*******Official Hearts v Aberdeen Match Thread*******

[HopeDiouf]

8 minutes ago, heartsfc_fan said:

Was just about to post similar.

Agreed with Hoff and Grant starting as both were big contributers in the second half v Dundee.

For me, Forrest and Tait made the difference second half.  Tait involved in all 3 goals.  2 assists for Forrest.

[RustyRightPeg]

24 minutes ago, Cruyff said:

 

4-0 Hearts 

 

Beni sounds as though he's fine thankfully.

 

Haring, who hasn't even made the bench lately straight in?!

[Chimp]

3 minutes ago, HopeDiouf said:

For me, Forrest and Tait made the difference second half.  Tait involved in all 3 goals.  2 assists for Forrest.

 

Can't see how he doesn't start tomorrow. Been on a great run recently and creating a lot of our chances/goals. Have to admit I'm not his biggest fan but he probably doesn't deserve to be on the bench on recent form.

 

[HopeDiouf]

Just now, Chimp said:

 

Can't see how he doesn't start tomorrow. Been on a great run recently and creating a lot of our chances/goals. Have to admit I'm not his biggest fan but he probably doesn't deserve to be on the bench on recent form.

 

agree entirely.  I've not been his biggest fan either, but he's been very effective most of the season.  Caused Dundee all sorts of problems down the left midweek.  With McKay out, he seems our most effective wide man.

[Chimp]

 I'd like to see: 

 

                           Gordon

         Lembikisa   Kent  Halkett  Kingsley

                      Beni    Cochrane/Hof

             Oda                             Forrest

                    Vargas  Shankland           

[HopeDiouf]

3 minutes ago, Chimp said:

 I'd like to see: 

 

                           Gordon

         Lembikisa   Kent  Halkett  Kingsley

                      Beni    Cochrane/Hof

             Oda                             Forrest

                    Vargas  Shankland           

What I think we'll see: 

 

                           Clark

         Lembikisa   Kent  Halkett  Kingsley

                      Beni    Cochrane/Hof

             Vargas          Grant               Forrest

                         Shankland           

Edited January 26 by HopeDiouf

[Chimp]

Just now, HopeDiouf said:

What I think we'll see: 

 

                           Gordon

         Lembikisa   Kent  Halkett  Kingsley

                      Beni    Cochrane/Hof

             Vargas          Grant               Forrest

                         Shankland           

 

Would be happy with either to be honest, although I think Vargas is better through the middle.

 

Realistically Clark will get the nod over Gordon but I hope Naismith does the right thing and play our best keeper now that he's fit again 🤞

[HopeDiouf]

Just now, Chimp said:

 

Would be happy with either to be honest, although I think Vargas is better through the middle.

 

Realistically Clark will get the nod over Gordon but I hope Naismith does the right thing and play our best keeper now that he's fit again 🤞

yeah I didn't noticed you'd sneaked Gordon in - had to edit to change to Clark as I think he'll start.

[Chillidigits]

We need our midfield to outperform theirs in order to win the game. I'm not sure which permutation of players makes that happen for us, a mixture of skill and resilience imo.

[Chimp]

1 minute ago, Chillidigits said:

We need our midfield to outperform theirs in order to win the game. I'm not sure which permutation of players makes that happen for us, a mixture of skill and resilience imo.

 

Could really say that about every game of football tbh

[OTT]

48 minutes ago, Cruyff said:

 

4-0 Hearts 

 

Thats a very nice and well balanced team. I understand the Haring criticism but if Beni isn't fit, we need a ball winner in there. Thats Haring. Otherwise, there is no point him being there. No issue with it, he did well against Livi. 

[Chimp]

Just now, OTT said:

 

Thats a very nice and well balanced team. I understand the Haring criticism but if Beni isn't fit, we need a ball winner in there. Thats Haring. Otherwise, there is no point him being there. No issue with it, he did well against Livi. 

