***Heart Of Midlothian Football Club Vs St Johnstone*** Official Match Thread

[Star Lizard]

Not able to go to this one . No ticket exchange open yet . Assume it has not quite sold out yet

[Luckies1874]

6 minutes ago, Sooks said:

Not able to go to this one . No ticket exchange open yet . Assume it has not quite sold out yet

 

 

60 left available currently. No unused hospitality released as yet. 

[Star Lizard]

11 minutes ago, Luckies1874 said:

 

 

60 left available currently. No unused hospitality released as yet. 

Ta

[tiger Rudi]

I'm thinking a straight forward win with Shanks to get amongst the goals again, keeping the pressure on Clarke not to ignore him. Hopefully see Tagawa get some minutes and Lowry to be MOM. Feel as if we could be going on a bit of a run, fingers crossed! 

[One five]

3-1 Hearts ❤️

 

penalty to ST Johnstone first half 

 

penalty to us in the 2nd half.

 

Shanks scores 3 

 

HHGH.

[4marsbars]

6 hours ago, Bad Religion said:

We should never play 3 at the back at home against non old firm teams.

 

Even if we've won quite a few games with that formation?

[dontkillbill]

49 minutes ago, Luckies1874 said:

 

 

60 left available currently. No unused hospitality released as yet. 

Wonder if they will release a load in X tomorrow?

[Star Lizard]

37 minutes ago, tiger Rudi said:

I'm thinking a straight forward win with Shanks to get amongst the goals again, keeping the pressure on Clarke not to ignore him. Hopefully see Tagawa get some minutes and Lowry to be MOM. Feel as if we could be going on a bit of a run, fingers crossed! 

Feels like we might have turned the corner now with two of our three best players up to speed in Beni and Shanks . We could seriously do with a winning run at the moment 

[Luckies1874]

16 minutes ago, dontkillbill said:

Wonder if they will release a load in X tomorrow?

 

Seems likely that some will appear over the next few days yep. Hopefully for those who want to put tickets on the Exchange its sooner rather than later! 

[Dazo]

49 minutes ago, tiger Rudi said:

I'm thinking a straight forward win with Shanks to get amongst the goals again, keeping the pressure on Clarke not to ignore him. Hopefully see Tagawa get some minutes and Lowry to be MOM. Feel as if we could be going on a bit of a run, fingers crossed! 

 

Yep that’s how I see it. 2-0 hearts. 

[davemclaren]

3 hours ago, mainstandjambo said:

65 seats left. There are no hospitality packages left on ticketmaster for this game.

👍

[scott herbertson]

5-1 seats left

[GinRummy]

Gonna sell out. Excellent, good won and the feel good factor returns. Feeling confident. 

[Diadora Van Basten]

                    Clark 
 

Sibbock Kent Rowles Kingsley 

  

          Devlin  Beningme

 

     Oda.       Boyce.     Vargas

 

                 Shankland

[indianajones]

Just ****ing paste them Hearts. 

[Bazzas right boot]

5 minutes ago, indianajones said:

Just ****ing paste them Hearts. 

 

This, just mess them.

[VALDOS']

Old ******* Levein to outdo Naismith tactically, but quality to shine through with an 80th minute Shankland winner 1-0

[No Idle Talk]

It blows my mind that anybody would want to go back to 4-2-3-1 when it has resulted in underwhelming results and performances, and it limits the effectiveness of our main goalscorer. 

 

All about opinions I suppose.

[Pasquale for King]

16 minutes ago, No Idle Talk said:

It blows my mind that anybody would want to go back to 4-2-3-1 when it has resulted in underwhelming results and performances, and it limits the effectiveness of our main goalscorer. 

 

All about opinions I suppose.

Could you list the overwhelming results and performances with 3 at the back?
Shankland has scored as many goals with a back 4 behind him as he has with a 3. 

[No Idle Talk]

1 minute ago, Pasquale for King said:

Could you list the overwhelming results and performances with 3 at the back?
Shankland has scored as many goals with a back 4 behind him as he has with a 3. 

 

It's early days with this 3-1-4-2. But it has done the following.......

 

1. Improved Kye Rowles form

2. Got Beni back in the starting eleven without over exposing him physically

3. Playing two up front has noticeably improved Lawrence Shankland's form

 

That's not too bad for starters. 

