Plenty positives

[manaliveits105]

3 hours ago, Harry Potter said:

I honestly think if GMS had converted that pretty simple chance we would have gone on to win, we have

had worse days at the office, still need to tighten up at the back, too many solo errors, still plenty good

times to come.

Two weeks running 

we could have had 4 more points 

[Bongo 1874]

Positives didn't lose. 

 

Negatives didn't win. 

[luckydug]

5 minutes ago, pablo said:

This is the most entertaining Hearts side for quite some time and I thought overall we played well again today. Someone is definitely going to take a severe beating from us soon. Devlin hit the ground running. High hopes for him. 

Get yer tin hat on. 

We'll have none of that glass half full nonsense on here. 😁

 

 

[Guest ToqueJambo]

3 minutes ago, manaliveits105 said:

Two weeks running 

we could have had 4 more points 

 

That way lies madness! Every season has those "could have, should have" games. The important thing is we're playing more than well enough to win most games just now. That suggests we'll have a good season. Convert those chances more often and we're likely to have a great season. 

 

IT's a good challenge for the manager and coaches. We're playing well in general but need to fine tune certain things like finishing and crossing.

Edited September 18, 2021 by ToqueJambo

[manaliveits105]

1 minute ago, ToqueJambo said:

 

That way lies madness! Every season has those "could have, should have" games. The important thing is we're playing more than well enough to win most games just now. That suggests we'll have a good season. Convert those chances more often and we're likely to have a great season. 

I was referring to GMS easy chances in each match he should have buried

[Guest ToqueJambo]

Just now, manaliveits105 said:

I was referring to GMS easy chances in each match he should have buried

 

Yeah, definitely. GMS needs to be more clinical. But in general a bit better finishing and passing in the final 3rd and we could've won more games.

[GinRummy]

2 minutes ago, manaliveits105 said:

I was referring to GMS easy chances in each match he should have buried

He definitely should have. Two very bad misses. 

[RobNox]

3 hours ago, WageThief said:

 

Do we often win the opening 6 games of the season?

I think the last time we managed that, the manager was sacked

[LarrysRightFoot]

31 minutes ago, luckydug said:

Perhaps but it's hardly a disaster. 

Plenty teams drop points up there. 

They have also got themselves a very capable manager. 

They will finish mid table imo. 

He was a decent manager at one time - yet to be seen if he still has it. Remember Owen Coyle? 
 

Anyway, we should be winning that game - look at our squad! It’s a poor result. 

[Bongo 1874]

3 minutes ago, LarrysRightFoot said:

He was a decent manager at one time - yet to be seen if he still has it. Remember Owen Coyle? 
 

Anyway, we should be winning that game - look at our squad! It’s a poor result. 

Celtic scored 3 

Hibs scored 3

Rangers scored 4 

 

Hearts attacked today and scored 2.

 

Not the worst result. 

[LarrysRightFoot]

Just now, Bongo 1874 said:

Celtic scored 3 

Hibs scored 3

Rangers scored 4 

 

Hearts attacked today and scored 2.

 

Not the worst result. 

I despair at people being satisfied with this result. 
 

Neilson and Savage have spoken about wanting to win the league - we know it won’t be this season - thankfully there’s no way on this earth they will be pleased with today’s result. 

[Guest ToqueJambo]

 

45 minutes ago, 1971fozzy said:

Let’s see how hibs and Aberdeen get on the next 5 games 

 

hibs play

v St Johnstone (h)

v Rangers (a)

v Dundee Utd (h)

v Aberdeen (a)

v Celtic (h)

 

Aberdeen play

v St Mirren (a)

v Celtic (h)

v Dundee (a)

v Hibs (h)

v Rangers (a)

 

we play

v Livingston (h)

v Motherwell (h)

V Rangers (a)

v Dundee (h)

v St Johnstone (a)

 

looking at the above the vermin and the sheep (aside from playing each other) have very difficult fixtures.  From our point of course no games easy but certainly 3 winnable at home and I’d be looking at a win in Perth (due one surely).

next 5 games will be very interesting for all 3 sides

 

I'm more interested in Rangers next few games rather than Aberdeen's. Rangers are the team we're vying for top spot with right now, along with Hibs. I do expect HIbs to drop away though looking at their next 5. We've set ourselves up well for the next 5 games, just need to keep doing what we're doing but improve in some areas - finishing and crossing mostly.

