Yesterday in perspective

[Greenbank2]

So, I've read many of the threads which pretty much criticize Csaba for not having the guile to compete with Celtic. So what were our expectations? With the return of Bruno, we played some pretty neat football against the Leithers and particularly in the first half at 1-0 down, controlled the game with the midfield getting forward and creating chances. I didn't see the Aberdeen game but by all accounts, we should have won.

 

So let's look at what was expected yesterday? We were up against arguably the strongest club side in Scotland with, IMHO, a midfield comprising of 3 of Scotlands most talented, strong and forceful players in Hartley, Brown and Robson. What players do we have available to counter a midfield engine room such as this? None. Our midfield cried out for a Mickey Cameron type(s) and there is nothing there. Our midfield are skillful footballers, but no more so than what Celtic had - but they also have the strength and guile to control that territory. The danger was always going to come from their midfield getting possession and then bodies forward. Interestingly, that's how they got their goals. McDonald and Maloney were pretty ineffective (I regard the first goal as a great piece of opportunistic skill) but they didn't need to be.

 

We were out muscled and outplayed. They have all-round better players than us in the middle of the park. This made ours ineffective and insipid. Even when we got the ball forward to the front man, there was rarely anyone anywhere near enough to then create chances. we never got more than two men in the box at any time and when we did, one of these had the ball and was dispossessed easily.

 

However, everything I've said could be said about the remainder of the SPL (with the obvious exception) and we should judge our abilities against the other 9. The worrying thing is that, IMO, we don't have a Mickey type to draft into midfield and upfront is woefully inadequate.

 

I don't believe it's all doom and gloom, but instead of havering gibberish to the press, I'd really like to see Casba acknowledge our shortcomings and state what he'd like to do about them. Every manager needs time, and I'm OK with managers not criticising their players in public, but I'm beginning to wonder if the manager does really know what's wrong on the park and how he's going to fix it.

[Flogel98]

So, I've read many of the threads which pretty much criticize Csaba for not having the guile to compete with Celtic. So what were our expectations? With the return of Bruno, we played some pretty neat football against the Leithers and particularly in the first half at 1-0 down, controlled the game with the midfield getting forward and creating chances. I didn't see the Aberdeen game but by all accounts, we should have won.

 

So let's look at what was expected yesterday? We were up against arguably the strongest club side in Scotland with, IMHO, a midfield comprising of 3 of Scotlands most talented, strong and forceful players in Hartley, Brown and Robson. What players do we have available to counter a midfield engine room such as this? None. Our midfield cried out for a Mickey Cameron type(s) and there is nothing there. Our midfield are skillful footballers, but no more so than what Celtic had - but they also have the strength and guile to control that territory. The danger was always going to come from their midfield getting possession and then bodies forward. Interestingly, that's how they got their goals. McDonald and Maloney were pretty ineffective (I regard the first goal as a great piece of opportunistic skill) but they didn't need to be.

 

We were out muscled and outplayed. They have all-round better players than us in the middle of the park. This made ours ineffective and insipid. Even when we got the ball forward to the front man, there was rarely anyone anywhere near enough to then create chances. we never got more than two men in the box at any time and when we did, one of these had the ball and was dispossessed easily.

 

However, everything I've said could be said about the remainder of the SPL (with the obvious exception) and we should judge our abilities against the other 9. The worrying thing is that, IMO, we don't have a Mickey type to draft into midfield and upfront is woefully inadequate.

 

I don't believe it's all doom and gloom, but instead of havering gibberish to the press, I'd really like to see Casba acknowledge our shortcomings and state what he'd like to do about them. Every manager needs time, and I'm OK with managers not criticising their players in public, but I'm beginning to wonder if the manager does really know what's wrong on the park and how he's going to fix it.

 

1st highlight is a perfect stament of our problem - front man not men.

 

2nd highlight - I don't want any mickey types in my team thank you

[Statto]

I don't think yesterday was an awful result for us, a couple of refereeing decision going the right way would have made a huge difference, Caldwells goal was a hand ball, we should have had a penalty after Bruno's free kick.

 

It could have potentially been 1-1 at half time, it's a completely different game after that. Even for the first goal, if the ball doesn't land perfectly for Maloney he's not scoring through all the defenders from that distance.

 

I'm not looking to negatively at the game, we were against the Champions, any points against the Old Firm are bonuses, it's the "rest" we need to beating in order to maintain a European bid.

[Greenbank2]

I don't agree that playing 1 up front is in itself a problem. That tactic can work as long as the midfield is strong, organised and capable of working in support of the lone striker and fullbacks getting forward by covering for them as appropriate.

