***Official RFS v Heart of Midlothian Match Thread***

[Harry Potter]

latvia are 29 places behind us in the rankings, we have to be winning this game.

[graygo]

3 minutes ago, Harry Potter said:

latvia are 29 places behind us in the rankings, we have to be winning this game.

 

That doesn't make much sense. 

 

I agree that we should be looking to beat them though.

[Ricardo Quaresma]

1 hour ago, Sleepy head said:

Anyway,telling the opposition how we are going to approach the game is thick.If it is a bluff,then i will retract my point.

 

I know, why listen to bullshit from a player or manager, when you can come on here and read every little detail about everything though?

[Negan]

Anyone know anywhere that will be showing the game down here? Unfortunately iv had to come back to work due to the passing of the queen so have to make do with watching it here. Are there any jambos down here? 

[gnasher75]

Good to hear Robbie say he has a full squad to pick from including Halkett. If he is in the team, it will make a massive difference.

[Portable Badger]

Would imagine one of the pubs down Union Street will be showing the game. Just don’t get pissed and into a fight - place is always crawling with Military Police

[Negan]

Walkabout has a few tvs so hopefully it will be on there

[John Findlay]

1 hour ago, Portable Badger said:

Would imagine one of the pubs down Union Street will be showing the game. Just don’t get pissed and into a fight - place is always crawling with Military Police

Are there any pubs left in Union Strasse?

[tcjambo]

1 hour ago, gnasher75 said:

Good to hear Robbie say he has a full squad to pick from including Halkett. If he is in the team, it will make a massive difference.

Beni and Kio?

[Uncle Buck]

1 hour ago, gnasher75 said:

Good to hear Robbie say he has a full squad to pick from including Halkett. If he is in the team, it will make a massive difference.

Boyce and Beni are definitely out. When’s Rowles back?

[gnasher75]

It was how Robbie put it! A full squad minus the long term injuries ie Beni, Boyce and Rowles, although Robbie couldn't remember Rowles! Don't imagine that includes Kio and can't include Snodgrass. Halkett and Forrest available.

[Naisys Tackle]

"The problems we have had is the selection of the back three or four because we have had a lot of injuries," Neilson said. "Kye Rowles has been out, Halkett has been out, we have Nathaniel Atkinson out and its been difficult to get settled.

"Getting Halkett back in will help us, but other than that, it's getting back to what we are good at. We need to get passing the ball into good areas and getting our key players on the ball higher up the pitch."

Thursday's hosts earned a shock 1-1 draw at Fiorentina in their group opener, before Monday's 3-0 win over Spartaks Jurmala left them sitting third in the Latvian top flight, and Neilson "wasn't surprised" by the Latvian double winners' draw in Italy.

"They are a very well-organised team," he said. "They can play a couple of formations and they seem to rotate their team. They have good physicality, good strength in their team and the have Andrej Ilic up front, who can score a number of goals."

 

RFS coach Viktor Morozs says Hearts play a different style of football than anything they are used to in Latvia.

"I even checked the statistics and, for example, Hearts have about 200 challenges per game and we don't have any team in Latvia that has stats," he said.

"They run a lot, they are strong with the diagonal passes, they make a lot of runs, they are aggressive and are good at crosses. They are a very good team and it's going to be really hard against them."

[Class of 75]

3 hours ago, John Findlay said:

Are there any pubs left in Union Strasse?

Not like it used to be John.

[Kiwidoug]

What a good day it's turning out to be.  Good win for the women and Halkett and Forrest back.  

 

Great crowd of Jambos going and I'm starting to feel a wee bit confident.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

2 hours ago, gnasher75 said:

It was how Robbie put it! A full squad minus the long term injuries ie Beni, Boyce and Rowles, although Robbie couldn't remember Rowles! Don't imagine that includes Kio and can't include Snodgrass. Halkett and Forrest available.

 

Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Kio. That has the whiff of a Robbie Surprise—don't bother to tell anyone he's gotten his visa, just put him on the team sheet on Thurdsay.

[Captain Sausage]

Much more confident today than I have been all week. 
 

Halkett back, Grant back.

 

Gordon

Smith Halkett Kingsley Cochrane

Devlin Haring

Forrest Grant McKay

Shankland

 

0-2 Hearts. 

[Captain Canada]

Gordon

Smith Halkett Kingsley Cochrane

Grant Devlin

Gino McKay Halliday 

Humphrys

 

I just read Atkinson is out for tonight. 