Edited September 18, 2021 by ToqueJambo

[stevie1874]

2 hours ago, Jamhammer said:

I thought we’d drop points today

I think we’ll win the 2 home games

We’ll then get our customary boabying at Greyskull

Even though we didn’t get the 3 points today I’m more positive about the team after seeing the attacking options and the chances we created today after certainly a more positive approach by our coaching team. Grey skull as you mentioned will be the real indicator for me with regards our coach. 

[sadj]

1 hour ago, pablo said:

This is the most entertaining Hearts side for quite some time and I thought overall we played well again today. Someone is definitely going to take a severe beating from us soon. Devlin hit the ground running. High hopes for him. 

That was the thought process I had watching last week and today. If it clicks we will destroy some teams. With how weve been of recent its a big IF to me. Devlin I thought looked very composed and linked well , dropped deep and looked to mive us forward. McKay I thought did well too. The misses by him and GMS were criminal though.

[tian447]

We just need a bit of work to turn the draws into wins.

 

We should have beaten Aberdeen the other week, but struggled to break them down.

 

We should have beaten Hibs last weekend, but just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net.  GMS had a one-on-one that should have won us that game by at least a goal, but I think the floodgates would have opened after anyone scored.

 

We should have beaten Ross County today, but defensively we were poor.  At one-nil up so early on in the game, we should have cruised it and the pressure would have been on the home side.  Instead, we immediately put the pressure on ourselves and it cost us what should have been a win.

 

Things are looking good, but they should be looking great.  We are still unbeaten in the League, but we really should be sitting higher up the table.  It's a disappointing feeling, but I'd rather that we were still unbeaten than sitting being upset about losing games.  It's easier to turn a team around from the position we're in, than to turn a team around that keeps getting beat.  Going out with an attacking intent this week was nice to see, but we need to start getting the ball in the back of the net more.

 

3 points next week would set us up nicely for the October fixtures.

 

[1971fozzy]

Despite what all the ‘attack at all cost’ folk say, I thought it was a mistake not playing Haring today. However it’s all opinions I guess. Playing RC at home I would of maybe gone with today’s line up.  That said I’m delighted Robbie had a real go and we were unlucky in not seeing it up first half. 
It’s looking good and Ibrox aside I’d be very disappointed not to win at least 3 of the next 5 (that’s inc Ibrox)

[Bongo 1874]

7 minutes ago, 1971fozzy said:

Despite what all the ‘attack at all cost’ folk say, I thought it was a mistake not playing Haring today. However it’s all opinions I guess. Playing RC at home I would of maybe gone with today’s line up.  That said I’m delighted Robbie had a real go and we were unlucky in not seeing it up first half. 
It’s looking good and Ibrox aside I’d be very disappointed not to win at least 3 of the next 5 (that’s inc Ibrox)

Robbie can play all out attack he could play 433 with a midfield two of Beni and Devlin with Mceneff or Woodburn just ahead, GMS, Mckay on the wings Boyce upfront. 

 

 

It would give us balance, and be attacking at the same time and we would be able to use plenty options using that formation. 

 

The only real thing we are missing is someone that is left footed in the centre of midfield to give us even more balance, think Robbie gave Halliday a chance to do that, then realised he's best at wingback or left back 👍. 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by Bongo 1874

[1971fozzy]

15 minutes ago, Bongo 1874 said:

Robbie can play all out attack he could play 433 with a midfield two of Beni and Devlin with Mceneff or Woodburn just ahead, GMS, Mckay on the wings Boyce upfront. 

