5th October 2019 Hearts v Kilmarnock 0-1
Another Saturday and a Harts home game. I had been at Tynecastle last night for the launch of Ian Murray's book "This is Our Story". The book tells the story of the fight to keep Hearts alive after the collapse of Vladimir Romanov's business empire and the author was interviewed by former television football commentator Archie McPherson. A really good evening with some really funny stories and hopefully the football today will be as good. As I had spent the morning going to Asda and Costco I had not managed a great deal of walking so let the house at 13.00 to go for a walk before heading to Tynecastle. I walked along the canal to Longstone and then cut off to the Water of Leith walkway heading to Stenhouse to catch a bus to Tynecastle. All was going well until around three quarters of the way along the path when a couple who had passed me running came back saying the walkway was closed round the next corner. I turned back and came of at Chesser and then caught a bus to Ardmiliian to walk the short distance to Tynecastle. Arrived around 14.25 and after being refused entry at one turnstile as my season ticket could not be read I managed to get in at a second and headed for my seat in the Main Stand. Eric was there for the first time this season and he explained he had been in the directors box for a number of the earlier matches. We chatted about the recent death of former Hearts favourite, Booby Prentice, who had an obituary in the Scotsman today and both agreed he was a fantastic, if inconsistent, player.
The Hearts side was strange with a few changes from last week. Uche Ikpeazu was out with a hamstring strain and both Calumn Morrison and Steven MacLean dropped to the bench. Sean Clare, Andy Irving and Clevid Dikamona came into the side which looked initially as a 4-6-0 lineup with no recognised striker on the pitch. The team however lined up in a 3-5-2 formation with Clare and Ryotaro Meshino upfront. While I think both are good players I do not think either player has the physicality to player as a main striker. Kilmarnock under new manager Angelo Alesso lined up on their usual lines. I always think Kilmarnock are a stuffy side and difficult to beat although, like Hearts, they are not prolific goalscorers.
The first half of the game was almost a repeat of the game at Paisley last week. Both sides were passing the ball around, Kilmarnock noticeably a bit quicker than Hearts, but goalmouth action was at a premium. Hearts first effort on goal came after about fifteen minutes when Clare got a weak header, which was easily saved by Laurentiu Branescu in the Kilmarnock goal, from a cross by Loic Damour from the right hand side. A number of fans were giving Clare stick for not scoring but I felt he did well to get a header on target given he was being held by a Kilmarnock defender. I think Clare is unfairly criticised by fans as he has been played in several positions and not allowed to settle in one position. I think that in time he can be an attacking goalscoring midfielder in the Paul Hartley mode and fans should remember that Hartley was not an instant success when he first signed for Hearts. Damour then forced a save from Branescu with a shot from the edge of the penalty box. This was Damour’s last contribution to the game as he went off injured after twenty-seven minutes, to be replaced by Ollie Bozanic. Given Damour also went of injured in the first half at Paisley I do wonder why he started if he was still carrying an injury. Hearts had a great chance after half an hour when Clare took a short corner to Mulraney on the right hand side. The wing-back passed to Glenn Whelan but from twelve yards out the midfielder blazed the ball over the bar. Kilmarnock meantime had only had one opportunity when Joel Periera flapped at an early cross but the ball as cleared to safety before any Kilmarnock player could take advantage. However after forty-two minutes full-back Hamalainen found space on the left and sent in a cross which Mulraney missed. Chris Burke had an easy chance to head back across goal and into the net from eight yards out, albeit with a suspicion of a slight deflection of the luckless Mulraney.
For the second half Hearts brought on Steven Maclean for Andy Irving and switched to a 4-4-2 formation. This allowed Meshino to move to a number 10’ position operating in the space behind striker MacLean. The new formation almost had an early success when a shot from Meshino from twenty yards was parried by keeper Branescu but no Hearts player was in a position to take advantage. Michael Smith missed an good opportunity when a cross from Mulraney appeared to bounce of him at the back post before he could take a touch to send the ball into the net. Kilmarnock had a chance to extended their lead but Hickey showed his class by blocking a shot from Brophy on the goal-line and then taking the ball to safety. Hearts continued to press but Kilmarnock were holding out well. Bozanic had a chance with a header from a Smith cross but from twelve yards out sent the ball over the bar. MacLean had the ball in the Kilmarnock net in injury time but the ‘goal’ was ruled out after a foul by Dikomana on the edge of the box before the ball found its way to the striker. Referee Alam Muir then blew his whistle to end yet another disappointing performance by Hearts who remain in ninth position in the SPL.
