Birkirkara revisited

[Byyy The Light]

2 hours ago, jonesy said:

Wonder if it was the same women who got one of their fish suppers obliterated by an errant warmup shot near the tail end of the season just past. 

 

She left it well beyond the five second rule then scooped up the various bits and pieces from the floor of row 2 in the Gorge Stand and popped them back in the tray.

 

There's some things you just can't unsee.

Circumstantial at best. Worthy of the evidence board though at this stage. 

[JimmyCant]

24 minutes ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

Minnow like them.. 

 

Look at Hearts record in Europe, particularly the last 10 or 15 years. 

 

We are a minnow. 

Like it, or lump it, we are a minnow. 

 

Tbh, Hearts fans talking of minnows in terms of Europe need a reality check. 

 

Hearts fans using a European result against a manager that has 2 x 3rd place as his record in Scotland need sanctioned. 

 

 

 

Relative to us they were a minnow who ordinarily we’d have wiped the floor with. Even you cannot possibly deny that. We have never lost in Europe to a team ranked so low. Something went wrong. Neilson made naïve mistakes with that European campaign. We were not properly prepared and we got burnt.  Again that cannot be denied . It’s past now and as long as as it’s a lesson learned it might turn out to be a positive. 

Edited June 10, 2022 by JimmyCant

[JAYEL]

I remember their goalie rolling it out to their left back , 3/4 passes down the left and it was in the back of our net

 

Looked well rehearsed 

[Bazzas right boot]

34 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

Relative to us they were a minnow who ordinarily we’d have wiped the floor with. Even you cannot possibly deny that. We have never lost in Europe to a team ranked so low. Something went wrong. Neilson made naïve mistakes with that European campaign. We were not properly prepared and we got burnt.  Again that cannot be denied . It’s past now and as long as as it’s a lesson learned it might turn out to be a positive. 

 

Shite. 

 

European football has changed and if a defeat 5/6 years ago in Europe makes you judge the only manager that has managed a 3rd place finish in over 10 years negatively, then the  issue is with you. 

 

Holding a poor European result against the only manager that has actually had us in Europe in a generation is ****ing ridiculous. 

 

You know it is. 

I know it is. 

We all know it is. 

 

 

 

Good ammunition tho, keep them phoodle fires burning. 

👍

Edited June 11, 2022 by Bazzas right boot

[Bazzas right boot]

We've been in the European group stages twice in our entire history. 

 

Folk talk on here like Hearts are an authority in Europe and we shouldn't get beat of minnows. 

We've played 80 games in Europe in our entire history. 

 

Some then turn on the guy that is the only manager to bring European football to Tynecastle in a generation. 

 

Also the only guy after CL to get us in the group stages. 

****ing jokers... 

 

Bob was right, **** of and watch citeh or Madrid. 

HMFC is not the team for you. 

 

 

[1971fozzy]

5 hours ago, kingantti1874 said:

 

 

 Thing going great let’s bring up some old negative pish.

 

weird and suspicious in equal measure

indeed. It’s fekin weird behaviour 

[Pasquale for King]

We would’ve beaten them two weeks later, we need to be prepared for the qualifiers and I think we will be, two weeks into the season. 

[JimmyCant]

1 hour ago, Bazzas right boot said:

We've been in the European group stages twice in our entire history. 

 

Folk talk on here like Hearts are an authority in Europe and we shouldn't get beat of minnows. 

We've played 80 games in Europe in our entire history. 

 

Some then turn on the guy that is the only manager to bring European football to Tynecastle in a generation. 

 

Also the only guy after CL to get us in the group stages. 

****ing jokers... 

 

Bob was right, **** of and watch citeh or Madrid. 

HMFC is not the team for you. 

 

 

We’re discussing a specific game, our last game in Europe as it happens. Robbie Neilson 6 years ago was almost entirely responsible for that failure. He made mistakes, he was a young manager. He has recovered from it and it’s well behind him and he is almost universally accepted as manager now, but it WAS his fault.

