who looks lost, Naismith hot and cold,there's no guts and fire there.

 

Was thinking this.  For me, the biggest single issue in the summer was signing Halliday.  I can kind of see why we did - couldn't rely on Haring.  But the fact is we needed a dynamic midfielder with a bit of pace, who can go box to box and get beyond the striker.  We don't need a Halliday in 90% of our games

 

Now, we may well have tried to get that type of player and couldn't find one we liked - recruitment isn't easy and teams way bigger than us have problem positions they take years to fill.  But when you ally that to us trying to rectify a lack of pace on the wings and so far failing to do so because Frear and Roberts have been poor, it's a prooper problem (notwithstanding that Ginelly has looked good and is injured - more bad luck).

 

Last time in the Champ, our kids tore it apart.  This isn't absinth makes the heart grow fonder, but you're not telling me Tony McDonald wouldn't be perfectly suited against these teams who sit in against us?  He's not better than Roberts or Frear?  Or not better than Billy King who did so well last time we were at this level.  Of course he is.  Of course Ewan Henderson is too, and I'd suggest Callumn Morrison too.

 

I'm not losing my shit, but I just don't see why we did what we did in the summer.  For me, he was kind of looking at the right parts of the squad but evidence so far is that only Kingsley is a signing who has actually improved us.

 

Back to Liam Boyce.  I remain unconcerned.  He's a very, very good player.  Was speaking to someone who knows him well and knows the Scottish game even better the other day, and he was saying just how good a player he is.

 

For years and years and years it hasn't been easy to be a CF for Hearts.  We just don't make many clear cut chances.  How often in the last, say, 3 years, has a keeper had a blinder against us, for example?  We just don't play with enough guile or cutting edge.  We're ponderous and slow.  Everything is overthought.  That was the good thing about Stendel - the players were told to go out and play with drive.  Sometimes they didn't of course!  But that was so clearly the message.

[Stendelnator]

The views on Boyce remind me of the views on Jankauskas early on in his Hearts career. Skacel was scoring plenty and both Bednar and Pospisil had scored good goals but Jankauskas hadn’t scored at all yet and there were people on here moaning about him not doing enough. Boyce is sheer quality but he needs help and support. We have to play two up front. It stretches defences and gives more space for him and a striker partner, preferably Wighton. It’s sad to see what’s happened to Naismith. 

[Diadora Van Basten]

When we took off Boyce on Saturday we missed him linking play.

 

I would play him as a ten rather than a nine as he doesn’t look like a goal scorer but is still contributing whilst Naismith and Walker have been poor as a number 10.

 

Let Wighton play 9 his finishing is much better.

[Gimme an H...]

2 minutes ago, Diadora Van Basten said:

When we took off Boyce on Saturday we missed him linking play.

 

I would play him as a ten rather than a nine as he doesn’t look like a goal scorer but is still contributing whilst Naismith and Walker have been poor as a number 10.

 

Let Wighton play 9 his finishing is much better.

 

I'd be happy with this.

[Cruyff]

19 minutes ago, Diadora Van Basten said:

When we took off Boyce on Saturday we missed him linking play.

 

I would play him as a ten rather than a nine as he doesn’t look like a goal scorer but is still contributing whilst Naismith and Walker have been poor as a number 10.

 

Let Wighton play 9 his finishing is much better.

I'd agree. Wighton had garnered some confidence early doors with a few class finishes, then Neilson pie'd him off onto the wing for some weird reason. 

 

Boyce is a targetman, supporting forward. Wighton is more of a # 9 at the moment. 

[Shaggy2]

3 hours ago, Lambo85 said:

 

We need to try something and he needs to start scoring goals or we are going to be heading up shit creek.

 

Another tough away game on Saturday. We do not want Dunfermline to starting pulling away from us.

 

Not sure there is much money kicking about for us to sign another striker.

I don’t disagree, but while he’s not been scoring he has laid on excellent chances with his approach play. Halliday scored his and Ollie Lee shit the bed. Hopefully the goals arrive soon.

If I remember rightly, Robbo scored his 149th(?) goal on 12th December 1987 and spent a month waiting on his landmark goal, which came on January 9th 1988 at Dunfermline. The four games in between he, by his own admission, couldn’t hit a coo’s erse wi a banjo. I’m sure he said he was nervous with the next goal being a significant milestone and was snatching at chances.