 

They have a tall team so I'd go for Humphrys in attack. 

 

Haring was poor in the last game and I think Halliday playing on the left could help give us more stability when we're defending. 

 

I thought Forrest started the season well but Gino deserves a start ahead of him now. 

 

I'm hoping Grant can come back in with a point to prove and show what he's about. 

[Darren]

8 hours ago, Robbies Tackle said:

RFS coach Viktor Morozs says Hearts play a different style of football than anything they are used to in Latvia.

"I even checked the statistics and, for example, Hearts have about 200 challenges per game and we don't have any team in Latvia that has stats," he said.

"They run a lot, they are strong with the diagonal passes, they make a lot of runs, they are aggressive and are good at crosses. They are a very good team and it's going to be really hard against them."

 

Did he watch the wrong team?

[soonbe110]

13 hours ago, Harry Potter said:

latvia are 29 places behind us in the rankings, we have to be winning this game.

Is that the national team? If so not really relevant. Riga currently have about 20 capped players in their squad with guys from Finland, Peru, Congo, Greece Ukraine, Bulgaria.  Admittedly about 10 are Latvian but they do have a lot more internationalists than we currently do. 

[4marsbars]

15 minutes ago, Darren said:

 

Did he watch the wrong team?

We're on a poor run right now, fair enough, but that was an accurate description of our strengths.

[Italian Lambretta]

19 minutes ago, Darren said:

 

Did he watch the wrong team?

I wonder if he noticed how many times we passed the ball backwards.

[Rudi cant fail]

I know Robbie has said it’s not make or break to pick up anything from the game. It really is though, lose this and we finish bottom of the group which would be pretty poor. a win and we have a very small outside change of finishing second. 
 

there is no way we are picking up anything more than a defeat in instanbul, but after a win tonight we might get a bit of a lift and get a decent result against Fiorentina at home. 
 

from when the group was drawn I think most fans would have accepted a third place finish with 6 maybe 7 points. Lose tonight and it will only increase the negativity and could have a big impact on our season. 

[Harry Potter]

15 minutes ago, soonbe110 said:

Is that the national team? If so not really relevant. Riga currently have about 20 capped players in their squad with guys from Finland, Peru, Congo, Greece Ukraine, Bulgaria.  Admittedly about 10 are Latvian but they do have a lot more internationalists than we currently do. 

That is euro rankings based on domestic clubs record in europe, so is relevant, all to do with coefficients we have 33.375points standing in 11th place, Latvia have 7.375 points sitting in 40 th place, England are top with 100.569 points , hope the other poster who said i was not making sense maybe understands this, i wont hold my breath, i think hes at it😕

[spacerjoe]

4 minutes ago, Harry Potter said:

That is euro rankings based on domestic clubs record in europe, so is relevant, all to do with coefficients we have 33.375points standing in 11th place, Latvia have 7.375 points sitting in 40 th place, England are top with 100.569 points , hope the other poster who said i was not making sense maybe understands this, i wont hold my breath, i think hes at it😕

Its not that relevant though when 99% of those points came from Rangers and Celtic 

 

Either way, this will be a tough, but winnable tie.

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

Due to their size my bet of the day is that Sibbick will start. He’s about our tallest outfield player.

 

I still can’t believe we didn’t push for Kio quicker to get the visa situation sorted sooner. 

[TexasAndy]

3 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

Due to their size my bet of the day is that Sibbick will start. He’s about our tallest outfield player.

 

I still can’t believe we didn’t push for Kio quicker to get the visa situation sorted sooner. 

Hearts stated that they had been working on the Kio deal for weeks.   Hearts weren't the only club in for him.

[pettigrewsstylist]

Realise he plays it down for media/opposition poker  reasons. Wish he would avoid the uncalled for negativity though. 

Sounds like just getting excuses in early. Cant fail to be read by players. Some of these on liners just were not needed.

 

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/hearts-make-200-challenges-per-game-with-diagonals-aggression-and-crosses-no-team-in-latvia-does-this-3843808

[Baxfee]

Skill, pace and taking chances - all key. But can we get a wee bit of luck please. In all our recent games every 50/50 ball has fallen to opponents; goal line clearances; just no rub of the green. Maybe tonight…. 

[lost in space]

6 minutes ago, pettigrewsstylist said:

Realise he plays it down for media/opposition poker  reasons. Wish he would avoid the uncalled for negativity though. 