 

 

It would give us balance, and be attacking at the same time and we would be able to use plenty options using that formation. 

 

The only real thing we are missing is someone that is left footed in the centre of midfield to give us even more balance, think Robbie gave Halliday a chance to do that, then realised he's best at wingback or left back 👍. 

 

 

Yeah but 3 at the back suits us better away from home I’d say and has been proven.  Don’t get me wrong, nothing against going for it at RC . Just thought Haring dropped was a mistake is all

Edited September 18, 2021 by 1971fozzy

[BigAlim]

Here's a positive, Liam Boyce.

 

A player who seems to come under hyper-scrutiny despite having scored 8 goals in 11 matches so far this season. We've been crying out for a decent striker for many years and when one comes along there are some who seem to completely ignore his scoring record. I genuinely think that this guy will be the first player to hit 20 goals since Robbo in 1992.

[Exile fae Main Street]

5 hours ago, gowestjambo said:

Games are won and lost in midfield. Today with one midfielder it was an invitation for County to attack. We still lack (and have done for years)  a creative midfielder. Those continued floated balls

were easily mopped up. I thought we ran out of ideas how to get past their defence, and if it had not been for Souttar clearing off the line, we could have easily lost.

Spot on.

[innerjambo]

Very lucky to get a draw against Ross County, quality team. Let's look at the positives and keep going  We're always going to struggle with these teams but a draw is good news at Dingwall 

[RobNox]

2 hours ago, tian447 said:

We just need a bit of work to turn the draws into wins.

 

We should have beaten Aberdeen the other week, but struggled to break them down.

 

We should have beaten Hibs last weekend, but just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net.  GMS had a one-on-one that should have won us that game by at least a goal, but I think the floodgates would have opened after anyone scored.

 

We should have beaten Ross County today, but defensively we were poor.  At one-nil up so early on in the game, we should have cruised it and the pressure would have been on the home side.  Instead, we immediately put the pressure on ourselves and it cost us what should have been a win.

 

Things are looking good, but they should be looking great.  We are still unbeaten in the League, but we really should be sitting higher up the table.  It's a disappointing feeling, but I'd rather that we were still unbeaten than sitting being upset about losing games.  It's easier to turn a team around from the position we're in, than to turn a team around that keeps getting beat.  Going out with an attacking intent this week was nice to see, but we need to start getting the ball in the back of the net more.

 

3 points next week would set us up nicely for the October fixtures.

 

Good post, and pretty much sums up where I'm at.  If you'd offered me 12 points from our opening 6 games and being undefeated, given that our 3 home games were against top 4 sides from last season, I'd have accepted that.

 

The fact that I'm disappointed we don't have at least 16 points shows how things have progressed since the last time we played in this division.  We have a group of new players still bedding in, so hopefully things will get even better, but I agree that we need to start converting periods of dominance into goals.

[hisnameis]

5 hours ago, gregzy2k7 said:

I think we are performing well, we looked good in a creating sense today without being too clinical up front, positives for me were that McKay is rapid at times and will be good for us, Cammy Devlin had a fine debut as I thought he would and will add something to our midfield, Boyce scored again, just wish the GMS chance had fallen to him though, Also thought Halkett was really good again, their is still room for improvement with final balls though, also we seemed to switch off at times today, Especially defensively, Souttar looked a bit off it again today for me and I'm not convinced about Moore tbh although it's only his first full game, hopefully we see a return to the back 3 next week and Michael Smith back at rwb and Cochrane back too, we just look alot more balanced at the back in that system.

I think that is a pretty fair summation mate.

[J.T.F.Robertson]

2 hours ago, innerjambo said:

Very lucky to get a draw against Ross County, quality team. Let's look at the positives and keep going  We're always going to struggle with these teams but a draw is good news at Dingwall 

 

Was shite the first time.

