Hearts debrief: Questions over Devlin-Baningime partnership, defensive horrorshow, Ellis Simms off the bench

A look back at Sunday’s horrendous 5-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox.

Player of the match

It’s very tempting to say “who cares?” and focus instead on the many players who were steaming piles of rubbish, but that’s probably not all that professional. So, best player… best player… mmm… Barrie McKay? Sure, why not. He created a couple of chances and, crucially, wasn’t part of the defence.

Defining moment

Hearts manager Robbie Neilson. Picture: SNS

It almost feels like some sort of weird fever dream now, but Hearts were the stronger side to start the second half before Alfredo Morelos curled in a terrific finish from the edge of the area to make it 2-0. The striker was a little fortunare in the build up with it rebounding back off Stephen Kingsley, but Toby Sibbick was nowhere near close enough to the Colombian while Beni Baningime was left trailing when he needed to be getting a foot in. Both of those descriptions can be applied to 95 per cent of this match.

Ref watch

Hearts probably got the better of things from Willie Collum who gave a rather strange booking and foul to Leon Balogun when the Rangers centre-back won the ball cleanly before inoccuously colliding with Liam Boyce.

Benefit of hindsight

How long have you got? Ellis Simms maybe should’ve started as Hearts looked a stronger side when he came off the bench, in attack at least. Peter Haring always gives Hearts a degree of control in the midfield and it’s about time the assumption was dispensed with that Beni Baningime and Cammy Devlin are the strongest partnership regardless of opponent. And then there’s the general use of the 3-4-3 altogether, which left the midfield two overrun and gave little protection to a defence which badly needed it. There were several defenders who you’d rather hadn’t played, but there’s not much that could’ve been done in terms of personnel with John Souttar, Craig Halkett and Michael Smith all absent.

Moment you may have missed

Fans at the game would’ve missed Robbie Neilson’s “who me?” act when Willie Collum came across to book him. Fans at home may have missed Andy Halliday being given a standing ovation by the home support if they’d had any sense and switched the tele off before then.

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