*** Official Heart of Midlothian vs Ayr Utd match-day thread***

[Scott980612]

First match day thread.  

Stuck 5 past them on Boxing Day , hoping for same outcome.   
 
David Hopkin announced as new manager for Ayr , and teams usually get a boost when new manager comes in, 
 
Please remember Hearts, that Ayr were most definitely one the “ bad guys”.  
 
3-0 Hearts. 
 

 

[Kiwidoug]

5-0.

[Pasquale for King]

9 minutes ago, Scott980612 said:

First match day thread.  

Stuck 5 past them on Boxing Day , hoping for same outcome.   
 
David Hopkin announced as new manager for Ayr , and teams usually get a boost when new manager comes in, 
 
Please remember Hearts, that Ayr were most definitely one the “ bad guys”.  
 
3-0 Hearts. 
 

 

I get the feeling it will be a narrow win but hopefully we continue on from the first 65 minutes of the last game and  get stuck into this pish. 

[hisnameis]

due them another dooing

[Super_Hans]

Same formation as the Dundee game. Walker possibly in for Mackay-Steven. 

[ri Alban]

1 hour ago, hisnameis said:

due them another dooing

This

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

We due to take our chances in a game and hand out a hammering so why not against this mob ! 5-1

[GinRummy]

Same side please RN, 3-0 Gnando, Boyce and McEneff. 

[gregzy2k7]

Going to be positive for once and say 3-2 hearts, still not so confident in our defence.

[jamboozy]

1 hour ago, ri Alban said:

This

😂😂😂 Just what went through my mind when I read HNI’s post.

anyhoo, 4 . 0 JT’s

[ri Alban]

18 minutes ago, jamboozy said:

😂😂😂 Just what went through my mind when I read HNI’s post.

anyhoo, 4 . 0 JT’s

 

I'll take the scoreline. 👍

[Bazzas right boot]

7-1

 

This is when the thunder meets the lightning. 

[The Gorgie]

2 nil. 

[copa-mundial]

When we are this close now. Have played poor in many games. It's just about picking up maximum points. Gets us closer to destination.  

However. We're all hoping it clicks, and a royal pumping is handed out. 

[hmfc_liam06]

Just get ****ing torn in about them Hearts.

[credit card]

56 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

7-1

 

This is when the thunder meets the lightning. 

That's the spirit half a dozen cans for breakfast 😛

[One five]

3-0 to the JT’s  with us missing loads of chances 

[TyphoonJambo]

3 gusting 7 to the famous. They'll get nout.

[TexasAndy]

2-0.   Could be more if we have our shooting boots on.

[Captain Canada]

2-1 and 87 shots for us with just the 2 on target. 

[cheetah]

Ayr will play a 6-4-0

 

We will struggle to score, but win 1-0

 

3 points will do nicely, lets just get this done and GTF out of this shitty league into the slightly less shitty league above.

[Cruyff]

3-0 Hearts, Gnando and Boyce to score. 

 

              Gordon

Smith Poppy Halkett Kingsley 

    McEneff Irving Halliday 

                 GMS 

          Boyce Gnando 

[lost in space]

I dont care much what the formation is.

I dont care much what the team is.

Not too bothered if we play with wingers.

I diamond in the middle is not something I am dreaming about.

Dont care if we zonal mark.

A false no 9 is unimportant to me.

What I want to see is the right attitude; with players getting forward and with more than one of our players in the Ayr box.

[Rogue Daddy]

Same line up and shape as last week.... 5-0.

 

Reverts back to the usual... 2-1

 

...didn't put a bet on us last week and we win. So no bets for me this week. 🙁 .... just beers and the game! 🤪🍺🍺🍺

[Sub4TiddlerMurray]

The runes 🧙‍♀️ tell me that RN will confound expectations and play Walker from the start this time, with GMS dropping to the bench ...or is it just wishful thinking again? 🧐

 

                  Gordon

Smith Popescu Halkett Kingsley 

    McEneff Irving Halliday 

                 Walker 

          Boyce Gnando 

[jambopilms]

As long as Naismith is nowhere near the team.

[luckydug]

Start with same team as last week. 

Try and build some consistency in selections. Jamie Walker is more value to us as an impact sub. 

I would also consider bringing Aidy White on last half hour his pace is handy against tiring legs. 

4-0 Hearts. 

[i8hibsh]

Hearts 0 Ayr 1

[baron of ness]

1 minute ago, i8hibsh said:

Hearts 0 Ayr 1

Your never a Hearts supporter.

