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

[August Landmesser]

37 minutes ago, Rods said:

Hopefully the last we see of Lowry. Called it earlier but got pulled up for being a Tim or a Hibby. We have youngsters the boy Denholm was superb and his performance made my heart swell as he is one of our own. 

Ooft

[Texaco]

You never know what to expect from a European team. We know so much more about Rosenborg now. They are defensively organised, sit back, wait and were direct and quick on the break. They work hard backing each other up breaking forward often overlapping to give them 2 on 1. Then quickly back into thier defensive format. We just couldn't pass through them to the point we ended up losing possession in dangerous areas.  The best way to unsettle them were quick and long  balls over the top. They look shaky competing for high fast balls near the edge of their box. This was evident later as the second half progressed when we caused them problems. When it comes to tactics I can't see their tactics changing. Ours has to. We can't let them settle defensively from the off as thier breakouts will be fast dangerous. It's horses for courses so a few early balls over the top or down the wings would  be my call. To that end I'd  start Boyce and faster players can feed off him for the scraps. It's an old fashioned Scottish tactics. Not for everyones taste and every game. But needs must in this case as its thier vulnerability. Will get the crowd onside and hopefully that all important 1st goal and take it from there. 

[suds66]

3 hours ago, Henroddy said:

But why didn't the managenent see this?

Baffling decision, concerning that they thought Beni was ready.

[innerjambo]

I am about to have a mellow rant. Just a mellow one.......I am disappointed with the effort in the first half, and I cannot understand why the players don't have more confidence. Hopefully it will come.

I have no idea why Benni was given so much time tonight, baffles me.

We did not perform well the first half, infact we were pants. Very disappointing when you think we should be winning against this opposition, or at least getting a draw.

That said, we're very much still in it, but by no means is it a fore gone conclusion. 

 

I'm praying for a result next week!!!!!!

[Pasquale for King]

31 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

Indeed. Our bench really helped us tonight, but the Beni ‘mistake’ should have been fixed by the 10 minute mark. He toiled from minute 1

Yeah It was a big error. 

[sandylejambo]

Let's hope we can defend our right hand side better next game, Kilmarnock must have seen the spaces we leave down that side.

[martoon]

4 hours ago, Morgan said:

Feck off, Fatty.

 

 

 

The Covid stone,

That I put oan,

Has long gone since feckin gone.

 

😄

Edited August 10, 2023 by martoon

[Hearts1975]

40 minutes ago, Texaco said:

You never know what to expect from a European team. We know so much more about Rosenborg now. They are defensively organised, sit back, wait and were direct and quick on the break. They work hard backing each other up breaking forward often overlapping to give them 2 on 1. Then quickly back into thier defensive format. We just couldn't pass through them to the point we ended up losing possession in dangerous areas.  The best way to unsettle them were quick and long  balls over the top. They look shaky competing for high fast balls near the edge of their box. This was evident later as the second half progressed when we caused them problems. When it comes to tactics I can't see their tactics changing. Ours has to. We can't let them settle defensively from the off as thier breakouts will be fast dangerous. It's horses for courses so a few early balls over the top or down the wings would  be my call. To that end I'd  start Boyce and faster players can feed off him for the scraps. It's an old fashioned Scottish tactics. Not for everyones taste and every game. But needs must in this case as its thier vulnerability. Will get the crowd onside and hopefully that all important 1st goal and take it from there. 

Thing is would you start Boyce with Shanks also starting ? I'm not sure about this exact point tbh. I think you are right, they will play with a low block again. 

That means that playing with pace up top might not necessarily have the desired effect as I can see them having men behind the ball at all times 

 

It might just be one of those games where we should park the passing philosophy and go more direct. Where they looked vulnerable was with long balls into the box and competing for the scraps. 

 

Tagawa, Vargas, Oda, Boyce, Shanks, Lowery, Grant, Forrest (I suppose 😐), McKay but only 4 slots avail at the start. It's food for thought in terms of who starts this game and whether Boyce and Shanks start together. I'm just not 100% sure what the best way to go about it, is. 

[gorgierulesapply88]

Cochrane ball watching for the 1st goal, Kingsley gave us experience and solidity!(if that's even a word!)

 

Cochrane shouldn't have started, Beni shouldn't have started neither should Forrest. But here we are! Mcavoy's made a mistake.

 

Life goes on, sell out next week or we're an absolute shan fan base it's really that simple.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

The performance and the Beni decision are all galling. But if you'd offered me 2-1 before the game I'd have taken it (a bit reluctantly but still).