 

That's Haring of a few years ago mate. He doesn't win the ball, he mistimes tackles and gives away fouls. Hof is a better ball winner.

[Robbo-Jambo]

25 minutes ago, RustyRightPeg said:

 

Beni sounds as though he's fine thankfully.

 

Haring, who hasn't even made the bench lately straight in?!

He played at Livingston then not even been seen on the bench since.

 

No doubt injured.

 

 

 

[RustyRightPeg]

No doubt about it, their players are not playing for Robson.

 

We start quick, we blow them away. They are not digging in to get a result for him. They'll chuck it.

[Lord Beni of Gorgie]

Clark

Dex Frunkie Halks Kingsley

Beni Tattie

Fraser Hof

Forrest

Shanks

 

Big if in there, but you never know

[pettigrewsstylist]

14 minutes ago, OTT said:

 

Thats a very nice and well balanced team. I understand the Haring criticism but if Beni isn't fit, we need a ball winner in there. Thats Haring. Otherwise, there is no point him being there. No issue with it, he did well against Livi. 

Yip.

[Gundermann]

19 minutes ago, Chimp said:

 

That's Haring of a few years ago mate. He doesn't win the ball, he mistimes tackles and gives away fouls. Hof is a better ball winner.

 

👍

[Ex member of the SaS]

They seem to favour humps down the left wing, if they lost milskywhathisname they are screwed. Miovsky that guy !

Edited January 26 by Ex member of the SaS

[kingantti1874]

 

 

33 minutes ago, Chimp said:

 

That's Haring of a few years ago mate. He doesn't win the ball, he mistimes tackles and gives away fouls. Hof is a better ball winner.

Haring was better than hof at livi and by a good distance 

[wavydavy]

1 minute ago, kingantti1874 said:

 

 

Haring was better than hof at livi and by a good distance 

 

Was Hof playing ? Never noticed him.😍

[kingantti1874]

8 minutes ago, wavydavy said:

 

Was Hof playing ? Never noticed him.😍

correct. He followed the ball about a lot. It wasn’t even remotely close in that game.  Haring was pretty decent.  Calm in possession and won the ball back

[OTT]

42 minutes ago, Chimp said:

 

That's Haring of a few years ago mate. He doesn't win the ball, he mistimes tackles and gives away fouls. Hof is a better ball winner.

 

IMHO its one of those instances when you are right, in that he isn't the Peter Haring of 2018 anymore but he is capable of coming in and doing a passable job. 

 

At the end of the day we need someone to win the balls and give us a bit more physicality in midfield that can allow Grant and our other attacking players to go and do their stuff. I'm not sure Hof is a ball winner in the same way. 

 

I've noticed all of what you're highlighting, the amount of times he has to drag back a player because he's been done for pace is bad. But he's entirely capable of coming in and doing a decent job at breaking up play etc. 

[Sooks]

I would be pretty concerned if we started Haring instead of Hoff . I say this as a big Haring fan from when he was one of our better players a few years ago . Sadly those days are long long gone 

[wavydavy]

9 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

correct. He followed the ball about a lot. It wasn’t even remotely close in that game.  Haring was pretty decent.  Calm in possession and won the ball back

👍

[pettigrewsstylist]

Sheep at home. Hoping our midfield can influence this game and throttle their fragile confidence from the start. Big day for Beni.

[kingantti1874]

1 minute ago, pettigrewsstylist said:

Sheep at home. Hoping our midfield can influence this game and throttle their fragile confidence from the start. Big day for Beni.

i dont think Beni will be playing .  

[DC_92]

1 minute ago, kingantti1874 said:

i dont think Beni will be playing .  

 

I thought so too, but according to Naismith he's fit and trained today.

[Rick Sanchez]

**** Graeme Shinnie btw. The only way you need to combat him is by being in the refs ear alongside him. 

 

Shankland and the others should be told that.