 

Our problems are greater than the formation, and changing to 2 donkeys up front will not solve them.

[Flogel98]

You're right in what you say but lets not loose sight of teh fact that we were shocking.

 

No fight about us at all which is the most dissapointing thing for me.

[ArmiyaRomanova]

We were the weaker team yesterday, tactically out-thought and physically out-fought by a good side.

 

On our recent form, I didn't seriously expect the outcome to have been anything other than it was - though there's always hope.

 

Still, it seems to have supplied the fishwives with an excuse to start wringing their hands again. Mind you, if that'd been Hamilton, I might be hand-wringing along with them.

[TheBigO]

I don't agree that playing 1 up front is in itself a problem. That tactic can work as long as the midfield is strong, organised and capable of working in support of the lone striker and fullbacks getting forward by covering for them as appropriate.

 

Our problems are greater than the formation, and changing to 2 donkeys up front will not solve them.

 

I agree there mate. I think the 451 can be attacking but more so against the 'other 9' Againts Celtic it just meant the ball kept coming back and the wingers spent too much time on the halfway line helping out midfield rather than supporting Nade

 

Getting beat by Celtic changes nothing. Disappointing, yes. Disaster, no. Games like next week were always going to be more important this season

[peebles jambo]

we were very poor yesterday, but the sad fact is, so were celtic

 

the refereeing decisions cost us dear

 

saying that, 2 shots at goal, not good enough

[Fourcandles]

1st highlight is a perfect stament of our problem - front man not men.

 

2nd highlight - I don't want any mickey types in my team thank you

 

I dont remember being so comprehensively and totally outplayed during say Leveins reign or Jim Jeffries time - and the wage bill then was far far less than it is now.

 

What concerns me most is that we still have a very expensive product on the park - i mean if we were slipping further behind the OF and in fact the rest of the SPL but could put it down to a shoe string budget I kinda wouldn't mind so much.

 

[Victorian]

hearts could have played a lot better and still lost, i think we need to keep in mind that celtic hardly had to exert themselves. imo, if celtic had been pushed harder then they would have come up with the goods anyway, they normally do.

 

these games are probably not our priority just now, the ones against the other 9 teams have far more importance.

[Say What Again]

saying that, 2 shots at goal, not good enough

 

Both of which were powder puff, trundlers from distance

[Rods]

The sad thing about yesterday was the way we rolled over and got are a%se felt.

 

It for me is fast becoming the epotime of the romanov regime

[bigman]

Good Post,

 

The games against non old firm teams will be our main concern thi sseason. Too oten yesterday we were caught in pocession in midfiels and had far too many misplaced passes.

 

Up front, as has been said many many times, is our real problem.

 

IMHO, the Manager was right with his post match comments, a four or five goal hiding would have been much worse for the players and fans.

 

He has to change the back four now with a chance to put Karipidid back and get a midfielder in place.

 

I think Kingston could be the difference but this would require a change in attitude from him.

 

 

We need some fresh faces in January. Whether Vlad allows this or not is another matter.

 

I thought both full backs played well yesterday considering the opposition. Balogh punched the ball straight to Maloney and credit for a sublime finish. Berra and Zal gave very little away in terms of real chances, Zal had his usual bombscare moment ans I believe needs dropped.

 

Our entire midfield was out of sorts, although Miko, again, imho, worked hard supporting when he could.

 

Just my thoughts after I have calmed down!!!!!!

 

As a thought, I read most of the posts regarding the Celtic fans, I know we can all get angry, perhaps Dr Reid will issue a statement condeming those greatest fans in the world although I very much doubt it. I find Celtic fans pathetic and puerile.

 

 

COME ON THE HEARTS

[TheBigO]

Good Post,

 

The games against non old firm teams will be our main concern thi sseason. Too oten yesterday we were caught in pocession in midfiels and had far too many misplaced passes.

 

Up front, as has been said many many times, is our real problem.

 

IMHO, the Manager was right with his post match comments, a four or five goal hiding would have been much worse for the players and fans.

 

He has to change the back four now with a chance to put Karipidid back and get a midfielder in place.

 

I think Kingston could be the difference but this would require a change in attitude from him.

 

 

We need some fresh faces in January. Whether Vlad allows this or not is another matter.

 

I thought both full backs played well yesterday considering the opposition. Balogh punched the ball straight to Maloney and credit for a sublime finish. Berra and Zal gave very little away in terms of real chances, Zal had his usual bombscare moment ans I believe needs dropped.

 

Our entire midfield was out of sorts, although Miko, again, imho, worked hard supporting when he could.

 

Just my thoughts after I have calmed down!!!!!!

