*** Hearts Summer Transfer Window 2022 - Snodgrass signs ***

[BackOfTheNet]

5 minutes ago, Rods said:

Did I miss Sibbick being one of better players yesterday or is the narrative to deeply engrained to the boo boys brains

Was thinking the same. Same folk have only two reasons we lost yesterday. 1. Sibbick playing. 2. Boyce not playing. Like Boyce hasn’t been average at best contributing very little for this whole calendar year.

[Sertse]

Ramirez not in the sheep squad yesterday. Really have a feeling there might be something there.

If the rumour he was released is true, surely it would be announced soon though? Maybe even today.

Very unusual a player who scored 15 goals just the season before, with no injuries, isn't included.

[DC_92]

2 minutes ago, Sertse said:

Ramirez not in the sheep squad yesterday. Really have a feeling there might be something there.

If the rumour he was released is true, surely it would be announced soon though? Maybe even today.

Very unusual a player who scored 15 goals just the season before, with no injuries, isn't included.

 

Both Hearts and Aberdeen said there was no contact. We signed another striker instead. His tweets the other night suggest he wanted a move but was denied it. There is nothing to suggest he was released and there's no reason not to have announced it if he had been.

 

He wasn't in the squad because he's getting the Damour treatment at Aberdeen. He's on a huge wage and they want to force him out while avoiding a massive 6-figure pay-off.

[Holyrood_Hearts]

1 hour ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

Was Sibbick a 

 

1 Savage signing 

2 Neilson signing

3 Fans signing “he played well 1 game against Gers under stendel get him signed”

 

For me it’s 3. The fans have only got ourselves to blame imo 

That’s absolute nonsense 

[DC_92]

13 minutes ago, BackOfTheNet said:

Was thinking the same. Same folk have only two reasons we lost yesterday. 1. Sibbick playing. 2. Boyce not playing. Like Boyce hasn’t been average at best contributing very little for this whole calendar year.

 

Our issues are deeper, but Boyce's contribution can't be underestimated. He's been poor in front of goal and sometimes holds onto the ball too long, but he works hard, he's got a good touch and a bit of skill, he wins fouls and he talks teammates through the game. In the absence of bringing in players who are nearly as good, he's a big miss.

[lost in space]

33 minutes ago, DC_92 said:

 

He wouldn't be able to sign for us until January in that case. We can only sign free agents who were released prior to the window closing.

Didn't know that. Thanks.

[JamboAl]

3 minutes ago, Holyrood_Hearts said:

That’s absolute nonsense 

Could you elaborate on that.

[karipidis]

Sibbick has not been good since he signed. He was absolutely fine yesterday. 

[Holyrood_Hearts]

Just now, JamboAl said:

Could you elaborate on that.

Happy too. The club didn’t sign Sibbick because the fans liked him. 

[Jambo in Bathgate]

27 minutes ago, Rods said:

Did I miss Sibbick being one of better players yesterday or is the narrative to deeply engrained to the boo boys brains

Sibbick played well and we were all over Livingston for 20 mins. Not taking our chances and Livingston changing to a midfield 5 did for us. Like Kilmarnock game we try and walk the ball into the net. 

[BackOfTheNet]

3 minutes ago, DC_92 said:

 

Our issues are deeper, but Boyce's contribution can't be underestimated. He's been poor in front of goal and sometimes holds onto the ball too long, but he works hard, he's got a good touch and a bit of skill, he wins fouls and he talks teammates through the game. In the absence of bringing in players who are nearly as good, he's a big miss.

Any first team player that helped us get to 3rd and a final is going to be missed, of course. But some for way over the top in praise for him. Losing to Kilmarnock had nothing to do with him being missing, those players should have won both games. The reasons they didn’t wasn’t because Boyce was missing.

[JamboAl]

Just now, Holyrood_Hearts said:

Happy too. The club didn’t sign Sibbick because the fans liked him. 

Thanks - but I meant

Why do you think they signed him?

By the way I was in the camp that wanted him signed after that Rangers game.

[Leveins Battalion]

Sibbick ain't the problem,we have failed to score in the last 2 games,failed to score against Zurich at home.

 

Our problems are at the other end,  although as we cannot keep a clean sheet this season its killing us.

[hearts00]

Not only has the recruitement been meh in terms if quality but underwhelmimg in terms of numbers. 
 

But what is also annoying me right now is why did it take so long to sign Kio? We know that getting a visa takes for ever these days and bythe time he gets it we’ll be be 5th in the league, out the league cup, out the Europa Cup and papped in first game of the conference. Big Joe too slow in this window. 