 

We were going nowhere playing 4-2-3-1. The midfield was a mess and Shankland is not suited to playing up front on his own.

 

What we're doing just now may not prove to be the long term answer but it's been a step forward from where we were. I feel.

[soonbe110]

4 minutes ago, No Idle Talk said:

 

It's early days with this 3-1-4-2. But it has done the following.......

 

1. Improved Kye Rowles form

2. Got Beni back in the starting eleven without over exposing him physically

3. Playing two up front has noticeably improved Lawrence Shankland's form

 

That's not too bad for starters. 

 

We were going nowhere playing 4-2-3-1. The midfield was a mess and Shankland is not suited to playing up front on his own.

 

What we're doing just now may not prove to be the long term answer but it's been a step forward from where we were. I feel.

Tend to agree. 

[colinmaroon]

On 12/11/2023 at 21:47, Chimp said:

Why? Put himself and his own needs before the club. I personally wouldn’t boo him but for a guy to take the club where he did when he knows fine well he should have walked off his own accord was just wrong. Loved the club that much he couldn’t put his ego aside. And left the club the first time around to head off to Leicester - understandable but not a great act of loyalty all the same, bearing in mind they were a shocking outfit at the time. Great player for us or not there are reasons a fan would want to boo him. Doesn’t mean they’re not Jambos.  

 

He left for Leicester as Romanov was coming in and knew he would get the boot. 

 

In hindsight he's admitted his mistake, and obviously his health was an issue.  I wonder what would have happened if the devastating injuries hadn't crippled us when we were flying at the start of the season. 

 

 

 

 

[Star Lizard]

Wonder if big Uche will end up at St Johnstone ? Probably see one or two Levein era players reappearing there I reckon . Levein likes to use the same agents that he trusts . Maybe even see Walker back up the road there at some point 

[Pasquale for King]

57 minutes ago, No Idle Talk said:

 

It's early days with this 3-1-4-2. But it has done the following.......

 

1. Improved Kye Rowles form

2. Got Beni back in the starting eleven without over exposing him physically

3. Playing two up front has noticeably improved Lawrence Shankland's form

 

That's not too bad for starters. 

 

We were going nowhere playing 4-2-3-1. The midfield was a mess and Shankland is not suited to playing up front on his own.

 

What we're doing just now may not prove to be the long term answer but it's been a step forward from where we were. I feel.

I think Rowles has been good in the majority of games, a few blunders against better teams no doubt. 
The problem still exists that we don’t have the wing backs to play 3 at the back. For me we need to get Tagawa or Vargas up front ahead of Shankland with Oda and McKay flanking them. Playing them when fully fit will require a move away from 3 at the back, no place for Oda at the moment. Shankland/Boyce/Lowry as the front 3 is deathly slow and struggled to unpick the Livi lock, and will do so again on Saturday. 

[Pasquale for King]

25 minutes ago, Sooks said:

Wonder if big Uche will end up at St Johnstone ? Probably see one or two Levein era players reappearing there I reckon . Levein likes to use the same agents that he trusts . Maybe even see Walker back up the road there at some point 

I was actually thinking that, maybe not Uche but a similar type. 

[Jambo92]

3 at the back isn't negative tactic when used properly. I'm still scared from Neilson's use of it, but it appears Kingsley and Rowles have been given licence to roam.  

Its also massively dependent on the midfield, need good engines and players who can take ball forward. Last season we had Snodgrass in front of a back 5, was effectively playing 6 at the back by how deep he played.

[Pasquale for King]

29 minutes ago, Jambo92 said:

3 at the back isn't negative tactic when used properly. I'm still scared from Neilson's use of it, but it appears Kingsley and Rowles have been given licence to roam.  

Its also massively dependent on the midfield, need good engines and players who can take ball forward. Last season we had Snodgrass in front of a back 5, was effectively playing 6 at the back by how deep he played.

You have to get the players for that system though, we still haven’t got the wing backs that are pivotal to the success of this. 

[Watt-Zeefuik]

 

13 hours ago, TheBigO said:

It can be used as a real offensive formation the way we play it when we do it properly.  Our WBs are basically wingers, often highest players up the park.  We have in Rowles and Kingsley, 2 players who step forward and can pick passes.

