***Official Heart of Midlothian v Istanbul Basaksehir ( KO 17:45 ) Match Thread***

[4marsbars]

3 minutes ago, allystrachan said:

Has everyone received their digital tickets? I have my confirmation but no ticket download link. 

Same here. Nothing yet. Not worried. It'll be fine.

[ToadKiller Dog]

I would imagine they are a level above us 

They may under estimate us and come in over confident , given we are capable of more than we have shown lately.

They might be top of their game and blow us away ,who knows .

I just see it like playing the uglies ,most likely we won't win but on occasion if it clicks we could get a result at tynecastle .

No point in being defeatist ,support the team see how it goes ,hopefully the team gives its all .

It's an experiance to enjoy ,game will take care of itself .

[One five]

1-1 not confident in keeping a clean sheet .

[Bazzas right boot]

7 hours ago, PaddysBar said:

The biggest shitebags at Hearts are unfortunately sitting in the dugout, hopefully not for too much longer. 

 

Nah, the biggest ones are in our support. 

Some really should **** of and follow man city. 

They aren't supporters. 

Agitaters at best. 

 

 

 

[S Form]

They’ll be too good for us. I’m hoping we put up a semi-decent fight. European games are a bonus this season and I won’t be surprised or upset if we get cuffed. Our priority should be next Sunday’s league game.

[Bazzas right boot]

8 hours ago, ri Alban said:

So who shit the bed the last two games? This team couldn't take a dug a walk.

 

 

They'll be more available as the fair weather and precious types throw their toys out the pram. 

 

More space for others tho who will support the team and players through this sticky spell. 

 

 

Theses types can come back when results pick up. 

 

[Scott Leitch]

2 hours ago, 4marsbars said:

Same here. Nothing yet. Not worried. It'll be fine.

Mine have just came through. 

[tartofmidlothian]

2 hours ago, Scott Leitch said:

Mine have just came through. 

 

Got my ticket through today as well.

[maroondevo52]

20 minutes ago, tartofmidlothian said:

 

Got my ticket through today as well.

Same here.

[tartofmidlothian]

6 hours ago, The Maroon Pound said:

How do you know that they are far better in every department? 

I've never even heard of them 

Have you seen much of them or know much about their team players and style of play? 

They won't like playing in Gorgie just like we don't like playing on plastic pitches at livi

 

A quick look at their squad, their recent results and the fact they won the Turkish league says they're much better than us. They have players who've played regularly with Milan, Dynamo Moscow, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Lazio, Spurs, Monaco, Fenerbahce and Roma. Between the 17 internationals in their squad they have 119 caps for Turkey, 92 for Germany, 66 for Belgium, 58 for Argentina, 100 for Moldova, 65 for Burkina Faso, 5 for Italy, 9 for Burundi, 2 for Serbia and 1 for Algeria.

 

 

5 hours ago, davemclaren said:

Just as well we didn’t qualify for the Europa league given a lot of the comments on here. Clearly a wealthier team than us but we need to look to give it our best shot and see where it takes us.  I don’t get the point of getting into Europe if we dread playing teams better than us. 
 

looking forward to it. 

 

This is the right attitude, though. Need to treat it like an Old Firm game and make our own luck, as long as we don't shite out and give everything we can on the pitch, nobody can complain if a better team beats us. Who knows, we might just get lucky?

[4marsbars]

2 hours ago, Scott Leitch said:

Mine have just came through. 

Same here. 

[davemclaren]

14 minutes ago, tartofmidlothian said:

 

A quick look at their squad, their recent results and the fact they won the Turkish league says they're much better than us. They have players who've played regularly with Milan, Dynamo Moscow, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Lazio, Spurs, Monaco, Fenerbahce and Roma. Between the 17 internationals in their squad they have 119 caps for Turkey, 92 for Germany, 66 for Belgium, 58 for Argentina, 100 for Moldova, 65 for Burkina Faso, 5 for Italy, 9 for Burundi, 2 for Serbia and 1 for Algeria.