 

Away games in Europe are hard. One of those where I expect better from our management but still hope we learn from this.

[19/05/2012]

What was up with Boyce at the end seen him head straight to the tunnel at the end 

[gorgierulesapply88]

15 minutes ago, 19/05/2012 said:

What was up with Boyce at the end seen him head straight to the tunnel at the end 

Fuming probably? Controlled the game. 

[fila]

Didn’t watch the game , however without reading through all the posts I should be able to summarise:

 

Our usual Lethargic first half performance 

Who thought starting Beni was a winner …

Squad still isn’t good enough 

Defence  isn’t good enough 

Shankland scores goals , thank god we have him 

We are still in the tie 

Unless we add a quality commanding centre half  this is going to be a long hard season 

** Grant should be offloaded along with Forrest 

 

[JudyJudyJudy]

Happy birthday Lawrence ! A Leo like myself sann 

[JudyJudyJudy]

19 minutes ago, fila said:

Didn’t watch the game , however without reading through all the posts I should be able to summarise:

 

Our usual Lethargic first half performance 

Who thought starting Beni was a winner …

Squad still isn’t good enough 

Defence  isn’t good enough 

Shankland scores goals , thank god we have him 

We are still in the tie 

Unless we add a quality commanding centre half  this is going to be a long hard season 

** Grant should be offloaded along with Forrest 

 

This

[Newton51]

4 hours ago, DesertDawg said:

 

We were back to "Neilson-ball" today, especially in the first half.  

 

Makes you wonder, was Frankie McAvoy calling the shots then too?  He certainly wasn't when Naismith was running the show in the last 7 games of the 2022-23 season.

 

If he was, and is doing it again....he has to go, even if just for the Baningime nonsense today.  We have an admittedly good player, who by his own admission, has flaws in his game but has been working at eliminating them.  He comes on near the end at Perth on Saturday, after more than a year out due to a serious injury, and positions himself well as he always has, but, I can only recall him touching the ball once. 

 

McAvoy today drops him into a key midfield position in a knock-out European tie that potentially is worth millions to the club. Does that make any sense?  It sure as hell doesn't to me.  I've been fired from jobs where my personnel decisions were not nearly as incorrect.

 

Using the U.S. management dogma of, "How much money did you make for me today?" he was a great header from Shankland from being redundant tonight.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the whole issue with the management structure. Who picked the team? Was it the inexperienced b team coach or the guy being involved in football coaching for decades.for such a high risk taken I would have bet it was naivety thet picked Beni

[Famous 1874]

Any news on Beni’s injury?

[gorgierulesapply88]

Imagine controlling possession and doing nothing with it? 

 

Boyce link-up massively missed 1st half. Forrest, still finds himself playing BUT he looks the only player who is capable of wanting to beat his man.

 

Beni, if can agree with sports science for the 1st time EVER might return to the levels that seen him on the periphery of playing for Everton in the EPL. Until that returns, he's still nor worse than Haring.

 

Aidan Denholm, minutes are great! Grant, was decent when he came on. Rotations looked better when Kingsley came on. More of the same Thursday? After skudding Killie Sunday!

[jamb-oz]

5 minutes ago, Famous 1874 said:

Any news on Beni’s injury?

Slight hammy strain, expected back after the winter break

[Ferryjambo99]

We can definitely turn the tie around, it'd be nice to have a night like paksi on Thursday. 

 

3 players will make a difference but I don't agree with posters saying Rosenborg were poor. They were sharp and played some very nice passes and looked very pacy. They will certainly be a big threat on the counter. 

 

On the flip side, they were poor at dealing with long balls, I'd start Boyce and try firing a fee balls up towards him and Shankland. 

 

Also, I have to say that Rosenborg and the authorities in Trondheim deserve a lot of credit for how well they organised and received Hearts supporters, excellent all round

[gorgierulesapply88]

2 minutes ago, jamb-oz said:

Slight hammy strain, expected back after the winter break

Winter 2025?

[gorgierulesapply88]

Just now, Ferryjambo99 said:

We can definitely turn the tie around, it'd be nice to have a night like paksi on Thursday. 

 

3 players will make a difference but I don't agree with posters saying Rosenborg were poor. They were sharp and played some very nice passes and looked very pacy. They will certainly be a big threat on the counter. 

