*** Offishul Hearts v Raith Thread ***

[franco2209]

2 hours ago, Danny Wilde said:

Elements of this season are repeating what we saw last season, when the way to avoid being bottom required "only" that we beat the teams around us - which we singularly failed to do. Currently we're doing our level best to avoid automatic promotion, by again failing to beat the teams around us. 2 more defeats this week - which is somewhere between possible to likely on current form, and we're right back to square one. There really is something rotten running through the mentality of Hearts on the playing side, it feels embedded and I don't recognise the club sometimes.

Best post by a country mile!, We never grasp the opportunity to build on a decent performance,gaining momentum,instilling good habits,lending itself to a winning mindset .This was evident in previous games,leading comfortably at half time ,then producing an insipid perfornance second half, with some fans on here saying 'job done'. It's almost as if we have this 'lets take it to the wire mentality' when we should be coasting  This mentality has got to change big time,starting from top to bottom.

[Rogue Daddy]

20 minutes ago, Horatio Caine said:

Well, there was general approval of the starting 11 today, unlike last week.  At least last week we won and were never behind, unlike this week. 

Yeah, I liked the look of that team today (although I would have had ginnelly start)... so, maybe it’s an attitude problem 🤷‍♂️ Thing is, having a poor first half is happening too often. For whatever reason. 

[fila]

Major overhaul hasn’t happened , and we are now seeing the result of this. I still have no doubt we will be promoted , but god help us next season .

 

I honestly thought this season would allow the club to build a strong strong for next season .... got that wrong 

[Pasquale for King]

2 hours ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

 

What has Levein got to do with today's result? 

 

 

 

 

I think the post was pretty explanatory even for you? 
Same tactics, change wingers when its not working,never change it in the first half, pointless sub at 50 minutes, blame, the ref, stuck with 3 CHs that he brought to the club. His protege failing again. 
 

Yeah nothing to do with him. 

[Pasquale for King]

4 minutes ago, Rogue Daddy said:

Yeah, I liked the look of that team today (although I would have had ginnelly start)... so, maybe it’s an attitude problem 🤷‍♂️ Thing is, having a poor first half is happening too often. For whatever reason. 

All the players can’t have attitude problems. The manager and his staff don’t seem to be able to motivate them on a consistent basis. 

[Pasquale for King]

12 minutes ago, franco2209 said:

Best post by a country mile!, We never grasp the opportunity to build on a decent performance,gaining momentum,instilling good habits,lending itself to a winning mindset .This was evident in previous games,leading comfortably at half time ,then producing an insipid perfornance second half, with some fans on here saying 'job done'. It's almost as if we have this 'lets take it to the wire mentality' when we should be coasting  This mentality has got to change big time,starting from top to bottom.

Starting with the top, that’s where this losers nicey nicey mentality starts. 

[NANOJAMBO]

1 hour ago, Furious Styles said:

https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/article/reaction-robbie-neilson-1-2-3-4-5-6

Aye, Robbie. And if their penalty had been converted they'd have been 4 up. 

Imagine THAT in a packed Tynie, Robbie. 

[franco2209]

1 hour ago, pettigrewsstylist said:

I thought Tynie was the problem as it was too intense for our last lot of wee lambs. 

That was my train of thought,the apologists will go to any lengths to suit their narrative -just bizzare.

[The Mighty Thor]

1 hour ago, Furious Styles said:

https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/article/reaction-robbie-neilson-1-2-3-4-5-6

Aye Neilson. Nae bother.

 

B O R I N G 

 

We've heard it all before. In fact 3 weeks ago at the last embarrassing pumping from a diddy team.

[Billy Hoyle]

36 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

All the players can’t have attitude problems. The manager and his staff don’t seem to be able to motivate them on a consistent basis. 

It was the same under Levein. As soon as we had what we all thought as fans was a great looking team out on the park we inevitably didn’t win. 
Has to be something to do with management not being able to get the best out them. The players think what they are giving is enough and is absolutely nowhere near good enough even in this league never mind next season. 

