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Biggest Difference 2014/2020


busby1985

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Fitness. 
 

The last time in the championship we won matches due to our fitness and ability to keep up the tempo and pressure for longer in matches than our opposition. Ibrox, Easter Road, Alloa, Dumbarton etx we all scored late goals. In fact we scored the most goals in the league in the last 10 minutes of games. We basically passed and ran the opposition off the park. We played the same type of football, side to side trying to get the opposition to break their lines and play in behind them. We done this for the full 90 and 9 times out of 10 it ended in us getting more goals and or winning. The players trained triple sessions most days and barely had days off unless earned. 
 

The difference now is we are trying to play the same shape and style but the players aren’t fit enough and aren’t willing enough to put in the running. Naismith can’t do the running. Lee/Halliday/Haring don’t seem to have the legs to do it. Roberts/Frear not got anything. Add that into the fact that Boyce and Wighton don’t appear to be goal scorers and we have real problems. The only legs we have in the team come from left and right back and when they fail to perform we end up with results like today and Dunfermline. That’s no fair on Kingsley and Smith to carry that burden. 
 

And the last difference and the biggest worry for me, we can’t handle being favourites. Last time we had swagger from the off. Over the past few years we have struggled to be favourites in any game. It’s a burden the players can’t carry and that’s worrying. 

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1 minute ago, 18Jambo_dave74 said:

Energy, pace and tempo.

 

And that all comes from the players being fit enough to carry it out. We are trying to play in the same shape and style from the last time round but don’t have any of the youthful energy of that side. 

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1 minute ago, gedster said:

Players who ried and cared ...Eckersley, Paterson, Gomis, Buaben, Pallardo, Sow, Keatings etc etc etc etc

Simply this.  Nothing to do with fitness, it’s purely attitude.  In 2014, we got the balance of league experience, youth and unknowns from the continent absolutely spot on.  That created a squad with a point to prove, not a squad full of internationals on hefty contracts. 

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Just now, gashauskis9 said:

Simply this.  Nothing to do with fitness, it’s purely attitude.  In 2014, we got the balance of league experience, youth and unknowns from the continent absolutely spot on.  That created a squad with a point to prove, not a squad full of internationals on hefty contracts. 

Not saying the attitude isn’t an issue. I just remember the last time round us being so much fitter and stronger than the rest and it proved pivotal. Fitness plays a huge part in everything. Mental toughness, ability to make the right decisions in games etc. We are currently working with the 2014 blue print but without the legs to carry it out. 

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6 minutes ago, busby1985 said:

Not saying the attitude isn’t an issue. I just remember the last time round us being so much fitter and stronger than the rest and it proved pivotal. Fitness plays a huge part in everything. Mental toughness, ability to make the right decisions in games etc. We are currently working with the 2014 blue print but without the legs to carry it out. 

You’re absolutely spot on re mental fitness (sorry, I meant physical fitness in my post). 

Edited by gashauskis9
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Youth and energy with freedom of having no fear.  This time he’s not playing youngsters and we are playing like 2016 instead when Neilson started to shite his pants. 

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August Landmesser

Also in 14/15 we weren't favourites, it was Rangers' title all the way (according to media etc.) and it was only really November when we beat them at Tynie to go 9? 11? points clear that we were suddenly taken seriously. By then, our momentum was in full effect and we just cracked on.

 

This time, we're working with a bloated squad, many of whom got us to the bottom of the league, in empty grounds, playing in a division that we've been voted into. Morale is not as high as the complacency.

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In the cold light of day, have we been clouded a bit with our judgement of players thinking they are still good enough? 
 

Or has Robbie simply been unable to establish a hunger, a workrate so noticeable the last time he was in charge?  Even at that I still think it is in part down to the players.  I really think we haven’t had a proper clear out. 
 

I think hurtful, big decisions need made. It may even benefit the players going to pastures new as much as it’ll help the club. Once you’ve been through a torrid couple of years at a club, you wonder how much it sub-consciously hampers players?  The pressure that they haven’t lived up to in the last few season remains. 