 

On the flip side, they were poor at dealing with long balls, I'd start Boyce and try firing a fee balls up towards him and Shankland. 

 

Also, I have to say that Rosenborg and the authorities in Trondheim deserve a lot of credit for how well they organised and received Hearts supporters, excellent all round

Tynecastle is smaller? We looked shite trying to find gaps in a flat 4-4-2 at 2-0 down.

 

A sell-out and a cauldron of hatred is what's needed!

[Disser Pointon]

2 hours ago, fila said:

Didn’t watch the game , however without reading through all the posts I should be able to summarise:

 

Our usual Lethargic first half performance 

Who thought starting Beni was a winner …

Squad still isn’t good enough 

Defence  isn’t good enough 

Shankland scores goals , thank god we have him 

We are still in the tie 

Unless we add a quality commanding centre half  this is going to be a long hard season 

** Grant should be offloaded along with Forrest 

 

Nothing wrong with Grant when he came on, can't understand some fans obsession with slating him.

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

Tie still alive, Tynecastle will be bouncing next week! Confident we'll get through this tie

[King prawn]

Disappointed in McAvoy’s take on the game - we were awful in the first half. Truly awful. We didn’t “play through the lines” once and if that’s the players “being brave” then we might as well get Nielson back. 

[Dazo]

8 hours ago, JimmyCant said:

Shankland definitely can’t play as an out and out striker unless you’re playing 2 strikers. we got a bit hamstrung with our selection because of visa issues and we didn’t really have anyone good enough to run for Shankland. We know he’s not got a lot of pace. He doesn’t run channels or play on the shoulder. We knew in the summer it was a massive problem and we’ve fixed it, only to be tripped up by a daft immigration rule.

 

Game passed Lowry by tonight which was really disappointing. He wants to play in a front foot team where he can create, not be marking up in midfield and keeping a shape

 

Forrest tried but never got into it. Devlin was reckless all night and Beni simply should not have been picked to start. Defensively we were actually okay but 2 really bad goals lost through Beni, although I wondered if Clark could leap and punch the first one before it gets to the back post. Second goal is a shambles from 3 or 4 players letting runners go.

 

I think we’ll beat them next week but we might need a crowd to frighten them a bit and help the team to keep going if it’s not happening quickly

Good and fair summary although I disagree slightly with the Beni take although ultimately it turned out he’s miles off it. He’s been training for a long time and has had minutes, these games should be his bread and butter. Starting him shouldn’t have been such an issue but he was terrible and Devlin along side him made us really poor in the first half. 
 

We will be a far stronger team and bench for the hike tie. We won’t be has bad as that and any victory will take us through. 

[EH11 2NL]

Family content with the scoreline. Fancy us to do the job next week

[1971fozzy]

8 hours ago, colinmaroon said:

 

Pile on.  Shanks was awful in first half.  His touch often is poor, if it wasn't he wouldn’t be at Tynecastle.  His career has been a balance of that shortcoming versus his poaching/goal scoring. 

 

Whether you agree or not that is a reasoned argument unlike your typical repetitive personal insults.   Grow up. 

grow up ?  Deary me. 28 goals last season and he has scored 2 in 2 games this season.  You’re talking bull and then some.  It’s nowhere near a reasoned argument. Maybe we shouldn’t play him again ? Tell me who would you buy to replace him with your magical money tree ?

[1971fozzy]

2 hours ago, jamb-oz said:

Slight hammy strain, expected back after the winter break

I’d doubt we will see him again , such a shame. Hope the management team are proud of themselves. Disgrace to play him from the start.

[pettigrewsstylist]

6 hours ago, Hearts1975 said:

Thing is would you start Boyce with Shanks also starting ? I'm not sure about this exact point tbh. I think you are right, they will play with a low block again. 

That means that playing with pace up top might not necessarily have the desired effect as I can see them having men behind the ball at all times 

 

It might just be one of those games where we should park the passing philosophy and go more direct. Where they looked vulnerable was with long balls into the box and competing for the scraps. 

 

Tagawa, Vargas, Oda, Boyce, Shanks, Lowery, Grant, Forrest (I suppose 😐), McKay but only 4 slots avail at the start. It's food for thought in terms of who starts this game and whether Boyce and Shanks start together. I'm just not 100% sure what the best way to go about it, is. 

We should certainly go direct first 15 min and see what it offers 

We dont have the skill to defeat low block to the point of sustained final 3rd pressure, which we are going to need to score 2 or 3.