[Pasquale for King]

Just now, Billy Hoyle said:

It was the same under Levein. As soon as we had what we all thought as fans was a great looking team out on the park we inevitably didn’t win. 
Has to be something to do with management not being able to get the best out them. The players think what they are giving is enough and is absolutely nowhere near good enough even in this league never mind next season. 

That’s what’s worrying as apart from Ginnelly that’s our best 11.
The manager carries the can for this, he’s blamed the ref for at least 3 of the 4 defeats. 

I’ve not seen what he said after the game. 

[Glottis]

It's easy to have a pop at the wingers and Frear for example certainly hasn't been good enough - but our poor team performances have not been because of the wings.

 

 

The centre of our team isn't good enough or well set up.

 

Berra and Halkett are unorganised and make too many silly mistakes.

Popescu hasn't looked much better (but I believe he deserves more of a chance than he's been given).

 

Our midfield has some quality but really poor system and choices.

Today we had Irving, Halliday with Naismith in front but Naismith was too far away from them.

If Irving is playing, there is absolutely no need for Halliday to play in midfield.

Losing Olly Lee has made our midfield weaker.

 

We need somebody to compliment Irving, so that the 2 central players can link up better with Naismith.

Walker is not that someone.

[Sub4TiddlerMurray]

1 hour ago, jambopilms said:

Their drive and movement from midfield was much better. Get ball, turn and drive into space. We haven't got the legs to do it ourselves or to stop other teams from doing it 

 

If we play with two wingers, the risk is we are weak in the middle. IMO that's where we were outfought. That said, I thought Irving was a class act today but he was very much on his own in there.

[Pasquale for King]

11 minutes ago, The Mighty Thor said:

Aye Neilson. Nae bother.

 

B O R I N G 

 

We've heard it all before. In fact 3 weeks ago at the last embarrassing pumping from a diddy team.

Same excuses as last season, we didn’t move the ball enough and no cutting edge, ****ing do something about it. 
St Johnstone just showed how much his big achievement since coming back wasn’t that great. 

[Dusk_Till_Dawn]

16 minutes ago, The Mighty Thor said:

Aye Neilson. Nae bother.

 

B O R I N G 

 

We've heard it all before. In fact 3 weeks ago at the last embarrassing pumping from a diddy team.

He talks shite. A total cock

[gowestjambo]

Most teams we play look fitter and stronger, there is no excuse for the games we are losing. Our Centre Halfs are the worst in theLeague, and our midfield consists of Andy Irving.

[5-1Jambo]

1 hour ago, Rogue Daddy said:

Yeah, I liked the look of that team today (although I would have had ginnelly start)... so, maybe it’s an attitude problem 🤷‍♂️ Thing is, having a poor first half is happening too often. For whatever reason. 

Our players think they are super stars playing in a league below them. No tacklers in the team no one fights for the result. Robbie got booked before any players and we were already 3 down. Not saying we should kick the opposition but at least impose ourselves on them. Gutted was really looking forward to watching a decent performance today. This lot don't give a s@@@e about the club or the expectations of the fans. 

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

Thank Christ I opted not to watch this. I want to enjoy my holiday!

[kingantti1874]

3 minutes ago, Geoff Kilpatrick said:

Thank Christ I opted not to watch this. I want to enjoy my holiday!

good move Geoff.

[Pasquale for King]

14 minutes ago, gowestjambo said:

Most teams we play look fitter and stronger, there is no excuse for the games we are losing. Our Centre Halfs are the worst in theLeague, and our midfield consists of Andy Irving.

With more desire too which is unforgivable.,

[Bazzas right boot]

1 hour ago, McCrae said:

I will be in the minority, but I don’t rate Kingsley. Good going forward and at set pieces... but a terrible defender. 

 

I agree, he's suspect defensively but he is a good player.

 

[Bazzas right boot]

1 hour ago, upgotheheads said:

 

His teams have always played like that, and I did say 'except Celtic'

 

He has taken 3 years to build his team .

 

[chrystaf]

2 minutes ago, sadj said:

Agreed , however we aren’t making most of the chances until we gift the other team a few goals lead. If we start like we finish jobs a good un. All the good Hearts teams Iv seen always fly out the traps. We just don’t seem to have any motivation until its too late

Exactly.  A carbon copy of the Dundee away game.  Only start to take things seriously when cause is almost lost.