Sounds like just getting excuses in early. Cant fail to be read by players. Some of these on liners just were not needed.

 

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/hearts-make-200-challenges-per-game-with-diagonals-aggression-and-crosses-no-team-in-latvia-does-this-3843808

You are quite right - they shouldnt be using cocaine anyway.

As for Neilson "playing it down" and negativity - can you imagine him trying to motivate the players with a rousing team talk??? No, I cant either.

[Baxfee]

What are BT sport  options?  I know info is somewhere in thread  but can’t see it

Edited September 15, 2022 by Baxfee

[AC Mallin_51]

I know this is still an away game in Europe but this is one we really should be winning. This is a side that literally scraped past Linfield. I know football doesn’t work like that and their game against fiorentina last week proved that but really we should be targeting 6 points from the Riga games. I don’t know why but I’m getting the feeling this is one of those games that is really going to make or break things for us over the next wee while. A win tonight I really think will turn things around for us, I dread to think how we could spiral if we lose this one 

[BackOfTheNet]

They’re on an unbeaten run, are they not? And we’re in a slump. Classic case of early round cup shock on the cards feel about it.

 

However, I suspect even though Latvia are general minnows in the world of football, they’ll have technically gifted players that will give us a hard time. They didn’t draw with Fiorentina for nothing. Also worth noting until the last Euros, Latvia had qualified for a major tournament more recently than Scotland had (Euro 2004).

 

I’m going to guess this will be a dull 0-0 draw. My heart knows we can win it, but my head knows we can easily lose it, so draw it is.

Edited September 15, 2022 by BackOfTheNet

[graygo]

55 minutes ago, Harry Potter said:

That is euro rankings based on domestic clubs record in europe, so is relevant, all to do with coefficients we have 33.375points standing in 11th place, Latvia have 7.375 points sitting in 40 th place, England are top with 100.569 points , hope the other poster who said i was not making sense maybe understands this, i wont hold my breath, i think hes at it😕

 

I'm not at it at all, pretty much all of Scotland's points are down to the arse cheeks. We've contributed zero, that's why it's irrelevant.

[graygo]

51 minutes ago, spacerjoe said:

Its not that relevant though when 99% of those points came from Rangers and Celtic 

 

Either way, this will be a tough, but winnable tie.

 

Exactly.

[sprinbox98]

1 hour ago, jonesy said:

It really doesn't matter which XI starts the game.

 

If we start with energy and a desire to get the ball forward early we will unsettle them. If, on the other hand, the first twenty minutes is about increasing the centre halves' pass completion rates, then we're going to end up chasing the game when they inevitably score.

the most sensible post I’ve read in a while. Shows some hunger, desire and energy and Take the game to them!

[Glamorgan Jambo]

Whatever team we select we need to not give up possession as we’ve done in all the previous Euro ties. No matter where they’re ranked they’ll punish us if we give them the ball as frequently as we did against Istanbul and Zurich.

[Rods]

I would go with 

 

Gordon

Sibbick Smith Kingsley

Atkinson devlin haring Cochrane

Mcaky Shankland Grant

 

 

[wavydavy]

17 minutes ago, Rods said:

I would go with 

 

Gordon

Sibbick Smith Kingsley

Atkinson devlin haring Cochrane

Mcaky Shankland Grant

 

 

 

You must be having a laugh. Sibbick has been a bomb scare in most games, Haring gifted the Turks a goal and missed a sitter for us and Atkinson is still injured according to Robbie.

[john thomas]

1 hour ago, Baxfee said:

What are BT sport  options?  I know info is somewhere in thread  but can’t see it

£25 for one month 

[Baxfee]

6 minutes ago, john thomas said:

£25 for one month 

👍

[A_A wehatethehibs]

1 hour ago, jonesy said:

It really doesn't matter which XI starts the game.

 

If we start with energy and a desire to get the ball forward early we will unsettle them. If, on the other hand, the first twenty minutes is about increasing the centre halves' pass completion rates, then we're going to end up chasing the game when they inevitably score.

Yes it does matter massively which XI starts the game.
 

The personnel available to the manager makes a colossal difference. 
 

Better players = better chance of a result.  

 

And with that in mind, first name on the team sheet is Craig Halkett tonight. 