[JimmyCant]

7 hours ago, Super_Hans said:

Same formation as the Dundee game. Walker possibly in for Mackay-Steven. 

It won’t be the same formation if that’s the case. Walker can’t play the role GMS played last week. Same again for me if they are all fit. GMS is a better player than Walker in any case

Edited March 12, 2021 by JimmyCant

[davemclaren]

3 hours ago, Smith's right boot said:

7-1

 

This is when the thunder meets the lightning. 

You been drinking all night? 🤣

[davemclaren]

2 hours ago, cheetah said:

Ayr will play a 6-4-0

 

We will struggle to score, but win 1-0

 

3 points will do nicely, lets just get this done and GTF out of this shitty league into the slightly less shitty league above.

👍

[davemclaren]

13 minutes ago, i8hibsh said:

Hearts 0 Ayr 1

Mr Sunshine. 🤣

[i8hibsh]

16 minutes ago, baron of ness said:

Your never a Hearts supporter.

 

 

Why?  Anyone can write "45 nil Hearts" it doesn't make you more of a supporter".  

[wavydavy]

I keep living in hope that we will return to the sort of play we produced at the start of the season.

 

We played at a much faster tempo with our wingbacks getting forward at every opportunity.

 

Teams have got wise to how to stifle our style and so far we have had little success in trying to find an alternative style to counteract the oppositions negative tactics.

 

I have really not seen much of late that looks like we have figured out how to break these teams down so can't see much difference.

 

We should manage to forge out a win but it will be the usual struggle and not pretty to watch.

 

I really hope we come out and attack them and play at a much higher tempo but there just seems such a lethargy about our team just now that I am not overly confident.

[Ari Gold]

37 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

It won’t be the same formation if that’s the case. Walker can’t play the role GMS played last week. Same again for me if they are all fit. GMS is a better player than Walker in any case

Walker can't play as a 10? Since when? 

[portobellojambo1]

While I'd love to see us score a barrow load I'd settle for a victory, just as another step closer to promotion. I'd like to hope that we adopt the same approach as we did last weekend, to me we looked a lot more fluent. The one thing I was a wee bit disappointed in was that we changed that shape for the last 20 odd minutes and it didn't work. When we took off two forwards the natural means of continutation should have been to replace them with two forward players from the bench, but we didn't and sat off, making the closing period of the game more of a grind than it should have been.

 

Lets take it to them from the outset, if they choose to defend lets keep them moving about all over the place, use our options to the best of our advantage. I'd imagine the players know that potential changes to the squad will happen once we are up, it is up to those players to produce to an extent that it makes it more difficult for the management team to decide who needs to be replaced. They need to show that they both want and are good enough to still be around next season.

[JimmyCant]

18 minutes ago, Ari Gold said:

Walker can't play as a 10? Since when? 

GMS didn’t play as a 10 last week

[colinmaroon]

35 minutes ago, wavydavy said:

I keep living in hope that we will return to the sort of play we produced at the start of the season.

 

We played at a much faster tempo with our wingbacks getting forward at every opportunity.

 

Teams have got wise to how to stifle our style and so far we have had little success in trying to find an alternative style to counteract the oppositions negative tactics.

 

I have really not seen much of late that looks like we have figured out how to break these teams down so can't see much difference.

 

We should manage to forge out a win but it will be the usual struggle and not pretty to watch.

 

I really hope we come out and attack them and play at a much higher tempo but there just seems such a lethargy about our team just now that I am not overly confident.

 

 

Scottish Championship version of Catenaccio just about every week.

 

 

[leipzig76]

1 hour ago, jambopilms said:

As long as Naismith is nowhere near the team.

Never thought I'd see....or agree with that. Has been such a disappointment.

[Sarah O]

8-0  

 

Seven in the 2nd half

[Ari Gold]

35 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

GMS didn’t play as a 10 last week

Against Dundee? He was at the top of the diamond? 

[JimmyCant]

8 minutes ago, Ari Gold said:

Against Dundee? He was at the top of the diamond? 

Indeed he was but he wasn’t playing a traditional 10 role. A ‘10’ is your second striker playing off and coming a bit deeper. The diamond tip is an Attacking player with a free role to go wide and run from deep which more than a 10 does. Walker doesn’t do either of those things well but yes, he CAN play as a 10.

[JimmyCant]

37 minutes ago, leipzig76 said:

Never thought I'd see....or agree with that. Has been such a disappointment.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he has started his last league game for Hearts.