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

3 minutes ago, hearts00 said:

Not only has the recruitement been meh in terms if quality but underwhelmimg in terms of numbers. 
 

But what is also annoying me right now is why did it take so long to sign Kio? We know that getting a visa takes for ever these days and bythe time he gets it we’ll be be 5th in the league, out the league cup, out the Europa Cup and papped in first game of the conference. Big Joe too slow in this window. 

Spot on.

 

By all accounts we had known for a few weeks we would sign him but didn’t push the button sooner. Now not only is he missing important games he will take longer to bed into a foreign league and a new team.

 

Baffling.

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

I think Hearts have players lined up, who are waiting to see occurs.

 

Neilson said last night takes 7 to 10 days for penny to drop that we are their best option, assuming Barrie McKay is one of those he was thinking of in his experience 

[EIEIO]

20 hours ago, Clerry Jambo said:

Maybe Neilson should stop going on and on and on about fatigue, just gives this lot excuses 

 

if you want to a “big team” and be successful you will play 2/3 games a week. 
 

get on with it

Quite. I have fatigue in my ears listening to these excuses. Just play our best players every game.

[DC_92]

3 minutes ago, BackOfTheNet said:

Any first team player that helped us get to 3rd and a final is going to be missed, of course. But some for way over the top in praise for him. Losing to Kilmarnock had nothing to do with him being missing, those players should have won both games. The reasons they didn’t wasn’t because Boyce was missing.

 

I'm not sure a lot of the attacking players that started those games are good enough, which is the concern for me. GMS and Ginnelly I thought we'd have moved on by now. I didn't think Forrest and Grant would be first picks. I'm not sure Shankland is a lone striker. There isn't much from Humphrys' CV or his performance yesterday to suggest he's the answer. 

 

Boyce would have improved both line-ups considerably IMO. That's partly an injury issue and it's partly (mainly) a recruitment issue.

[feej]

6 minutes ago, Lord Beni of Gorgie said:

I think Hearts have players lined up, who are waiting to see occurs.

 

Neilson said last night takes 7 to 10 days for penny to drop that we are their best option, assuming Barrie McKay is one of those he was thinking of in his experience 

I'm sure the Joe/Robbie said he was our No1 target. Tell you what, he better be good.

[john thomas]

12 minutes ago, hearts00 said:

Not only has the recruitement been meh in terms if quality but underwhelmimg in terms of numbers. 
 

But what is also annoying me right now is why did it take so long to sign Kio? We know that getting a visa takes for ever these days and bythe time he gets it we’ll be be 5th in the league, out the league cup, out the Europa Cup and papped in first game of the conference. Big Joe too slow in this window. 

 

8 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

Spot on.

 

By all accounts we had known for a few weeks we would sign him but didn’t push the button sooner. Now not only is he missing important games he will take longer to bed into a foreign league and a new team.

 

Baffling.

Do you actually know this ?

Or have you just decided that is what has happened?

Logically I would think RN would have wanted any target in as soon as possible . 

I don't know that for a fact of course 

[DC_92]

9 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

Spot on.

 

By all accounts we had known for a few weeks we would sign him but didn’t push the button sooner. Now not only is he missing important games he will take longer to bed into a foreign league and a new team.

 

Baffling.

 

What accounts are those?

 

Do you really think the club dragged its feet for no reason, rather than the more obvious explanation that the player was still considering his options? The guy was linked to much bigger clubs earlier this year.

 

I think this transfer window has been disappointing overall, by the way. But that doesn't mean absolutely everything the club has done is baffling and illogical.

[soonbe110]

18 minutes ago, hearts00 said:

Not only has the recruitement been meh in terms if quality but underwhelmimg in terms of numbers. 
 

But what is also annoying me right now is why did it take so long to sign Kio? We know that getting a visa takes for ever these days and bythe time he gets it we’ll be be 5th in the league, out the league cup, out the Europa Cup and papped in first game of the conference. Big Joe too slow in this window. 

Maybe Heracles wouldnt talk to us, maybe they wanted double/triple the fee we eventually paid   None of us know  

Clubs dont just wait on Hearts saying we will take him off your hands for a small fee  or no fee at all  

[BackOfTheNet]

12 minutes ago, DC_92 said:

 

I'm not sure a lot of the attacking players that started those games are good enough, which is the concern for me. GMS and Ginnelly I thought we'd have moved on by now. I didn't think Forrest and Grant would be first picks. I'm not sure Shankland is a lone striker. There isn't much from Humphrys' CV or his performance yesterday to suggest he's the answer. 

 

Boyce would have improved both line-ups considerably IMO. That's partly an injury issue and it's partly (mainly) a recruitment issue.

