Hearts: Why Robbie Neilson changed to a 3-4-1-2 v Alloa

Hearts switched to a 3-4-1-2 for Friday night’s Championship fixture against Alloa Athletic.

Robbie Neilson made a system alteration for the match with Alloa. Picture: SNS

It was a change of shape which clearly worked, the league leaders running out 6-0 winners with Liam Boyce the star of the show as a No.10 behind the two strikers, Euan Henderson and Armand Gnanduillet.

It displayed the flexibility within the squad and allowed Neilson to combat Alloa’s own system.

He said: “The way Alloa played with their back three, we thought getting two up front and Boyce as a 10 would give us superiority up there, but also getting John Souttar back in and Michael Smith on the other side it allows you to press into the No.10s who drop in.

“I think it was a formation that suited us for this game. Will it be one we take forward? I think we’ve got players who are flexible enough to alter between a back three and a back four.”