 

[Kiwidoug]

As usual, I agree with the OP.  Disappointed we dropped 2 points but they scored 2 good goals in a game the BBC described as a blinder.

 

We've gone from eye bleeding to blinders in no time and we'll only get better.

 

Livvy beat us 5-0.  Time for a gigantic payback.

[Arthur Morgan]

9 hours ago, 1971fozzy said:

Let’s see how hibs and Aberdeen get on the next 5 games 

 

hibs play

v St Johnstone (h)

v Rangers (a)

v Dundee Utd (h)

v Aberdeen (a)

v Celtic (h)

 

Aberdeen play

v St Mirren (a)

v Celtic (h)

v Dundee (a)

v Hibs (h)

v Rangers (a)

 

we play

v Livingston (h)

v Motherwell (h)

V Rangers (a)

v Dundee (h)

v St Johnstone (a)

 

looking at the above the vermin and the sheep (aside from playing each other) have very difficult fixtures.  From our point of course no games easy but certainly 3 winnable at home and I’d be looking at a win in Perth (due one surely).

next 5 games will be very interesting for all 3 sides

 

Honestly looking at those fixtures for us three:

 

Hibs: WLWDL

 

Aberdeen: LLLDL

 

Hearts: WWLWW

 

Maybe being a bit optimistic saying we'll beat St Johnstone in Perth but even a draw there would put us 3 ahead of Hibs after those 5 games and a massive 13 ahead of Aberdeen, who I think will be bottom 6 this season and predicted that from the start. Glass will be gone by January imo, it's been too much of a risk imo. If we can beat St Johnstone up there though then 5 ahead of Hibs and a massive 15 ahead of Aberdeen, and we would be on our way to 3rd, and imo as we should be, we have the 3rd best squad in the league imho. RWB and a fast striker in January, plus a creative CM, and I'll be really happy with the squad.

Edited September 19, 2021 by Arthur Morgan

[WageThief]

6 hours ago, innerjambo said:

Very lucky to get a draw against Ross County, quality team. Let's look at the positives and keep going  We're always going to struggle with these teams but a draw is good news at Dingwall 

 

Thank you that was a good read the second time, content provider.  Thankfully it doesn't read like slavering drivel and tedium, and it doesn't make you appear stupid, desperate, and desolate.  Thanks for continuing to post.

[GinRummy]

The main positive for me is we got back in the game. In previous seasons we’d have lost that. Another positive is that RN is changing things to try to improve us. Didn’t quite click today but there has been an issue with getting the best out of our attacking players and he’s trying to fix it. Last season we stuck with pretty much the same tired formation and stumbled along until the Brora game. There is work to be done but morale is clearly high and it feels like we are moving forwards, for now at least. 

[Big Moysey]

There are undoubtedly many positives so far this season but for me we are not scoring many goals from open play. The BIG unanswered question is what if Boyce is out for a couple of months or more, who will score our goals? 

We have a lot of attacking forwards but they are not prolific goal scorers. 

[kingantti1874]

There are a massive amounts of positives. We are trying to win games all the time, we are good to watch and we’ve got some very good players who are only getting to get better. We’ve had the hardest start to the season of all of our main rivals and are equal top of the pile. 

 

I think we got the balance one player wrong yesterday.. if Devlin or Haring start we win 3-0 or 4-0 but easy to say in retrospect. I was excited by the lineup at the start.
 

 

[kingantti1874]

2 hours ago, Big Moysey said:

There are undoubtedly many positives so far this season but for me we are not scoring many goals from open play. The BIG unanswered question is what if Boyce is out for a couple of months or more, who will score our goals? 

We have a lot of attacking forwards but they are not prolific goal scorers. 

Gnando did well yesterday and bar some great goalkeeping would have had a couple. + we were actively trying for another forward.  We will try again in jan

[maroonedinbriz]

2 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

Gnando did well yesterday and bar some great goalkeeping would have had a couple. + we were actively trying for another forward.  We will try again in jan

Funny how people see things differently. I thought Gnando was poor. He just doesn't look like a striker who will get into double figures this season.

