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https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/exclusive-armand-gnanduillet-explains-his-hearts-frustration-needing-more-crosses-and-why-he-is-fit-to-start-games-3150167
 

Exclusive: Armand Gnanduillet explains his Hearts frustration, needing more crosses and why he is fit to start games

If Armand Gnanduillet is growing frustrated a month into his Hearts career, it may be because team-mates are still figuring him out.

Tuesday, 2nd March 2021, 7:00 am
Armand Gnanduillet is hoping for a run of games in the Hearts team.

Armand Gnanduillet is hoping for a run of games in the Hearts team.

He is eager to start matches and get scoring regularly but feeds off a supply of crosses which right now is intermittent. The Edinburgh club managed just one goal in each of their last five games – three of them belonging to Liam Boyce and two to Jamie Walker.

Gnanduillet has hitherto played a bit-part role, although he stressed he is not here simply to admire others from the technical area. One start and four substitute appearances are his lot with no goals since a double on his debut at Raith Rovers at the end of January.

The striker’s finishing ability and movement were perfectly illustrated that night in Kirkcaldy. An encore is much-anticipated, with Hearts players sometimes looking reluctant to deliver the kind of service Gnanduillet needs.

 

Friday night’s 1-1 draw in Inverness was one such example. A team can monopolise possession all day and point to statistics backing that up, but when your centre-forward is a mobile unit standing 6ft 4ins tall who loves heading, width and crosses are a priority.

 

Headed goals a strength

 

Team-mates are being encouraged to deliver balls into the penalty area and let the imposing Frenchman do his thing.

“To be honest, that’s my game. I am in there waiting for some balls,” he said, speaking exclusively to the Evening News. “I have been here for a month playing with the lads. I can say that this team keeps the ball the most, so it’s different than when I was in England.

“I have to adapt myself but, for me, I think we have to cross more. Put the ball in behind the defence because defenders don’t like to run towards their goal.

“When I came on at Inverness there were some crosses but the conditions were not the best. It was not easy for me or Boycie to head the ball. We tried our best but it did not work.

“I’m a big guy but I can run, I can jump and I can head the ball to score goals. Headed goals is one of my strengths. When I don’t have a lot of crosses it is a bit frustrating, but as I said the team play very good football as well.

“The ball is on the floor, there are not too many long balls, and I like that as well. I just to have to adapt myself and hope it is going to come.”

Gnanduillet is a very different proposition to the more technique-based Boyce, or indeed the industrious Craig Wighton before he joined Dunfermline.

He scored 18 times in 36 appearances for English League One club Blackpool last season – eight of them with his head.

 

Changing gameplan

 

Hearts players find themselves needing to change gameplan when Gnanduillet enters the fray and flicking that switch does not always happen in unison.

The 29-year-old is undeterred, though. He is pushing for a starting place against Dundee this weekend at Tynecastle Park and firmly believes goals will soon arrive.

“It’s not going to take long. If I scored on Friday I would say: ‘Yes, I’m 100 per cent.’ Im fit and I’m ready to come on or I’m ready to start. I will give 100 per cent,” he said.

“Every player wants to play. I didn’t come here to just sit on the bench and watch the lads playing, then come on and try to score. Of course everyone wants to start.

“I’m a winner, I want to play, I want to score, I want to assist and I want to help the team defensively and offensively. If the manager needs me or wants me to start, that’s why I came here so I will be ready.

“I had never been to Inverness but I can tell you it’s not an easy place to play. We started not so well and we were punished. We tried our best to get back into the game.

“To get back to winning, I think we must be more ruthless in front of goal. We have to put crosses into the box, take shots, be clever and be positive.”

 

Feeling stronger

 

Most observers would tend to agree. There are nine games left in this truncated Championship campaign and it remains to be seen who makes the cut for next season if Hearts earn Premiership promotion.

