Sydney Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 The bookies have us back at about 50/1, folk on here are already talking about "getting rid of dead wood" in the summer.... Has everyone already given up on us winning the title, and if so, what do you think success looks like for the rest of the season? I think we should still keep the belief that if we keep winning, and manage to beat the OF both times (home to Celtic and away to Rangers) then we have a VERY good chance of 2nd, and a very small chance of 1st. But I'll keep on believing. At a minimum, we should aim for MORE points than we got in 05/06. I'd hate for this great season just to drop away to nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvatori5 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Fair points mate, think the problem is even if we won every game we could still finish 7 behind Celtic! I'm wif ya thou it'd be excellent to get more points than 05/06 before challenging from the start next season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Albert Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 50/1 are better odds (or worse odds I suppose if you are a betting man) than are the case at least 90% of the time, so no, I haven't given up on the title yet. The sort of position we are in right now comes along once a decade at most, so why not just enjoy it ... and hope? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Statto Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 If we were to win every game for the remainder of the season, we would finish the season on 90 points, this is more than the SPL Winners for the previous 4 seasons. If we do win every game, we would need Celtic AND Rangers to lose two games each - with two games against each other still to be played in the league - it's probable. The chances of us winning every game this season, unlikely, although, one game at a time and all that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PsychocAndy Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 No I haven't but I am a bit of a masochist when it comes to Hearts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number16 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I still think we can do it, it'll just be right at the end of the season it happens if it does. After doing so long without a defeat then having two in quick succession along with the cup exit it's made it a bit harder to see title success at the end of the season. It's no longer a case of when we'll take over the Old Firm but if. While I expect Rangers will drop points due to their fixture pile up, we've just seen Celtic come through a defensive injury crisis winning every game, including destroying us in the process. We need to hope something comes up that throws them off while we keep racking up wins. It's also the realisation setting in that second this year won't get us into the Champions League. As far as getting a reward beyond the usual Europa League it really is all or nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie-Brown Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I think even if we were in Celtic's current position 5 points clear with say Rangers behind with 2 games in hand and Celtic 10 points back but still winning most weeks (like we are just now) many Hearts fans would still be very apprehensive & wary - though delighted obviously! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvatori5 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 If we do win every game, we would need Celtic AND Rangers to lose two games each - with two games against each other still to be played in the league. If Rangers lose 2 games they could still finish on 95 and Celtic could lose 2 and finish on 94. Stats wrong somewhere Statto! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaun.lawson Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 1. We're not going to win every remaining game. Even if we drop just six points over the rest of the season, that'd amount to a borderline miracle. 2. Celtic, Rangers, or conceivably both, are going to end up on above 90 points. If so, we already can't win it! So the rest of the season should be about maintaining the momentum as far as is possible, putting together a record SPL total for us, and being primed to hit the ground running come August. The fact is, we're not actually good enough to win the league yet; but with two or three canny additions, we could be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salvatori5 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Agree Shaun. Would it not also be some achievement to WIN every away game outwith OF visits. Surely never done before but still on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Merse Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 We have no chance of winning the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamboAberdeen Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I'm generally pessimist, so I'd be satisfied with 3rd place, can't think of OF losing more games than us, never mind 3 or 4 more. But if we found new talent from what we have now like Craig Thommo recently, I'd be delighted. Imagine tt reaching double figure, creativity in Black/Ruben/Adrian, KK & Driver's extended run without injury, or another youngsters coming up. (Robinson anyone?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Albert Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 We have no chance of winning the league. I'll have a quid at a 1000 to 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie-Brown Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 1. We're not going to win every remaining game. Even if we drop just six points over the rest of the season, that'd amount to a borderline miracle. 2. Celtic, Rangers, or conceivably both, are going to end up on above 90 points. If so, we already can't win it! So the rest of the season should be about maintaining the momentum as far as is possible, putting together a record SPL total for us, and being primed to hit the ground running come August. The fact is, we're not actually good enough to win the league yet; but with two or three canny additions, we could be. My concern Shaun is that Hearts progress is seldom(never) straight upwards & linear, we usually rise, fall back a bit then rise again. Every good season since 1983 (bar once in 2003) has been followed by a less good or better season following. Cup runs will probably be very important to how we perceive next seasons 'progress' and unless one or both Rangers & Celtic decline significantly or we improve a LOT it's hard to see us rising above 3rd place unless we have an exceptional season or one or both Uglies have poorer seasons, certainly events at Ibrox could be interesting once Walter Smith leaves. We have to hope we can balance any outgoing transfers with some canny sigings as you say but improvement won't be easy although certainly there is massive scope for improvement in both cup competitions and in Europe compared to recent forays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Das Root Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I think the last two games against the OF killed it for me. Even if we had drawn it would've made a massive difference. Zero points, just too far in front of us now. Both now seem to have good strike forces and are back to hammering teams again. We didn't do anything in the Jan window and that's cost us. If the hun get HMRC'd then maybe 2nd. But it's best of the rest as far as I'm concerned, just not good enough for the title yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Problem Officer? Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Kilpatrick Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I've not given up but losing control of our own destiny has made it all the more difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP1874 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 The title (IMHO) was always out of reach BUT 2nd place should be a realistic goal for us. Rangers do have 2 games in hand but with the OF cup games coming up (please let them all go to pens!!) and Rangers in Europe (even if it's 2 games) with the squad they have could really struggle. Goal differance could also come into play, so we need to start beating the likes of Hamilton & St Mirren by a bigger margin before the split. Think every fan would have taken finishing a clear 3rd before a ball was kicked. Like others have said we've a team of youth & experience blending nicely. This season give us the perfect platform to build & improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNCASTLE Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 We have no chance of winning the league. Indeed it is about next season and the one after. As Ferguson said you must be able to beat the Old Firm in Glasgow to win the league. We are simply not at that level yet as demonstrated recently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Bill Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I'd say 50/1 or even 100/1 is about right now, and as several people have said, the two defeats in Glasgow has effectively killed it. Yet although I haven't quite given up, I would say my 'pessimism' (if that's the right word) comes not from our ability to win the vast majority of our remaining games, but from the fact that Celtic have won nearly every league fixture they've played in since we beat them in November. Ugly as they are, they are looking good just now. Had we taken points at Parkhead and Ibrox, I'd have said it was very much game on: but we took nothing, which sadly meant something. On the plus side, I see no reason why we can't push on into next season, and start the ground running in August, as opposed to October. Over all, I'm delighted with the job Jim Jefferies is doing, and as for this season, let's just see how many points we can rattle up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moriarty Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 The fact is, we're not actually good enough to win the league yet; but with two or three canny additions, we could be. Is that a fact is it Shaun? Have you actually seen us play enough this season to make that kind of statement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sten Guns Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Is that a fact is it Shaun? Have you actually seen us play enough this season to make that kind of statement Yes it it correct. Shaun is bang on. We aren't good enough to win the league. Both the old firm are better than us. We are better than the rest. So 3rd it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moriarty Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Yes it it correct. Shaun is bang on. We aren't good enough to win the league. Both the old firm are better than us. We are better than the rest. So 3rd it is. I know were not going to win the bloody league. Frankly I think it would take more than 2-3 good signings to get us anywhere close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Statto Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 If Rangers lose 2 games they could still finish on 95 and Celtic could lose 2 and finish on 94. Stats wrong somewhere Statto! Plus the game each that they will lose against us (if we win all of ours) = 92 and 91 and they have to play each other twice meaning even if they each won one = 89 and 88. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambo Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Ive not given up, i do think JJ has though (if he ever had it as a target in the first place that is). He is targetting 3rd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam1998 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Maybe if 'Der Hun' goes into Administration a la Dundee we will get 2nd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasavallan Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Never thought Hearts would in the first place. The last two games against the OF demonstrated that Hearts, while stronger than the rest of the SPL, are still weaker in comparison with the uglies. The loss of KK does have an effect. Hearts are not scoring enough goals and therefore they may draw a couple of games instead of putting the game to bed. Rangers will likely drop points due to match congestion and their small squad, as such they can be overtaken for 2nd place - that is achievable IMO. But it would need one mighty feck-up by Celtic to drop sufficient points to be caught. I am sure JJ is taking it one game at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blairdin Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I said at the time we had to take something from the recent matches at Ibronx or Parkhead - even draws would have been massive morale boosts for us and two points less for them. Unfortunately, it didn't happen and as a result I think winning the title is well beyond us. Sellic will have the title in the bag by the split IMHO. I also think a decent run could see us have third place sewn up by then, and we'll know what der Hun is really made of by then. So I stll think second is very do-able though, and the fact we're in the hunt is as much of an achievement as 2005/2006. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambof3tornado Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 So if we have 3rd place in the bag with 5 games to go do we go for points or give more youngsters a chance at some game time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasonauskas Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I said at the time we had to take something from the recent matches at Ibronx or Parkhead - even draws would have been massive morale boosts for us and two points less for them. Unfortunately, it didn't happen and as a result I think winning the title is well beyond us. Sellic will have the title in the bag by the split IMHO. I also think a decent run could see us have third place sewn up by then, and we'll know what der Hun is really made of by then. So I stll think second is very do-able though, and the fact we're in the hunt is as much of an achievement as 2005/2006. That sums it up for me. We had the chance to show our credentials in Glasgow and we were found wanting, simples! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spellczech Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I think other teams that could have taken points off the OF were weakened enough in January to make it easier for the OF to be back in the position that OF games decide the title. That and us also losing to both OF - Killie lost players, and Motherwell were weakened in order to stregnthen a very poor Aberdeen side - 6-0 last weekend!!!... It is the old deplete and conquer method of the OF but this time they didn't have the readies to do it themselves but got lucky in other clubs doing it for them. At the same time the OF did find some money to buy players or loan them in the case of Rangers - which is a real bugbear for me. Forseeably Rangers could borrow a whole squad of players in order to win the SPL next year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToadKiller Dog Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Only due to a lack of concentration due to the loads of Ugly Derbies will see them drop points as no team beneath us seems to have the right form to snatch a point or 3 at this junction in the season ,but football can be a funny old game . We still have a very slim outside chance and i expect the team to continue to play as such, i can see us go unbeaten up until the split .Would like to see us get 80pts + for the season which is a tough ask . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drylaw Hearts Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I've given up. The 2 recent defeats in Glasgow put paid to the dream. However.....it's still been a very pleasing season because we've taken huge steps under JJ and he's built a very decent platform on which to work from next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie-Brown Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I have always been of the opinion that anything above 3rd place this season (& any season tbh) is a bonus and a very good year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nookie Bear Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Never really thought that many actually believed we would win the league but I would ratehr we aimed for that than accepting a top-6 finish as "successful". We have to keep going and try to get as close as we can. Considering where we were two years ago, for us to finish within touching distance of the uglies is a HUGE achievement and, whilst the Manager of the Year award will go to Lennon or Smith, we all know who the real winner is. As for dead wood. Do we really have that much? Apart from maybe one or two strikers and a keeper I cannot think of a player we can let go without needing a replacement. I was also looking at other teams and don't see many players out there (outside the OF) that could walk into our team. maybe a couple of tweaks in the summer, but no more. Keeping hold of guys like Wallace and Temps and keeping Skacel interested and Kyle fit are far bigger priorities for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deejtee Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Never really thought we were good enough to win this year. That is why the cup exit was such a bummer. If we are there or thereabouts with the huns for 2nd, which I doubt, will they be all that fussed about being caught by us for 2nd? Serious question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartsfc_fan Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Realistically, if we only finish 10 - 15 points behind the 1st placed team come the end of the season, that's a great achievement when you take into account the millions of pounds Celtic and Rangers rake in over the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jambos are go! Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Shocking that the Press keep going on about how we cant win the League and giving no credit for the fantastic season we have had so far. And that includes beating Rangers and Celtic in the League. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nookie Bear Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Shocking that the Press keep going on about how we cant win the League and giving no credit for the fantastic season we have had so far. And that includes beating Rangers and Celtic in the League. What bugs me the most is that the press are obviously relieved we have fallen away. No disappointment that a fine old Scottish club has failed to grasp its opportunity, no disappointment that the same old teams are winning yet again. Just relief that they can still enjoy the comforts of Ibrox and Parkhead rather than travel east. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Socrates Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I don't think it matters whether people think we can win the league or not. Just keep winning games, and see if the OF come unstuck anywhere - it isn't that long, for example, since Celtic needed a soft, last-minute penalty to get a point against Hamilton. I think Lennon is not the sort of manager who does well when his team is struggling, and I think Rangers are about one injury away from having some serious problems. With a bit of luck, they get brutally taxmanned soon, in any case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debut 4 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I don't think it matters whether people think we can win the league or not. Just keep winning games, and see if the OF come unstuck anywhere - it isn't that long, for example, since Celtic needed a soft, last-minute penalty to get a point against Hamilton. I think Lennon is not the sort of manager who does well when his team is struggling, and I think Rangers are about one injury away from having some serious problems. With a bit of luck, they get brutally taxmanned soon, in any case. Pretty good summary. Just keep going. It would be ridiculous to give up the title when you are only 10 behind and can mathematically still win it.....no matter how hard it is to see the OF drop plenty points against the rest... But...you just never know and the last thing you want is regrets if we tail off and then see the Old Firm stutter. Football is unpredictable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigis semiauskas Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Still just not taking enough points of the OF,if's an buts, but we'd still be above Rangers right now if we never lost 2 stupid late goals at Tynie in first meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adayinmay Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I don't think it matters whether people think we can win the league or not. Just keep winning games, and see if the OF come unstuck anywhere - it isn't that long, for example, since Celtic needed a soft, last-minute penalty to get a point against Hamilton. I think Lennon is not the sort of manager who does well when his team is struggling, and I think Rangers are about one injury away from having some serious problems. With a bit of luck, they