 

It's actually very effective in penning teams in.  You have 5 players right up top against their defense, 2 midfileders patrolling then the 3 CHs, only really 2 of them stay back, so you have a 3rd rotational midfielder.

 

I like it.  The issue is when Robbie played it, it ended up being defensive - Smith at RWB as an example, top guy and player but he only played sideways and backwards, so the whole thing didn't work.

 

It also allows us to play 2 up front with one behind as the WBs are acting as wingers.

 

The other issue I see on the horizon is Barrie McKay, I want him hugging the left touchline but that only works in a 442/424/4231 type thingy.

 

I agree. And FWIW I think Smith at RWB was okay when we had Souttar inside of him, as Souttar loved to range forward and play into the opponent's half, which was fine as Smith was decent at covering for him and finding a decent pass into the midfield if it came back to him. That we never sufficiently filled that RCH position last year was our biggest single flaw, far and away, and it got so much worse when Halks went down.

 

15 hours ago, Thomaso said:

You’re saying he admitted he got it wrong to a bunch of Hearts fans whilst standing on the Wheatfield gantry?

I’ve never known Levein to admit he was wrong on anything.

 

 

In his intro presser at Perth he called the dual role a "horrendous mistake" and vowed not to repeat it. We should have sacked him sooner, I don't want him back, all that, but he has put his hand up about his time at Hearts pretty well.

[martoon]

Looking forward to this. Hearts win, btts, looks like a safe bet to me. As does Hearts win, Shankland to score first or anytime.

 

I was surprised Shanks didn't start vs. Norway but sort of glad. He should be fresh and ready for Saturday. 

 

Hearts 4-2, Shankland (2).

[Thomaso]

6 hours ago, Led Tasso said:

 

 

I agree. And FWIW I think Smith at RWB was okay when we had Souttar inside of him, as Souttar loved to range forward and play into the opponent's half, which was fine as Smith was decent at covering for him and finding a decent pass into the midfield if it came back to him. That we never sufficiently filled that RCH position last year was our biggest single flaw, far and away, and it got so much worse when Halks went down.

 

 

 

In his intro presser at Perth he called the dual role a "horrendous mistake" and vowed not to repeat it. We should have sacked him sooner, I don't want him back, all that, but he has put his hand up about his time at Hearts pretty well.

I think that’s his get out clause - if he did not have the DoF role I still think he would have made an arse of his second stint as first team Coach.

[Thomaso]

9 hours ago, colinmaroon said:

 

He left for Leicester as Romanov was coming in and knew he would get the boot. 

 

In hindsight he's admitted his mistake, and obviously his health was an issue.  I wonder what would have happened if the devastating injuries hadn't crippled us when we were flying at the start of the season. 

 

 

 

 

He couldn’t have possibly known he would get the boot from Vlad.

His defection to Leicester was due to his ambitions and domestic situation.

[moonraker]

8 hours ago, Sooks said:

Wonder if big Uche will end up at St Johnstone ? Probably see one or two Levein era players reappearing there I reckon . Levein likes to use the same agents that he trusts . Maybe even see Walker back up the road there at some point 

Talked to his mate at football on Friday...he has signed for Port Vale

[Skacelsid]

CL knows how we play, it's really still his model. I expect they will come out flying to turn it into a scrap while we will be looking to contain and retain possession and ease our way in as normal away from home. We  should be prepared to engage with that early battle tho, get through that and our superiority should take over. We really should be getting 3 points here.

[Bazzas right boot]

6 minutes ago, Skacelsid said:

CL knows how we play, it's really still his model. I expect they will come out flying to turn it into a scrap while we will be looking to contain and retain possession and ease our way in as normal away from home. We  should be prepared to engage with that early battle tho, get through that and our superiority should take over. We really should be getting 3 points here.

 

We're at home.

 

[Chimp]

25 minutes ago, moonraker said:

Talked to his mate at football on Friday...he has signed for Port Vale

 

Doesn't mean he couldn't be at St Johnstone soon. The guy has a new club every season. Would put money on Levein trying to lure him back to Scottish football.

[moonraker]

Fair point

[Hansel]

Can see us dropping points in this one. Hope I'm wrong

[kila]

Coldest game of the season so far. Only going to be up to 3C.