 

 

 

This is the right attitude, though. Need to treat it like an Old Firm game and make our own luck, as long as we don't shite out and give everything we can on the pitch, nobody can complain if a better team beats us. Who knows, we might just get lucky?

Exactly. 

[tartofmidlothian]

35 minutes ago, tartofmidlothian said:

 

A quick look at their squad, their recent results and the fact they won the Turkish league says they're much better than us. They have players who've played regularly with Milan, Dynamo Moscow, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Lazio, Spurs, Monaco, Fenerbahce and Roma. Between the 17 internationals in their squad they have 119 caps for Turkey, 92 for Germany, 66 for Belgium, 58 for Argentina, 100 for Moldova, 65 for Burkina Faso, 5 for Italy, 9 for Burundi, 2 for Serbia and 1 for Algeria.

 

 

 

This is the right attitude, though. Need to treat it like an Old Firm game and make our own luck, as long as we don't shite out and give everything we can on the pitch, nobody can complain if a better team beats us. Who knows, we might just get lucky?

 

I figured out the same stats for us to see how intimidating it makes us sound. It probably does to the Latvians, at least. Our players have played for Celtic, Everton, Nottingham Forest, New York City, Middlesbrough, Rangers, Swansea City, Brighton and Fulham. Out of 9 internationalists, we have 78 caps for Scotland, 47 for Northern Ireland and 6 for Australia.

 

RFS player details on Wiki seem inaccurate, but their squad has played for Dinamo Bucharest, Brighton, Slavia Prague, Flamengo, Sturm Graz and Austria Vienna. Out of 15 internationals, 11 of them have 248 Latvian caps between them, the others have 3 for the Czech Republic, 4 for Lithuania and 3 for Serbia.

 

Fiorentina's players have been with Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan, Milan, Benfica, Real Madrid, Palmeiras, Paris Saint-Germain, Lille, Red Star Belgrade, VFB Stuttgart, River Plate, Feyenoord, Club Brugge, Juventus, Slavia Prague, Aston Villa and Anderlecht. They have 17 capped players, with 34 caps for Italy, 68 for Serbia, 32 for Argentina, 36 for Morocco, 31 for the Czech Republic, 14 for Ivory Coast, 4 for France, 5 for Poland, 10 for Ghana and 6 for Albania.

[LochcarronJambo]

1 hour ago, tartofmidlothian said:

 

I figured out the same stats for us to see how intimidating it makes us sound. It probably does to the Latvians, at least. Our players have played for Celtic, Everton, Nottingham Forest, New York City, Middlesbrough, Rangers, Swansea City, Brighton and Fulham. Out of 9 internationalists, we have 78 caps for Scotland, 47 for Northern Ireland and 6 for Australia.

 

RFS player details on Wiki seem inaccurate, but their squad has played for Dinamo Bucharest, Brighton, Slavia Prague, Flamengo, Sturm Graz and Austria Vienna. Out of 15 internationals, 11 of them have 248 Latvian caps between them, the others have 3 for the Czech Republic, 4 for Lithuania and 3 for Serbia.

 

Fiorentina's players have been with Shakhtar Donetsk, Inter Milan, Milan, Benfica, Real Madrid, Palmeiras, Paris Saint-Germain, Lille, Red Star Belgrade, VFB Stuttgart, River Plate, Feyenoord, Club Brugge, Juventus, Slavia Prague, Aston Villa and Anderlecht. They have 17 capped players, with 34 caps for Italy, 68 for Serbia, 32 for Argentina, 36 for Morocco, 31 for the Czech Republic, 14 for Ivory Coast, 4 for France, 5 for Poland, 10 for Ghana and 6 for Albania.

I already had the fear….looking at that info, I am now bricking it …. If Halkett not back this could end up a real pumping

[LochcarronJambo]

Can we play Gordon & Clark in goal?