 

No one is slating the manager for recent performances and very few still have doubts about the future. But He’s a very lucky man to have kept the job a couple of times, including a game where even you wanted him sacked, but he has kept the job and he has turned it around.

 

The big clue was in the thread title. I’m not sure what you expected it to contain apart from a rehash of an old game with a horrible outcome

Edited June 11, 2022 by JimmyCant

[ri Alban]

7 hours ago, briever said:

 

The worst results IMO were:

 

Brora
Maltese Waiters

Hobbos in the cup.

Sorry, but losing to Airdrie, still scunners me.  And there's only one result that is Hearts worst, but we'll not remind ourselves of that. 

 

I wish the OP hadn't reminded us of this.

[briever]

4 hours ago, ri Alban said:

Sorry, but losing to Airdrie, still scunners me.  And there's only one result that is Hearts worst, but we'll not remind ourselves of that. 

 

I wish the OP hadn't reminded us of this.

I was referring to Neilson’s times at the club.

[jamboozy]

9 hours ago, jonesy said:

Wonder if it was the same women who got one of their fish suppers obliterated by an errant warmup shot near the tail end of the season just past. 

 

She left it well beyond the five second rule then scooped up the various bits and pieces from the floor of row 2 in the Gorge Stand and popped them back in the tray.

 

There's some things you just can't unsee.

‘Clean meat never fattened a pig’ would be the saying here.

[Harry Potter]

I had forgotten about that game, was in the wheatfield that night right up the back, great view, pish

result.

[boag1874]

Blocked the majority of that game out of memory tbh & I was there. Things I remember were;

 

-Missing a Penalty at 0-0

-Walker going for a flying volley & cracking the bar

-Them catching us on the break

-Sammon MotM getting booed

[The Hogfather]

Took West Ham to penalties the year before. Thinking they were some part time mob of posties and waiters is standard British arrogance about any European team they've never heard of.

[Hmfc1965]

9 hours ago, Bazzas right boot said:

We've been in the European group stages twice in our entire history. 

 

Folk talk on here like Hearts are an authority in Europe and we shouldn't get beat of minnows. 

We've played 80 games in Europe in our entire history. 

 

Some then turn on the guy that is the only manager to bring European football to Tynecastle in a generation. 

 

Also the only guy after CL to get us in the group stages. 

****ing jokers... 

 

Bob was right, **** of and watch citeh or Madrid. 

HMFC is not the team for you. 

 

 

We've been in the European group stages once.

 

[davemclaren]

21 minutes ago, Hmfc1965 said:

We've been in the European group stages once.

 

I think he means next season wil be the second time. 

[King prawn]

Nothing comes close to Brora 

[4marsbars]

OP thinks Robbie's good at setting up defence and midfield, but weaker in attack. What's the evidence?

 

Without looking it up, I think the statistics would clearly show that, season after season, Neilson's teams have scored goals.

[briever]

2 minutes ago, 4marsbars said:

OP thinks Robbie's good at setting up defence and midfield, but weaker in attack. What's the evidence?

 

Without looking it up, I think the statistics would clearly show that, season after season, Neilson's teams have scored goals.

 

His two full SPL seasons:

 

GF

15/16 - 59
21/22 - 54
 

[Craig_]

Connor f'ing Sammon. Was sitting in the Wheatfield square with the goals, and remember him having an unchallenged header about five yards from goal.

 

Headed it straight at the keeper FFS. 

[4marsbars]

42 minutes ago, briever said:

 

His two full SPL seasons:

 

GF

15/16 - 59
21/22 - 54
 

 

And in 15/16, third highest scorers and second best goal difference. 

 

In 21/22 , third highest scorers and third best goal difference. 

 

By our normal standards, which is how he should be judged, Neilson's record is outstanding. 

[briever]

Just now, 4marsbars said:

 

And in 15/16, third highest scorers and second best goal difference. 

 

In 21/22 , third highest scorers and third best goal difference. 

 

By our normal standards, which is how he should be judged, Neilson's record is outstanding. 

 

I offered the stats without comment.

