John Robertson's one word to sum up Hearts right now as minimum number of needed signings at Tynecastle named
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
John Robertson has named his standout player for Hearts so far this season - as one word rings in his head about the current Hearts team.
Criticism is raining down on the Jambos after a calamitous midweek, crashing out of the Conference League at home to Moldovan side Petrocub. A 2-2 draw was not enough to get them out the league phase, missing out on the top 24 and European football after Christmas via goal difference.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBottom of the Premiership, a key game awaits against St Johnstone on Sunday. Pundit and former Hearts player Allan Preston said on Sportscene ahead of the January transfer window: “Neil Critchley's first game in the competition was great, it's not been good enough, far, far from it. And I said, six players, I'm going to raise you on that.
“I think they need more than that, because some of these guys, their legs look to have gone, they look to have run their race. They've been terrific players, some of them, but they're just now not at the level that Hearts need to get to. And I think it's going to be a struggle between now and the January window.
“And then if they can, and if they're lucky enough to get players in that can hit the ground running, but I'll tell you what, now it's on the relegation battle, because that performance in that opening 45 minutes will get you relegated. It's as simple as that. That wasn't good enough.”
Tynecastle icon Robertson says summer signing James Penrice has been one of the better performers in the Hearts team, as he used one word to sum up Hearts right now. He explained: “Penrice has been the standout player this season for Hearts. Absolutely standout player. And he's getting a nice partnership with Blair Spittal. ou look at the team, you've got the two goalkeepers, Craig Gordon and Zander Clark. For a wee while there, you Frankie Kent and Kye Rowles starting to get a little partnership together and then Kent's got injured.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“Penrice and Spittal have got a nice wee partnership going there. Beni Baningime, when he's fit, seemed to be doing aright in the middle of the park in there. But the right hand side has been a problem. Gerald Taylor looked a world beater at the start of the season, but then he had a poor game at Dundee and has completely flatlined since then and got himself a bad injury. Daniel Oyegoke and young Adam Forrester have been playing there. Oyegoke looks like a centre back playing right back when he plays, and young Forrester is just a young lad who's come in to do well.
“The big thing for me, and it's been the same at Heats for a while now, is there is a severe lack of creativity in the middle of the park. The middle of the park is absolutely huge. Yes, you can talk about pace, you can talk about all sorts of things, but you need someone in the middle of the park to pass the ball. Now, for example, the two Petrocub strikers, you wouldn't say they were blisteringly quick. They were sharp, but they weren't blisteringly quick, but they had players who could knock the ball about, play in the feet, a lot of balls around the corner, players up supporting.
“When Hearts did play the ball in towards James Wilson and Lawrence Shankland , there was nobody supporting from the midfield, and that's where you've got to ask questions of Alan Forrest and Yan Dhanda at times. If they're coming through the middle, get yourself in off the flanks and leave the wide areas for your full backs. In a 4-4-2, if you're naturally playing your side, Forrest, give him the ball and let them get on with it.
“Let them take the man on, back him up. Or Dhanda, go inside, drag him inside, and leave Penrice one for one, because he'll take them down the left-hand side, take the line and put crosses in. But the word I wrote in Allan's book at half-time in the first half was predictable.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“4-2-4 it was at times, when they were attacking straight lines across the park, the back four, two in the line in the middle, and four in the line up front. And that's not going to cause a team who play a nice wee 5-3-2, 5-2-3 formation, who play in holes where one man can actually mark two Hearts players.”
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.