[1971fozzy]

8 hours ago, Rods said:

Hopefully the last we see of Lowry. Called it earlier but got pulled up for being a Tim or a Hibby. We have youngsters the boy Denholm was superb and his performance made my heart swell as he is one of our own. 

Jesus Christ 🤣🤣🤣

[BackOfTheNet]

Remember waking around this time yesterday excited to watch Hearts in Europe later…

 

[JimmyCant]

1 hour ago, Dazo said:

Good and fair summary although I disagree slightly with the Beni take although ultimately it turned out he’s miles off it. He’s been training for a long time and has had minutes, these games should be his bread and butter. Starting him shouldn’t have been such an issue but he was terrible and Devlin along side him made us really poor in the first half. 
 

We will be a far stronger team and bench for the hike tie. We won’t be has bad as that and any victory will take us through. 

Needs a 2 goal victory or penalties

[1971fozzy]

8 hours ago, Rods said:

the formation was a game changer Lowry played his part but he was worse than horrendous this evening. Terrible performance and still unhappy he is ahead of our own talent. 

take it you’ll go shopping when we play now then ?  

[Bazzas right boot]

6 minutes ago, BackOfTheNet said:

Remember waking around this time yesterday excited to watch Hearts in Europe later…

 

 

 

I think it's more folks expectations reading through this.

 

Some really need to understand there is another team involved who are also trying to win the game.

 

A 2-1 defeat is hardly a surprise, and if it is then folk haven't been awake the last 25 years.

 

It's now at the point were some  folk seem to have lost all reality in regards to our players and teams ability.

 

 

Edited August 11, 2023 by Bazzas right boot

[ScandinavianJambo]

4 hours ago, JudyJudyJudy said:

This

Grant made a difference when he came on, not as much as Boyce, but still.

[Harry Potter]

3 hours ago, jamb-oz said:

Slight hammy strain, expected back after the winter break

not out long then😕

[Joey J J Jr Shabadoo]

8 hours ago, Rods said:

the formation was a game changer Lowry played his part but he was worse than horrendous this evening. Terrible performance and still unhappy he is ahead of our own talent. 

Based on that performance, I agree. We should be developing our own players, not the Hun's.

[ScandinavianJambo]

6 minutes ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

 

I think it's more folks expectations reading through this.

 

Some really need to understand there is another team involved who are also trying to win the game.

 

A 2-1 defeat is hardly a surprise, and if it is then folk haven't been awake the last 25 years.

 

It's now at the point were some  folk seem to have lost all reality in regards to our players and teams ability.

 

 

I have to agree, but it doesn't forgive starting Benjie. Some of our problems where management's making ...

[DS98]

4 hours ago, fila said:

Didn’t watch the game , however without reading through all the posts I should be able to summarise:

 

Our usual Lethargic first half performance 

Who thought starting Beni was a winner …

Squad still isn’t good enough 

Defence  isn’t good enough 

Shankland scores goals , thank god we have him 

We are still in the tie 

Unless we add a quality commanding centre half  this is going to be a long hard season 

** Grant should be offloaded along with Forrest 

 

Lethargic first half is fair.

 

No one was questioning Beni’s inclusion. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. 
 

The squad is very much good enough. We were missing 3 new players plus Gordon, Halkett and McKay.

 

Defence was fine last night. They were restricted to minimal chances. If Beni was 100% they probably don’t score at all.

 

Shankland does what Shankland does. 
 

We have a commanding centre half. For the second game in a row Frankie Kent won every header.

 

Grant helped change the game. Forrest gave his usual 100% but produced little.

[PapaShango]

5 minutes ago, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

Based on that performance, I agree. We should be developing our own players, not the Hun's.

Got to give Lowry time as well, he's not even been at the club a full week. He was a game changer on Saturday and will do well I think. Even last night when not at his best he should have won us a penalty. Had VAR been in operation last night that would have been given, completely wiped out by the keeper. 

[PapaShango]

1 minute ago, DS98 said:

Lethargic first half is fair.

 

No one was questioning Beni’s inclusion. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. 
 

The squad is very much good enough. We were missing 3 new players plus Gordon, Halkett and McKay.

 

Defence was fine last night. They were restricted to minimal chances. If Beni was 100% they probably don’t score at all.

 

Shankland does what Shankland does. 
 

We have a commanding centre half. For the second game in a row Frankie Kent won every header.

 

Grant helped change the game. Forrest gave his usual 100% but produced little.

