Closing the gap

[Ked]

Rangers are 17 points in front.

Can we close that next season?

 

 

[Wearsider]

It would mean beating them a couple of times so probably not 

[Riccarton3]

I don't really understand or see the point in looking  that far ahead. Two big fixtures coming up and a cup tie. Lets get third and win the Scottish Cup then think about gaps.

[OmiyaHearts]

The only way to realistically close the gap is by beating them. That's something we've not been able to do in the last few years.

 

Not sure what will change in that regard next season?

[SMJ_1874]

5 minutes ago, Ked said:

Rangers are 17 points in front.

Can we close that next season?

 

We’ll it won’t be  on Wednesday night with brother Beaton sending his apologies for absence at his local orange hall meeting due to a work commitment. 

[liam11]

Starts with games like today. 
I think we’d all take a point and no injuries today, but if you want to realistically challenge the top two in any way, you need 3 pts from games like this.

 

The main issue though, is not shipping 12 points in Glasgow every season

[davemclaren]

8 minutes ago, liam11 said:

Starts with games like today. 
I think we’d all take a point and no injuries today, but if you want to realistically challenge the top two in any way, you need 3 pts from games like this.

 

The main issue though, is not shipping 12 points in Glasgow every season

The main issue is not having the quality and depth that they can afford. However, we do seem to be improving in a measured manner. 

[Dazo]

Keep getting 3rd tied up and some form of European league participation every season first then we can worry about the gap.  

[jr ewing]

Afraid not. 

[JimmyCant]

20 minutes ago, OmiyaHearts said:

The only way to realistically close the gap is by beating them. That's something we've not been able to do in the last few years.

 

Not sure what will change in that regard next season?

You close the gap by doing what they do first and foremost. I.E you go home and away to diddy teams (like Livvy)you win with very few exceptions and you don’t go there thinking a point is a good outcome

Edited January 29, 2023 by JimmyCant

[Homme]

Nope.

 

If it stays around 17pts we will be doing well 

[Mikey1874]

Beating them is a start. 12 points is closer to it being over and then Beale might experiment for next season. 

[AlimOzturk]

Depends on if we can keep the current squad together. I feel we really need a top class midfielder in the same vein as Colin Cameron to put the shits up the old firm. 
 

Who knows what next season holds but we are on the correct trajectory 

[thegreatsd]

I’ve no doubt that is what is being aimed at. We are in a good place just now and have an excellent squad. Today is a tricky game as they all are. If we can beat Rangers on Wednesday who knows what can happen. A defeat for them can start a crisis for them and it’s nicely just after the window shuts. It’s a huge task but not impossible. It’s quite nice that there is even a small debate to be had about it. Over the years we have been programmed to accept they are miles ahead of us but our fans amazing support, European money, off field growth and superb recruitment are making for some interesting times ahead. Mon the JT’s 👍🇱🇻

[Brighton Jambo]

33 minutes ago, OmiyaHearts said:

The only way to realistically close the gap is by beating them. That's something we've not been able to do in the last few years.

 

Not sure what will change in that regard next season?

We have beaten them in the last couple of seasons, we just haven’t done it consistently which is something we haven’t done for decades, if ever.  

[john thomas]

36 minutes ago, Riccarton3 said:

I don't really understand or see the point in looking  that far ahead. Two big fixtures coming up and a cup tie. Lets get third and win the Scottish Cup then think about gaps.

Scottish cup final in June 

[GorgieFifeLife]

34 minutes ago, liam11 said:

Starts with games like today. 
I think we’d all take a point and no injuries today, but if you want to realistically challenge the top two in any way, you need 3 pts from games like this.

 

The main issue though, is not shipping 12 points in Glasgow every season

No chance would I take a point today. Don’t understand that mentality.  We should be winning games like these.

[GorgieFifeLife]

23 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

You close the gap by doing what they do first and foremost. I.E you go home and away to diddy teams (like Livvy)you win with very few exceptions and you don’t go there thinking a point is a good outcome

Good post

[Fraggle]

Closing the gap is not about beating the Old Firm, it's about not dropping so many points to the rest. 

[Tiger]

If we go out and spend money we don't have like sevco and get into debt then yes, but fortunately we don't run our club like that so it won't happen, the closer we get to sevco the more money they will spend and the more debt they accumulate.