[Bazzas right boot]

9 hours ago, JimmyCant said:

We’re discussing a specific game, our last game in Europe as it happens. Robbie Neilson 6 years ago was almost entirely responsible for that failure. He made mistakes, he was a young manager. He has recovered from it and it’s well behind him and he is almost universally accepted as manager now, but it WAS his fault.

 

No one is slating the manager for recent performances and very few still have doubts about the future. But He’s a very lucky man to have kept the job a couple of times, including a game where even you wanted him sacked, but he has kept the job and he has turned it around.

 

The big clue was in the thread title. I’m not sure what you expected it to contain apart from a rehash of an old game with a horrible outcome

 

He's lucky... and we're lucky. 

 

Hearts are not a club that are likely to sack a manager over a cup result, no matter the emotional breakdown of sone fans. 

"Toys oot the pram" thankfully is not a philosophy the leaders of the club follow. 

 

 

[Hmfc1965]

1 hour ago, davemclaren said:

I think he means next season wil be the second time. 

Right enough 

[Bazzas right boot]

1 minute ago, 4marsbars said:

 

And in 15/16, third highest scorers and second best goal difference. 

 

In 21/22 , third highest scorers and third best goal difference. 

 

By our normal standards, which is how he should be judged, Neilson's record is outstanding. 

 

 

He was on course for a good second season 1st time round as well. 

 

His

1st

3rd

Left us around 2nd/3rd

1st

3rd

Is outstanding. 

 

He's also led us to two cup finals. 

 

It's a real shame he left us first time as rangers were weaker back then and struggling to get going. 

A case of what might have been. 

At least the plane hiring, phoodle bed sheet mob got what they wanted tho. 

 

 

[4marsbars]

3 minutes ago, briever said:

 

I offered the stats without comment.

My comments weren't intended as a reply to you, but provided context.

[RobNox]

14 hours ago, JimmyCant said:

Relative to us they were a minnow who ordinarily we’d have wiped the floor with. Even you cannot possibly deny that. We have never lost in Europe to a team ranked so low. Something went wrong. Neilson made naïve mistakes with that European campaign. We were not properly prepared and we got burnt.  Again that cannot be denied . It’s past now and as long as as it’s a lesson learned it might turn out to be a positive. 

That campaign started at the end of June.  People can take umbrage at Robbie's remarks, but it was pre-season.

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

Quite a weird thread.

 

How could we win the cup in 2012 but not this year?

 

How could we beat Celtic 4-0 under Levein but not beat them in the final under Levein?

[Locky]

Sheesh. Quite possibly one of my worst nights at Tynecastle. I don't get too hung up on 'what might have been' as I think Krasnodar would've comfortably beaten us in the next round, but it was an embarrassing result no less. I recall that was the same evening the shite managed to take Brondby to penalties which we laughed about when they lost, only to end up walking out of Tynie ****ing raging a couple of hours later.

 

I always felt on that occasion, getting to Europe so soon hindered us a wee bit. We had to be ready to go for early July and I just felt that our signings were a bit rushed and panicked, and not necessarily strengthening the team. It also just put a right downer on our season before a ball was kicked. We played Celtic at home on the opening day not long after and never felt so pessimistic going into a season, although we did play very well in the first game despite losing.

 

Never forget Scott Wilson announcing Sammon as man of the match as we went chasing goals, only to be greeted with boos all around the ground.  

[Locky]

6 hours ago, boag1874 said:

Blocked the majority of that game out of memory tbh & I was there. Things I remember were;

 

-Missing a Penalty at 0-0

-Walker going for a flying volley & cracking the bar

-Them catching us on the break

-Sammon MotM getting booed

I totally forgot we missed a penalty.

[Samsza]

On 10/06/2022 at 15:51, Led Tasso said:

This came up in the transfer thread and I think it's a relevant point to consider so let's have a thread about it.

 

I remain an avowed Neilson fan, was very happy when he got appointed to replace Stendel, and generally think the moaning and agony over the Brora and Alloa losses or the Hibs cup loss years ago is overdone. The one result that really sticks in my craw though is Birkirkara.