[LochcarronJambo]

😀

[Jambo-Fox]

33 minutes ago, LochcarronJambo said:

Can we play Gordon & Clark in goal?

🥅 ⚽️ Of course you can, nothing in the rules to say you can’t BUT ………..

               …..only one of them would be allowed to handle the ball! ⚽️ 🥅 

[LochcarronJambo]

12 minutes ago, Jambo-Fox said:

🥅 ⚽️ Of course you can, nothing in the rules to say you can’t BUT ………..

               …..only one of them would be allowed to handle the ball! ⚽️ 🥅 

😂 i was joking

[1971fozzy]

Give 100% and play the strongest team. It’s all I ask.

not the pussy shit I watched yesterday. 
If we show up 2-1

if we don’t then god knows

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

I understand the play being made about this team being easy to beat.

 

Said in the knowledge we are unlikely to beat them and another opportunity to bash Robbie.

 

I get that people don’t like him but this tactic is cellophane.

 

The top team in Turkey are near on impossible for us to live with. Would be one of our top 5 Euro wins if we beat them IMO 

[BackOfTheNet]

We’ll start brightly, we’ll get it to the wing, attempt a cut back that their defender will intercept and it will go out for a corner. The crowd will simultaneously go “oooohhhh” before loudly cheering a corner. The corner will go straight to the head of one of their defenders to clear. It will be the closest we get, yet we’ll come on here and we’ll see posts like “we started well, shame it didn’t pan out, they’re a good side and we move on”.

 

Hearts 0-5 Istanbul Basaksehir

[InternationalJambo]

2-2

[tcjambo]

Key game. nothing short of a win leaves us with much of a chance of progressing.

[hearts00]

It’s the hope that kills you. 
 

Thankfully I have no hope whatsoever for this game. Expecting to be pumped. Anything else a bonus. 

[davemclaren]

10 minutes ago, tcjambo said:

Key game. nothing short of a win leaves us with much of a chance of progressing.

We always had little chance of progressing, even before the draw was made. 

[Bob Loblaw]

38 minutes ago, jonesy said:

Can you put multiple tickets 'into' a Google Wallet, i.e. can I put my own plus my sons' tickets on one device?

 

 

You can yeah, just select the download option on the same device and it goes to the same wallet. You can then take a screenshot and send it to another device if easier as well.

[Hearts1975]

1 hour ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

I understand the play being made about this team being easy to beat.

 

Said in the knowledge we are unlikely to beat them and another opportunity to bash Robbie.

 

I get that people don’t like him but this tactic is cellophane.

 

The top team in Turkey are near on impossible for us to live with. Would be one of our top 5 Euro wins if we beat them IMO 

Pretty much 

Only thing I'm clinging onto is whether they travel well or not. I'm sure some of the Turkish sides in days past, had that accusation levelled at them. 

Regardless, this will be a serious test for us. 

[Jambo92]

Imagine they will be a similar level to Celtic, given the state we are in it could be a humbling evening.

[Kiwidoug]

Halkett back gives me confidence.

[ramrod]

We won't lose on Thursday night , bookmark it 

[tartofmidlothian]

27 minutes ago, Hearts1975 said:

Pretty much 

Only thing I'm clinging onto is whether they travel well or not. I'm sure some of the Turkish sides in days past, had that accusation levelled at them. 

Regardless, this will be a serious test for us. 

 

If it helps, here are the Turks' European games already this season, their away results have been better. If we come away with any of the results below we're doing well, I reckon.

 

Maccabi Netanya (Israel, 4th in the league last season)

H. 1-1 D

A. 1-0 W

 

Breioablik (Iceland, 2nd in the 2021 season, currently 1st in the 2022 season)

A. 3-1 W

H. 3-0 W

 

Antwerp (Belgium, 4th last season)

H. 1-1 D

A. 3-1 W

[tartofmidlothian]

12 minutes ago, tartofmidlothian said:

 

If it helps, here are the Turks' European games already this season, their away results have been better. If we come away with any of the results below we're doing well, I reckon.