Gnanduillet signed an 18-month contract in January and is gradually feeling stronger. “To be honest, I feel well. I did not expect myself to feel this good after being here a month,” he said.

“Before this, I was not playing regularly for some months. I have worked with the physios and I feel very good in my body. In my head now, like every striker, it’s about confidence. Soon I will start scoring, it will come, I am sure about this.”

He is acutely aware that a run of goals now could secure the title for his new club. However, he is too experienced to look that far ahead just yet.

“Well, personally I don’t really look at the league table. I look at each game,” he stated. “I’m not like: ‘Yeah, we are 12 points in front so it’s okay.’ As you saw on Friday, it wasn’t an easy game.

“We need to settle down, talk between us and get back working in training to find a way to score goals. If we keep a clean sheet as well, then we will win games.”

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He's spot on.

 

The last few games we've looked dangerous simply getting the ball in the box. But we do it once or twice then revert to pass pass pass.

 

Against Moreton it was unbelievable. They were very clearly struggling to deal with balls into the box and we just refused to do it. Bloody bombard teams.

 

And the funny thing is, you play that way, it pins their midfield, makes them narrow and your wingers get more chance to play with space wide, something we've struggled with

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8 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

He's spot on.

 

The last few games we've looked dangerous simply getting the ball in the box. But we do it once or twice then revert to pass pass pass.

 

Against Moreton it was unbelievable. They were very clearly struggling to deal with balls into the box and we just refused to do it. Bloody bombard teams.

 

And the funny thing is, you play that way, it pins their midfield, makes them narrow and your wingers get more chance to play with space wide, something we've struggled with


Absolutely agree with this. With Boyce dropping deep (sometimes all the way back to his own half), it leaves us with no penalty box strikers. We need more pressure in their box and Gnando give us that. Watching him come off the bench changes things. This is not just because of what he does directly but also because he drags defenders away from others. Let’s play with two up front please.

 

I would not be so quick to write of Kastineer to provide the ammunition. GMS was being slated for two weeks until the performance against ICT. I do think two wingers playing simultaneously  could be a luxury we cannot afford in the middle of the park.

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Gordon Ramsay

He looked better against Morton and ICT. Understand where he is coming from too. We don't cross enough and when we do half the time the crosses go out of play. 

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Nielsen's 4-2-3-1 isn't' working. He has to change that, play Gnando and Boyce up front.

 

might be a blessing if Naismith is out injured and forces him to play  4 in midfield. GMS and Kastaneer wide.

 

Irving and walker (or anyone but halliday) in the middle.

 

 

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Bazzas right boot

More direct is the way in this league 

Doesn’t need to be the perfect cross, get it in the box, win the ball.

 

Win the second ball, rinse, repeat. 

 

I do think we have been trying to be more direct, our starts v QoS and Morton were fast and direct, just never scored. 

 

Jury's still out on the lad tho, looks decent in parts but his first touch can be a bit ropey imo. 

 

Hopefully starting Saturday, get some crosses in and he can fire a few in. 

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37 minutes ago, Jim Panzee said:

Nielsen's 4-2-3-1 isn't' working. He has to change that, play Gnando and Boyce up front.

 

might be a blessing if Naismith is out injured and forces him to play  4 in midfield. GMS and Kastaneer wide.

 

Irving and walker (or anyone but halliday) in the middle.

 

 

Spot on 👍

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2 minutes ago, Kidd’s Boots said:

Armand has been here a month and has already sussed out the issues 

He doesn’t pick the team though and our manager doesn’t seem to like 2 forwards right up top. He always has one dropping very deep if on the odd occasion two forwards start. 

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11 minutes ago, stevie1874 said:

He doesn’t pick the team though and our manager doesn’t seem to like 2 forwards right up top. He always has one dropping very deep if on the odd occasion two forwards start. 

 

It's ****ing mind-numbimg stuff. 

 

2 forwards, runners from midfield, balls into the box = goals.