Walked home disappointed, again, and wondering what can be done to improve Hearts results. I appreciate that there are several players out through injury but with the squad available Hearts should still be able to beat teams like Hamilton, Ross County, Motherwell, St Mirren and Kilmarnock. Craig Levein is taking a lot of stick from fans and there are calls for a change of manager. I would like to see Levein revert to being Director of Football only and a new face brought in who can play a more modern attacking football style.
Teams
Hearts: Pereira; Smith, Berra, Dikamona, Hickey, Whelan, Damour, Irving, Mulraney, Clare, Meshino.
Subs: Bozanic, MacLean, Keena
Kilmarnock: Branescu; O'Donnell, Del Fabro, Findlay, Hamalainen, El Makrini, Power, Dicker, Burke, Brophy, Millar.
Subs: Thomas, McKenzie, Bruce
The first half of the game was almost a repeat of the game at Paisley last week. Both sides were passing the ball around, Kilmarnock noticeably a bit quicker than Hearts, but goalmouth action was at a premium. Hearts first effort on goal came after about fifteen minutes when Clare got a weak header, which was easily saved by Laurentiu Branescu in the Kilmarnock goal, from a cross by Loic Damour from the right hand side. A number of fans were giving Clare stick for not scoring but I felt he did well to get a header on target given he was being held by a Kilmarnock defender. I think Clare is unfairly criticised by fans as he has been played in several positions and not allowed to settle in one position. I think that in time he can be an attacking goalscoring midfielder in the Paul Hartley mode and fans should remember that Hartley was not an instant success when he first signed for Hearts. Damour then forced a save from Branescu with a shot from the edge of the penalty box. This was Damour’s last contribution to the game as he went off injured after twenty-seven minutes, to be replaced by Ollie Bozanic. Given Damour also went of injured in the first half at Paisley I do wonder why he started if he was still carrying an injury. Hearts had a great chance after half an hour when Clare took a short corner to Mulraney on the right hand side. The wing-back passed to Glenn Whelan but from twelve yards out the midfielder blazed the ball over the bar. Kilmarnock meantime had only had one opportunity when Joel Periera flapped at an early cross but the ball as cleared to safety before any Kilmarnock player could take advantage. However after forty-two minutes full-back Hamalainen found space on the left and sent in a cross which Mulraney missed. Chris Burke had an easy chance to head back across goal and into the net from eight yards out, albeit with a suspicion of a slight deflection of the luckless Mulraney.
For the second half Hearts brought on Steven Maclean for Andy Irving and switched to a 4-4-2 formation. This allowed Meshino to move to a number 10’ position operating in the space behind striker MacLean. The new formation almost had an early success when a shot from Meshino from twenty yards was parried by keeper Branescu but no Hearts player was in a position to take advantage. Michael Smith missed an good opportunity when a cross from Mulraney appeared to bounce of him at the back post before he could take a touch to send the ball into the net. Kilmarnock had a chance to extended their lead but Hickey showed his class by blocking a shot from Brophy on the goal-line and then taking the ball to safety. Hearts continued to press but Kilmarnock were holding out well. Bozanic had a chance with a header from a Smith cross but from twelve yards out sent the ball over the bar. MacLean had the ball in the Kilmarnock net in injury time but the ‘goal’ was ruled out after a foul by Dikomana on the edge of the box before the ball found its way to the striker. Referee Alam Muir then blew his whistle to end yet another disappointing performance by Hearts who remain in ninth position in the SPL.
Walked home disappointed, again, and wondering what can be done to improve Hearts results. I appreciate that there are several players out through injury but with the squad available Hearts should still be able to beat teams like Hamilton, Ross County, Motherwell, St Mirren and Kilmarnock. Craig Levein is taking a lot of stick from fans and there are calls for a change of manager. I would like to see Levein revert to being Director of Football only and a new face brought in who can play a more modern attacking football style.
Teams
Hearts: Pereira; Smith, Berra, Dikamona, Hickey, Whelan, Damour, Irving, Mulraney, Clare, Meshino.
Subs: Bozanic, MacLean, Keena
Kilmarnock: Branescu; O'Donnell, Del Fabro, Findlay, Hamalainen, El Makrini, Power, Dicker, Burke, Brophy, Millar.
Subs: Thomas, McKenzie, Bruce
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