 

Maccabi Netanya (Israel, 4th in the league last season)

H. 1-1 D

A. 1-0 W

 

Breioablik (Iceland, 2nd in the 2021 season, currently 1st in the 2022 season)

A. 3-1 W

H. 3-0 W

 

Antwerp (Belgium, 4th last season)

H. 1-1 D

A. 3-1 W

 

Again, the same info for the other teams.

 

RFS

 

HJK (Finland, 2nd in 2021, currently 2nd in 2022)

A. 0-1 L

H. 2-1 W

(5-4 win on pens)

 

Hibernians (Malta, 1st last season)

H. 1-1 D

A. 3-1 W

 

Linfield (Northern Ireland, 1st last season)

H. 2-2 D

A. 1-1 D

(4-2 win on pens)

 

FIORENTINA

 

Twente (Netherlands, 4th last season)

H. 2-1 W

A. 0-0 D

[DC_92]

12 minutes ago, tartofmidlothian said:

 

Again, the same info for the other teams.

 

RFS

 

HJK (Finland, 2nd in 2021, currently 2nd in 2022)

A. 0-1 L

H. 2-1 W

(5-4 win on pens)

 

Hibernians (Malta, 1st last season)

H. 1-1 D

A. 3-1 W

 

Linfield (Northern Ireland, 1st last season)

H. 2-2 D

A. 1-1 D

(4-2 win on pens)

 

FIORENTINA

 

Twente (Netherlands, 4th last season)

H. 2-1 W

A. 0-0 D

 

They lost to HJK on penalties.

[Fozzyonthefence]

1 hour ago, tcjambo said:

Key game. nothing short of a win leaves us with much of a chance of progressing.

Let’s be honest, we have no chance of progressing.  Even if we did, our players are mentally fatigued so any chance has gone. 

[gov]

Top seeds for a reason. They should be too good all over the park! We just have to get right behind the team even if we lose a goal early. No shame in losing to a team of this quality. If we could take a point that would be a great result 

[Hearts1975]

53 minutes ago, tartofmidlothian said:

 

Again, the same info for the other teams.

 

RFS

 

HJK (Finland, 2nd in 2021, currently 2nd in 2022)

A. 0-1 L

H. 2-1 W

(5-4 win on pens)

 

Hibernians (Malta, 1st last season)

H. 1-1 D

A. 3-1 W

 

Linfield (Northern Ireland, 1st last season)

H. 2-2 D

A. 1-1 D

(4-2 win on pens)

 

FIORENTINA

 

Twente (Netherlands, 4th last season)

H. 2-1 W

A. 0-0 D

Appreciate you doing that. 

Interesting read. 

[Hearts1975]

All we can do is have a real go and give it everything we have got. 

Don't want to hear any post match interviews saying we should have, could have or would have.

Just want the team to do us all proud on the night and that is it. 

If it isn't enough but we have played as best we can we will all accept that. 

We have had some amazing European nights under the lights so no reason why it can't happen again. ♥️

 

[tartofmidlothian]

1 hour ago, DC_92 said:

 

They lost to HJK on penalties.

 

Apologies, my misread. Yes, RFS lost 5-4 on pens to HJK in a Champions League qualifier, then they dropped down to the Conference.

[Pasquale for King]

9 hours ago, tartofmidlothian said:

 

A quick look at their squad, their recent results and the fact they won the Turkish league says they're much better than us. They have players who've played regularly with Milan, Dynamo Moscow, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Lazio, Spurs, Monaco, Fenerbahce and Roma. Between the 17 internationals in their squad they have 119 caps for Turkey, 92 for Germany, 66 for Belgium, 58 for Argentina, 100 for Moldova, 65 for Burkina Faso, 5 for Italy, 9 for Burundi, 2 for Serbia and 1 for Algeria.

 

 

 

This is the right attitude, though. Need to treat it like an Old Firm game and make our own luck, as long as we don't shite out and give everything we can on the pitch, nobody can complain if a better team beats us. Who knows, we might just get lucky?

