The six Hearts players granted a second chance by the club's deadline day frustrations

Lack of last-minute additions will give fringe players time to prove themselves to Stendel

For the majority of this season, onlookers insisted this season's struggling Hearts squad possessed good players, they just needed someone to get the best out of them, both individually and as a collective.

It's since become clear that new manager Daniel Stendel doesn't necessarily agree with that sentiment.

The new manager brought four new players to the club in the January transfer window. Two of whom, Liam Boyce and Donis Avdijaj, for positions where there were already a few options.

Jamie Walker and Uche Ikpeazu during Hearts' 5-2 win over St Mirren earlier this season. Picture: SNS

Of course, things needed to get better in attack. A natural goalscorer was required with the previous corps struggling to find the back of the net with any sort of consistency. Boyce was an obvious upgrade even before a game was played and his two goals in two matches has demonstrated just that.

But even after the purchase of two attacking players, Stendel was still chasing a couple more on deadline day, including Barnsley striker Mamadou Thiam.

It was clear that there were members of the Tynecastle squad, big names with strong pedigrees, who the new manager didn't fancy.

Frustratingly for Stendel, he was unable to get any more deals over the line after the capture of defensive midfielder Marcel Langer, leaving him with some attacking players who, for the moment, are not in his long-term plans.

Thankfully for those concerned, four months is a long time in football and they've now got the chance to prove to the manager that he's wrong about them and they still have a lot to offer in their Hearts career.

Now, we don't know exactly which players Stendel would liked to see moved on for new signings - though we can probably take a guess - so let's look at them one by one and how the deadline day failings have granted them a fresh opportunity.

Uche Ikpeazu

With Liam Boyce and Steven Naismith cemented as the first-choice strike-partnership, Ikpeazu would likely have been knocked down to fourth choice with a new signing. Even still, he should probably feel most secure about his presence in the squad compared to some others we'll get to. Both Boyce and Naismith have suffered through recent injury problems, with the latter susceptible to picking up minor injuries with unfortunate consistency, so chances would still have been there.

Furthermore, bringing a fresh Ikpeazu off the bench to go against tiring defenders has looked like a potent weapon in recent weeks. Of these players listed, he's currently in line to be the last out of the door.

Conor Washington

There was talk on deadline day that Washington could be on his way to Stoke City, a potential move that may have been hampered by Hearts' inability to add another forward.

A free-scoring striker at Peterborough, Hearts hoped that was the player they were recruiting in the summer, not the player who struggled with the step up to the Championship and watched his impressive goal tally evaporate. Unfortunately it hasn't worked out that way. Washington shows plenty of endeavour, decent link-up ability and deceptive pace for such a broad striker, but he's rarely looked like a regular scoring threat.

In the past two games Stendel has used him as a substitute on the right of midfield. It doesn't necessarily bode well for his chances going forward. Then again, strikers are creatures who live on confidence. He scored in consecutive weeks in August and could well have gone on a run if he wasn't injured two matches later. We're just five fixtures (two starts) into his return. If he can get one to go in over the next few weeks then he may just rediscover that scoring touch and oust Ikpeazu as the preferred back-up to the front two.

Jamie Walker

It's safe to say Walker's triumphant return to Tynecastle has been a bit of a damp squib so far. Injuries have severely hampered his momentum, but even when fit he's rarely looked like the player who lit up the Premiership in the first 18 months after Hearts' return to the top flight.

The fact that he sat on the bench for the duration of the Rangers match while Euan Henderson, Lewis Moore, Conor Washington and Steven Naismith all had turns playing in his position on the wing does not bode well for his future. He's perhaps got his work cut out the most to convince the new manager of his talents. The trouble is, for that to happen, he'll need to get back on to the pitch. Seeing as he missed out on the 18 at McDiarmid Park, that's not a guarantee any time soon.

We all know Walker's qualities on the ball, both as a goal threat and a playmaker. If he can prove he's capable of playing 90 minutes with the intensity required to fit in the manager's high-pressing system then he will get an opportunity.

Ryotaro Meshino

Meshino was granted a chance in yesterday's draw at St Johnstone and didn't take the opportunity. He was too easily muscled off the ball and was fairly ineffective in the final third. It'll be a surprise if he starts Wednesday's visit of Kilmarnock.

For Meshino it's not the end of the world. He's contracted to Manchester City and, regardless of what happens between now and the summer, it's very likely his Tynecastle career will end in the middle of 2020.

However, it doesn't bode well for his future in British football if he's unable to make his mark on a Hearts team that has struggled for goals and points for most of the season.

Lewis Moore and Euan Henderson

The quickness and industry of both these young attackers has enabled them to fight their way back into the first-team under Stendel, who needs such qualities from his players in order to play a high-pressing system.

Though it did feel like Stendel was inadvertently referencing the pair when he talked about trying to improve his side's quality in possession. The young wingers show plenty of heart, but have yet to prove they'll be able to consistently rack up assists and goals at this level.

They are being granted an opportunity to prove their worth already, though things would've got that little bit tougher if their manager had been able to bring in another attacker.