***Official Hearts - Motherwell Thread****

[1971fozzy]

Magnificent result. Losing Cochrane was another blow but we did superbly. They are no mugs and whilst we were fortunate not to concede they just didn’t score. Superb stuff at a ground we don’t do well at. Loved today. Beers with mates and watching  a win away. Doesn’t get better

[hearts00]

2 hours ago, jamboinglasgow said:

I understand people going on about all the chances Motherwell had, but if we were one of the Old Firm, everyone would be going on about how clinical we are and why that shows difference in level between us and Motherwell.

 

Going to Fir park, a place where we have struggled over the seasons, after a big away trip in Europe with some big defenders out and to come away with a clean sheet and 3 goals is a fantastic result. The players confidence must be rising quickly. We have got a run out for 2 of our 3 new signings who have yet to play. Now we have two weeks off to rest and prepare for the the October from hell (8 games in 30 days (though going out of the league cup gives us a free midweek in the middle.) It was a big result for us.

I agree completely. 
 

However the OF would not be anywhere near as bad as us today on the ball. 
 

Tremendous resukt and to be third and still in the ECL group considering the injuries and poor form is great. 
 

We must however improve in possession. 

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

51 minutes ago, PapaShango said:

This in spades. I’ve seen us play the OF at home countless times and miss chances and be done 3 or 4 nil. No one cares once the dust settles it’s all about winning. 

We’ll check the Neilson thread…

 

You are right but there are some utter trumpets that don’t seem to agree.

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

7 minutes ago, hearts00 said:

I agree completely. 
 

However the OF would not be anywhere near as bad as us today on the ball. 
 

Tremendous resukt and to be third and still in the ECL group considering the injuries and poor form is great. 
 

We must however improve in possession. 

Most old firm players are on 4 to 6 times our players are on but since you brought up the old firm what is your view of Celtic’s performance today since you are so chuffed about how the old firm play?

 

Also, Rangers beat United by 2 goals less than we did - how does that fit with you weirdly twisted view of life?

Edited September 18, 2022 by Tom Hardy’s Dug

[periodictabledancer]

2 hours ago, jamboinglasgow said:

I understand people going on about all the chances Motherwell had, but if we were one of the Old Firm, everyone would be going on about how clinical we are and why that shows difference in level between us and Motherwell.

 

Going to Fir park, a place where we have struggled over the seasons, after a big away trip in Europe with some big defenders out and to come away with a clean sheet and 3 goals is a fantastic result. The players confidence must be rising quickly. We have got a run out for 2 of our 3 new signings who have yet to play. Now we have two weeks off to rest and prepare for the the October from hell (8 games in 30 days (though going out of the league cup gives us a free midweek in the middle.) It was a big result for us.

This. 

[hearts00]

Just now, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

Most old firm players are on 4 to 6 times our players are on but since you brought up the old firm what is your view of Celtic’s performance today since you are so chuffed about how the old firm play?

 

Also, Rangers beat United by 2 goals less than we did - how does that fit with you weirdly twisted view of life?

Man! Cool the jets Tam. 
 

Great result, poor performance. 

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

By the way Celtic might have been gubbed by St Mirren today but bhoy didn’t they have some lovely passages of flowing football.

 

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

Edited September 18, 2022 by Tom Hardy’s Dug

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

1 minute ago, hearts00 said:

Man! Cool the jets Tam. 
 

Great result, poor performance. 

At least I have jets. You’re off your rocket 😂

Edited September 18, 2022 by Tom Hardy’s Dug

[TNCASTLE]

47 minutes ago, Peakybunnet said:

Had so many ups and downs following Hearts over 50 years I am happy being on the train no matter where it goes. 
 

I can only Hope for the league! 

I saw them win the league at St Mirren, lose it at home to Killie and away to Dundee. I expect one more league before I peg out….

[hearts00]

3 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

By the way Celtic might have been gunned by St Mirren today but bhoy didn’t they have some lovely passages of flowing football.

 

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

 

Are you alright Tam?

 

I said it was a great result.  
 

I also think today and on the evidence of the whole season we need to significantly improve in possession and dictating the tempo of the game. 

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

Just now, hearts00 said:

Are you alright Tam?

 

I said it was a great result.  
 

I also think today and on the evidence of the whole season we need to significantly improve in possession and dictating the tempo of the game. 

I’m absolutely delighted mate.

 

What a week and what a manager we have. Best in our modern history.

[Batistuta87]

1 hour ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

Great pass but the run makes the pass an option.