This set of players looks devoid of the hunger required and it concerns.  You never went to the boozer after watching a MacDonald or Jefferies team and questioned whether players gave their all or not on that day.  
 

 

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kingantti1874
2 minutes ago, Ford Prentice said:

Maybe part of the difference was then we had Steve Crawford as assistant manager, now he's managing Dunfermline.


I actually thought about this, that Dunfermline side actually had similarities to the the way we played in 2014.. 

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Just now, kingantti1874 said:


I actually thought about this, that Dunfermline side actually had similarities to the the way we played in 2014.. 

I thought the same. 

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Attitude, culture, fitness, determination. 

 

We're miles off it mentally and its showing. 

 

Utterly pathetic and we need to shift some more out in the next window. 

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1 minute ago, OTT said:

Attitude, culture, fitness, determination. 

 

We're miles off it mentally and its showing. 

 

Utterly pathetic and we need to shift some more out in the next window. 

Yip. The manager thinks we played well today and played well at Dunfermline. That scares me. 

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1 minute ago, kingantti1874 said:


was stevie Crawford the reason behind our relative success 

I liked the Pars midfield , they maximised their supposedly modest abilities  and i liked the way they hunted Hearts down (that's what I was alluding to). Reminiscent of that 2014 season when Hearts were relentless in hunting down opponents IMO. 

 

I think we were fortunate to get Osman Sow and he has never been adequately replaced. We had power & pace with Buaben & Gomis - unlike the current bunch who couldn't lace their boots.

I wouldn't necessarily credit Crawford too much but who knows how much he contributed that year. 

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Tennant's  6's
15 minutes ago, busby1985 said:

Yip. The manager thinks we played well today and played well at Dunfermline. That scares me. 

That interview was shocking. 

'We created lots of chances' .. it was a time to slaughter the players publicly and leave them in no uncertain terms of the standards needed. 

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Pasquale for King

Youthful exuberance, this manager refuses point blank to play youngsters. He thinks experienced players will see us through, nobody in this place can surely believe that Elliot Frear (or Walker/Roberts) is a better option than the young wingers we have or let go. 

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5 minutes ago, busby1985 said:

That’s my biggest fear and I’ve been thinking it for weeks. 

I remember at New Year 2015, we were top of the league by 14 points, still unbeaten, and Rangers players, pundits and the media were still telling us Rangers could still win the league, I’m afraid we are in this mindset,I think too many of our players and far too much of our support truly believe all we have to do is turn up to win this league

make no mistake, this season will be a battle, far tougher than 2014/15 with this group of players 

Edited by jbee647
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We has bauben and gomis and youngsters who were allowed to  play with no fear.  Now we play with one forward with useless wide men.  Embarrassing. 

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Fanbase was united and that transferred to the team imo , we were on a mission and achieved it.

Then proceeded to squander it through mind boggling incompetence over years which splintered the support and we are where we are.

A circus act with delusions of grandeur.

 

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43 minutes ago, glynnlondon said:

Fanbase was united and that transferred to the team imo , we were on a mission and achieved it.

Then proceeded to squander it through mind boggling incompetence over years which splintered the support and we are where we are.

A circus act with delusions of grandeur.

 

The annoying this is that the fans were actually united after the relegation shambles with the SPFL. Unfortunately the manager and players have got us playing in a way that the fans can not get behind. 

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Agree with all points made so far.  Mentality wise, the players have assumed they will be automatically promoted by just showing up but East end park and yesterday shows that is far from being the case.

 

 

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Biggest difference for me is hunger. 
 

We have a squad filled with shite players on thousands of pounds a week, a lot of them coming towards the end of their careers (the average age of that starting 11 versus Alloa must be close to a record).  These players are also responsible for us being in this division, been paid handsomely to have less points than clubs like Hamilton, st Mirren Ross county etc.  They are a bunch of total losers. 
 

