Many chances but Jambos only needed one

Making chances and not taking them has been the curse of many teams ambitions in football and so it once again proved at Tynecastle yesterday. For a large part of the past two seasons, Rangers have been ruthless with their chances, taking a strong percentage of their chances and winning games.

One of the reasons why Tony Mowbray was run out of town as Celtic boss was the fact that his team needed about ten chances to finally make a goal and that sort of ratio cannot do for a top side. Rangers can easily say they battered Hearts in the first half yesterday but without getting behind Kello in goals, the half-time score of 0-0 had to be a huge concern for all concerned at Rangers.

The second half started in the same manner with the blues bearing down on the Hearts goal but when you fail to score, eventually doubts will creep into the play and the opposition may start to think it is their day. Resolute defending, good goalkeeping, a touch of luck and never giving up ensured Hearts deserved an opportunity to stay in the match and when a chance to win it came along, they took it.

The Rangers defence was extremely culpable for the goal. Rangers had more than enough bodies back in the box for the goal in fact, they maybe had too many. Jamie Ness allowed his man to effortlessly drift past him which then saw two Rangers midfielders run towards the ball, which opened up space inside the box. Once the pass was made, Rangers two centre halfs charged out from their position, leaving two Hearts men free on the six yard line. When the ball worked its way through, Stevenson was left with the easiest chance of the day and amazingly, the home side were one up.

After Hearts took the lead, Rangers best chance of getting back into it came through a Jelavic shot which showed the class of the player. He was unlucky with the ball cannoning off the bar and bouncing back into play by a good distance (regardless of the desperate claims), the technique showed in getting the shot away was extremely impressive.

So, what does this do for the title race? At the moment, it changes nothing. If Rangers win their games in hand, they still go top of the league. Hearts are still in third and doubts still remain over their ability to maintain their form and push on.

However, the time when it comes to re-evaluate these opinions could be coming closer. On Wednesday night, Hearts visit Celtic Park and if they avoid defeat in that game, an outcome that should be well within Heart’s reach; you have to say that Hearts are well in this. Their form in their last 12 games outstrips Celtic and Rangers so if they can keep going to toe to toe with the big guns, it would only be patronising or arrogant to assume they will drop off.

The Jambos are more than capable of beating the rest of the SPL if they keep their attitude right and avoid injuries.

As for Rangers, they are entering a busy period with league, League Cup, Scottish Cup and European ties on the horizon.

Busy times and the Ibrox side needs to prove this was just an unlucky defeat against a team they are in the mix with.

Hearts will take comfort from having nothing but the league to focus on and the fact that the big Glasgow two will meet twice (at least) in February. Hearts have the opportunity to focus on the league and if they retain that focus, they could be involved to the death.

For now – a great win for Hearts but it is how both teams respond that will provide a better judge of the SPL situation.

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Things are looking up down Gorgie way

We asked for opinions from fans regarding the goings on at their club and we’re delighted to say the first response has arrived at WeKnowSFA….and it has come all the way from Florida.

Over to you Orlando Jambo:

The main point of this is that I cannot believe the double standards which exist in Scottish football – I’m saying this as the US sports have JumboTron’s for replays, the refs are all miked up and they explain their decision after consultation with the other officials – yes, it may be time consuming, but the fans leave satisfied.

Our owner is heavily fined for speaking his mind and actually telling the truth, yet nothing against Celtic? That proves that the press and the GFA are set up purely for the Glasgow clubs – ok then Celtic, off you go to the EPL with your anti-Poppy songs and attitude, you’ll be back whimpering to be let back in. You are not good enough to last 5 minutes.

It’s funny that from a distance, things seem a lot clearer as you’re not caught up in the daily bickering and rivalry, always having to defend your position and explaining that it should always be about football, not religion, and that the funds should be split equally between the clubs. That goes for voting rights as well.

Now, America for all its rights or wrongs, wants to see a sporting event between evenly matched teams – the fact that the Weegies suck up all the income, get more tv and also have the refs in their favour is almost enough to make me start following basketball and my new local home team, the Orlando Magic. They are doing fairly well right now.

Excitement has been brought back to Tynie, the team are playing well as a unit and they have a great management team – JJ is grooming Lockie to be his successor.

Some strong opinions but you’d hardly say they were uncommon opinions. We definitely agree with the benefits of using TV evidence for questionable decisions and for the need for better explanation from officials.

Anyways, it’s great to get this opinion on the site but do you agree or disagree? Once again, thanks to Orlando Jambo for his thoughts; do you have anything to add, do you think the Jambos are deserving of a bit of justice or is Romanov in a league of his own?

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WeKnowSFA has been around for just over a year now and we’ve managed okay, had some highlights but there is a need to kick on further. Started by a couple of mates whose distrust of the ruling body overcame differences in the choice of clubs supported, the plan was to put the boot in when it was called for.

A year on and time constraints means the team is dwindling so the time is right for a revamp.

That’s why we’re looking for writers from teams from all of the SPL clubs in an attempt to broaden the scope of review. We’ll be the first to admit we’ve not covered as much of the league as we would like but doing so would have seemed a bit plastic or condescending.

With four wins on the trot, Hearts are finally getting into gear under Jim Jefferies and the club have serious ambitions of getting in between the gruesome twosome from Glasgow. Can Hearts continue their form into 2011….and what new outbursts will Vladimir come up with?

So – what do we want?

Fans with a passion and with something to say. If you fancy knocking out some articles – between 250 and 600 words is usually more than sufficient – on the goings on at your club, now is the time. Drop us an email to : youknowsfa@hotmail.co.uk giving us your name, who you support and an example of the sort of article you’d like to write.

So – what are we going to do for you?