It’s an interesting one though. Because his goals have been minimal in 2022, assists the same. There’s been plenty of evidence of missed chances, spurned opportunities, delayed or missed passes. Can’t hold up the ball, doesn’t run the channels, no point punting up to him to win a header and, like you say with Shankland, isn’t a lone striker. (His ‘link up play’ has a lot to be desired, not sure where the myth that it’s a strength of his came from) We have to take the rough with the smooth, anyone claiming we would’ve won those games with Boyce is inferring we lost them because he didn’t play. (I’m not saying you’re doing this by the way) And for me that’s a leap too much.

Edited September 4, 2022 by BackOfTheNet

[BackOfTheNet]

7 minutes ago, DC_92 said:

 

What accounts are those?

 

Do you really think the club dragged its feet for no reason, rather than the more obvious explanation that the player was still considering his options? The guy was linked to much bigger clubs earlier this year.

 

I think this transfer window has been disappointing overall, by the way. But that doesn't mean absolutely everything the club has done is baffling and illogical.

This is where I’m at. We’ve brought undoubted quality in. Just not enough of it. And as some of the biggest clubs in the world have shown when they’ve fallen by the wayside, it doesn’t matter how good the players you bring in are, it’s how they’re deployed that will determine if the club is successful or not.

[Paolo]

Delighted with the Zander Clark signing, but a three year deal surprises me.  Has Gordon perhaps, given his retirement plans? Clark will get game time this season, and next, but is he perhaps Our first choice in one or two years 

[weegie jambo]

Of course no-one knows how hard RN and JS have been working on potential deals during the window. Given the lack of news leaked these days I'm sure no-one knows who was on the radar and how many deals fell through. Robbie has always hinted that free agent deals were always a good option once the crazyness of the window had ended. If we can pick up a couple of free agents of the quality of Barrrie McKay then we should all be happy. To be honest with the exception of losing Soutar, Simms staying in England and Beni's long term injury we are basically the same squad to pick from as last season. We do need a Boyce replacement and a creative central midfield player. Who's to say we didn't have players lined up in the window? Hopefully these types of players are still being sought for the league campaign. Our injury situation is doing for us right now and too many changes are disrupting the flow of the team. Play your best team everytime.

[OTT]

Do we maybe need some experience in the squad too?

 

A lot of our players are in their early 20s and I wonder if that has contributed to a leadership void in the outfield positions. Could someone like Snodgrass improve us? I know he's 34, but its worth remembering the value that Naismith brought to the table and Chris Burke did brilliantly for Killie despite being in his mid to late 30s. 

 

I'm not saying Snodgrass would be signed to play every single game, more to be a positive influence on the pitch and have his experience within the team. Much like Don Cowie was for example or Aaron Hughes - Souttar credited a lot of his development to Hughes. 

 

I'd love to sign the likes of Rogic too, but I really think we're lacking the sort of leadership that comes from experience on the field. Someone like Naisy I don't think permits such a gormless performance. A 1 year deal to improve our attacking link up play would be a smart piece of business. 

Edited September 4, 2022 by OTT

[hearts00]

1 hour ago, john thomas said:

 

Do you actually know this ?

Or have you just decided that is what has happened?

Logically I would think RN would have wanted any target in as soon as possible . 

I don't know that for a fact of course 

Either way it is too slow. Needed more players of far better quality in earlier. 

Edited September 4, 2022 by hearts00

[bairdy]

9 hours ago, DG_HMFC said:

The quality over quantity comments are beginning to look a bit daft because at this moment in time we look devoid of quality. 

 

We lack pace. We lack creativity and drive from the middle of the park and there are no leaders. These are problems we've had for ages and they've still not been rectified.

 

Shocking recruitment.

Been saying it for years.

My mates are fed up listening to me go on about it !

Was hoping it would havebeen addressed this window, sadly not.

[Lone Striker]

5 hours ago, Debut 4 said:

 Generally, I want my Hearts team to be well drilled on working very hard anyway, but it’s more important when you can’t pick your strongest 11.

 

Players being too particular on the ball as not to make a mistake, no risk taking, not moving the ball quick enough or bursting a gut in support further up the park.  I want to see more individual intensity in players.  It all seems lacking in anger for me.  

Yep, agree with these 2 points.   We need a playing style based on speed of passing and teaching players to have foresight & awareness to  help the guy with the ball and make quick decisions about passing or shooting.

 

  I was very impressed with the way  Alkmaar played -  even in the the 1-0 defeat at Tannadice, their movement to  give the  guy with the ball  some  short-pass  options meant that the opposition had to work hard to try to get the ball back.  All the while  moving steadily up the pitch.  Proper teamwork.