 

I've thought for years that Hearts' most important route forward to at least closing some of the gap on the OF and establishing ourselves as an internationally known club was through Europe. Granted the early qualifying rounds (of the sort we thankfully get to skip this year) are tough sledding but they also build up the club's coefficient and open up opportunities for much bigger more glamorous ties.

 

I confess that I have never seen the both games start to finish. At the time technical difficulties meant I was only able to listen to Laurie's commentary on Hearts TV and didn't get video, and I've just seen the highlights and the goals. The worrisome thing for me is just how flat-footed we looked both games but particularly at Tynecastle. Defenders were literally standing around looking at each other at both goals, and while Jack was a below average keeper for us the last decade (certainly not the worst obviously) he really wasn't at fault on either goal.

 

Admittedly the strike force of Sammon, Juanma, Zanatta, and Muirhead was possibly the weakest across the board. Sammon was yet to be revealed as the hard working but utterly toothless attacker, and Juanma's actual ability was lost in his unfathomable laziness and wretched attitude. Zanatta and Muirhead were good lads who just weren't good enough.

 

Still, with players like Paterson, Djoum, Walker, Nicholson, Cowie, and Rossi, we should have had more than enough quality to overpower them. In the game in Malta, the team were clearly affected by the heat, and a determined team sitting in against better opposition for a scoreless draw is hardly unheard of in continental competitions. Yes, it was early season and the team clearly weren't fully on the same page, but what disturbs me on watching extended highlights is just how little trouble we seemed to be causing them. This wasn't an instance like some of the losses this past season where we shelled the goal and just couldn't find the finish. Rather, we seemed to settle for shots from distance and a lot of cutting around at the top of the box.

 

If there's a long-lasting criticism of Robbie, I think it's that he has as deep an understanding of how to deploy a defence and a midfield as you can hope for from a manager, but lacks an understanding of how to create that bit of dangerous chaos in attack that breaks down a defence. Birkirkara weren't the only team to frustrate that for us, but to me it was by far the worst instance given the competition and the stakes. It also was in Robbie's old days where we were always and forever in a 4-2-3-1, which got extremely predictable after a while. (I know some preferred it this season, but to me the 3-4-3 was a welcome and refreshing change and also made the 4-2-3-1 more effective when we switched to it because we weren't so predictable.)

 

Lack of desire, early season lack of team cohesion, and an inability to solve a defence are not uncommon at that stage of the season, but they're also the responsibility of the manager to solve. Once again, I am a big Robbie defender and am thrilled that he's our manager but as we finally make it back to Europe (at a much higher level), it's natural to revisit our last attempt there. I think Neilson's matured and improved on these fronts, and we'll be further into our season this time around, and hopefully will have a better striker or two in by then. Let's hope.

Sorry but this is a hugely roasting post. Just be happy we're in Europe and enjoy it. Stop looking for holes of negatives when you don't need to

[JimmyCant]

4 hours ago, RobNox said:

That campaign started at the end of June.  People can take umbrage at Robbie's remarks, but it was pre-season.

The game in question was our 6th game and was 2 weeks before the league started. We ought to have been in peak condition by then having been playing games for 3 weeks and training for 2/3weeks before that.

 

1. For some reason we were under prepared to take part in a major European competition, given that we knew for about 3 months beforehand that we’d be playing early in Europe

 

2. we had been virtually inactive in the transfer market up to then

 

3. To write a major European tie off as a mere preseason match and excuse it on those grounds was just wrong on so many levels 

[Watt-Zeefuik]

7 hours ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

 

He was on course for a good second season 1st time round as well. 

 

His

1st

3rd

Left us around 2nd/3rd

1st

3rd

Is outstanding. 

 

He's also led us to two cup finals. 

 

It's a real shame he left us first time as rangers were weaker back then and struggling to get going. 

A case of what might have been. 

At least the plane hiring, phoodle bed sheet mob got what they wanted tho. 

