***Official Heart of Midlothian v Ross County Match Thread ***

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

Well it's the next game. 

 

Can't wait, looking forward to proper competition again after the death of last season, albeit for mainly positive reasons. 

 

Be interesting to see how we line up, and will there be a further improvement of the defence prior to. 

 

County could be decent enough again, but I do strongly fancy a very positive result for Hearts 

[GinRummy]

I’m going to assume Devlin is back and no new signings

 

Gordon

 

Halkett Rowles Kingsley

 

Atkinson Haring Devlin Cochrane

 

Forrest Shankland Mckay

 

2-0 Haring, Shankland. 

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

3 minutes ago, GinRummy said:

I’m going to assume Devlin is back and no new signings

 

Gordon

 

Halkett Rowles Kingsley

 

Atkinson Haring Devlin Cochrane

 

Forrest Shankland Mckay

 

2-0 Haring, Shankland. 

So many new toys, was going to pick a team but wait for a while. Could see Boyce in the team with an attacking diamond 

[Homme]

If we play how we can we will win.

 

County with a very impressive result today though and will not be pushovers. 

 

Hearts to win and both teams to score. I'll say 3-1.

[Rocky jamboa]

I'd like to see us start with the team below. Prediction - comfortable 3-0 win. Shankland x 2 and Forrest

 

4-2-3-1 

 

                         Gordon

Akky     Halkett     Rowles    Kingsley 

                 Devlin     Haring 

     Forrest        Grant        McKay

                     Shankland

[Ricardo Quaresma]

5-1

[JimmyCant]

17 minutes ago, Rocky jamboa said:

I'd like to see us start with the team below. Prediction - comfortable 3-0 win. Shankland x 2 and Forrest

 

4-2-3-1 

 

                         Gordon

Akky     Halkett     Rowles    Kingsley 

                 Devlin     Haring 

     Forrest        Grant        McKay

                     Shankland

That’s a great looking line up. I think he’ll stick to 3-4-3 but that 4-2-3-1 is a thing of beauty 

[Kiwidoug]

3-0 for me.  Really looking forward to it.  No news there.

 

As ever, I judge how we're going at the end of September but a positive start is very imprtant.

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

25 minutes ago, Rocky jamboa said:

I'd like to see us start with the team below. Prediction - comfortable 3-0 win. Shankland x 2 and Forrest

 

4-2-3-1 

 

                         Gordon

Akky     Halkett     Rowles    Kingsley 

                 Devlin     Haring 

     Forrest        Grant        McKay

                     Shankland

I'd think that might be close but I can see Boyce being included over Grant

[Rocky jamboa]

27 minutes ago, Lord Beni of Gorgie said:

I'd think that might be close but I can see Boyce being included over Grant

I can see Robbie sticking with the 343 to be honest so probably Grant dropping out for Cochrane. 

[Rocky jamboa]

35 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

That’s a great looking line up. I think he’ll stick to 3-4-3 but that 4-2-3-1 is a thing of beauty 

I agree re the 343

[Cruyff]

                     Gordon

         Halkett Rowles Kingsley

               M.Smith Haring 

Atkinson                            Cochrane 

                      McKay

              Boyce Shankland 

                   

Assuming Devlin isn't fit. 

[tartofmidlothian]

Professional but comfortable 2-1 to us against a team I reckon will challenge for top six.

 

We need to play every game like a cup tie this season from the very start, none of this hard-won point pish. The only teams a draw is a good result against are the OF. Of course we don't have a right to beat supposedly lesser teams, that's why we have to work like **** to earn the right.

 

Can't ****ing wait to see us get started.

[Bauld]

As is usually the way with RC they are good at making themselves a huge pain in the arse to play against.

 

Tight 1-0 would be my expectation. I'd like to see Shankland get the goal but I feel like it could more likely be Kingsley or Halkett from a corner in this one.

[Cory McNamara]

One shot, one goal. No exceptions.

[Jambo 4 Ever]

We will win 3-1

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

3-1

 

Boyce, Haring, Shankland

[No Idle Talk]

Very excited for this match. 

 

I know we will probably play 3-4-3 but my team would be 4-2-3-1.

 

Gordon

Atkinson

Halkett

Rowles

Kingsley 

Devlin

Haring

McKay

Grant

Forrest

Shankland 

 

*Assuming all players are fit. 