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Rogue Daddy
1 minute ago, DG_HMFC said:

 

It's ****ing mind-numbimg stuff. 

 

2 forwards, runners from midfield, balls into the box = goals.

Exactly, our wingers shouldn't even necessarily be beating an man before crossing... if we had 2 up front our wide-men could be whipping in first-time crosses. Gnando would eat them up all day long! Get this 4231 tae fcuk.

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Dusk_Till_Dawn

It’s quite funny that in the space of a few weeks he’s sussed out what a boring dunce Neilson is

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Our lack of quality crosses has been an issue for years.

Doesn't seem to matter how many wingers we sign, it never seems to improve.

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May one-six
Just now, cosanostra said:

Our lack of quality crosses has been an issue for years.

Doesn't seem to matter how many wingers we sign, it never seems to improve.

It's not just the wingers. Sadly, the big flaw in Michael Smith's game is his inability to cross the ball. Kingsley is a little better at getting the ball in, but he's not doing it often enough.

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Kidd’s Boots
27 minutes ago, stevie1874 said:

He doesn’t pick the team though and our manager doesn’t seem to like 2 forwards right up top. He always has one dropping very deep if on the odd occasion two forwards start. 

Our manager doesn't like or play the preferred system for the group of players he has either which is 433, which many see as part of the problem. Midfield sitting far too deep means the forward/s have to drop into the no mans land that creates in the system he plays just to see the ball. It's a issue not addressed week after week

Edited by Kidd’s Boots
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Lone Striker
8 minutes ago, Rogue Daddy said:

Exactly, our wingers shouldn't even necessarily be beating an man before crossing... if we had 2 up front our wide-men could be whipping in first-time crosses. Gnando would eat them up all day long! Get this 4231 tae fcuk.

Very true.  Hopefully  Gnando has mentioned all this directly to Robbie, not just to Banderson.     Better quality crosses would greatly help too.   Robbie kept going on about needing "wide men" - what does he think "wide men" should be doing if not sending crosses in for Boyce & Gnando ?       

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It boggles the mind why we sign a player then not play to their strengths. 6ft 4 striker get crosses in? Nah lets play possession football knocking it across our back 4 instead.

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Lone Striker
5 minutes ago, May one-six said:

It's not just the wingers. Sadly, the big flaw in Michael Smith's game is his inability to cross the ball. Kingsley is a little better at getting the ball in, but he's not doing it often enough.

Yep - unfortunately, MS's crossing  is a carbon copy of Robbie's 12-16 years ago - hopeless.

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Red Card Ref

I actually preferred our style before we signed GMS and Kas. That is saying something as I certainly wasn't impressed then either!

 

Wingers attacking opposition full backs is something Neilson told us he would bring, and he has, although it's not very successful. But, all of a sudden our previously attacking full backs are staying deep. Full backs overlapping wingers is something I've not seen us do consistently for years. 

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1 hour ago, indianajones said:

He needs to start with Boyce in every single game. 

 

*Definitely.

 

Starting on Saturday. Even if it doesn't click play them together again v. Ayr and give the partnership a chance.

 

If RN wants to progress himself as a coach, and Hearts as a credible threat at the top end of the Premier, he has to shake off his, apparently, entrenched tactics and approach.

 

*pronounced the proper way. "Defa netly" not the Weegie/Derek Ferguson way. 😊

 

 

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17 minutes ago, cosanostra said:

Our lack of quality crosses has been an issue for years.

Doesn't seem to matter how many wingers we sign, it never seems to improve.

Just what I was thinking.  The guy that came to mind was John Sutton, who used to bang them in for Motherwell on a fairly regular basis, but 'failed' at Hearts.  If we sign strikers (or any player) who have been identified as being effective in what they do, then we need to play to their strengths.