Too many individual errors and a general sloppiness about our passing and tacking.  And Smith had perhaps his poorest game in a Hearts shirt.

No happy clapping after this performance.  And no, we didn't deserve and equaliser.  Embarrassingly the best team won.

[McCrae]

42 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

I agree, he's suspect defensively but he is a good player.

 

maybe he should player further up the park.  Apart from the penalty, he should have done better in the build up for the 1st goal.

[McCrae]

1 hour ago, gowestjambo said:

Most teams we play look fitter and stronger, there is no excuse for the games we are losing. Our Centre Halfs are the worst in theLeague, and our midfield consists of Andy Irving.

No excuse for this.  That team would struggle in the Premier League.

[Class of 75]

3 hours ago, Robbo-Jambo said:

Alarm bells ringing with the fact that Neilson has already made three horrendous signings. 

 

Pospecu Frear and Roberts. 

 

He had them on trial, watched them and gave them deals. 

 

I am sorry but wtf did he actually see there. 

Agree mate, the mind boggles. Nowhere near good enough to wear the jersey. Waste of a wage everyone of them 

[StirlingJambo]

12 hours ago, been here before said:

 

"Top assister"

 

 

He was/is shite. We'll have a new top assister this year though.

I agree that he’s not the best but he’s the best midfielder we had for assists. Hopefully get a replacement soon, however with it being January I very much doubt that.

[No Idle Talk]

I don't wish to be negative but that was bad. The first half in particular was dreadful.

 

It was so clear that the formation we were playing was not posing Raith any problems. I understand that managers - as a rule - are loathe to change formation or make substitutions in the first half of a match but today was a day where we were really crying out for that. Robbie waited too long to switch things about. I will be very interested to see if he goes back to the 4-2-3-1 on Tuesday night or if he tries something different. Hopefully the latter. 

 

It wasn't just the manager's fault though. There were some pretty abject performances from the players today too. Craig Halkett had a mare. Gary Mackay-Steven was poor. Steven Naismith wasn't up to his usual standard. 

 

Just an all around bad day at the office I would say. We now have to dust ourselves down, get back to work, and resolve to put things right on Tuesday night. 

Edited January 24, 2021 by No Idle Talk

[scottg71]

I know he’s usually an 8/10 every game but I thought Smith was poor today as well. Rarely found a teammate with a pass.

Kingsley celebrated his new contract by having his poorest performance for us.

Berra is done and Halkett not good enough.

Halliday and Frear offer nothing, GMS is still settling in.

F knows what’s going on with Naismith.

Boyce showed what he can do with service but is dropping deep too much.

Irving and Ginnelly the only stand outs at present.

We’ll win this league because it’s doubtful any other teams can find enough consistency to challenge us but this is a bottom 3 of the Premiership team.

 

[1874robbo]

2 hours ago, No Idle Talk said:

I don't wish to be negative but that was bad. The first half in particular was dreadful.

 

It was so clear that the formation we were playing was not posing Raith any problems. I understand that managers - as a rule - are loathe to change formation or make substitutions in the first half of a match but today was a day where we were really crying out for that. Robbie waited too long to switch things about. I will be very interested to see if he goes back to the 4-2-3-1 on Tuesday night or if he tries something different. Hopefully the latter. 

 

It wasn't just the manager's fault though. There were some pretty abject performances from the players today too. Craig Halkett had a mare. Gary Mackay-Steven was poor. Steven Naismith wasn't up to his usual standard. 

 

Just an all around bad day at the office I would say. We now have to dust ourselves down, get back to work, and resolve to put things right on Tuesday night. 

Good managers spot problems and make the changes no matter when it is in the game, our manager doesn’t seem to admit or learn from his mistakes and chooses to blame refs and everything else bar look within.

let us see what happens on Tuesday night and if he can get the 3 points?

he might actually be better being in the stand as his motivational skills on the sideline are Zero.