They didn’t win the Turkish league did they or they wouldn’t be in this diddy competition would they? Fourth currently. 
They are a level above us no doubt and this is probably the worst time to play them. 

[Pasquale for King]

Not much point in turning up it seems, anyone want to buy a ticket 🤦🏽. 

[Ricardo Quaresma]

52 minutes ago, Pasquale for King said:

They didn’t win the Turkish league did they or they wouldn’t be in this diddy competition would they? Fourth currently. 
They are a level above us no doubt and this is probably the worst time to play them. 

 

They were 4th last year; they won the league in 19/20; it really seems they benefited from covid, but who knows?

[Ricardo Quaresma]

Strange one with Özil; he was injured for nearly a month and last played 25th August, for 3 minutes; he didn't play in their last league game, not even on the bench

 

Biglia, who someone mentioned earlier is now 36 and has played heavily so far this season

 

The have a decent spattering of good players with experience and have played only 2 away games out of 5 this season

 

I would go with:

 

                    Gordon

Smith Halkett Kingsley Cochrane

              Devlin Halliday

Gino            McKay      Forrest

                 Shankland

 

* Kio may be available, if so, then it's a choice of who to bring on / start / take off

* Gino to run them ragged (In theory) then bring on Humphrys to batter them

 

*The only player we can bet on replacing Boyce properly is McKay, though there is an option to start with Grant in middle, then bring Forrest on later

 

This way we would have some guys coming on later who can add something in midfield and attack, as opposed to going with our straight-out best starting 11

[gregzy2k7]

I really really hope Halkett and Smith are fit for this 🙏 if Neilson and Sibbick are in the starting line up I think it's fair to say we are conceding a few, it really depends on our starting 11 as to how this game will go, does anyone know if the new midfielder Kio has a chance of being involved? Would like to see him in the team.

 

I think Neilson will go 3 at the back as we will be up against it here

 

If Halks and Smith are fit I would go

 

Gordon

Smith Halkett Kingsley 

Atkinson Kio Devlin Cochrane

Forrest Shankland Mckay

 

Still think we will lose even with that team, 2-0 win for Istanbul imo.

 

If Sibbick and Neilson in the team we will get pumped imo.

 

Obviously I hope I'm very wrong and hearts pull off a miracle 1-0 win.

[Kiwidoug]

Despite the alleged quality of their players on here, my phone app has the odds as neck and neck.

 

I remain optimistic.

[Sooks]

I think we will be good the players do not seem to have trouble getting up for the big games 

 

Sibbick goal to cap a good defensive performance would be nice

 

I predict a tight game where we might upset the odds and pinch it with a late goal

[Taffin]

If Halkett is back in confident we can win 2-1.

 

If he's not, I reckon 0-3.

 

Either way we've just got to give it our best shot. No individual errors leading to goals and no stupid red cards.

[TweedbankJambo]

Footballing lessons in the pipeline.

 

I bloody hope I'm wrong!

[TexasAndy]

These are the games all the hard work last season was aiming towards.  As a player I would be buzzing to get out there.  Each fixture is a free hit.  Give it 100% and see where we end up.  We drew at Anfield with a team much worse than we have now.  MON.  

[Allowayjambo1874]

General sale tickets go on sale today, be interesting to see how quickly they go.
 

Hopefully sell out by tonight/tomorrow, can only be a couple of thousand left? Even with our poor form be disappointing if this doesn’t sell out. 

[PapaShango]

This will be a tough game and I'm sure they will be technically very good, when you look at their side they have internationalists all over it with experience. Ozil on his day is world class and he could carve us open if he can be bothered. These are the games we played for last season so might as will go at it and have a go at them and see where we end up. We have beaten some pretty decent teams in Europe over the years so every possibility we can again. Going back to our Euro run in 89, I'm sure our league form was poor back then as well and we struggled with stringing domestic and European form together.