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I’ll give you an example which sums up Hearts at the moment, in the 67th minute (I just happened to look at how long was left) On Friday the ball breaks to Michael Smith he’s just in their half and he has a clear space to run into, he takes about a yard then looks for a pass, the move breaks down, then the ball ends up with Kingsley who does drive forward and I think it’s Walker who gets a shot away from Kingsleys pass but that pass was 15/20 yards higher up the pitch than Smiths. 
 

We over pass and play in front of the opposition, we need to constantly drive at defenders, 7/10 we’ll get stopped but those other 3 times we can make a chance. I can tell you from being a full back there was nothing more tiring in a game than having a wide player running at you for 90 mins. As a defender you have to get it right every time, the winger only has to get it right once and your a goal down. 
 

I feel with Neilson he’s got system for this league, which will win it, and only once it’s won will we see him change and try new things. I think he thought we be home and dry by now but the last 3 games mean I think it’ll go till the last couple of weeks. So whatever they’re planning for next year will have to be worked on preseason. 

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1 hour ago, Silverwolf said:


Absolutely agree with this. With Boyce dropping deep (sometimes all the way back to his own half), it leaves us with no penalty box strikers. We need more pressure in their box and Gnando give us that. Watching him come off the bench changes things. This is not just because of what he does directly but also because he drags defenders away from others. Let’s play with two up front please.

 

I would not be so quick to write of Kastineer to provide the ammunition. GMS was being slated for two weeks until the performance against ICT. I do think two wingers playing simultaneously  could be a luxury we cannot afford in the middle of the park.

I actually thought Kastaneer did well from 25-45 mins on Fri night when we moved him further forward.  It's so simple - give a player some space to play - provide him the ball in areas he can have effect, and then you might get something out of him!

 

I think I'm just sick fed up of how we play.  It was the same under Levein as it is under Robbie.  All about possession.  Fact is teams are happy to let us pass the ball about - we're playing in to their hands.  There is zero point in passing it around on the half way line.  The teams who play possession well, do it 35 yards out where there is real pressure on the ball.  If we don't or can't do that, let's be far more direct.  Let's turn defenders, play channels, hit the box early and often.  Win territory and play around their box.  Win the ball in own half - wingers hit the afterburners, one CF pins a defender, the other comes short with intention to play off him, one CM also looks to instantly get beyond.  It then becomes about hunger, there'll be second balls, there'll be defenders to pressure into putting the ball out, defenders to beat in the air, or beat to the ball.  The FBs and other midfielder need to follow up and compress the game to the final third.  Telling me that's not exciting football??

 

"football the way it's meant to be played" is possibly the most nauseating term in the game.

 

I want effective football and a more direct approach is actually 100% more exciting than what we and 95% of the Barca wannabes these days serve up.

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He looks like a proper player. We just need to get decent crosses in and I think he will do the damage. Looks quite nimble for a tall lad as well. Plus he's quick.

Come on Robbie, get the crosses shelled into the 18 yard box and let the big man attack them! Boyce will pick up the knock downs and the scraps as well.

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I agree with his assessment but Unfortunately it seems Neilsons instructions are to pass sideways or backwards

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David Black

If RN can't figure this one out he is even worse than a lot of us think. He is "encouraging" the players to get the ball in the box. Sorry, you do what you are told and get the ball in the box or you are out the box. Nando is 6'3", has a proven goals record, what's so difficult. 

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Nookie Bear
18 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

I actually thought Kastaneer did well from 25-45 mins on Fri night when we moved him further forward.  It's so simple - give a player some space to play - provide him the ball in areas he can have effect, and then you might get something out of him!