That is not a comparison between Boyce and Robbo, just an example that things don’t always go for even the best strikers.  I’m in the ‘give him a partner’ camp as packed defences are finding it comfortable against our one striker and slow midfield. 

 

Nb - It may have been his 99th to 100th goals? 

Edited November 30, 2020 by Shaggy2

[OmiyaHearts]

I thought I'd have a wee look at stats, to see if Boyce is actually underperforming.

 

Ross C he played 115 & scored 54 = A goal every 2.1 games

Burton he played 94 & scored 33 = A goal every 2.9 games

Hearts he's played 17 & scored 5 = A goal every 3.5 games.

 

Maybe he peaked at County and after getting progressively worse, he's bottomed out at us? Something is definitely wrong with the guy, everyone can see it.

[Gimme an H...]

2 minutes ago, OmiyaHearts said:

I thought I'd have a wee look at stats, to see if Boyce is actually underperforming.

 

Ross C he played 115 & scored 54 = A goal every 2.1 games

Burton he played 94 & scored 33 = A goal every 2.9 games

Hearts he's played 17 & scored 5 = A goal every 3.5 games.

 

Maybe he peaked at County and after getting progressively worse, he's bottomed out at us? Something is definitely wrong with the guy, everyone can see it.

 

Can't say he's bottomed out at Hearts until he's played a comparable amount of games...

[David Black]

11 minutes ago, OmiyaHearts said:

I thought I'd have a wee look at stats, to see if Boyce is actually underperforming.

 

Ross C he played 115 & scored 54 = A goal every 2.1 games

Burton he played 94 & scored 33 = A goal every 2.9 games

Hearts he's played 17 & scored 5 = A goal every 3.5 games.

 

Maybe he peaked at County and after getting progressively worse, he's bottomed out at us? Something is definitely wrong with the guy, everyone can see it.

Boyce like so many strikers at the club over the years is suffering through lack of service and support. Every chance he misses is magnified as its one of the few he will get in a game and his confidence has suffered accordingly. To play a lone striker in this league is just stupidity on RN part. We were all lead to believe we would have 2 wingers taking on their man and getting to the byline.  We have hardly played 2 wingers and very rarely get to the byline. 

Edited November 30, 2020 by David Black

[OmiyaHearts]

7 minutes ago, David Black said:

Boyce like so many strikers at the club over the years is suffering through lack of service and support. Every chance he misses is magnified as its one of the few he will get in a game and his confidence has suffered accordingly. To play a lone striker in this league is just stupidity on RN part. We were all lead to believe we would have 2 wingers taking on their man and getting to the byline.  We have hardly played 2 wingers and very rarely get to the byline. 

We've left ourselves badly exposed up front and the poor form of virtually all forward players is a massive concern. Drop Boyce for Wighton is all we have in our locker now and it's a total joke.

 

Our wide men don't even look like they want to get to the byline but that comes from the manager. I think he and the team are overthinking everything and need to get to a 4-4-2 and make things become a bit more natural for the players.

[David Black]

2 minutes ago, OmiyaHearts said:

We've left ourselves badly exposed up front and the poor form of virtually all forward players is a massive concern. Drop Boyce for Wighton is all we have in our locker now and it's a total joke.

 

Our wide men don't even look like they want to get to the byline but that comes from the manager. I think he and the team are overthinking everything and need to get to a 4-4-2 and make things become a bit more natural for the players.

Interesting you make the comment about RN over thinking things. I thought that first time round and still think it.  

[OmiyaHearts]

6 minutes ago, David Black said:

Interesting you make the comment about RN over thinking things. I thought that first time round and still think it.  

A team is the reflection of it's managers characteristics and personality. I believe this is the case just now.

 

We seem to think about every pass and movement. Some of the best chances we've created this season have been one touch pass and move, spontaneous, natural passing and movement, that players don't need to think about. (which hasn't happened enough)

 

When we have time on the ball it's all very robotic. I'd actually be happier watching us playing long ball and picking up second balls to create chances - with high line of pressure to cut out any potential counters.

Edited November 30, 2020 by OmiyaHearts

[Paul Shark]

2 hours ago, Jambo61 said:

Not sure about chances but probably 3 years!

Overly optimistic in my opinion 😂