 

 

 

As you know I'm fully in agreement here. We had stolen a march on Rangers and had a chance to make some real noise, but because Robbie left and we replaced him with the least winning permanent manager in Hearts history, Aberdeen got to sit in second all those years instead of us.

 

It was a mistake for him and for us, even though we got a fee for him and I'm sure he got a pay rise out of it. Just glad he's back.

[i wish jj was my dad]

9 hours ago, The Hogfather said:

Took West Ham to penalties the year before. Thinking they were some part time mob of posties and waiters is standard British arrogance about any European team they've never heard of.

I didn't appreciate that. Puts it in perspective. 

We should have skelped them but football isn't always like that

[Bindy Badgy]

Juanma's penalty was horrendous. Quite how he thought he had any chance of playing in the EPL is beyond me.

[Randy Marsh]

4 minutes ago, Bindy Badgy said:

Juanma's penalty was horrendous. Quite how he thought he had any chance of playing in the EPL is beyond me.

It was Bauben was it not?

[Bindy Badgy]

1 minute ago, Randy Marsh said:

It was Bauben was it not?

 

I've just checked London Hearts and you appear to be correct. My previous comment about Juanma still stands!!!

[Stupid Sexy Flanders]

We absolutely hammered them in both games, just couldn't get a goal until it was too late. Had goals chalked off, hit the woodwork numerous times, shots cleared off the line etc. It happens. To blame Neilson for it was ludicrous. 

[He Who Cannot Be Named]

9 minutes ago, Stupid Sexy Flanders said:

We absolutely hammered them in both games, just couldn't get a goal until it was too late. Had goals chalked off, hit the woodwork numerous times, shots cleared off the line etc. It happens. To blame Neilson for it was ludicrous. 

I was at the game and we most certainly did not hammer them. We were not upto pace AT ALL, and most likely underestimated them, which led to our downfall. Were you at the home game?

[briever]

12 hours ago, Stupid Sexy Flanders said:

We absolutely hammered them in both games, just couldn't get a goal until it was too late. Had goals chalked off, hit the woodwork numerous times, shots cleared off the line etc. It happens. To blame Neilson for it was ludicrous. 

Admit it, you weren’t at either leg were you?

[The Grim Reaper]

Our resident happy clappers are strange individuals. 

[Hmfc1965]

21 hours ago, RobNox said:

That campaign started at the end of June.  People can take umbrage at Robbie's remarks, but it was pre-season.

Surely if a club has European fixtures that's when their season starts?

[Spellczech]

 

Definately one or 2 who would still get a game and some who are fondly remembered...Was a poor performance. The danger of Cup football during pre-season

 

[Bazzas right boot]

15 hours ago, Bindy Badgy said:

Juanma's penalty was horrendous. Quite how he thought he had any chance of playing in the EPL is beyond me.

 

 

Bit Harsh. 

Prince missed the pk. 

 

Edited June 12, 2022 by Bazzas right boot

[Bazzas right boot]

37 minutes ago, Spellczech said:

 

Definately one or 2 who would still get a game and some who are fondly remembered...Was a poor performance. The danger of Cup football during pre-season

 

 

 

Djoum is the stand out player from there. 

Paterson was  ofc good and imo Cowie was under rated. 

 

 

[Bazzas right boot]

51 minutes ago, briever said:

Admit it, you weren’t at either leg were you?

 

We were definitely all over them at Tynecastle( Wood work twice and miss a pk) , and we did have a perfectly good goal chopped off at their gaff. 

 

Not sure what you think is wrong with the post. 

 

Did you watch any of the games? 

 

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

Djoum would be perfect for us currently - how old is he now?

[Stupid Sexy Flanders]

5 hours ago, briever said:

Admit it, you weren’t at either leg were you?

 

I was at the home game, and watched the away game live on the telly. Unless I'm getting mixed up with another tie, we had numerous chances in both legs. 

[briever]

6 hours ago, The Grim Reaper said:

Our resident happy clappers are strange individuals. 

 

By the end of the summer Brora will be someone else's fault.

[Armageddon]

Have the interlopers all clubbed together and agreed to kick off on one pointless thread?