***Offishul Hearts v Alloa thread - 7pm KO***

[Bazzas right boot]

1 hour ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

Are they playing a part time bottom of the league team? 🤔

 

Did we spend £90m on 1 player.

Context...

[Thomaso]

1 minute ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

Did we spend £90m on 1 player.

Context...

There was no “context” in comparing Man Utd playing a team in the Champions League to Hearts playing a team at the bottom of the Scottish Championship! None!

[Bazzas right boot]

1 minute ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

There was no “context” in comparing Man Utd playing a team in the Champions League to Hearts playing a team at the bottom of the Scottish Championship! None!

 

we won 3-0, put the port down and go to sleep.

 

 

win, lose or draw your still a greetin' face .

 

[heartandsoul]

The only purpose this season is to get out of this league that we shouldn't be in anyway. Keep winning and we win this league.

[Bazzas right boot]

1 hour ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

Are you denying that you wanted Hibs to win the Scottish Cup?

 

Ofc I am, I never, ever said that.

Fake news.

[Bazzas right boot]

6 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

I hope your last sentence is wrong otherwise we might be in serious trouble. 

 are we tho, if we win 9/10 games?

[Ethan Hunt]

6 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

The football world will be gobsmacked if we beat Celtic. Winning breeds confidence so that’s what we need to focus on. 

Strangely enough Celtic supporters in my work are saying they wouldn’t be surprised if we turn them over, mainly because they’ve never watched us this season. I’ve had to be honest and say I would amazed. 

 

It seems that neither support is confident but, importantly, Celtic supporters know their team can turn it on. I’m not convinced that winning in the manner we are against mediocre Championship opposition is going to do huge amounts confidence wise.

 

Your positivity is admirable though.

[Bazzas right boot]

1 hour ago, fabienleclerq said:

 

We didn't pummel them by any stretch. First half we were good apart from a ten minute spell, second was shite. If we were playing a better team we would've struggled. 

 

Are folk complaining about the score or the performance? It's possible to be critical of the performance while being happy at the score ffs. 

 

 

critical yes, complete lambasting and slagging- no.

 

I Cleary stated there were  positives and negatives, not 1 person is hailing it as a perfect performance.

 

Sane people don't call it shocking, crap, diabolical, blah blah and rip every player to sunder.

[Thomaso]

1 minute ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

we won 3-0, put the port down and go to sleep.

 

 

win, lose or draw your still a greetin' face .

 

All you have is childish insults when you run out of anything valid or sensible to say. Pathetic Tosh.

As for your last dose of shite read my comments after we beat Dundee and Hibs - greetin face my arse!

[wattie exploited]

when we got out this league last time we played great football this time so far apart from the Dundee game its been pretty poor we have a squad who should be pissing all over these teams 

[Thomaso]

6 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

Ofc I am, I never, ever said that.

Fake news.

😂😂😂

[davemclaren]

1 minute ago, Ethan Hunt said:

Strangely enough Celtic supporters in my work are saying they wouldn’t be surprised if we turn them over, mainly because they’ve never watched us this season. I’ve had to be honest and say I would amazed. 

 

It seems that neither support is confident but, importantly, Celtic supporters know their team can turn it on. I’m not convinced that winning in the manner we are against mediocre Championship opposition is going to do huge amounts confidence wise.

 

Your positivity is admirable though.

I’m more focussed on getting promoted this season but a cup win would be a very welcome bonus. When we played Celtic in the cup the last time we were in the second tier we got totally hammered at home. I’d certainly like to avoid that, at worst. 

[Thomaso]

6 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

I’m more focussed on getting promoted this season but a cup win would be a very welcome bonus. When we played Celtic in the cup the last time we were in the second tier we got totally hammered at home. I’d certainly like to avoid that, at worst. 

Didn’t help going down to 10 men early doors and Collum being in “top form”....😏

[davemclaren]

1 minute ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

Didn’t help going down to 10 men early doors and Collum being in “top form”....😏

Those are the risks we run. 

[JimmyCant]

11 minutes ago, wattie exploited said:

when we got out this league last time we played great football this time so far apart from the Dundee game its been pretty poor we have a squad who should be pissing all over these teams 

We don’t. We have a squad that for the most part got us in the shite last season. I’m not sure how we suddenly expect what is basically the same animal to be taking teams, not much worse than we played last season, to the cleaners

[Bazzas right boot]

16 minutes ago, wattie exploited said:

when we got out this league last time we played great football this time so far apart from the Dundee game its been pretty poor we have a squad who should be pissing all over these teams 

 

 

The football was that great we beat teams  like Alloa at home 3-0.