 

 

 

[OTT]

6 hours ago, Debut 4 said:

Totally agree.  I think this has been the focal point of conversation in the last 24 hours.

 

I think most would agree injuries have hampered us all of a sudden but too much tinkering hasn’t helped either. But in these moments I’d have thought a slight change of managerial approach was needed to get these makeshift line ups to produce results?  Generally, I want my Hearts team to be well drilled on working very hard anyway, but it’s more important when you can’t pick your strongest 11.

 

Yet, the management seem to think players can just come in and fit into a system seamlessly, not considering lack of game time and rhythm a few have.  We see these pedestrian, unimaginative performances all of a sudden. 
 

Players being too particular on the ball as not to make a mistake, no risk taking, not moving the ball quick enough or bursting a gut in support further up the park.  I want to see more individual intensity in players.  It all seems lacking in anger for me.  

 

Agree. Great post/

 

Want to see the team play with a lot more intensity and aggression. 

 

To see us so passive is really piss poor to see. 

[Tatlock]

If I was the manager, I’d tell the defenders to keep the ba’ oot the goal. I’d tell the midfield to pass tae sumdy way a herts strip oan and tell the forwards tae put the ba’ in the net. I’d also stand at the side screaming tae thum tae get the ba’ up the park. After all that’s what the fans want, at least the ones I hear when I’m at the game.

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

On 03/09/2022 at 18:02, Clerry Jambo said:

Maybe Neilson should stop going on and on and on about fatigue, just gives this lot excuses 

 

if you want to a “big team” and be successful you will play 2/3 games a week. 
 

get on with it

I agree - but a big team (whisper it like Celtic or Rangers) have around 28 players of first team standard who can do that successfully.

 

As far as I can see, we have around the same amount of players as last season that are reliable to not let the standard drop. Around 15.

 

Genuinely a huge failure on the recruitment front.

[GinRummy]

4 minutes ago, Tatlock said:

If I was the manager, I’d tell the defenders to keep the ba’ oot the goal. I’d tell the midfield to pass tae sumdy way a herts strip oan and tell the forwards tae put the ba’ in the net. I’d also stand at the side screaming tae thum tae get the ba’ up the park. After all that’s what the fans want, at least the ones I hear when I’m at the game.

The grand old kickback tradition of having a dig at the fans when the teams doing shite. Alway amazes me how some peoples focus seems to constantly be on ‘other’ fans. At least you done it in a mildly amusing fife ‘accent’.

[GinRummy]

4 hours ago, soonbe110 said:

Maybe Heracles wouldnt talk to us, maybe they wanted double/triple the fee we eventually paid   None of us know  

Clubs dont just wait on Hearts saying we will take him off your hands for a small fee  or no fee at all  

The other possibility  is we had more than one option for that position. 

[Tatlock]

Having a dig? I was serious😎

[GinRummy]

3 minutes ago, Tatlock said:

Having a dig? I was serious😎

Just ignore me. I’m mentally fatigued after watching last two games. 

[CMc]

4 hours ago, OTT said:

Do we maybe need some experience in the squad too?

 

A lot of our players are in their early 20s and I wonder if that has contributed to a leadership void in the outfield positions. Could someone like Snodgrass improve us? I know he's 34, but its worth remembering the value that Naismith brought to the table and Chris Burke did brilliantly for Killie despite being in his mid to late 30s. 

 

I'm not saying Snodgrass would be signed to play every single game, more to be a positive influence on the pitch and have his experience within the team. Much like Don Cowie was for example or Aaron Hughes - Souttar credited a lot of his development to Hughes. 

 

I'd love to sign the likes of Rogic too, but I really think we're lacking the sort of leadership that comes from experience on the field. Someone like Naisy I don't think permits such a gormless performance. A 1 year deal to improve our attacking link up play would be a smart piece of business. 

A bit more experience would not go amiss. 
 

Halkett and Boyce make the players around them better with their leadership. 
 

Need more of that. 

[Tatlock]

33 minutes ago, GinRummy said:

Just ignore me. I’m mentally fatigued after watching last two games. 

Aren’t we all? I can’t take the slow back to back side to side piss we’ve been subjected to in the last week or so. I haven’t noticed any other team suffer the constant injury to multiple starters necessitating in make shift formations every week. It’s so frustrating having been treated to glimpses of fast attacking football in all too short bursts, to then watch the (now) inevitable slump into safety first, don’t want to make a mistake tippy tippy. I’m just using this board to vent as my wife can’t understand why a grown man can get so upset about a game😔

[August Landmesser]

4 hours ago, OTT said:

Do we maybe need some experience in the squad too?