[Jamboross]

2 hours ago, soonbe110 said:

Is that the national team? If so not really relevant. Riga currently have about 20 capped players in their squad with guys from Finland, Peru, Congo, Greece Ukraine, Bulgaria.  Admittedly about 10 are Latvian but they do have a lot more internationalists than we currently do. 

 

Wrong Riga. RFS do have some internationalists but it's mainly Latvians with a couple of Lithuanians and Serbians and we're mainly talking a couple of caps not seasoned internationalists. 

[Heartsmad1874]

Is Rowles back also? Robbie said only Beni and Boyce are missing.

[gnasher75]

1 minute ago, Heartsmad1874 said:

Is Rowles back also? Robbie said only Beni and Boyce are missing.

 

No. Robbie knew there was another long term injury but couldn't remember who it was!

[A_A wehatethehibs]

Just now, jonesy said:

I guess my point is that our first team squad should be good enough, even if there is a bit of shuffling. We were excellent v Zurich until the red card, even without Halkett.

 

Get the ball forward and cause their defenders to think about our presence rather than allowing their midfield to press our defenders into a mistake or a pass back.

We have seen clear evidence that the squad depth is not there and the squad is not good enough. Theres been uproar about it. So to say “the squad should be good enough” is silly stuff in the face of the facts. It’s just a fact we have to deal with between now and January. There are just 2 passable first team CBs at the club. Halkett and Rowles.

 

With both of them, we look decent.

 

Without one of them, we’re weaker as some combination of shite Sibbick, old man Smith or inexperienced Neilson will be in. 

 

Without both of them, we’re wobbly, low on confidence and will be at risk of getting beat off pub teams. 
 

Pretty simple equation. But in saying that it’s good news Halkett is fit. Robbie will be very pleased 

[Rods]

22 minutes ago, wavydavy said:

 

You must be having a laugh. Sibbick has been a bomb scare in most games, Haring gifted the Turks a goal and missed a sitter for us and Atkinson is still injured according to Robbie.

 

Sibbick was our best defender against Livingston. I am hoping that we don't rush Halkett back as he is needed more for Sunday and the rest of the season. 

 

Replace Neilson with Smith and move Smith into Atkinson place. Height is going to be required this game. 

 

ps you missed out Kingsley lost his man for the Istanbul second goal. So, by your Haring logic he should be dropped. 

[A_A wehatethehibs]

1 minute ago, Rods said:

 

Sibbick was our best defender against Livingston. I am hoping that we don't rush Halkett back as he is needed more for Sunday and the rest of the season. 

 

Replace Neilson with Smith and move Smith into Atkinson place. Height is going to be required this game. 

 

ps you missed out Kingsley lost his man for the Istanbul second goal. So, by your Haring logic he should be dropped. 

We are literally out of this competition if we L tonight so for that reason, Halkett is 100% in and Sibbick is 100% left back at Oriam hopefully 

[Debut 4]

12 minutes ago, jonesy said:

I guess my point is that our first team squad should be good enough, even if there is a bit of shuffling. We were excellent v Zurich until the red card, even without Halkett.

 

Get the ball forward and cause their defenders to think about our presence rather than allowing their midfield to press our defenders into a mistake or a pass back.

The influential players Neilson relies on (McKay, Forrest etc…) have suddenly tailed off from the brisk, energetic start to the season. 
 

I think it’s good timing we have Grant back as we’ll need a football brain with some kind of influence from midfield.   
 

Ginnelly must start ahead of Forrest. The latter has been poor recently.
 

I’m hoping McKay can find the intent and desire he introduced to his game around the time we were playing Zurich. He was really good but has slightly slipped back into that way of being more on the fringes and waiting on the ball. 
 

Humphrys looked strong and fast when he came on v Istanbul.  Let’s see a different look upfront and not wait on others regaining form.  
 

 

[graygo]

23 minutes ago, A_A wehatethehibs said:

We are literally out of this competition if we L tonight so for that reason, Halkett is 100% in and Sibbick is 100% left back at Oriam hopefully 

 

We'll have 4 games still to play in this competition after tonight, were not "literally" out of it if we lose.

[tian447]

4 minutes ago, graygo said:

 

We'll have 4 games still to play in this competition after tonight, were not "literally" out of it if we lose.

 

It would, however, put us under severe pressure.  Even more so if we lose and Fiorentina win tonight.  It's going to leave us needing to win at least 2 of our remaining games and hope results go on our favour.

 

We win tonight, and the other match is a draw or a win for Istanbul, and things are a lot less desperate.