Hearts (A)

[stokearab]

We've definitely dropped off the early standard we set. Maybe by doing so well after the first game it raised the expectation too high.

I'm not going to go down the route of criticising individual players for the loss on Saturday but there was several who underperformed. What it made me realise is that if we're going to perform to top 6 or even top 4 level consistently we need to add better quality into the squad. What I mean is I don't think Neilson is a better coach, he's just got better players at his disposal and it showed in both games v them so far this season. We just can't deliver that consistency with the players we have.

I think the owners and TA/TC will know this and be busy identifying quality players that we can bring to the club in the 2 upcoming windows.

To do that we will need to offload some player payroll cost and probably add more in.
Eg 3,4 or even 5 players out and maybe 2 or 3 much better players in. To start the kitty I would be inclined to let Kerr Smith go, assuming he and his parents are happy for him to go south to continue his development. Looks like we may get more than £500k now and some of that added to the player budget could get those 2 or 3 players we need to bring in.

Obviously if Harry Souttar moves there might be a few quid more released back to the player budget.

We're headed in the right direction though 🧡

[TerryTheTerror]

I'll not even sure he has better players. He's vastly more experienced as manger and I think that's what made the difference. But, who knows?

[moicher]

I'll not even sure he has better players. He's vastly more experienced as manger and I think that's what made the difference. But, who knows?

don't agree. I think he has a better bench. We've brought on a 16 year old thats played under a dozen games for a Scottish internationalist with 44 caps. From what i have seen so far i'm not seeing how good this laddie is.

He just had better player on the day. If Fuchs doesnt play well we don't. Plus Levitt out. Glass is getting better though so i'm excited that we have cover building for Levitt. We don't in defence though.

[TerryTheTerror]

Is Mark Reynolds injured? Seems like the obvious replacement for Mulgrew. 🤔

[JamesMcClean]

Is Mark Reynolds injured? Seems like the obvious replacement for Mulgrew. ��

I agree. In contrast to the Celtic game where we had a fair degree of control defensively throughout and Smith had actually started in, and played himself into the game, the last 10 mins or so of the first half after we pulled it back to 2-1 we were all over the place and it could have easily been 3-1 at HT instead. IMO we needed stability and experience to steady the ship first and foremost, but instead we chucked on a young lad with little experience having had (we now know) an emotionally difficult week where he had trained very little. The way the second half started and the way the game finished suggests this was the wrong call. But then Reynolds wasn’t even on the bench i.i.r.c.? I suspect, unless we are absolutely down to the bare bones, that he has played his last game for us - and possibly could be away in January at this rate.