 

My favourite bit about the goal however was Forrest taking up the Kyogo offside position centrally and then being feee for a tap in as a result.

 

I said we needed to be adding that to our game as with the right pass out wide it is almost undefendable.

 

Great pass. Great run from Nate too. I liked Snodgrass' awareness just beforehand where he had a scan, received the ball but knew nothing was on so rather than turn into trouble himself he he just quickly knocked it back to allow some movement (enter Nate). 

 

Great long ball from Kingsley and nice movement from Forrest for the first goal too, forcing the error from Gallagher. His movement again for the third, and his wee flick for Smith was just 🤌🏻

 

Some good numbers for our new signings today. A goal and an assist for Shankland, 2 goals and a forced defensive error for Forrest.

 

[hearts00]

1 minute ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

I’m absolutely delighted mate.

 

What a week and what a manager we have. Best in our modern history.

Indeed 

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

7 minutes ago, hearts00 said:

Man! Cool the jets Tam. 
 

Great result, poor performance. 

By the way - after bumming up the old firm you didn’t answer my question…

[hearts00]

4 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

By the way - after bumming up the old firm you didn’t answer my question…

Yeah no idea what you’re point is Tam. 
 

I am delighted with our position in the league and the result today. We scored two really terrific goals. 
 

Neilson has an incredible ability to get results when the pressure is starting to mount on him. Long may it continue. 
 

Having said that we have to improve in possession to progress, not just based on today but the whole season so far. 

[Gizmo]

27 minutes ago, hearts00 said:

Man! Cool the jets Tam. 
 

Great result, poor performance. 

Scoring 3 goals to zip away from home is never a poor performance. 

[davemclaren]

Since my first match in 1965.  
 

Hearts win - happy

Hearts lose - unhappy

 

Am I missing something? 

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

55 minutes ago, hearts00 said:

 

However the OF would not be anywhere near as bad as us today on the ball. 
 

 

 

32 minutes ago, hearts00 said:

Yeah no idea what you’re point is Tam. 
 

 

Given the above point just asking for your view of the old firm play today.

 

Thats all

[Hearts1975]

4 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Since my first match in 1965.  
 

Hearts win - happy

Hearts lose - unhappy

 

Am I missing something? 

No your not Dave 

I just can't fathom it at the moment. 

Get to the Int break, 3rd in the league and 2nd in the conf and the moaning continues.

Fir Park as you know over the years hasn't been a happy hunting ground for us. We mugged them today, pure and simple and I personally took a lot of pleasure in that. 

How many times have we looked at the OF mugging sides on the football park including ourselves and wished it was us. ?

Who cares. We won the game pure and simple. We were clinical and took our chances. They did not. 

We have showed glimpses of how we can really play, in games, since the start of the season but LBH we haven't hit a real run of consistent form.

I'll take where we are right now, knowing full well that we have still got more to show. 

Every team hits a wee rough patch and if we are in the position we are in now, and supposedly have already hit that wall, then we should take that any day of the week - still well on track to meet our objectives, out with going out of the LC to Killie 

 

But still some folk are obviously not happy with things

 

Go figure. 

[WheatfieldWarrior]

14 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Since my first match in 1965.  
 

Hearts win - happy

Hearts lose - unhappy

 

Am I missing something? 

 

I think there might be a 3rd option.

[No Idle Talk]

Fabulous result. Two beautifully worked goals as well. Delighted.

[gregzy2k7]

Just watched the whole game back,

It was a very good performance from us, I would say there are still some things we can work on defensively as I felt we were lucky that motherwell didn't at least score once or twice today, especially the mcginn chance! on the whole we were good though and were very clinical in an attacking sense, Forrest and Shankland look like they are forming a formidable partnership up front and get better every game they play, I was also very impressed with Kio today, looks a top signing.

Well done to Hearts and Robbie Neilson 👏 ❤️ 

[cosanostra]

We played well, scored great goals and away from home after a tough midweek Euro game with injuries to key players. Great result. 

We had some luck for sure but how many times have teams done that to us over the years? Kilmarnock and Livingston seem to be able to do that regularly.

Agree that Snodgrass needs to get fit and Kio was solid and classy.

The only signing for me who is yet to show much is Humphrys but it's obviously hard coming from a lower level and off the bench.

[Kiwidoug]

4 hours ago, Mikey1874 said:

Paul McGinn's chance was harder than it looked at the time.