 

As a thought, I read most of the posts regarding the Celtic fans, I know we can all get angry, perhaps Dr Reid will issue a statement condeming those greatest fans in the world although I very much doubt it. I find Celtic fans pathetic and puerile.

 

 

COME ON THE HEARTS

 

don't disagree with a word there mate, you've played a blinder!

[JamboSean]

2-0 flattered us yesteday, it was a training match for the Mhanks. Not one of them had to break sweat in the whole 90 minutes and if they weren't saving themselves for Man U on Tuesday they could have steamrolled us. It was a pathetic Hearts performance and any one who saw differently needs to watch the match again.

[gerryjambo41]

2-0 flattered us yesteday, it was a training match for the Mhanks. Not one of them had to break sweat in the whole 90 minutes and if they weren't saving themselves for Man U on Tuesday they could have steamrolled us. It was a pathetic Hearts performance and any one who saw differently needs to watch the match again.

 

I kinda agree with this , the most disappointing thing for me is we didn't make them work very hard for the points , losing is fair enough sometimes but we gave away a soft first goal which was always going make difficult for us and the second goal was comic-cuts defending (didn't see the hand -ball at the game) . The last three games we have gave away a soft goal early doors and had to chase the game , we really need to cut out the individual mistakes in defence before very much longer or we are going to find ourselves deep in the brown stuff

[Gambo]

I dont remember being so comprehensively and totally outplayed during say Leveins reign or Jim Jeffries time -

 

Really?

 

 

Leveins record v Rangers

Played 17, won 1 (5%), drew 3, Lost 13 (76%) F 7 A 33

Levein v Celtic

Played 17, won 1(5%), drew 2, lost 14 (82%) F 9 A 39

 

Jeffries record v Rangers

Played 26, won 6 (23%) drew 3, lost 17(65%) F 30 A 59

Jeffries v Celtic

Played 23, won 4(17%), drew 5, lost 14(60%) F 24 A51

 

Overall we lost more than 2 goals per game on average including many a humping where we were outplayed.

 

 

* i did not think our record was as bad as that especially Leveins. Figures from London Hearts.

[Ginger God Is Back]

Being brutally honest Celtic were never out of second gear...we were absolutely awful but yes we dont expect to get anything from these games...but a chests out performance would perhaps have dulled the pain.

[Debut 4]

What i expected was some guts from the players. I don`t go with this "celtic never got out first gear" sheight.

 

If the Hearts players had a bit bottle and guts about them we would have given them a far stiffer test.

 

Yes, we may still be behind them talent wise but were was the extra effort to make up for it?

 

I also expected my manager to be able to change things and send a positive message to the players that they can actually come back, not plod along with 4-5-1 and play damage limitation.

 

Brown, Robson are hardly world beaters. While Brown showed yesterday his usual hard work at closing down he hardly showed anything great on the ball.

 

We had no one to intimidate Brown or Robson, who are two that lose the plot when that happens.

 

Hearts are powder puff wimps who don`t deserve to wear the jersey just now.

 

Yes, im not happy.

[JamboAl]

The thing that amazes me about yesterday is how lightly Stewart has got off - he was dreadful, and not for the first time this season: a lot of huff and puff about nothing.

[magicTs]

In the same way our team of 05-06 (under an actual football manager) would hammer the current Hearts side O'Neil's Celtic team of 03-04 would destroy the team we witnessed taking the proverbial out of us on Sunday.

 

Hearts as a club are at such a low ebb at the moment that is it difficult to see where we go form here. From the disinterested absent owner, to the silent MD, to the most recent in a long list of nobodies as head coach, to the overpaid lazy squad of journeymen footballers, to the apathetic punch drunk support HMFC are currently a club with no direction, no ambition and no spirit.

 

Yesterday was simply sad and depressing.

[Debut 4]

The thing that amazes me about yesterday is how lightly Stewart has got off - he was dreadful, and not for the first time this season: a lot of huff and puff about nothing.

I thought he was begining to flag against Inverness. He`s been poor for a few games now.

 

You know, players are allowed off days but you can`t let someone go on playing poorly week after week and not make a change.

 

Mind you, we`ve probably not got enough players to make the changes we could make!

 

In a nutshell it tells us alot about our players. Most don`t have the mentality and they are bringing the club down, not just Romanov but he`s the centre of it all i suppose.

 

Tim Sherwood summed it up about Spurs. He`s on the backroom staff and said if you don`t have it up top to do it every week here(as in WHL) then you can find a new club.

 

Redknapp has already bombed out Hutton after his glaring mistake against Arsenal. Maybe Csaba should take a leaf out his book?(will Romanov let him though?)

