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Hearts Preview

Last updated : 31 January 2005 By Firparkcorner

It will not be easy by any means but the task is by no means impossible. A month ago many would have said we were strong favourites with us being on a great run and Hearts floundering. Now the situation has reversed with us picking up only draw and five defeats from the last six. The Jambos on the other hand are unbeaten in seven with four wins in that run. However, as is often the case in Scottish football, there is slightly more to things than meets the eye. Two of our losses have been away to the old firm and whilst the performances were not top notch in any of the other fixtures, we could easily have taken more than the one point out of nine we won from ICT, Aberdeen and Kilmarnock. Hearts are playing well in terms of results but they were the width of the post from going out to Partick, lucky to win the reply, outrageously fortunate against United and drew with Dundee. Even the win at Livi required two late goals and there is a lot of controversy over two fifty-fifty decisions which went Hearts’ way at the weekend. They are not unbeatable by any means.


Richie got the winner last time
But, given the respective form of the two teams, an awful lot might depend on the first goal. A Hearts opener will keep their confidence sky high and given our ineptitude in front of goal recently, the heads could easily drop. On the flip side, we seem to be playing the way we were in the run up to our last good run (also started in the CIS Cup…) where one break leading to a goal will change things. We have trounced Hearts twice already this season without conceding a goal. The first goal on Tuesday should see belief flooding back into our side and put doubt in their minds.

The issue of Easter Road has been done to death already but everyone knows it is a shocking decision. Terry will no doubt use that to fire up his starting eleven but he could still be picking the side. Phil O’Donnell is fit to play but due to the Hibs game being postponed, he is severely out of match practice. Will Stepover be any fitter than he was against Celtic? Does Foran contribute more from the right wing or playing up front? And whilst David Clarkson is clearly struggling, is a semi final the right time to drop him?

The Hearts position is also tricky. They have lost a couple of players to Leicester recently and will almost certainly be affected by the Paul Hartley affair. Will he still be there tomorrow? And if Hearts do refuse him his dream move, how will he and his team-mates respond in that situation?

This game really looks tight and could well go the full way. After much soul searching, the final prediction will be another victory for the Dossers, possibly 1-0. A much safer bet is there won’t be many fingernails left come 2130!