I remember it well. 

 

 

 

 

[Ethan Hunt]

1 minute ago, JimmyCant said:

We don’t. We have a squad that for the most part got us in the shite last season. I’m not sure how we suddenly expect what is basically the same animal to be taking teams, not much worse than we played last season, to the cleaners

Is that not why we employed a new manager? People said Stendel was a failure for not making a difference.

 

That same animal didn’t include Gordon, Kingsley, Haring, Halliday and Roberts from tonight’s starting line up alone. Hardly the same animal.

 

As for the quality of opposition, only two of them have fairly recently been in the Premiership, the rest are Championship level teams all day long.

 

With three current international players in our team I’d be expecting better against part timers.

[Ethan Hunt]

7 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

 

The football was that great we beat teams  like Alloa at home 3-0.

I remember it well. 

 

 

 

 

You remember it well as the highlights of it were played at half time, if they hadn’t you’d have had no recollection of it at all.

 

 

[JimmyCant]

1 hour ago, Robbo-Jambo said:

Thought Berra was absolutely fine tonight. 

 

If that was Roberts best game I would hate to see his worst. 

 

Him and Frear are just dreadful signings who are simply nowhere near good enough 

 

Roberts was okay without achieving all that much

 

Berra was under no pressure all night. The time to worry about Berra is when we’re playing a team with any kind of attacking ambition

 

Smith was good. Kingsley was good. Haring was good. Halliday was good. Naismith had a better game than of late, as did Walker. White was good when he came on. Boyce had yet another mare and needs to be taken out of the team and reset.

[Pasquale for King]

54 minutes ago, Cruickshank for Scotland said:

There was no “context” in comparing Man Utd playing a team in the Champions League to Hearts playing a team at the bottom of the Scottish Championship! None!

They have some guy called Bolingoli playing rather well for them too hahahahaha 😆. 

[RobNox]

1 hour ago, sandylejambo said:

While we didn't do much in the second half, Alloa did nothing in the second half, where as they bothered us a fair bit till we got the second goal in the first half.

 

That's where I'm at.  At 3-0 down, the onus was on Alloa to try and take the game to us, which they didn't really do.  Why should we take any risks at 3-0 up and maybe allow Alloa to grab a goal back on a counter attack?  If Boyce had converted one of the two chances he had at the penalty, then maybe we would have gone a bit more gung ho.

[ri Alban]

3 hours ago, Ethan Hunt said:

You remember it well as the highlights of it were played at half time, if they hadn’t you’d have had no recollection of it at all.

 

 

[i8hibsh]

Paid £18.50 for this tonight. Happy(ish) with it but the quality was shit. Shakin Stevens was on the camera?

[gregzy2k7]

Back on the winning trail!! Giruy Robbie haters!!

[John Findlay]

3 goals, none conceded, 3pts. Job done. Modern football can be shite at times, but it was job done.

[Peakybunnet]

5 hours ago, wattie exploited said:

when we got out this league last time we played great football this time so far apart from the Dundee game its been pretty poor we have a squad who should be pissing all over these teams 

 

That's because we had Gomis last time. he was the glue between a pretty meh defense and a decent attacking line. 

 

This time the midfield is misfiring and we are all hoping Haring will be the glue this time if he stays fit. 

[Finlay James]

8 hours ago, BigAlim said:

Would have liked to have seen some younger lads come on second half, I'm sure they would have put in some extra oomph to try and get into the team

 

This was exactly my thoughts too.  Instead of bringing on Popescu or White, we should have had Logan and a young winger on the bench and giving them experience.  If ever there was a pathway to the 1st team, then surely 3-0 at half time at home Alloa is that opportunity to blood our academy players.

[DH1986]

It feels wrong to have a moan after a 3-0 win.......

 

Our forward thinking players need to get their act together. Boyce, Walker and Naismith all need to up their game imo. 
 

We should be battering Alloa stupid but in reality we played well for around a third of the game and the rest was scrappy. Our ‘attacking’ players only had one or two shots on target between them.  There is definitely a lack of confidence in that area.

 

We look a different team with Haring in the side and next time he’s rested I’d be inclined to move Smith or Halkett into that role rather than move Halliday. 
 