[Ricardo Quaresma]

5 hours ago, Cruyff said:

                     Gordon

         Halkett Rowles Kingsley

               M.Smith Haring 

Atkinson                            Cochrane 

                      McKay

              Boyce Shankland 

                   

Assuming Devlin isn't fit. 

I’d go for very similar, with diamond in the middle:

 

                         Gordon

        Halkett     Rowles     Kingsley

 

Atkinson           Smith                Cochrane

                   Haring   McKay

                         Boyce

 

                      Shankland

[Watt-Zeefuik]

WTF, it's the start of the season, dream big . .

 

4-0, Shankland x 3, Boyce.

[Kiwidoug]

With Devlin still to come back and Beni on the horizon, we should consistently be too good for the majority of our oponents I believe.

 

It's a strong looking team and a decent bench.

 

Will soon be counting down the sleeps.

[cosanostra]

7 hours ago, GinRummy said:

I’m going to assume Devlin is back and no new signings

 

Gordon

 

Halkett Rowles Kingsley

 

Atkinson Haring Devlin Cochrane

 

Forrest Shankland Mckay

 

2-0 Haring, Shankland. 

 

That's the team right there hopefully. 

I can see Robbie starting Sibbick instead of Rowles though.

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

Here we go again , 6 days until the real football starts again 4-1 for us 

[luckydug]

3-0 Hearts

Shankland, Kingsley and Boyce. 

[jambotony]

Hope Devlins Hamstring Injury isn't too serious 

[jamboozy]

Any win will do for me, got to get our season off to a good start, especially playing at home.

[Gordon Ramsay]

3-1 I reckon. 

 

Good to be back. 

[1971fozzy]

Ross County are not a bad outfit, but a full house backing the JTs and some debuts (competitive game) will hopefully see us pick up the 3 points. 
2-0 for us with a Kingsley screamer.

Morale boosting win for the derby 8 days later. Now THAT is one I’m relishing

[EH11 2NL]

In a much better position squad wise than this time last year. 3 0 Hearts, warming up for the derby.

[Dick Dastardly]

Gordon 

 

Halkett 

Rowles 

Kingsley 

Cochrane 

Smith

 

Haring 

Devlin

 

Boyce 

McKay 

Shankland 

 

Hearts 2-0

Grant 

Forrest 

[Portable Badger]

A ground we’ve not consistently done brilliantly at over a number of years - they’re a hoodoo side for us.

Sadly a score draw for me I’m afraid and it’s partly to do with countering all the preseason over-confident predictions from everyone else.  Like everyone I hope we spank them 5-0 but I’ve been a Jambo too long!!

[Ricardo Quaresma]

4 minutes ago, Portable Badger said:

A ground we’ve not consistently done brilliantly at over a number of years - they’re a hoodoo side for us.

Sadly a score draw for me I’m afraid and it’s partly to do with countering all the preseason over-confident predictions from everyone else.  Like everyone I hope we spank them 5-0 but I’ve been a Jambo too long!!

 

Tynecastle?

[Portable Badger]

Just now, Ricardo Quaresma said:

 

Tynecastle?

FFS - I got up at 4am - I’m off back to bed !!    😱

 

FFS what a prick I am !!!  Thanks for bringing me back to Earth 👍🏻

[martoon]

5 minutes ago, Portable Badger said:

FFS - I got up at 4am - I’m off back to bed !!    😱

 

FFS what a prick I am !!!  Thanks for bringing me back to Earth 👍🏻

 

You weren't actually wrong, just out of context. 😄

[David McCaig]

                     Gordon

          Smith-Halkett-Rowles

Atkinson                             Kingsley

                Haring-Devlin/Grant

          McKay-Shankland-Boyce

 

[Byyy The Light]

I genuinely have no clue what our strongest starting 11 would be.

 

On one hand it’s a great thing, plenty options.

 

On the other hand it’s a headache for the manager.

 

Needed for the amount of games but it’s a tough one.

[TheBigO]

13 hours ago, GinRummy said:

I’m going to assume Devlin is back and no new signings

 

Gordon

 

Halkett Rowles Kingsley

 

Atkinson Haring Devlin Cochrane

 

Forrest Shankland Mckay

 

2-0 Haring, Shankland. 