 

[frankblack]

56 minutes ago, OmiyaHearts said:

The only way to realistically close the gap is by beating them. That's something we've not been able to do in the last few years.

 

Not sure what will change in that regard next season?

 

Its more complicated than that - you need others to beat them enough times too.  That's not going to happen soon.

[frankblack]

31 minutes ago, AlimOzturk said:

Depends on if we can keep the current squad together. I feel we really need a top class midfielder in the same vein as Colin Cameron to put the shits up the old firm. 
 

Who knows what next season holds but we are on the correct trajectory 

 

I think that only works for a couple of seasons until some team gets them on a free or pays a decent fee.  Either way, a club our size will then struggle to go out and get an equivalent talent on our budget.

[sac]

1 hour ago, Ked said:

Rangers are 17 points in front.

Can we close that next season?

 

 

Could be 11 after Wednesday, but focus has to be on today.

[Bazzas right boot]

We can just try and keep finishing 3rd and win as many games as possible. 

 

Celtic have taken 61 from 66 and Rangers 55 from 69.

The problem is that they drop very few points,  so unless we beat them it's really difficult. 

No Hearts team in living memory has been close to that return.

If we got 70 odd points it would be a great season but likely still a lot behind the top 2.

It's a bit depressing. 

 

Rangers are looking a little vulnerable tho, best players leaving,  ageing core. Finances aren't great.

Just win as many games as possible,  make sure we are third and see where that takes us.

 

 

 

[RudiSkacelsLeftPeg]

Highly doubt it. 
 

We can dream tho

[escobri]

Close the gap yes, catch either of the gruesome twosome no. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Australis]

Got to start beating them more, and turning up at Ibrox and parkhead with the same confidence the Aberdeen side of the 80s and 90s had.

 

Still more players with leadership qualities needed for that I think.

 

[Seaside Dave]

2 hours ago, Ked said:

Rangers are 17 points in front.

Can we close that next season?

 

 

Yes because at the start of next season we will all be on level points 

[ri Alban]

Oda aff

[Herbert.]

I recon we can. We're only 1 or 2 quality signings away from them.  We don't even have to beat them just beat the rest of the league.

[Jambo 4 Ever]

We are still far off them in my opinion

 

Yes we convincingly beat Aberdeen recently - even Darvel beat them and Hibs scored 6 v them!

 

we upped our game vs Hibs both times, but in neither game were we much much better - we just took our chances

 

we are struggling against Livingston at the moment 

 

rangers still a lot better than us 

[Jambo 4 Ever]

49 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

Oda aff

He’s not that good

 

hardly scored any goals before coming to us as well 

[Dsjambo]

Afraid not, 3rd place and challenging for a cup is realistic 

[OTT]

Nope. Games like today are the difference IMO. Where we rack up draws and silly losses the OF typically grind out the result. We've shown we can still do that, but not as consistently. 

 

But, lets get into Europe, collect another £5m and get that reinvested back into the club then do it again. 

 

We're improving under Robbie and there is plenty to be positive about. 

[Costanza]

1 hour ago, Jambo 4 Ever said:

He’s not that good

 

hardly scored any goals before coming to us as well 

Writing a player off after 45 mins on that pitch and in a team underperforming; it's no wonder your takes get you dogs abuse on here.

[Boris5115]

3 minutes ago, OTT said:

Nope. Games like today are the difference IMO. Where we rack up draws and silly losses the OF typically grind out the result. We've shown we can still do that, but not as consistently. 

 

But, lets get into Europe, collect another £5m and get that reinvested back into the club then do it again. 

 

We're improving under Robbie and there is plenty to be positive about. 

The gap that exists beetwen us and the old firm is the gap I want us to have over the likes of Livi Hibs Aberdeen ect. Once that happens with consistent third finishes then maybe we can target getting a bit closer to the uglies. 

[mr fox]

5 hours ago, Ked said:

Rangers are 17 points in front.

Can we close that next season?

 

 

Yes definitely we are getting better quality in now 

[mr fox]

35 minutes ago, Boris5115 said:

The gap that exists beetwen us and the old firm is the gap I want us to have over the likes of Livi Hibs Aberdeen ect. Once that happens with consistent third finishes then maybe we can target getting a bit closer to the uglies. 