 

I think I'm just sick fed up of how we play.  It was the same under Levein as it is under Robbie.  All about possession.  Fact is teams are happy to let us pass the ball about - we're playing in to their hands.  There is zero point in passing it around on the half way line.  The teams who play possession well, do it 35 yards out where there is real pressure on the ball.  If we don't or can't do that, let's be far more direct.  Let's turn defenders, play channels, hit the box early and often.  Win territory and play around their box.  Win the ball in own half - wingers hit the afterburners, one CF pins a defender, the other comes short with intention to play off him, one CM also looks to instantly get beyond.  It then becomes about hunger, there'll be second balls, there'll be defenders to pressure into putting the ball out, defenders to beat in the air, or beat to the ball.  The FBs and other midfielder need to follow up and compress the game to the final third.  Telling me that's not exciting football??

 

"football the way it's meant to be played" is possibly the most nauseating term in the game.

 

I want effective football and a more direct approach is actually 100% more exciting than what we and 95% of the Barca wannabes these days serve up.

 

Top post and exactly how i saw Friday night (as well as other games). Incidentally, was there not a few minutes where Kastaneer went out to the left to support GMS and it seemed to free GMS up, or was that just a moment in play?

 

GMS came onto a game at that point and i thought started to look decent.

 

And any manager that starts spouting about a "philosophy" or, as you say, "football the way it's meant to be played" need shot.

 

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34 minutes ago, Rudy T said:

I’ll give you an example which sums up Hearts at the moment, in the 67th minute (I just happened to look at how long was left) On Friday the ball breaks to Michael Smith he’s just in their half and he has a clear space to run into, he takes about a yard then looks for a pass, the move breaks down, then the ball ends up with Kingsley who does drive forward and I think it’s Walker who gets a shot away from Kingsleys pass but that pass was 15/20 yards higher up the pitch than Smiths. 
 

We over pass and play in front of the opposition, we need to constantly drive at defenders, 7/10 we’ll get stopped but those other 3 times we can make a chance. I can tell you from being a full back there was nothing more tiring in a game than having a wide player running at you for 90 mins. As a defender you have to get it right every time, the winger only has to get it right once and your a goal down. 
 

I feel with Neilson he’s got system for this league, which will win it, and only once it’s won will we see him change and try new things. I think he thought we be home and dry by now but the last 3 games mean I think it’ll go till the last couple of weeks. So whatever they’re planning for next year will have to be worked on preseason. 

Played fullback most of my days too (though I hated it) and you are totally right.  Also hate the ball being played in the channel or in behind.  Best you can generally do is concede a throw-in.

 

Your example could have been 67, 77 or 87 mins.  We don't change.

 

This is going to sound old fashion, I know.

 

Under JJ and BB, it was all about percentages.  Players were told areas to play the ball and players were told areas to run into.  That was the overall basis of the approach (simplified).  Think back to Gary Naysmith.  What a player.  9/10 when he got the ball, it was played down the line, over the fullbacks head.  That was probably option B, option A being if someone like McCann or Adam perhaps could take the ball in an advanced position.  The ball was almost always passed forward is the point.  You look to play in to someone or drive forward, if it doesn't seem on, turn them.

 

What we've done is harness a mind set where possession of the ball - "control" - is king.  So if there isn't a stick on pass to a forward's feet, you turn back, rotate the ball and try again.  And again, and again.  But there isn't enough ahead of the ball for there to be great likelihood of that pass being on.  Teams love it.  Solid shape and concentration is all you really need to stop it.  Unless Jamie pulls something out his arse.  But then that's hard from the bench!

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4 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

 

Top post and exactly how i saw Friday night (as well as other games). Incidentally, was there not a few minutes where Kastaneer went out to the left to support GMS and it seemed to free GMS up, or was that just a moment in play?

 

GMS came onto a game at that point and i thought started to look decent.

 

And any manager that starts spouting about a "philosophy" or, as you say, "football the way it's meant to be played" need shot.

 

Aye, and it took Dodds like 10 mins to see we'd totally changed shape!!  Cringingly bad analysis.

 

The way I saw it is we more or less freed up our front 4 - Naismith kind of moved to the right and Kastaneer and Boyce played as CFs but moving in and out and side to side a lot, with GMS floating, but primarily on the left.  It was working, moreso because we started being more direct and playing with pace.  Then we changed it all second half and reverted to type!