Having that centre midfield figure gives us a better balance.

[Hearts1975]

9 hours ago, Glamorgan Jambo said:

Highlights - Roberts had his best game, Walker when he roams can cause trouble, Haring was immense, Smith was his usual 8/10 until he went off, White brings energy when he comes on

 

Lowlights - Berra looked atrocious, Popescu shouldn’t have been asked to play right back, Boyce needs a rest

I thought Roberts was terrible and Walker was non existent at times, if I’m honest. Our 2 worst performers. Everyone else did their job well without being spectacular 
 

Much much better in the centre of the park - Haring was immense and Halliday was really good and thought White added a real bit of directness and energy when he came on. would like to see Henderson and Moore given a bit of game time and wide, moving forward.

Roberts and Frear should be the back ups, and the 2 young lads given the jersey until such times that they lose it given Roberts and Frears lack of form 

 

We were in control throughout the whole game. I think the commanding lead and the lack of fans, naturally, means that players will inveriably take their foot of the gas.

I know it shouldn’t happen but it probably just happens naturally than through intent. 

 

A good solid win and no reason why we won’t get back to winning ways regularly from here 

[The Treasurer]

Firstly the main aim was to get 3 points, so job done.

While  the second half performance was hugely disappointing,  there are certainly reasons.

The game was won by half time.

The weather was atrocious.

And, probably most importantly, there was no supporters there to urge the team on.

Until we have a meaningful number of fans in the ground there is a real possibility that we will see more games follow a similar pattern.

[Hearts1975]

Just now, The Treasurer said:

Firstly the main aim was to get 3 points, so job done.

While  the second half performance was hugely disappointing,  there are certainly reasons.

The game was won by half time.

The weather was atrocious.

And, probably most importantly, there was no supporters there to urge the team on.

Until we have a meaningful number of fans in the ground there is a real possibility that we will see more games follow a similar pattern.

👍 spot on 

[Bazzas right boot]

7 hours ago, Ethan Hunt said:

You remember it well as the highlights of it were played at half time, if they hadn’t you’d have had no recollection of it at all.

 

 

 

 

Exactly the point I was making...... 

[Gambo]

There is zero buzz/spark in our play.

 

That has been case for this season, Dundee aside.

 

We look like we have 11 individuals on the park doing the minimum required.

 

Yes results (I know thats what counts) have been there, as they should considering opposition, but performances are awful.

 

Neilson needs to address this pronto.  If he has been addressing this then the message ain't getting through.

 

 

[OldGorgie]

Last night was poor by any standards. It’s fairly obvious that passing across the back and backwards allows the opposition to regroup. We are a long way away from the pre season promise that the fast skilful wide players would open up the games allowing our free scoring forwards room. 

[soonbe110]

8 hours ago, JimmyCant said:

I’m not really bothered about the perception of poor performance. This team was assembled to do one job and one job only. Get us back into the top league. We’re not bothered about anything else IMO and if they take the second half off when the job is done in the first half, to me that’s not even worth worrying about. 
 

Longer term of course we’ll need to be a better more dangerous and clinical team than we are now or we’ll be in the same place next season as we were last season. That’s going to take signings. A fair few of the current team won’t feature next season because they’re not good enough for a level above this

 

Has this team got a really decent performance in it ? Well we’ve seen it twice so far this season against Dundee and against Hibs. The only other decent performance we’ll need this season is on 20th December. This league will be won by Hearts by a distance. It won’t necessarily be pretty   Because we’re not a pretty team and we’re not in a pretty league. We’re in a league where every game just about will be a grind. We can worry about watching slick effective dangerous football next season. Your unlikely to see it much from the current team. 

 

3-0 is job done in anyone’s book. Next please.

👍

[soonbe110]

10 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

Can’t agree about Halkett or Walker, both look to have found their level. 
Clearing the decks might not be that easy with guys like Roberts/Damour/Popescu not good enough and a few youngsters he doesn’t seem to rate at this level never mind the top league. 

It will be if it’s necessary. Damour will leave otherwise it’s career over for him. Most players move on when told they won’t be getting a game. 

[soonbe110]

10 hours ago, Pasquale for King said:

Whoa easy tiger let’s not exaggerate, they’ve had about two good teams since the 70s who’ve played good football. Putting up with shite performances is very much a Hibs thing though. 

