Hartley

[Blue4evr]

Agree totally brutal anti football for last 30 minutes. How many of their huge players collapsed when they were touched. When we got a free kick they'd kick the ball away or run away with it. Absolutely horrible to watch and conned the ref. We had 5 players booked yet Gomis wasn't? PH tries to have us play total football which is great when teams sit and watch us. We have to toughen up and be more streetwise. Agree also we have far too many defenders and only 2 forwards. Tank and Roberts are not good enough imo.

[dundeeman35]

Every time the boy behind me in the Bobby cox shouts at Craig Thomson he gives the opposition a penalty poor referee but jeez I some fowk never learn

[Reverend Lovejoy]

Albeit PH picked his subs,

To be fair to PH he was limited in who he could put on the bench due to injuries.Bar Carriero I cant think who else we had that may have appeared on the bench.

[blythswood]

For some reason the media love Hearts and I've no idea why. They've been brutal for years. Took it to another level yesterday though now they've added feigning injury to their sordid repertoire. They completely conned the ref throughout and the fact we ended up with more bookings than them is an absolute scathing indictment on Craig Thomson's ability as a referee.

If ever there was a textbook Craig Levein team performance it was yesterday.

[Reverend Lovejoy]

,if konrad had kept his place and gave away a penalty and made that stupid error towards the end that should have made it 1-3 Hartley would have been slated

Konrad wasn't on.Hartley's still being slated!!!!.

[eyeothedug]

If I'm honest, I'd rather play exciting and entertaining football and take the odd bitter defeat along the way than have a big haddy of a team that bullies its way to results with zero entertainment on show if given the offer.

Agree.

[eyeothedug]

I agree and think we should continue to play football, Killie and the 1st half yesterday were a delight to watch. If we're going to push on though, we need to toughen up and see games out after going ahead.

Hearts managed to shut the game down at 2-1, we don't seem to be capable of that.

We've definitely improved on last season but some of the main weaknesses are still there:

- No plan b if teams press high up the park, double up on Stewart and stop us playing the ball out from the back

- No viable options from the bench to change the game, a pacy winger who could go past players and stretch teams would have helped yesterday and numerous times last season against teams like St.Jonstone who stop us playing. Also we pushed McPake up front as we didn't have a target man on the bench to bring on.

- Harkins not stepping up in big games especially when Stewart has been shut down

If we can toughen up, become more street wise, sign a winger and a target man to give us other options then we are capable of pushing for a european place. If not we'll probably be similar to last season, 5th or 6th.

Yes, the squad is unbalanced. Agree that we need another option up front. We only have two strikers just now in Loy and Hemmings. Also we absolutely need a quality wide man, maybe two. I think PH knows this. He bought Roberts and also was a fan of Boyle originally. Two wing outlets. However neither could deliver.

Why is it that big and ugly only wins you games in Scotland?

[nemsadzDEE]

Yes, the squad is unbalanced. Agree that we need another option up front. We only have two strikers just now in Loy and Hemmings. Also we absolutely need a quality wide man, maybe two. I think PH knows this. He bought Roberts and also was a fan of Boyle originally. Two wing outlets. However neither could deliver.

Why is it that big and ugly only wins you games in Scotland?

To play possession football from the back you you need to have quality players all over the park who are comfortable with the ball, Barca, Bayern etc. 

We're not good enough to beat the top teams playing in this way consistently as we don't have better players than they do.

If Hartley is stubborn and sticks to this approach we will continue to struggle at times, we need to adapt and counter teams like Hearts. 

[Parcbara]

We are still in a far better position, with Paul Hartley, than where we have been for a long time though. Peaks and troughs.

[eyeothedug]

To play possession football from the back you you need to have quality players all over the park who are comfortable with the ball, Barca, Bayern etc.

We're not good enough to beat the top teams playing in this way consistently as we don't have better players than they do.

If Hartley is stubborn and sticks to this approach we will continue to struggle at times, we need to adapt and counter teams like Hearts.

But where are our weak links? Isn't it more the case that we simply need to be able to play the same game but under pressure and be more street wise with it. Also be tougher mentally when teams are getting stuck in?

[nemsadzDEE]

We are still in a far better position, with Paul Hartley, than where we have been for a long time though. Peaks and troughs.

We have come a long way and he has raised expectations. He wants to make us a top 4 team so he is being more harshly judged that any other manager in recent times.

If he's going to become a top manager which i'm sure is his ambition he will have to improve tactically and change things in games when things aren't going our way. 

[nemsadzDEE]

But where are our weak links? Isn't it more the case that we simply need to be able to play the same game but under pressure and be more street wise with it. Also be tougher mentally when teams are getting stuck in?

Weak links yesterday for me at times were the midfield getting over run in the 2nd half. I love McGowan but not sure he is suited to the way we currently play. He slows play down at times and turns back a lot looking for a pass. Harkins didn't impose himself on the game the same way he did at Killie. We need our midfielders to find space and be available for passes out from the back. Thompson not being able to last 90 minutes is an issue as well, when he plays we play. Having Low back will help with that. 

Maybe your right and it comes more down to mental toughness and we can be successful playing like this but i would like to see us being able to change it when required if it isn't working. It's clear it wasn't working but Hartley didn't try and counter Neilsons half time changes.