I think thats prob right. Really really interested to see how our backline sets up especially if and when we sign a new cb.

 

Wee Cam the curveball here. Want him for derby and Europe so may be deemed worth even minor risk. So its Grant or Smith I'd guess. Very unlikely itd be Pollock but i hope hes on the bench most weeks and gets minutes often

[TheBigO]

3 minutes ago, Byyy The Light said:

I genuinely have no clue what our strongest starting 11 would be.

 

On one hand it’s a great thing, plenty options.

 

On the other hand it’s a headache for the manager.

 

Needed for the amount of games but it’s a tough one.

Might be theres simply no such thing as a first xi mate. A first 16/18 is the thing. Guess theres prob 5ish nailed ons (Gordon, Halks, King, Barrie, Haring/Cam/Beni, Shanks) and the rest rotate 2 or 3 at a time.

 

The good thing is we're pretty well covered most areas or certainly will be vlose of window

[BackOfTheNet]

With our own fans expecting Shankland to somehow turn up every game and score 2 or 3 and with Ross County just coming off a 7-0 League Cup win, I’m almost certain it will end 0-0.

[DETTY29]

6 hours ago, cosanostra said:

 

That's the team right there hopefully. 

I can see Robbie starting Sibbick instead of Rowles though.

He is just back but Halkett didn't look comfortable at all at RCB, then again Sibbick didn't either but that was more about him (Sibbick) giving away possession a couple of times.

 

I also thought Kingsley lost something playing in the middle of the 3 initially but as Cochrane played so well in an attacking sense, I'd like to see him retained if we are setting up 343.

 

Rowles looked good at both middle of the 3 or LCB.

 

Good problems to have and some tough choices to make.

 

Edit - if Devlin back, I think at this moment I'd far prefer a safer option of Smith at RCB, Halkett to middle of 3 which then pushes Rowles out of team, which seems a bit unfair.

Edited July 24, 2022 by DETTY29

[GinRummy]

15 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

I think thats prob right. Really really interested to see how our backline sets up especially if and when we sign a new cb.

 

Wee Cam the curveball here. Want him for derby and Europe so may be deemed worth even minor risk. So its Grant or Smith I'd guess. Very unlikely itd be Pollock but i hope hes on the bench most weeks and gets minutes often

Thought Smith done well yesterday. Wouldn’t mind him playing mid against Ross County.

[Pap]

Got to be honest. My nerves are a bit jangled. I'd be happy with a scrappy 1-0 win to see us through to the Derby, when we really up our game.

[Byyy The Light]

20 minutes ago, TheBigO said:

Might be theres simply no such thing as a first xi mate. A first 16/18 is the thing. Guess theres prob 5ish nailed ons (Gordon, Halks, King, Barrie, Haring/Cam/Beni, Shanks) and the rest rotate 2 or 3 at a time.

 

The good thing is we're pretty well covered most areas or certainly will be vlose of window

True 👍🏼

[Absolute Scenes]

3 points please hearts

[Mac80]

Gutted to be missing it. 
 

1 or 2 nil Hearts.  Shankland on the score sheet. 

[GarryJ-o-s]

13 hours ago, GinRummy said:

I’m going to assume Devlin is back and no new signings

 

Gordon

 

Halkett Rowles Kingsley

 

Atkinson Haring Devlin Cochrane

 

Forrest Shankland Mckay

 

2-0 Haring, Shankland. 

I like this, but Boyce for Forrest in the 3-4-1-2 I understand we changed to on Saturday.

 

2-1 win, Kingsley and Shankland

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

Is it still 5 subs a game this year?

[Uncle Buck]

                       Gordon

          Halkett Rowles Kingsley

   Atkinson Haring Grant Cochrane

         Boyce Shankland McKay

 

3-0 to Hearts

[Braminho]

28 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

Is it still 5 subs a game this year?

What have the OF decided is best for them?

[TheBigO]

1 hour ago, GinRummy said:

Thought Smith done well yesterday. Wouldn’t mind him playing mid against Ross County.

Hes never let us down at cm or cb and i think/hope his days at rwb are done tbh. Id rather Toby covered there than Smudge i reckon. But yeah happy with Smith at cm or cb, totally