 

A lot of our players are in their early 20s and I wonder if that has contributed to a leadership void in the outfield positions. Could someone like Snodgrass improve us? I know he's 34, but its worth remembering the value that Naismith brought to the table and Chris Burke did brilliantly for Killie despite being in his mid to late 30s. 

 

I'm not saying Snodgrass would be signed to play every single game, more to be a positive influence on the pitch and have his experience within the team. Much like Don Cowie was for example or Aaron Hughes - Souttar credited a lot of his development to Hughes. 

 

I'd love to sign the likes of Rogic too, but I really think we're lacking the sort of leadership that comes from experience on the field. Someone like Naisy I don't think permits such a gormless performance. A 1 year deal to improve our attacking link up play would be a smart piece of business. 

Halkett brings us some of that leadership, but this is why I don't like having the keeper as Captain. We need an outfield player in the ref's ear constantly, Willie Miller-style. A wily old bollix would be very handy

[Batistuta87]

1 hour ago, Tatlock said:

If I was the manager, I’d tell the defenders to keep the ba’ oot the goal. I’d tell the midfield to pass tae sumdy way a herts strip oan and tell the forwards tae put the ba’ in the net. I’d also stand at the side screaming tae thum tae get the ba’ up the park. After all that’s what the fans want, at least the ones I hear when I’m at the game.

God job you're no the manager then pal - it isnae 1972 any more 👍🏻 😉 

 

[All roads lead to Gorgie]

It's my belief that we should have sorted the attacking areas of the team first and then moved onto defenders. A number 10, a creative central midfielder and another striker to compliment Shankland, that should have been prioritised. That way we would have more chance of outscoring our opponents if our defense happened be weakened by injury or suspension which unfortunately IS the case right now!

[chrystaf]

2 hours ago, CMc said:

A bit more experience would not go amiss. 
 

Halkett and Boyce make the players around them better with their leadership. 
 

Need more of that. 

I think that poses the question of having a keeper as captain.  

[pettigrewsstylist]

3 hours ago, CMc said:

A bit more experience would not go amiss. 
 

Halkett and Boyce make the players around them better with their leadership. 
 

Need more of that. 

Cant say ive noticed Boyce showing any leadership.

 

[pettigrewsstylist]

20 minutes ago, chrystaf said:

I think that poses the question of having a keeper as captain.  

Awful decision. I dont beleive Craig Gordon is a leader regardless.

[john thomas]

7 hours ago, hearts00 said:

Either way it is too slow. Needed more players of far better quality in earlier. 

That was my point !

Don't you think we would have if we could have?

[soonbe110]

58 minutes ago, pettigrewsstylist said:

Cant say ive noticed Boyce showing any leadership.

 

That’s because you can’t hear what’s said on the pitch.  Constantly giving advice. 

[Rogue Daddy]

17 hours ago, Tatlock said:

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by Rogue Daddy
made a james hunt of it

[Rogue Daddy]

Just now, Rogue Daddy said:

17 hours ago, Tatlock said:

Aren’t we all? I can’t take the slow back to back side to side piss we’ve been subjected to in the last week or so. I haven’t noticed any other team suffer the constant injury to multiple starters necessitating in make shift formations every week. It’s so frustrating having been treated to glimpses of fast attacking football in all too short bursts, to then watch the (now) inevitable slump into safety first, don’t want to make a mistake tippy tippy. I’m just using this board to vent as my wife can’t understand why a grown man can get so upset about a game😔

Oops dunno what happened there..... anyway - I was watching the Celtic v Rangers game at the weekend and Celtic take their by-kicks, throw-ins, indirect freekicks and (some) corners very, very quickly... they caught out Rangers a few times.

I know we try to do this with free kicks and throw ins, but maybe we should apply it to by kicks also. Get the ball boys/girls well drilled to get the ball to Sir CG asap... it definitely helped Celtic on Saturday.

[bazman]

7 minutes ago, Rogue Daddy said:

Oops dunno what happened there..... anyway - I was watching the Celtic v Rangers game at the weekend and Celtic take their by-kicks, throw-ins, indirect freekicks and (some) corners very, very quickly... they caught out Rangers a few times.

I know we try to do this with free kicks and throw ins, but maybe we should apply it to by kicks also. Get the ball boys/girls well drilled to get the ball to Sir CG asap... it definitely helped Celtic on Saturday.

In one of the recent home games you could see they were trying to get the ball back quickly and made a right arse of it as we ended up with several balls on pitch at same time