[Dusty]

Disappointments from yesterday

- far too many “fans” singing Hello, Hello. Time it went.

- too clumsy in defence.

- central midfield didn’t work.  Both really good players but missed Haring in there.

- I didn’t see it from Gnando either….

 

Positives from yesterday

- we didn’t lose

- Barrie McKay had a great spell

- Taylor-Moore and Kingsley second half were much improved on first half

- Gary Mackay-Steven (apart from the miss)

- Jamie Walker did well.  If playing the same system with the same players available, I’d swap him for Gnando and play Boyce higher

- Devlin looked promising

[XB52]

9 hours ago, innerjambo said:

Very lucky to get a draw against Ross County, quality team. Let's look at the positives and keep going  We're always going to struggle with these teams but a draw is good news at Dingwall 

Please put your fishing rod away, getting tiresome now

[theshed]

Livingston play Celtic today then away to Rangers on Wednesday night. 

There should be no excuses come next Saturday and I’m hoping for an east win 

[Halliphax]

33 minutes ago, Dusty said:

- far too many “fans” singing Hello, Hello. Time it went.

I boo it every time I hear it much to the dismay of some around me.

I'd rather get a pie thrown at me than be compared to those knuckle draggers in Glasgow though.

[Jambo92]

Hearts of old would have lost that game yesterday, happy with a point to keep momentum going, two really big home games now, they are must wins if we want to stick out as best of the rest. 

[Dusty]

22 minutes ago, Halliphax said:

I boo it every time I hear it much to the dismay of some around me.

I'd rather get a pie thrown at me than be compared to those knuckle draggers in Glasgow though.

Quite right mate.  It’s 2021 - that stuff should have been left behind in the 80s.  

[martoon]

Still not convinced that Neilson is good enough.

 

However, 12 points from 18 is a decent return; certainly a few more than I anticipated.

 

Take into consideration, too, that half the team on any given day is new, and is probably still well short of functioning at full capability, there's plenty of scope for us to get even better.

 

As suggested, I'm not convinced long term but, thus far, Neilson's earned the season to show what he can do.

 

Great for all of us, unconvinced or otherwise, if he does.

[Gorgie_Rules]

Hearts fans seem to have very short memories and a total lack of perspective. For the past 4 or 5 seasons we have turned up to away games and created absolute nothing. Slap dash line ups with kids thrown in willy nilly with no clear game plan. Whilst yesterdays result wasnt ideal, there is vast improvement on previous seasons.

 

After being dross for years (and a championship side last season), we are sitting in a decent position in the table with favourable fixtures to come in the next 5, particularly in comparison to our rivals hibs and aberdeen who are well established in this league. 
 

Whilst our relegation was unfair, we were absolutely one of the worst teams in the league, particularly away from home. Neilson has already gave us a decent platform to realistically push for a top 4 place on the evidence of the first 6 matches.

[OmiyaHearts]

Entertaining or not, it's now one win in last five games. Not good enough but we all know the manager is the weakest link at the club and is holding us back.

 

Seeing many people happy with a draw to Ross Co and claiming positives, shows the supports expectations have dropped.

No surprise really, given this is the manager who failed to beat a junior team last season.

 

We're heading into a period where we should get 6 points from next two games. But we won't.

[Portable Badger]

6 hours ago, Big Moysey said:

There are undoubtedly many positives so far this season but for me we are not scoring many goals from open play. The BIG unanswered question is what if Boyce is out for a couple of months or more, who will score our goals? 

We have a lot of attacking forwards but they are not prolific goal scorers. 

Woodburn has played as a striker for Liverpool U23s and at times when loaned.  I hear your concern but with Woodburn I believe we have someone who can step into to replace him

[sandylejambo]

I like a man like Neilson against a team who if they get any lower will be under the league, who blames the defense for the draw and not his formation, well done Robbie, your da man.