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Heart and passion, something that was there at Easter Road - something that was nowhere to be seen against Celtic.

 

Dont like Hearts getting beat, but its easier to take when the team gives its all. That never happened yesterday.

 

The game was on a par IMO with the Rangers tonking we got under Frail at the end of last season.

[Say What Again]

The game was on a par IMO with the Rangers tonking we got under Frail at the end of last season.

 

Cheers GA, I'd almost wiped that particular low point from my memory

[whitedevries]

Really?

 

 

Leveins record v Rangers

Played 17, won 1 (5%), drew 3, Lost 13 (76%) F 7 A 33

Levein v Celtic

Played 17, won 1(5%), drew 2, lost 14 (82%) F 9 A 39

 

Jeffries record v Rangers

Played 26, won 6 (23%) drew 3, lost 17(65%) F 30 A 59

Jeffries v Celtic

Played 23, won 4(17%), drew 5, lost 14(60%) F 24 A51

 

Overall we lost more than 2 goals per game on average including many a humping where we were outplayed.

 

 

* i did not think our record was as bad as that especially Leveins. Figures from London Hearts.

 

 

Thank god someone has a grasp of reality!

 

Reading some of the posts I thought I had been following another team for the last 35 years! One that had actually won more than two trophies in forty years! I'm not countin the soccer sixes!

[john brownlee]

I didn't think we played that badly and I dont go with this poo that the mhanks let us off, who are you trying to kid. They would love to record a huge score against us there's no doubt.

 

Dubious goal, dubious pen and they missed. Lucky first goal, bad decision by the goalie which fell to an unmarked player.

All you lot including the press that are saying they could have put more past us and they didn't break sweat where's the proof. Its all speculation and nothing to back it up. It was a game that was played in the midfield and very rarely got out of the rut. We were playing with ten men and they didn't make it count.

If the ball was on the other foot and we were playing a lesser team with ten men. I'm sure I would be disappointed and annoyed just like the smellic low life are feeling now.

 

So I think we done alright considering we still have the same players we had last season and so far OK with just a few blips

We are improving all over the park Nade is better that he was last year Mico got his confidence back, got better goalies and our overall performance and team spirit is better

 

So we get beat by the uglies, nothing changes and it never will. Just hope like I do that we beat them every now and again and hopefully beat the rest.

[Debut 4]

Defeat in any shape or form isn`t good, but the manner in which you lose can still have a bearing on how you feel leaving a game.

 

Craig Levein`s record was brought up and yes, wins and defeats are what count, but looking at it performance wise we started to give the OF stiffer tests under him once he`d got a team together, and even in some of the defeats you were at least relieved the team showed character.

 

Strong performances even in defeat gives you confidence for future games. Celtic weren`t miles ahead, thats embarassing to even say that, we all know if Hearts had half a team of decent wholehearted players with a good dose of ability we would have given them a game.

 

To say the likes of Brown, Robson, Caldwell ,Wilson had more in the tank if needed is cringeworthy, who the feck are they ?

[By The Light..]

Both of which were powder puff, trundlers from distance

 

we could have played all day yesterday and not scored, it was drivel from start to finish, okay so they scored a jammy punt and a lucky scramble in the 6 yd box but we made Celtics back 4 look like world beaters, the real test is against Falkirk, ICT and other bottom six dross cause that's our level right now...

[Debut 4]

we could have played all day yesterday and not scored, it was drivel from start to finish, okay so they scored a jammy punt and a lucky scramble in the 6 yd box but we made Celtics back 4 look like world beaters, the real test is against Falkirk, ICT and other bottom six dross cause that's our level right now...

That`s what got to me mate. But it`s most defences we make look like that with our formation.

 

Feckin Caldwell??? Strutting about with his chest out like he`s Franco Baresi. Daniel Cousin showed him up for what he is in his last OF game by getting in about him , he`s a panic merchant if you keep him under pressure.

 

We showed him up time after time in derbies when he was at the Hoboids.

 

In the end it shows how pathetic we were.

[The Old Tolbooth]

Celtic could have went up 2 or 3 gears if they had to yesterday, I got the feeling that they had their thoughts on Wednesday nights game against Man Utd and didn't really extend themselves after they went 2 up.

 

I really feared a tanking when we went 2 down, and thought they would put us to the sword when donkey was sent off.

[Boab Mugabe]

I was over the defeat shortly after half time.

 

It's finally sunk that you shouldn't care about the result or performance - it's clear that the players certainly couldn't give a flying one, so why should the fans care any more?

[Rocky jamboa]

I thought he was begining to flag against Inverness. He`s been poor for a few games now.