 

 

[Star Lizard]

59 minutes ago, Skacelsid said:

CL knows how we play, it's really still his model. I expect they will come out flying to turn it into a scrap while we will be looking to contain and retain possession and ease our way in as normal away from home. We  should be prepared to engage with that early battle tho, get through that and our superiority should take over. We really should be getting 3 points here.

I dont think we play anything like when Levein was in charge . We also have none of the same personnel . He will know how we play from watching us as a fan and a pundit though . We have better players but I have a feeling Levein is very well suited to this new job and it is going to be a tough match . Naismith still on the learning curve , but his performances absolutely have been improving , so I hope he manages to overcome this new hurdle 

[wavydavy]

45 minutes ago, Sooks said:

I dont think we play anything like when Levein was in charge . We also have none of the same personnel . He will know how we play from watching us as a fan and a pundit though . We have better players but I have a feeling Levein is very well suited to this new job and it is going to be a tough match . Naismith still on the learning curve , but his performances absolutely have been improving , so I hope he manages to overcome this new hurdle 

 

I think CL will get his players to try and put pressure on Clark as he is a weak link for us with his flapping at crosses and getiing caught in no-mans land.

 

His distribution is shocking as well.

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

11 hours ago, Sooks said:

Wonder if big Uche will end up at St Johnstone ? Probably see one or two Levein era players reappearing there I reckon . Levein likes to use the same agents that he trusts . Maybe even see Walker back up the road there at some point 

Scored a cracker last weekend, lost 4-2 right enough

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

3 hours ago, martoon said:

Looking forward to this. Hearts win, btts, looks like a safe bet to me. As does Hearts win, Shankland to score first or anytime.

 

I was surprised Shanks didn't start vs. Norway but sort of glad. He should be fresh and ready for Saturday. 

 

Hearts 4-2, Shankland (2).

Treat em mean keep em keen, Shanks to run riot

[Pasquale for King]

3 hours ago, Thomaso said:

I think that’s his get out clause - if he did not have the DoF role I still think he would have made an arse of his second stint as first team Coach.

Exactly. 

[Pasquale for King]

3 hours ago, Thomaso said:

He couldn’t have possibly known he would get the boot from Vlad.

His defection to Leicester was due to his ambitions and domestic situation.

Spot on again 

[Chimp]

1 hour ago, wavydavy said:

 

I think CL will get his players to try and put pressure on Clark as he is a weak link for us with his flapping at crosses and getiing caught in no-mans land.

 

His distribution is shocking as well.

 

I'm actually quite shocked at how bad he is at cross balls. A massive weakness in his game, doesn't ever seem to judge the flight of the ball at all. I initially thought his distribution was good when he replaced Gordon but maybe that's because Gordon's kicking is so poor it made his look better than it is.

He does make some really good saves but as an all round keeper I don't think he's that great. A decent enough no2 but that's it IMO.

 

 

[mainstandjambo]

38 tiickets left now

[Pasquale for King]

1 hour ago, wavydavy said:

 

I think CL will get his players to try and put pressure on Clark as he is a weak link for us with his flapping at crosses and getiing caught in no-mans land.

 

His distribution is shocking as well.

He would be daft not to, any corners will be right on top of him. 

[davemclaren]

45 minutes ago, mainstandjambo said:

38 tiickets left now

Ticket Exchange soon?

[cazzyy]

We've no chance, Levein has got all his badges. 😟

[TheBigO]

4 hours ago, Skacelsid said:

CL knows how we play, it's really still his model. I expect they will come out flying to turn it into a scrap while we will be looking to contain and retain possession and ease our way in as normal away from home. We  should be prepared to engage with that early battle tho, get through that and our superiority should take over. We really should be getting 3 points here.

Not sure how it's still his model? 

 

What was his model anyway?  Pretty aimless.  HIt it forward to a big guy, even if the big guy is much better at getting fed the ball into his feet and turning.  Or even if the big guy is Stephen McLean?  Who isn't even big.  He might not even be a guy for that matter.

 

Not sure that's our model these days!!!

 

Totally agree we should be up for the battle.  Second balls should be an accepted bare minimum for us in every game but will be big again in this one.  Win those, then be positive with the ball and we'll be fine.

 

I only see us winning to be honest