 

 

Thanks for posting.  Two great team goals in there.  I'm feeling jolly, splendidly good today.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

Finally got a chance to watch the replay. I don't feel we played all that badly, but Motherwell looked very sharp in their passing and attacking. Folk in the thread have talked about what a good game of football it was to watch, and I agreed. Lots of chippy fouls from them as they tried to intimidate Cochrane and others, and yes we had a couple of let-offs in the finish. Motherwell reminded me a bit of some of Robbie's early teams—clearly Hammell has a similar emphasis on cutting passes that disrupt a defence. They're going to get better, I think, and be dangerous in the league.

 

However, Shankland showed his quality with a pure striker's goal, and then two outstanding team goals just superbly worked. We won because our finishes were clinical and theirs were haphazard. Great to see.

 

Getting a good long look at Humphries, he reminds me a bit of a bigger Stevo. Maybe it's just that tattoos, but he plays with an attitude and an abandon that's nice to see. He has yet to show a lot of quality but just a bit of a bulldog leading the line is no bad thing.

 

Zog surprised me a bit, in that I thought he was going to be more of a Peter Haring type. Instead he seems like he's playing the way Jamie Walker did at his best, sitting in the middle of the 4-2-3-1, although clearly not as shot-minded as Walker. He made some excellent tackles and held possession well but he looks like he's got an eye for a cutting pass that will show up a bit more as he settles in.

 

We've had to grind out so many of these kinds of results in the past, it really was pleasing to see us go in against a team playing good football with some decent players and just outshine them with our quality.

 

 

[Debut 4]

9 hours ago, PapaShango said:

This in spades. I’ve seen us play the OF at home countless times and miss chances and be done 3 or 4 nil. No one cares once the dust settles it’s all about winning. 

👍🏻

[PortyBeach]

11 hours ago, Riccarton3 said:

Exquisite pass from Kingsley for the third. 

Man City-esque, I thought…

[Libertarian]

14 hours ago, August Landmesser said:

Brilliant. Bonkers game, and we were hanging on by fingertips at times, but defending was committed and finishing was clinical.

 

Hopefully Big Craig's knee is bad enough to keep him out of Scotland duty, but mild enough that's he's fine for us.

 

Beat Rangers 3-0 and we're up to second. Easy-peasy.

A 2-0 victory over Rangers will be enough to see us up to 2nd place.

[Cut The Crap]

Superb result and a clinical performance. We have better players than Motherwell which is why we make fewer mistakes and take our chances when they come along. Good times.

[Skacelsid]

That will be a difficult fixture for all teams this season, we have three points, that after a Thursday euro away tie, we now have a well earned break well done all.

[TexasAndy]

This was a truly magnificent result to end a great week.   Our finishing was clinical (something we have been guilty of not doing this season).  Yes there were scary moments in defence, I think that is down to a combination of good play from them and also us dealing with the disruption to our defence this season.  Overall though what jumped out at me is how strong our squad is looking.  Oh and if you are bored today and don't want to watch the funeral you can play a game of 'spot the regular roasters' on KB 🙂

[PapaShango]

8 hours ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

We’ll check the Neilson thread…

 

You are right but there are some utter trumpets that don’t seem to agree.

At the end of the day the players and manager are judged on results. If we play well and get gubbed like Motherwell done yesterday then no one cares a few weeks down the line when your struggling for form and points. We all know how quickly some on here have the daggers out for Robbie. His win stats must be up there with the most successful Hearts managers. I know he had a couple of years in the Championship but still deserves credit for that. 

[PapaShango]

8 minutes ago, TexasAndy said:

This was a truly magnificent result to end a great week.   Our finishing was clinical (something we have been guilty of not doing this season).  Yes there were scary moments in defence, I think that is down to a combination of good play from them and also us dealing with the disruption to our defence this season.  Overall though what jumped out at me is how strong our squad is looking.  Oh and if you are bored today and don't want to watch the funeral you can play a game of 'spot the regular roasters' on KB 🙂

I think fatigue played a part for a spell in the second half when we struggled to get up the pitch and retain the ball. But for all the chances they had the closest they came was a strike outside the box that hit the bar and the McGinn chance. We done well to take the chances we made and were clinical for a change. 

[kingantti1874]

The 2nd and 3rd goals were tremdous

 

moat of the point on the third have been made, Atkinson’s run and Kingsley a pass but that little knock back by snodgrass was class as well. The sort of instant, technically simple pass that unbalances a defence’s.  Most players would have stopped it then looked for an option but he knew 

[Italian Lambretta]

The most interesting part of the excellent 3rd goal was the difference in passing between Haring and Kio

Haring picked up the ball and took 7 touches then pass to Kio. Kio took the pass with his back to kingsley turn and pass. Only 2 touches.