[The Gorgie]

Last season a lot of the players looked like they strolled around the pitch with the attitude of "we're too good to go down". This season alot of the performances look like they have the attitude of "we're too good and will go up anyway". The club has severe issues in training as there is a clear lack of motivation. Pass the ball side ways and stay static, well until we are getting humped then they start trying to play football.

[pettigrewsstylist]

1 hour ago, scottg71 said:

I know he’s usually an 8/10 every game but I thought Smith was poor today as well. Rarely found a teammate with a pass.

Kingsley celebrated his new contract by having his poorest performance for us.

Berra is done and Halkett not good enough.

Halliday and Frear offer nothing, GMS is still settling in.

F knows what’s going on with Naismith.

Boyce showed what he can do with service but is dropping deep too much.

Irving and Ginnelly the only stand outs at present.

We’ll win this league because it’s doubtful any other teams can find enough consistency to challenge us but this is a bottom 3 of the Premiership team.

 

Boyces headed finishing was the main positive from today. Defence not fit for purpose and it should be dismantled and started again with new CBs who have been over the course. None of the 3 available are up to the job.

[pettigrewsstylist]

4 minutes ago, Jamie Walker Tash said:

Last season a lot of the players looked like they strolled around the pitch with the attitude of "we're too good to go down". This season alot of the performances look like they have the attitude of "we're too good and will go up anyway". The club has severe issues in training as there is a clear lack of motivation. Pass the ball side ways and stay static, well until we are getting humped then they start trying to play football.

100%. Leadership failure, compounded by signing weak minded individuals who cant handle the club/fanbase/stadia

[credit card]

11 hours ago, jonesy said:

Spot on. Irving was the only player that tried to make reasonable forward passes. Our full backs either play it to the CH or scud it out for a shy. Our wingers looked terrified of the bye-line. Halliday... GTF.

This

[Turkishcap]

Alan Preston said Frear looks shot, surely if true the coaching staff should see this and try to get to the bottom of it as to putting the guy out to dry.

He is human after all and sure none of us really want one of our players to be suffering mentally.

[R1874]

Our midfield looked so weak in comparison. Similar against Dundee

 

If Haring isn’t playing need someone who can battle a bit

[Des' Dad]

16 hours ago, i8hibsh said:

 

 

I have been on this forum for 16 years. I reckon in all the abuse I have given, 98% has been aimed towards men.  Can you please explain to me why my abuse to Ann Budge qualifies me for that vile accusation of hating all women?

"We are run by a woman who has no ****ing clue about football."

Your statement implied that because Ann Budge was a woman she did not have a clue about football, which might well be true, but nevertheless showed your disdain for the gender.

[jamboozy]

1 hour ago, Jamie Walker Tash said:

Last season a lot of the players looked like they strolled around the pitch with the attitude of "we're too good to go down". This season alot of the performances look like they have the attitude of "we're too good and will go up anyway". The club has severe issues in training as there is a clear lack of motivation. Pass the ball side ways and stay static, well until we are getting humped then they start trying to play football.

Good post, I don’t know about anyone else, but I was furious with frustration at the side to side shite that we were witnessing yesterday, especially right after Raith making an incisive , accurate pass to take out our entire midfield and set up yet another dangerous attack, we could have had no complaints if we had been 3 down before 1/2 time!

[jamboozy]

Does anyone else think all these pointless passes are just to get personal stats up?

[lost in space]

2 minutes ago, jamboozy said:

Does anyone else think all these pointless passes are just to get personal stats up?

No, it comes from the manager telling players to keep possession. The fact that we are not doing enough with the possession seems to be too much for him to grasp.

 

[jamboozy]

1 minute ago, lost in space said:

No, it comes from the manager telling players to keep possession. The fact that we are not doing enough with the possession seems to be too much for him to grasp.

 

As my post above, I was incandescent with our players yesterday, maybe I’m just looking for a reason.

[TyphoonJambo]

There was a particularly obvious point where a Raith attack broke down on the edge of our box. We had possession but passed it back and sideways until they had time to all get back behind the ball. I was f####n raging.

As for the lack of end product from about 20 corners!!!