Forrest isn't good enough, its been apparent for a while that he just isn't going to make the grade at Hearts and should be a bench filler at most. I think once we have everyone available he will be nowhere near the starting 11. 

[JamboJoker98]

I think we're still crying out for a midfielder to control and dictate the game. We know Cammie is not it despite his tenacity. Beni could be it but we are wishing and hoping on that front, and he was never one for driving a team forward anyway. Too early to judge of Neuwenhof but management say hes one for hte future. Grant? Halliday? After all these years, Haring is still our best bet.

 

Also a bit concerned that's two games on the bounce now we've done nothing in the final third until introducing Boyce.

[BackOfTheNet]

16 minutes ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

 

I think it's more folks expectations reading through this.

 

Some really need to understand there is another team involved who are also trying to win the game.

 

A 2-1 defeat is hardly a surprise, and if it is then folk haven't been awake the last 25 years.

 

It's now at the point were some  folk seem to have lost all reality in regards to our players and teams ability.

 

 

Don’t get me wrong, I was incredibly frustrated watching that match and disappointed that we looked so much off the pace for most of it, but there were positives. Atkinson and Oda link up for one, wasn’t the best last night but I can see them linking up well. We had good spells of possession and pressure in each half and if it wasn’t for playing Baningime (which seemed odd to do before the game) then the tie could’ve been different.

 

I’m a multiple decades long Hearts fan, so know we may very well be out of Europe this time next week. I’m also realistic in that whoever we face if we are to progress would likely pump us. But I’m confident with players available that we can take it to Rosenborg and progress. Just need to tactically get it right.

 

We might all change our tune one way or another after Sunday right enough… 

Edited August 11, 2023 by BackOfTheNet

[Bazzas right boot]

8 minutes ago, ScandinavianJambo said:

I have to agree, but it doesn't forgive starting Benjie. Some of our problems where management's making ...

 

 

He had to start sometime, we've not seen him in training and he has played minutes.

Captain hindsight stuff -but I agree it was wrong and probably should have been subbed earlier when it was obvious he was struggling. 

 

 

[Gimme an H...]

Have to say - not seeing much of a change from the style we played under RN. Yet.

 

 

[DS98]

2 minutes ago, PapaShango said:

Forrest isn't good enough, its been apparent for a while that he just isn't going to make the grade at Hearts and should be a bench filler at most. I think once we have everyone available he will be nowhere near the starting 11. 

I agree. I’d be offering him to a Livi or St Johnstone on loan. 

[Bindy Badgy]

2 minutes ago, Bazzas right boot said:

 

 

He had to start sometime, we've not seen him in training and he has played minutes.

Captain hindsight stuff -but I agree it was wrong and probably should have been subbed earlier when it was obvious he was struggling. 

 

 

 

When we're 2-0 up at home to someone like Kilmarnock would be my choice for him getting back on the pitch. Starting an away European match seems daft.

[Bazzas right boot]

2 minutes ago, BackOfTheNet said:

Don’t get me wrong, I was incredibly frustrated watching that match and disappointed that we looked so much off the pace for most of it, but there were positives. Atkinson and Oda link up for one, wasn’t the best last night but I can see them linking up well. We had good spells of possession and pressure in each half and if it wasn’t for playing Baningime (which seemed odd to do before the game) then the tie could’ve been different.

 

I’m a multiple decades long Hearts fan, so know we may very well be out of Europe this time next week. I’m also realistic in that whoever we face if we are to progress would likely pump us. But I’m confident with players available that we can take it to Rosenborg and progress. Just need to tactically get it right.

 

We might all change our tune one way or another after Sunday right enough… 

 

Agreed.

 

Just seems that some don't really understand that a competitive game of football involves two teams as they completely ignore them.

 

[DC_92]

1 minute ago, JamboJoker98 said:

I think we're still crying out for a midfielder to control and dictate the game. We know Cammie is not it despite his tenacity. Beni could be it but we are wishing and hoping on that front, and he was never one for driving a team forward anyway. Too early to judge of Neuwenhof but management say hes one for hte future. Grant? Halliday? After all these years, Haring is still our best bet.

 

Also a bit concerned that's two games on the bounce now we've done nothing in the final third until introducing Boyce.

 

That isn't true though is it? Boyce replaced our goalscorer Oda in the 84th minute on Saturday and we'd already missed a couple of great chances through Tagawa and Shankland just prior to the goal.