[Rogue Daddy]

What a fantastic result at a ground where we struggle. Listened on the radio and watched the highlights - we seemed to right our luck a wee bit, but it’s about putting the ball in the net. Some real quality on display, well done Hearts! Thankfully we go into the break on a high as October will be a stinker with some difficult games… but we’re looking good. As I’ve said in other threads, when fit, we’re putting together a hell of a decent squad!

[Wee Mikey]

7 minutes ago, Italian Lambretta said:

The most interesting part of the excellent 3rd goal was the difference in passing between Haring and Kio

Haring picked up the ball and took 7 touches then pass to Kio. Kio took the pass with his back to kingsley turn and pass. Only 2 touches.

 

Is it? Or is that simply a desperate attempt at being negative about Haring? Could it be that he bided his time and picked the right pass under the circumstances?

[Ex member of the SaS]

Great result against a very capable team, Predicted 2 or 3 nil but will happily take that! Gave them too much possession at times but managed to control the game. Defending still needs some work but they managed ( somehow ) to keep them out!

[MarkDevriesScores4]

Folk actually saying that was a poor performance must have watched a different game from me. Soaking up pressure and defending for large parts of the match doesn’t mean you performed badly. The opposite in fact. Can’t be in possession all the time and you need to use your energy efficiently which we nailed yesterday. Clinical and mature performance with great goals. Not sure what more people want?

[Bob Loblaw]

49 minutes ago, Wee Mikey said:

 

Is it? Or is that simply a desperate attempt at being negative about Haring? Could it be that he bided his time and picked the right pass under the circumstances?

Yep, Haring took touches because we'd been struggling to get out for ages. So he took the ball, slowed it down to allow players to get forward and then picked the right pass.

[Mikey1874]

One notably strength is some of the long forward passes. Kingsley for the first goal for example. 

 

I thought we would be playing a lot of cross field sharp moves. But we're also playing a lot of defence shredding long passes. Maybe that was the away set up. 

 

Again we were sharp and dangerous in attack and Motherwell were mostly ponderous.

[OTT]

Just now, Mikey1874 said:

One notably strength is some of the long forward passes. Kingsley for the first goal for example. 

 

I thought we would be playing a lot of cross field sharp moves. But we're also playing a lot of defence shredding long passes. Maybe that was the away set up. 

 

Again we were sharp and dangerous in attack and Motherwell were mostly ponderous.

 

Definitely. 

 

Maybe thats the key to creating more success in the final 3rd, get our CBs joining the attacks, or building them from the back. I was really enjoying watching Neilsons runs into midfield. 

[wavydavy]

Brilliant result yesterday and although we had CG to thank for some outstanding saves yet again and some poor finishing from Motherwell.

 

I was delighted to see us not only get the three points but dig out a win at a ground where we have a poor record.

 

That was the sort of victory that the OF get where they are not at their best but still win with a scoreline that flatters them.

 

Nice to see that we can now do that. The acid test will be to show that it is not just a one off.

[milky_26]

10 hours ago, davemclaren said:

Since my first match in 1965.  
 

Hearts win - happy

Hearts lose - unhappy

 

Am I missing something? 

Hibs lose - normal day

[davemclaren]

15 minutes ago, milky_26 said:

Hibs lose - normal day

🤣👍

[Fort Vallance]

18 hours ago, been here before said:

 

Not at the game then?

 

Pinned us back most of the 2nd half. Looked like 2 or 3 off the woidwork, Gordon denied them a couple of times. A goal ruled out for offside.

 

They dominated the 2nd half at least.

 

Makes the win even better, these are the games we need to be grinding out and winning.

I didn't say we weren't dominated. Just that I'd take that every week.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

9 hours ago, MarkDevriesScores4 said:

Folk actually saying that was a poor performance must have watched a different game from me. Soaking up pressure and defending for large parts of the match doesn’t mean you performed badly. The opposite in fact. Can’t be in possession all the time and you need to use your energy efficiently which we nailed yesterday. Clinical and mature performance with great goals. Not sure what more people want?

 

The comparison to times we've lost to the OF even when playing well was spot on. It's always so disheartening, getting stuck in, passing well, creating chances, and then out of slim chances they finish clinically. Sighs from the manager saying, "they showed their quality . . ."

 

We got to be on the other side of the table yesterday and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.