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Jeffros Furios

The way our wide men come so deep its more of a 4 5 1 we play ,

Considering the opposition our wide men should be causing havoc and delivering balls for the  big man .

These is no point having a big guy who tells you he's good in the air and  never give him a chance to see what he can do .

Over to you Robbie .

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3 minutes ago, Jeffros Furios said:

The way our wide men come so deep its more of a 4 5 1 we play ,

Considering the opposition our wide men should be causing havoc and delivering balls for the  big man .

These is no point having a big guy who tells you he's good in the air and  never give him a chance to see what he can do .

Over to you Robbie .

Right, I'll stop posting every second post on this thread, promise, but this is a real bugbear of mine.  You are totally right, our wingers are too deep.  But also, deep or not, they simply have too much to do.  They never ever get the ball without 2 men behind them, and very rarely while facing the goal or inwards.  GMS got a couple of runs the other night and looked good.  If i remember rightly, they came from breakdowns of play where he pounced on a loose ball.

 

Again, if we go a bit more direct, say start getting the ball to the edge of the box from deep and wide, so playing a bit more diagonally to Boycie and Gnando, then the full backs are going to pull in to double up - they or the CMs will have to.  You don't leave 2 CHs against 2 CFs at the edge of the box.  Do it time and again, they become wary of it.

 

You are creating space elsewhere.  It may be for Irving or McEneff to find the ball 30 yards our centrally with a bit of space to pick a pass or get a trike off, or it may be for our wingers out wide to actually be able to have some space to get the ball with some green in front of them for once.

 

Yes, this is all over simple and football management is easy sitting at my laptop.  But this looks very obvious with the players we have, doesn't it!?!?!  Don't think anything I'm saying is out there!

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Nookie Bear
17 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

Aye, and it took Dodds like 10 mins to see we'd totally changed shape!!  Cringingly bad analysis.

 

The way I saw it is we more or less freed up our front 4 - Naismith kind of moved to the right and Kastaneer and Boyce played as CFs but moving in and out and side to side a lot, with GMS floating, but primarily on the left.  It was working, moreso because we started being more direct and playing with pace.  Then we changed it all second half and reverted to type!

 

At the time i cyniclly suggested that the players took it on themselves to change their shape and were told not to revert to type at half time.

 

And the difference once the big man cameon was obvious. Had the game gone another 5 minutes we would have won it, i reckon.

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Howdy Doody Jambo

What is it about coaches, managers and football experts that are afraid these days of pairing 2 striker's together in a partnership? 

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Jeffros Furios
9 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

Right, I'll stop posting every second post on this thread, promise, but this is a real bugbear of mine.  You are totally right, our wingers are too deep.  But also, deep or not, they simply have too much to do.  They never ever get the ball without 2 men behind them, and very rarely while facing the goal or inwards.  GMS got a couple of runs the other night and looked good.  If i remember rightly, they came from breakdowns of play where he pounced on a loose ball.

 

Again, if we go a bit more direct, say start getting the ball to the edge of the box from deep and wide, so playing a bit more diagonally to Boycie and Gnando, then the full backs are going to pull in to double up - they or the CMs will have to.  You don't leave 2 CHs against 2 CFs at the edge of the box.  Do it time and again, they become wary of it.

 

You are creating space elsewhere.  It may be for Irving or McEneff to find the ball 30 yards our centrally with a bit of space to pick a pass or get a trike off, or it may be for our wingers out wide to actually be able to have some space to get the ball with some green in front of them for once.

 

Yes, this is all over simple and football management is easy sitting at my laptop.  But this looks very obvious with the players we have, doesn't it!?!?!  Don't think anything I'm saying is out there!

I agree with all of that but unfortunately I don't expect to see much change in our set up .