[Arry]

Confident we will see a wee bit of a swaggering performance and a healthily winning margin.  5-0.

[Voice of reason]

10 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

Indeed he was but he wasn’t playing a traditional 10 role. A ‘10’ is your second striker playing off and coming a bit deeper. The diamond tip is an Attacking player with a free role to go wide and run from deep which more than a 10 does. Walker doesn’t do either of those things well but yes, he CAN play as a 10.

Traditionally, a no 10 is an attacking midfielder pulling the strings behind the strikers. It’s basically someone playing in the pocket of space just behind the strikers.  I just googled the No10 role in football as you had me doubting myself! Anyway, that’s exactly what GMS was meant to do last week and what Walker is best at. 

Anyway, same team as last week with Walker replacing GMS in the no10 role would be ideal. 
 

Hopkin is a well known hoof ball manager - I’d expect Ayr to put 9 behind the ball and a lone striker Ayr can hit long balls to and hope to pick up scraps. 70% Hearts possession but probably only a narrow win. Just need to get the three points against potentially a very ugly Ayr performance.

[portobellojambo1]

52 minutes ago, colinmaroon said:

 

 

Scottish Championship version of Catenaccio just about every week.

 

 

 

Now that was a system that could bore you to tears Colin. I think the first time I really witnessed the old cattenaccio defensive style was posssibly the World Cup in England, 1966, as portrayed by both Argentina and Uruguay, a system that involved taking no prisoners either. It then played a part in me cheering a Celtic win the following year, 1967, while watching the European Cup Final between Celtic and Inter Milan. Inter were managed by Helenio Herrera. an Argentinian, who developed what was a predominantly defensive formation, which became known as cattenaccio. As a youngster I was a bit confused by a team playing football where the emphasis was on defending a lead from early on, I just wanted to watch attacking football, goals being scored. When Celtic got their victory by attacking them I did let a smile pass, but that was probably the first and last time.

[Super_Hans]

27 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

Indeed he was but he wasn’t playing a traditional 10 role. A ‘10’ is your second striker playing off and coming a bit deeper. The diamond tip is an Attacking player with a free role to go wide and run from deep which more than a 10 does. Walker doesn’t do either of those things well but yes, he CAN play as a 10.

The attacking midfielder doesn't need to come out wide. The formation is designed for the width to come from the full backs. Running from deep with the ball is one of Walker's best attributes. He can play in there no problem.

[jambonian]

I said, a couple of weeks back that two more wins will see us through. We got one last week and i'm looking for no less than that again this week. The bigger the gap the better with games starting to run down. A couple of things i've noticed in the last two games is that Mackay-Steven seems to be getting more involved than he was. Maybe he's managed to get up to speed with all the games he's played. The other is that Gnanduillet has put a few decent crosses in the box which is ironic seeing as that's a wingers job. I wasn't best pleased with his contribution regarding effort in games, seemed his work-rate was a bit suspect to me but hopefully turning a corner. Looks like Kastaneer is still miles off the pace. A few decent touches but nothing of major influence in a game. I'd be going a 4-4-2 with Mackay-Steven left, Walker and Halliday in the middle with McEneff on the right. Two up, Boyce & Gnando. If Naismith comes on he should be played upfront. Can easily slip in if one of Boyce or Gnando tires. None of this dropping into midfield pish. Just play players in their rightful positions. I'm going to go for........a 3-1 win. The rest of the season will take care of itself after that.

[colinmaroon]

17 minutes ago, portobellojambo1 said:

 

Now that was a system that could bore you to tears Colin. I think the first time I really witnessed the old cattenaccio defensive style was posssibly the World Cup in England, 1966, as portrayed by both Argentina and Uruguay, a system that involved taking no prisoners either. It then played a part in me cheering a Celtic win the following year, 1967, while watching the European Cup Final between Celtic and Inter Milan. Inter were managed by Helenio Herrera. an Argentinian, who developed what was a predominantly defensive formation, which became known as cattenaccio. As a youngster I was a bit confused by a team playing football where the emphasis was on defending a lead from early on, I just wanted to watch attacking football, goals being scored. When Celtic got their victory by attacking them I did let a smile pass, but that was probably the first and last time.

 

 

Exactly, although TBF I did cheer them on v Leeds as well.  Twice only and even my Bluenose brother-in-law supported Celtic in that game at Hampden.  It was really a Scotland v England match.

 

It was very different back then although apart from these two instances, they went back and joined Celtic as the Bigot Brothers.