I think that’s pretty accurate 

[CloustonHMFC]

Need a couple of seasons consistently finishing 3rd and pulling away from the rest first. It’s a long term objective, and one that if continue on our trajectory could be obtainable in the future. Just now, or even in the next couple of seasons, it’s a bridge too far imo.

 

I want the team to go into every season with the goal to keep the gap at a minimum but I’m also realistic as to where we as a club are. We are the 3rd best team in the league but we still lack the quality depth to go out and do the business every week against the diddy teams. It will come with time and consistency. 

[Boris5115]

7 minutes ago, mr fox said:

I think that’s pretty accurate 

Ah good to see you are now fully awake Mr Fox 🤣

[mr fox]

4 hours ago, Bazzas right boot said:

We can just try and keep finishing 3rd and win as many games as possible. 

 

Celtic have taken 61 from 66 and Rangers 55 from 69.

The problem is that they drop very few points,  so unless we beat them it's really difficult. 

No Hearts team in living memory has been close to that return.

If we got 70 odd points it would be a great season but likely still a lot behind the top 2.

It's a bit depressing. 

 

Rangers are looking a little vulnerable tho, best players leaving,  ageing core. Finances aren't great.

Just win as many games as possible,  make sure we are third and see where that takes us.

 

 

 

Yeah we are behind but we can get closer. We are signing better players but we ain’t finishing second it’s all about money and they have x10 the budget 

[Bazzas right boot]

1 minute ago, mr fox said:

Yeah we are behind but we can get closer. We are signing better players but we ain’t finishing second it’s all about money and they have x10 the budget 

 

Yeah and playing players that can put their body weight on their legs will help win games...😉

[Captain Lithuania]

5 hours ago, Wearsider said:

It would mean beating them a couple of times so probably not 

Said this on another thread, it would mean picking up 3 points today instead of 1. 3 at Easter Road earlier this season, at Tannadice when Gordon was injured. Rugby Park earlier in the season, losing 3-0 to Livingston earlier in the season. If we take care of those games that’s 9 points more we’d have.

[Bazzas right boot]

1 minute ago, Captain Lithuania said:

Said this on another thread, it would mean picking up 3 points today instead of 1. 3 at Easter Road earlier this season, at Tannadice when Gordon was injured. Rugby Park earlier in the season, losing 3-0 to Livingston earlier in the season. If we take care of those games that’s 9 points more we’d have.

 

We lost 1-0 to liv earlier on.👍

[Captain Lithuania]

1 minute ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

We lost 1-0 to liv earlier on.👍

Point still stands. 3-0 must have been last season then. Still, games against Rangers don’t actually matter when it comes to closing the gap on them. It’s the games against everyone else. 

[Taffin]

What they do or don't do is irrelevant, as is how we do against them.

 

Stage one is matching their haul against the rest. We only need to create the gap between us and 4th to 12th. Do that and we'll have closed the gap.

 

Stage two is then hoping one or both of them have an off season and we've built to a point we take points off them and get right in the mix

[Naisys Tackle]

Not really.  Huns have been moderately crap this season and sacked the manager and we are still miles behind them. 

[skinnybob72]

First and foremost we need to win at places like Livingston far more often. We don’t need to beat Rangers to close the gap - beating the non OF sides away from home more often will cut the gap by quite some margin. 
 

Once we do that we can start to think of beating them (and Celtic) more often. 

[tiger Rudi]

We have two good keepers, the makings of a fantastic back 3 or 4 and pace & goals up front. 

 

We need:

1. A next level RWB to make our preferred formation work better.

2. Sign or bring through a younger version of Snodgrass, as sadly he won't go on forever. 

3. A Colin Cameron type. 

4. Find the right blend in midfield and change it now & again as sometimes teams overrun us in the middle when we play a 2.

5. Beni returns as good as he was before. 

 

If all that happens, who knows we just might get a bit closer. 

[JamboGraham]

4 minutes ago, Captain Lithuania said:

Point still stands. 3-0 must have been last season then. Still, games against Rangers don’t actually matter when it comes to closing the gap on them. It’s the games against everyone else. 

 

Games against the team you are trying to catch don't matter?