No, but the perception amongst their  fans and the football media is that they have been playing like Brazil for as long as I can remember. And that’s a long time. 
I’d rather win ugly every week than lose prettily every week as they have supposedly been doing since Adam was a boy. 

[soonbe110]

9 hours ago, Spellczech said:

But if players cannot relax, express themselves and entertain a bit when they have a 3 goal cushion, then when can they? Our players don't seem to realise that there are fans watching the football, rather than just checking in on the score on the BBC website...

They are professionals. Results are what they are paid to get, especially this season. Why would they care about entertaining fans on tv? 

[Spellczech]

1 minute ago, soonbe110 said:

They are professionals. Results are what they are paid to get, especially this season. Why would they care about entertaining fans on tv? 

We may have a rubbish TV deal in Scotland but the fans are still the ones who ultimately pay these "professionals".

[soonbe110]

9 hours ago, Francis Albert said:

Yes. Except of course I meant to say final!

I did wonder what you and Dave were talking about! 

[soonbe110]

1 minute ago, Spellczech said:

We may have a rubbish TV deal in Scotland but the fans are still the ones who ultimately pay these "professionals".

Fans are mostly happy when their team wins unlike some on here 

[Gimme an H...]

30 minutes ago, Gambo said:

There is zero buzz/spark in our play.

 

That has been case for this season, Dundee aside.

 

We look like we have 11 individuals on the park doing the minimum required.

 

Yes results (I know thats what counts) have been there, as they should considering opposition, but performances are awful.

 

Neilson needs to address this pronto.  If he has been addressing this then the message ain't getting through.

 

 

 

I've been trying like everyone else to figure out why the performances have been so lacklustre. I can only think (hope) that the two games we've seemed really up for was because the Dundee game had the whole 'vote saga' hanging over it and the hibs game was a derby. Its alot easier to motivate teams when there's a point to prove or its seen as a big game. 

 

I know everyone will argue that every game is a big game in this league and I'd agree until we are promoted. But when you're 3-0 up at HT why not take the foot off the gas, manage the game out and save yourself for the next one. 

 

This is where one of main differences between Hearts and the OF are though. Hearts have a history of getting early leads, fans expect a cricket score then the game peters out. The OF would crack on and get more goals. Maybe because they're worried it to comes down to goal difference in the league but it's something I want to see from Hearts. 

 

 

Edited November 25, 2020 by Gimme an H...

[Hashimoto]

Result first, performance second!

Delighted with the 3 points.....Positives for me...Haring again reminding us that he is the best midfielder at the club
great performance topped off with a goal.

Negatives.......none!

We move onto the next game.

[Harry Potter]

5 minutes ago, Hashimoto said:

Result first, performance second!

Delighted with the 3 points.....Positives for me...Haring again reminding us that he is the best midfielder at the club
great performance topped off with a goal.

Negatives.......none!

We move onto the next game.

Good post, we had to win last night, job done.

[KyleLafferty]

People moaning about performances are the same ones who slate Hibs fans for saying they play good football but ultimately lose.

[Shanks]

Think folk are expecting us to put in performances like we did last time in the championship, unfortunately this team doesn’t have that in them.  
 

Last time in this league we had a group of young hungry players with a point to prove in their careers.  Now we have a squad of old, injury prone and way overpaid players.

 

I am just happy with the three points. 

[Thomaso]

17 minutes ago, Hashimoto said:

Result first, performance second!

Delighted with the 3 points.....Positives for me...Haring again reminding us that he is the best midfielder at the club
great performance topped off with a goal.

Negatives.......none!

We move onto the next game.

Negatives “none”?

Boyce’s missing two penalties will further drain his confidence, and passing up the chance to seriously improve our goal difference are two surely?

[Thomaso]

52 minutes ago, soonbe110 said:

Fans are mostly happy when their team wins unlike some on here 

Show me where any Hearts fan on here has said they are unhappy that we won?

[kingantti1874]

9 minutes ago, KyleLafferty said:

People moaning about performances are the same ones who slate Hibs fans for saying they play good football but ultimately lose.

they are 😆 more interested in the flair 

[Horatio Caine]

I remember in the Burley era we used to have matches won by half time, with the second half being pretty much a non event.  I realise this team is nowhere near the level of the Burley team, but the principle is the same - kill the game off early on then manage the game thereafter.  Personally, like most on here, I'd far prefer to see them keeping it up for the second half and at least doubling the score.  However - it's still the three points.