[Debut 4]

17 minutes ago, Sooks said:

I would be pretty concerned if we started Haring instead of Hoff . I say this as a big Haring fan from when he was one of our better players a few years ago . Sadly those days are long long gone 

Agree.  It’s a backward step.  I too , like

probably most Hearts fans, was a fan of the PH version up until roughly 2018. It’s nothing personal, I still like him because he’s a stand up professional but otherwise we need to move on. 

 

PH was actually a good man to turn to when we needed to steady the ship after Neilson left last season, a specific role, nothing more because not much more is expected of him now. 
 

But as a team you need to keep moving forwards. Other players need opportunities to grow and become responsible as Hearts. Players with more pace, quality and energy.  Going back to the safety need too many times isn’t progression. It catches up eventually. 

Edited January 26 by Debut 4

[Sooks]

1 minute ago, Debut 4 said:

Agree.  It’s a backward step.  I too , like

probably most Hearts fans, was a fan of the PH version up until roughly 2018. It’s nothing personal, I still like him because he’s a stand up professional but otherwise we need to move on. 

 

PH was actually a good man to turn to when we needed to steady the ship after Neilson left last season, a specific role, nothing more because not much more is expected of him now. 
 

But as a team you need to keep moving forwards. Other players need opportunities to grow and become responsible as Hearts. Players with more pace, quality and energy.  Going back to the safety need too many times isn’t progression. It catches up eventually. 

Precisely 

[karipidis]

1 hour ago, HopeDiouf said:

What I think we'll see: 

 

                           Clark

         Lembikisa   Kent  Halkett  Kingsley

                      Beni    Cochrane/Hof

             Vargas          Grant               Forrest

                         Shankland           

Yep, think it will be 11 out of that 12 playing.

[RustyRightPeg]

36 minutes ago, Rick Sanchez said:

**** Graeme Shinnie btw. The only way you need to combat him is by being in the refs ear alongside him. 

 

Shankland and the others should be told that.

 

Or some smelling salts. That'll send him loopy with that hooter of his.

[OTT]

1 minute ago, RustyRightPeg said:

 

Or some smelling salts. That'll send him loopy with that hooter of his.

 

 

[The Treasurer]

Depending on injuries, I don't think there will be many, if any, changes from the starting line-up on Tuesday 

[GBJambo]

4 minutes ago, The Treasurer said:

Depending on injuries, I don't think there will be many, if any, changes from the starting line-up on Tuesday 

Hopefully it’s the team and formation that finished the game rather than the starting line up

[Jambo61]

4 hours ago, Sooks said:

 

How does the confidence of the fans affect the result on the park . I see this sort of thing cautioned a lot , but nobody has ever managed to explain why fans being confident can cause poor results 

I have no idea why a 'better' team is less likely to win away from home, the pitch is basically the same most times after all! It is a weird thing that player confidence seems to reduce just because they are playing away, beats the shit out of me! Mental even! As for my comment, it was that fans mouth off so frequently and are so frequently wrong it is scary! We don't have the best squad ever, we are a work in progress (eternally), we struggle badly without Shanklands goals, Scottish football is poor just now (national team apart), the uglies aren't as good as they think they are and the rest of us are hardly massively different from each other, almost everyone can raise their odd game to beat anyone else!

[OmiyaHearts]

Is there justification for Gordon to get a start? Do we wait for Clarke to have a shocker or an injury? Just play our best players?

 

Interesting few days ahead, I assume both want first team football.

[Jack Torrance]

They're unveiling the 150 flag at the game. Don't recall seeing mention of it before.

[gar jambo]

4 hours ago, RustyRightPeg said:

 

Beni sounds as though he's fine thankfully.

 

Haring, who hasn't even made the bench lately straight in?!

Haring would get sent off! he's even slower and a liability nowadays! 