[Bazzas right boot]

17 hours ago, LarrysRightFoot said:

Bloody hell. 
 

Look we should be winning away to Ross County. We should be winning our home games. The OF home games are 50:50 but we got Celtic at a good time. 
 

As I said to another poster of you don’t expect we should be winning at Ross County I don’t know what you want for Hearts. 

 

 

How can you make the OF games at home 50/50 and not our away games v the likes of Ross County 50/50? 

 

You change your logic midway In that post. 

 

If you're saying our home advantage v the OF evens it up a bit, then by the same principle Ross County being at home evens up the game v us? 

 

If not then you're just picking your argument to suit whatever you want to happen/ feel. 

It's not balanced and the logic is glaringly flawed. 

 

 

Edited September 19, 2021 by Smith's right boot

[Bazzas right boot]

2 hours ago, OmiyaHearts said:

Entertaining or not, it's now one win in last five games. Not good enough but we all know the manager is the weakest link at the club and is holding us back.

 

Seeing many people happy with a draw to Ross Co and claiming positives, shows the supports expectations have dropped.

No surprise really, given this is the manager who failed to beat a junior team last season.

 

We're heading into a period where we should get 6 points from next two games. But we won't.

 

🤣🤣🤣

 

Unbeaten start to the league season - 1 win in 5, Robbie oot! 

 

Ma sides. 

[gowestjambo]

2 hours ago, OmiyaHearts said:

Entertaining or not, it's now one win in last five games. Not good enough but we all know the manager is the weakest link at the club and is holding us back.

 

Seeing many people happy with a draw to Ross Co and claiming positives, shows the supports expectations have dropped.

No surprise really, given this is the manager who failed to beat a junior team last season.

 

We're heading into a period where we should get 6 points from next two games. But we won't.

 

The reason we have improved is Joe Savage. Neilson has better players at his disposal, but does not have the ability to get the best out of them. He left Benni with no support, and failed to react to stiffen up the midfield. Even at 2-1 down we recycled the ball backwards with no urgency.

[The Tackle]

I think that some fans expectations are a little too high for us. I've supported Hearts for roughly 34 years now and we have always dropped points to 'lesser teams'. Yes we all want our team to do as best as it can but this isn't the Romanov era when we can put together a team that's going to hit the ground running. It's going to take a few years to challenge the old firm (if we ever do) just enjoy the football that's being played and hope we can stay up in the top 4 this season and get a cup run going. Stop being a bunch of miserable *******s

[Bazzas right boot]

4 minutes ago, gowestjambo said:

 

The reason we have improved is Joe Savage. Neilson has better players at his disposal, but does not have the ability to get the best out of them. He left Benni with no support, and failed to react to stiffen up the midfield. Even at 2-1 down we recycled the ball backwards with no urgency.

 

 

Get yer CV in. 

 

 

[Bazzas right boot]

1 minute ago, The Tackle said:

I think that some fans expectations are a little too high for us. I've supported Hearts for roughly 34 years now and we have always dropped points to 'lesser teams'. Yes we all want our team to do as best as it can but this isn't the Romanov era when we can put together a team that's going to hit the ground running. It's going to take a few years to challenge the old firm (if we ever do) just enjoy the football that's being played and hope we can stay up in the top 4 this season and get a cup run going. Stop being a bunch of miserable *******s

 

 

Sky has ruined some fans. 

 

The funny thing is these types expect us to compete with the OF but don't expect the "lesser" teams to compete with us a we have a bigger budget. 

 

The mind boggles. 

[The Tackle]

3 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

 

Sky has ruined some fans. 

 

The funny thing is these types expect us to compete with the OF but don't expect the "lesser" teams to compete with us a we have a bigger budget. 

 

The mind boggles. 

Agreed, some watch the EPL and expect us to be playing football like that with our budget.