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hmfc_liam06
2 hours ago, Jim Panzee said:

Nielsen's 4-2-3-1 isn't' working. He has to change that, play Gnando and Boyce up front.

 

might be a blessing if Naismith is out injured and forces him to play  4 in midfield. GMS and Kastaneer wide.

 

Irving and walker (or anyone but halliday) in the middle.

 

 

I'd actually put Halliday at left midfield (or White) which will give Kingsley freedom to get back to what he was good at. Play the out and out winger on the right side. And then the midfield two of Walker and Irving/McEneff.

 

We don't need Halliday and Irving in the middle of the park against the dross in this league.

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Lord Beni of Gorgie
2 hours ago, sandylejambo said:

I don't know where he gets the "the teams plays good football" from, must be in training.

Professional athletes see things differently from punters 

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Lord Beni of Gorgie
1 minute ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

 

I'd actually put Halliday at left midfield (or White) which will give Kingsley freedom to get back to what he was good at. Play the out and out winger on the right side. And then the midfield two of Walker and Irving/McEneff.

 

We don't need Halliday and Irving in the middle of the park against the dross in this league.

Whites hard work definitely benefits Kingsley 

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53 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

I actually thought Kastaneer did well from 25-45 mins on Fri night when we moved him further forward.  It's so simple - give a player some space to play - provide him the ball in areas he can have effect, and then you might get something out of him!

 

I think I'm just sick fed up of how we play.  It was the same under Levein as it is under Robbie.  All about possession.  Fact is teams are happy to let us pass the ball about - we're playing in to their hands.  There is zero point in passing it around on the half way line.  The teams who play possession well, do it 35 yards out where there is real pressure on the ball.  If we don't or can't do that, let's be far more direct.  Let's turn defenders, play channels, hit the box early and often.  Win territory and play around their box.  Win the ball in own half - wingers hit the afterburners, one CF pins a defender, the other comes short with intention to play off him, one CM also looks to instantly get beyond.  It then becomes about hunger, there'll be second balls, there'll be defenders to pressure into putting the ball out, defenders to beat in the air, or beat to the ball.  The FBs and other midfielder need to follow up and compress the game to the final third.  Telling me that's not exciting football??

 

"football the way it's meant to be played" is possibly the most nauseating term in the game.

 

I want effective football and a more direct approach is actually 100% more exciting than what we and 95% of the Barca wannabes these days serve up.

Are you listening Robbie???

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Lord Beni of Gorgie
4 minutes ago, Ma Roon said:

What is it about coaches, managers and football experts that are afraid these days of pairing 2 striker's together in a partnership? 

Colquhoun Clark and Robertson still the best attacking line up I ever did see at Hearts. 

 

Do you need 2 wingers?

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15 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

Right, I'll stop posting every second post on this thread, promise, but this is a real bugbear of mine.  You are totally right, our wingers are too deep.  But also, deep or not, they simply have too much to do.  They never ever get the ball without 2 men behind them, and very rarely while facing the goal or inwards.  GMS got a couple of runs the other night and looked good.  If i remember rightly, they came from breakdowns of play where he pounced on a loose ball.

 

Again, if we go a bit more direct, say start getting the ball to the edge of the box from deep and wide, so playing a bit more diagonally to Boycie and Gnando, then the full backs are going to pull in to double up - they or the CMs will have to.  You don't leave 2 CHs against 2 CFs at the edge of the box.  Do it time and again, they become wary of it.

 

You are creating space elsewhere.  It may be for Irving or McEneff to find the ball 30 yards our centrally with a bit of space to pick a pass or get a trike off, or it may be for our wingers out wide to actually be able to have some space to get the ball with some green in front of them for once.

 

Yes, this is all over simple and football management is easy sitting at my laptop.  But this looks very obvious with the players we have, doesn't it!?!?!  Don't think anything I'm saying is out there!

No need to stop posting when you're making sense.  Am enjoying reading these posts.

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