[Sooks]

37 minutes ago, Jambo61 said:

I have no idea why a 'better' team is less likely to win away from home, the pitch is basically the same most times after all! It is a weird thing that player confidence seems to reduce just because they are playing away, beats the shit out of me! Mental even! As for my comment, it was that fans mouth off so frequently and are so frequently wrong it is scary! We don't have the best squad ever, we are a work in progress (eternally), we struggle badly without Shanklands goals, Scottish football is poor just now (national team apart), the uglies aren't as good as they think they are and the rest of us are hardly massively different from each other, almost everyone can raise their odd game to beat anyone else!

I dont think that really makes sense though . If you were advocating fans should be more positive rather than negative then I completely agree that that could make a difference in the ground both home and away . Being confident about an upcoming fixture and posting that on a forum will have zero detrimental effect though , as far as I can ascertain . Look at the confidence we all had in 2006 and 2012 for example ? If anything that translated in to fantastic confident backing from the Hampden stands and the players fed of it 

[Pilmuir]

3 hours ago, Rick Sanchez said:

**** Graeme Shinnie btw. The only way you need to combat him is by being in the refs ear alongside him. 

 

Shankland and the others should be told that.

Agreed, Shinnie is a chancer. We need to learn to deal with it.

[Selkirkhmfc1874]

[PTBCAL]

6 hours ago, Chimp said:

 

Haring? You joking? 

 

The rest is ok but if Beni isn't fit I'd put Hof in there and have either Tait or Forrest in the more advanced role.

 

Still like to see us play 4 at the back though.

Chat is we are going to a back 4 unless up against the OF etc 

[Watt-Zeefuik]

7 hours ago, Cruyff said:

 

4-0 Hearts 

 

I'd go with that so long as it's Beni. If he's out, I'd move Hoff into his place and put someone else up high. (Is Denholm healthy? Possibly Tait?)

 

I have no feel for how this one will go. A win effectively eliminates Aberdeen from the race for 3rd, which is big not just because it gives us a better shot at third, it keeps them from cashing in on the ECL money slough for a second straight year (unless they win the SC of course).

[zeke1874]

The beni Denholm nieuwenhoff midfield didn't look great against dundee. It was only when tait and grant came on that the game changed. Cochrane was also very poor by his standards. First half it was all dexter on the right that our play came from. Big decisions for naismith..

Appreciate they're different players but tait over Denholm for me. Denholm is competing with devlin as in they're similar players. Also think tait showed a lot more incisive passing than beni. And a m a big fan of beni..

[cookieboy]

are the roadworks away outside the graysmill/shandon can anyone advise please ? 

[Negan]

11 minutes ago, cookieboy said:

are the roadworks away outside the graysmill/shandon can anyone advise please ? 

Still going 

[1971fozzy]

Need to get as many crosses in their box as possible as Roos is rank at collecting. Forrest and possibly Oda to start for me

[Jambo61]

3 hours ago, Sooks said:

I dont think that really makes sense though . If you were advocating fans should be more positive rather than negative then I completely agree that that could make a difference in the ground both home and away . Being confident about an upcoming fixture and posting that on a forum will have zero detrimental effect though , as far as I can ascertain . Look at the confidence we all had in 2006 and 2012 for example ? If anything that translated in to fantastic confident backing from the Hampden stands and the players fed of it 

Not sure why this topic started, I've never advocated fans should be more positive as such, I'm a realist and actually argue the opposite, we should be more honest/ realistic! I get the super fan wants a win every week, ignores obvious signs all is not well etc. But I was at Dens park, had a frozen (hot) pie before the game, had an expectation but not a supreme confidence, watched in horror as we played within ourselves and made rank rotten choices during play, lost the only league win we threatened in my lifetime. I expect nothing....but always live in hope! If this site allowed you to quickly see the various comments in chronological order it would help. I've been caught out before with a poor memory and a hunting contributor!

[Section Q]

Our commerative flag to be unveiled at tomorrow's game.

Nifty.....!