 

You know, players are allowed off days but you can`t let someone go on playing poorly week after week and not make a change.

 

Mind you, we`ve probably not got enough players to make the changes we could make!

 

In a nutshell it tells us alot about our players. Most don`t have the mentality and they are bringing the club down, not just Romanov but he`s the centre of it all i suppose.

 

Tim Sherwood summed it up about Spurs. He`s on the backroom staff and said if you don`t have it up top to do it every week here(as in WHL) then you can find a new club.

 

Redknapp has already bombed out Hutton after his glaring mistake against Arsenal. Maybe Csaba should take a leaf out his book?(will Romanov let him though?)

 

I thought Stewart got a pretty easy time of it after his performance yesterday as well. If that had been Miko, Mole etc who had played as bad, there would have been numerous threads telling them where to go. Stewarts been hopeless for the past few weeks. I'd prefer to see Kingston in when he comes back or pala

[topcat]

Really?

 

 

Leveins record v Rangers

Played 17, won 1 (5%), drew 3, Lost 13 (76%) F 7 A 33

Levein v Celtic

Played 17, won 1(5%), drew 2, lost 14 (82%) F 9 A 39

 

Jeffries record v Rangers

Played 26, won 6 (23%) drew 3, lost 17(65%) F 30 A 59

Jeffries v Celtic

Played 23, won 4(17%), drew 5, lost 14(60%) F 24 A51

 

Overall we lost more than 2 goals per game on average including many a humping where we were outplayed.

 

* i did not think our record was as bad as that especially Leveins. Figures from London Hearts.

 

Since the SPL started we've taken three points of Aberdeen at home about twice as often as we've got anything at all from the visits of Celtic.

 

Last weeks result was arguable far more reasonable cause for complaint.

[leginten]

Last weeks result was arguable far more reasonable cause for complaint.

 

Result, possibly. Performance, no.

 

I don't think anyone is particularly surprised that we lost to Celtic. We've all seen that before on numerous occasions - too many to recall. It's the lifeless nature of the performance that is deeply disturbing. I find it really hard to describe that kind of performance; I've seen a few before like that, but all of them since October 2005. I've seen Hearts with worse personnel, I've seen the relegation years but I've never seen Hearts teams, no matter how bad, take the field with as little heart, spirit, fight and ambition.

 

Horrible to watch - a charade and a pretence.

[Ivan Drago]

the worst part for me is that every week im getting more worried its not just the players that arent good enough, its the manager as well

[Lou Reed]

poor display, no fight in the team:sad:

[Jam Tarts 1874]

poor display, no fight in the team:sad:

 

errrr, I think you will find that Hearts put in a decent display once we were down to 10 men. To say "no fight" is inaccurate.

[Jam Tarts 1874]

I thought Stewart got a pretty easy time of it after his performance yesterday as well. If that had been Miko, Mole etc who had played as bad, there would have been numerous threads telling them where to go. Stewarts been hopeless for the past few weeks. I'd prefer to see Kingston in when he comes back or pala

 

Stewart would be one of the first players I'd boot out. He poses around when everything is going well, but goes into hiding and starts blaming everyone else around him when it's not happening. He is a total fraud, the other players hate him and he is bad for team morale.

[TheBigO]

errrr, I think you will find that Hearts put in a decent display once we were down to 10 men. To say "no fight" is inaccurate.

 

Yeh, i thought it was a strange performance. I dont think fight was the problem persay. Individually the guys all worked hard, like ran alot, tried to tackle, chased... Look at Mikey - he had a mare but he never hid, infact his performance summed us up.

 

Collectively the whole thing was just disjointed, it was like the team were fighting but not, i hate to say, 'together'.

 

Lets see what happens next week eh

[magicTs]

I didn't think we played that badly and I dont go with this poo that the mhanks let us off, who are you trying to kid. They would love to record a huge score against us there's no doubt.

 

Dubious goal, dubious pen and they missed. Lucky first goal, bad decision by the goalie which fell to an unmarked player.

All you lot including the press that are saying they could have put more past us and they didn't break sweat where's the proof. Its all speculation and nothing to back it up. It was a game that was played in the midfield and very rarely got out of the rut. We were playing with ten men and they didn't make it count.

If the ball was on the other foot and we were playing a lesser team with ten men. I'm sure I would be disappointed and annoyed just like the smellic low life are feeling now.

 

So I think we done alright considering we still have the same players we had last season and so far OK with just a few blips

We are improving all over the park Nade is better that he was last year Mico got his confidence back, got better goalies and our overall performance and team spirit is better

 

So we get beat by the uglies, nothing changes and it never will. Just hope like I do that we beat them every now and again and hopefully beat the rest.