Edited January 24, 2021 by TypoonJambo

[A_A wehatethehibs]

6 minutes ago, TypoonJambo said:

There was a particularly obvious point where a Raith attack broke down on the edge of our box. We had possession but passed it back and sideways until they had time to all get back behind the ball. I was f####n raging.

Have to say there is an elephant in the room. Or rather an elephant not in the room. The fans. At times it feels like a training game.

[i8hibsh]

49 minutes ago, Des' Dad said:

"We are run by a woman who has no ****ing clue about football."

Your statement implied that because Ann Budge was a woman she did not have a clue about football, which might well be true, but nevertheless showed your disdain for the gender.

 

 

No, I feel you wanted it to imply that though. Those with a balanced mind will take it for what it is however. Many women know lots about football, Ann Budge is not one of them. Many men know **** all about football too.  People like you I fear are dangerous nowadays. Spending all day looking for things just to shout accusations and make someone the victim. There is nothing to see here. I don't like Ann Budge. If you take that in such a precious way as to think that is me saying I hate all women then I pity you.

[chrystaf]

15 hours ago, franco2209 said:

Best post by a country mile!, We never grasp the opportunity to build on a decent performance,gaining momentum,instilling good habits,lending itself to a winning mindset .This was evident in previous games,leading comfortably at half time ,then producing an insipid perfornance second half, with some fans on here saying 'job done'. It's almost as if we have this 'lets take it to the wire mentality' when we should be coasting  This mentality has got to change big time,starting from top to bottom.

Absolutely.  I'll say again, we're a one-half team, whether as franco says above ,or we stroll out in the first half, let inferior teams bully us, with quick accurate pressing football, building up a commanding lead and then and only then do we get our finger out and mostly to no avail.

Most teams can now suss us out.  Embarrassing.

Get it sorted Robbie.

[chrystaf]

3 hours ago, 1874robbo said:

Good managers spot problems and make the changes no matter when it is in the game, our manager doesn’t seem to admit or learn from his mistakes and chooses to blame refs and everything else bar look within.

let us see what happens on Tuesday night and if he can get the 3 points?

he might actually be better being in the stand as his motivational skills on the sideline are Zero.

Can't argue with that.

[chrystaf]

3 hours ago, Jamie Walker Tash said:

Last season a lot of the players looked like they strolled around the pitch with the attitude of "we're too good to go down". This season alot of the performances look like they have the attitude of "we're too good and will go up anyway". The club has severe issues in training as there is a clear lack of motivation. Pass the ball side ways and stay static, well until we are getting humped then they start trying to play football.

Got it in one.

[chrystaf]

1 hour ago, TypoonJambo said:

There was a particularly obvious point where a Raith attack broke down on the edge of our box. We had possession but passed it back and sideways until they had time to all get back behind the ball. I was f####n raging.

As for the lack of end product from about 20 corners!!!

Most if not all of us can see with our own eyes, where the problems are.  We are all identifying the same weaknesses.  To amend the old saying 20,000 Hearts supporters can't all be wrong, so why the f@@K can't our management team see them??? 

[Ex member of the SaS]

We are too predictable, Berra to Halkett, Halkett to Berra and a pass up the wing to a player who is covered and immediately closed down so ball back to Berra.... Repeat.

Typoon said earlier we get the ball and there is no movement up front. Said many times, Smith takes the ball up the wing and stands with is arms out, as there is no one to pass to, and has to turn back, then when we do get the ball up the park there are not enough players in the box.

Can't understand how players who have done nothing else their whole lives, from a very young age, played football can't control or pass a ball, can't see the possibility of a run into space and what that could achieve.

Would you employ a joiner who couldn't use a saw or screwdriver? This is their main job but still can't seem to get it right.

Mangers come in and change tactics BUT that shouldn't make players worse.

[4marsbars]

3 hours ago, lost in space said:

No, it comes from the manager telling players to keep possession. The fact that we are not doing enough with the possession seems to be too much for him to grasp.

 

 

We did enough with the possession measured by shots on target and  corners.

 

We were undone by what happened when Raith had possession, a combination of awful defending (our most worrying problem), arguably poor refereeing (second penalty and third goal) and Raith having made a first class and very lucky loan deal for homesick Kennedy, who is on the radar of some top English clubs.