get brutally taxmanned soon, in any case. Rankgers Taxman moment will come in May (May 5th I think but the case will drag on a few weeks) and by then it will be too late to have any bearing on the league this season. I always thought Celtic would progress and get stronger as the season wore on and Lennon learnt how his team would fit best. So many new players takes time to settle. If they add even more in the summer that might confuse things (team balance) again. Rankgers will finish 2nd this year but the takeover and taxman scenario will be interesting. It looks like the taxman will win their case and as a result the takeover will collapse. If that happens they are goosed for next season. This season 3rd for us. Next could be 2nd behind Celtic if we add 2 or 3 players wisely (creative centre mid, Bouzid replacement and striker back up for KK) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Tolbooth Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Personally, if someone had said to me last season that we would be 3rd in the league (with it almost in the bag come Xmas) then I'd have called the doctor! I'm delighted with the progress made this season under JJ and BB compared to last season, and I would never have envisaged us actually being talked about as title contenders as late as February, however Celtic appear to have clicked at the right time and look almost unstoppable right now, if they keep this form up then they will win the league in a canter as Rangers backlog of fixtures will almost certainly catch up on them and they will drop points (I still think we can catch Rangers for this very reason) Colin Hendry hit the nail on the head for me after the win against Rangers at Tynie when he stated that for Hearts to seriously threaten the Old Firm this season, that we would need to go on another run of equal proportions to the one which we had leading up to the games against the Old Firm in January, it's a very tall order but not impossible, although to do this we would need Kyle back. I still feel we're carrying too much dead weight from the Csaba era, and this will more than likely be addressed in the close season, however we could also see our side torn apart by other clubs swooping in to buy our best players, next season has all the makings of a good one if we can keep the players together, however we rarely do two good seasons on the trot for some reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartofmidlothian Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 1. We're not going to win every remaining game. Even if we drop just six points over the rest of the season, that'd amount to a borderline miracle. 2. Celtic, Rangers, or conceivably both, are going to end up on above 90 points. If so, we already can't win it! So the rest of the season should be about maintaining the momentum as far as is possible, putting together a record SPL total for us, and being primed to hit the ground running come August. The fact is, we're not actually good enough to win the league yet; but with two or three canny additions, we could be. I agree with you this time, Shaun! The fact is, to stand any chance of winning the league we would have had to win all three OF games last month - or have been playing like this since the start of the season and not drawing with St Johnstone and Dundee Utd, being beaten by Motherwell and Killie or even letting Rangers score that last minute winner. Now we know what we're capable of, next season should be a whole different matter, all other things being equal. I think for this season, 1st is an impossibility, 2nd is a very, very distant possibility (not that far away it's not worth scrapping for) and finishing as close as we can to 2nd and as far as possible from 4th is a very respectable result to aim for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusk_Till_Dawn Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I never thought we'd win the title and I still don't. But I'm enjoying this season immensely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gorgie_rebel Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I think any hope I had went with the 2 games in Glasgow TBH. Would love just to see us secure third ASAP and then see how things go when that pressure is off Then maybe we could be in a position to be looking to sneak 2nd when 3rd is ours.... and maybe,if both uglies have a total mare in the last quarter....... who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jambomuzz Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 You can only speculate as to what will happen. AS much as Id love hearts to sneak 2nd, just for the bragging rights to one half of the old firm, I dont see rangers dropping enough points sadly! As for the tax man issue, I heard it was going to cost them in region of 60million? Surley if they are forced to pay that much it could effectivly end them as a club? I cant see Rangers surviving with a 30million pound debt, plus another 60million on top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie-Brown Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 You can only speculate as to what will happen. AS much as Id love hearts to sneak 2nd, just for the bragging rights to one half of the old firm, I dont see rangers dropping enough points sadly! As for the tax man issue, I heard it was going to cost them in region of 60million? Surley if they are forced to pay that much it could effectivly end them as a club? I cant see Rangers surviving with a 30million pound debt, plus another 60million on top. If they lose their case to HMRC and are hit with a massive tax-bill or else if they are forced to settle for a hefty-chunk of the money being disputed then what you will see is probably a quick-fire administration with the existing Rangers share-holders effectively wiped out however Rangers Football Club will continue to exist and be a dominant force - they have 50K regular fans FFS. It would be remiss of Rangers board & owners not to have contingency plans should the worst happen and i think you'd probably see a quick fire sale to a new buyer/owner being unencumbered by major debt - the ownership of Ibrox might be slightly more tricky as both Lloyds Bank and HMRC would want to extract as much value as possible from that and it might be that new owners would have to buy back the stadium or else rent it but I have no doubt Rangers will continue to exist, continue to play at Ibrox and still be at least the 2nd wealthiest club in Scotland even if they have to run their financial affairs far more frugally in future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japanjambo Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 As long as there's still hope, I'm not giving up. One match at a time and see where it takes us. If we can keep beating every team outwith the OF, and hopefully see them slip up along the way, ye never know. Whatever happens it has been a great season so far. Our away record of WINNING every match(outwith the OF), is a superb. Lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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