They just don’t have the desire to make up for what they done last season, a bigger shower of shite you will never find.  Bother their arse for the big games but can’t be bothered against the supposed lesser teams.
 

 

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We had a quality central midfield with Gomis and Prince.

We had 3 quality wide players in Walker 1.0, Sam and Billy King.

Now we have a collection of individuals and absolute dross.

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Jambof3tornado
10 hours ago, OTT said:

Attitude, culture, fitness, determination. 

 

We're miles off it mentally and its showing. 

 

Utterly pathetic and we need to shift some more out in the next window. 

Cant remember the last time a transfer window arrived without us needing to shift more deadwood out!!!!

 

 

Recruitment has been awful with few exceptions.

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Sitting reading this post and theres  many good points being made.For what its worth I think decent young players with a bit pace and lots of attitude would make a big difference. If you cant get a bit extra desire playing for Hearts just give up.Its actually quite worrying reading through the post how much is wrong.Allowing for yesterdays result we really havent played great in any game .

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Gordon Ramsay

Hunger, pace, desire in 2014.

 

Now its just slow, boring crap. No one gives a shit. The culture of the club was evidenced by that documentary. Like a bowling club. 

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11 hours ago, jonesy said:

Nicholson, King and Walker (2014 version).

 

Those three made it happen, and we've never really replaced their ability, confidence, desire and pride. Instead we've become a pension top up for Naismith and a dangerously jammed revolving door cluttered full of journeymen nobodies.


You missed out Paterson, but don’t disagree with the thrust of your post 

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11 hours ago, August Landmesser said:

Also in 14/15 we weren't favourites, it was Rangers' title all the way (according to media etc.) and it was only really November when we beat them at Tynie to go 9? 11? points clear that we were suddenly taken seriously. By then, our momentum was in full effect and we just cracked on.

 

This time, we're working with a bloated squad, many of whom got us to the bottom of the league, in empty grounds, playing in a division that we've been voted into. Morale is not as high as the complacency.

This is where I am. Truncated pre-season, lack of fitness but, crucially a lot of players who think they’re better than they are and too good to be playing at Arbroath and Alloa.

If that’s the case ******* show us.

That Championship side would ragdoll this one

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10 hours ago, jbee647 said:

We are Rangers 2014/15

Agreed. Which, in this case makes us the Rangers fans, arrogantly proclaiming we will romp the league and only need to turn up to win at a canter. The way its going Dunfermline look like us from 2014.

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Lord Beni of Gorgie
9 hours ago, Gordon Ramsay said:

Hunger, pace, desire in 2014.

 

Now its just slow, boring crap. No one gives a shit. The culture of the club was evidenced by that documentary. Like a bowling club. 

Never seen a bowling club like that before. 

 

Slow boring crap I agree with. 

 

Every team seems to play it. Watching Aberdeen Hibs a few weeks back even 2 down Hibs were slaves to it.

 

Its not just a Hearts thing,  its endemic 

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Most of our players don't have the capability to move up a gear pace-wise and the team collectively don't have extra gears when we fall behind...

 

I'm fed up of watching players turn their backs on a teammate who is trying to take a throw-in. Usually our full-backs have NO options when taking throw-ins and 3-4 other players are facing the wrong way or standing stock-still with hands on their hips. Eventually one player will take a turn to make a run, giving the FB ONE option.

 

I hate seeing many of our players turn around and trudge back to the halfway line with their heads down when the opposition GK is taking a goal kick (Naismith is pretty much the only one who jogs backwards so he can watch the GK and where other players are). It's about alertness, playing on your front foot, being on your toes...

 

Our players are lazy.

Edited by Spellczech
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Ball passed forward then back, usually further back than it was initially then sideways. Like a triangle. I don’t know if box soccer is to blame or what.

Very rarely does our midfield receive a pass, turn and go forward.

The striker comes deep looking for the ball.

Our wingers don’t take men on and hit the byline and our crosses are over hit nine times out of ten

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