If you’re reading this, you’ll know the exposure we have and this can get your thoughts and opinions to a wider audience. We’ll stick your real name or pseudonym on every article you write, so you can quickly build up a portfolio of writing in no time at all.

Whether you want to gain some experience for future writing adventures, write to gain some exposure for yourself or perhaps another blog / website you run or just mouth off about the rights and wrongs of Scottish football, we can help you get your message across.

And if you are looking for experience and you manage to provide regular articles, we’ll certainly help you out with a reference along the way.

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Or will the Jambos be remembering this clash…

Two teams coming off a big win at the weekend, one is likely to experience some form of comedown after tonights Tynecastle clash.

Celtic re-wrote the SPL record books with a 9-0 thrashing of Aberdeen but Hearts won comfortably at the home of their bitter city rivals, Hibs. Cause for celebration in both camps but there hasn’t been much time to savour it.

Celtic will be missing Thonas Rogne after his red card but the introduction of Jos Hooiveld would suggest he will step in. Niall McGinn was the unfortunate player subbed to bring the centre half on but the Irishman will be looking to step back in after impressing of late.

It remains to be seen whether Neil Lennon will try to bolster the midfield for this game or stick with four major attacking players. With the crowd on top of play, Tynecastle can feel narrow at times and it may be best to fight to win the midfield battle first…and then play football.

Lennon has options but after they both hit hat-tricks on Saturday, the duo of Stokes and Hooper will surely remain up front.

Kevin Kyle may have had a quiet game at Celtic Park earlier this season but the striker has caused the hoops trouble before. This may be the game the big striker steps up and finds the net himself or plays a team-mate in.

The Jambos will be mindful that their last home game ended in a 3-0 defeat to Kilmarnock but these games are the ones where Tynecastle comes alive. The limp performance offered up against Killie will not be tolerated by the home crowd and the home players should get a lift.

You get the feeling this game could be as exciting and as tense as Celtic’s recent trip to Tannadice. No doubt the officials will be hoping for a quieter night -after all, the last thing Hugh Dallas wants to do on Thursday morning is spend time ploughing through his emails.

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You can get fireworks when these two collide in Edinburgh

Just when Hearts fans though their team was getting back to a good level, the last two matches have came as a kick in the teeth. The League Cup defeat at Falkirk was a let-down, especially after the team had battled back from 2-0 to take the lead only to lose it again. These things can happen though and most Jambos would have taken a bounce-back win over Motherwell at home as some sort of apology.

A 2-0 defeat with Jambos boss Jim Jefferies later saying that his team needs to be more like Motherwell would have been particularly galling. Perhaps the visit of Rangers is just what Hearts need to kick-start themselves again. That or it could send them further into a negative spiral.

Lets not get carried away though, the SPL, outside of the big two is much of a muchness but Hearts have given indication that they could become the best of the rest. Injuries are always going to be a blight on the Hearts squad, as are suspensions but if they can hold it together, they can still have a strong season.

Jefferies has hinted that there may be some changes to the backline that has seen Hearts lose their last two matches and the Jambos are still denied the services of Andrew Driver, who suffered a slight setback after playing in a bounce match versus St Johnstone.

A trip to Tynecastle is not the game to be tinkering with a team but Rangers will have the opportunity to bring in some fresh faces if required. Nikica Jelavic and Vladimir Weiss sat out Wednesday night’s triumph and will be fit for the Edinburgh game. With the Croatian striker getting amongst the goals and the on-loan winger starting the last 4 SPL games for the champions, there would be no surprise if they came back into the side.

Hearts fans will be hoping that the exertions on a heavy pitch on Wednesday will see the Rangers squad at less than 100% but we don’t see them tailing off just yet. With a break for international duties coming up, Walter Smith should be able to get one more performance out of his team before a natural break occurs.

Even when Hearts aren’t playing too well, the excitement of the crowd at Tynecastle can sometimes lift the team when either of the big two from Glasgow come calling and there have been some brilliant matches between the two sides in recent years. Maybe not games that would have the football purists purring but when it comes to the passion and end to end football that Scotland does so well, these games are right up there with the best of them.

We can only hope that this weekend’s game is as exciting as some of the previous Hearts v Rangers encounters at Tynecastle.

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No SPL away day defeats outside of Glasgow…so far

Dundee United have lost their last two games in the SPL, a surprising statistic given they had only lost 6 of their previous 34 SPL matches.

Both of these games were at home but they were against Celtic and Rangers. With United having already assured their place in the Cup final, it probably wasn’t a bit of a shock that the big two clubs were able to overturn them.

In total, Dundee United have lost six league games at home this season.

Two to Rangers, one to Celtic, Aberdeen, Motherwell and Hamilton.

That isn’t a bad total to be honest with just the one home game remaining (versus Hibs on Sunday) but it is the league form away from Tannadice that really deserves praise for the Arabs.

Dundee United have only lost two away SPL matches this season, both in Glasgow. That is one hell of a record for one of the clubs that aren’t the big two and this gives United something to play for tonight at Tynecastle.

Yes, the United players should be thinking of Cup final places but there is also the risk of picking up an injury in the back of players minds. However, there is a lot of pride to take from avoiding defeat tonight and this should be something that Peter Houston is drumming into his players.

After all, Hearts still have fifth place to play for. If Dundee United triumph in the Cup final against Ross County, the fifth placed team in the SPL will qualify for the Europa League qualifiers. Hearts triumph at Easter Road on Saturday keeps the competition burning for that spot so the Jambos will have all to play for.

So the Jambos will be hoping Dundee United lose tonight but depending on how the rest of the league pans out, they may be cheering for them in the Cup final. If Hibs remain in fifth spot, Hearts fans will be backing Ross County but if Jim Jefferies can overhaul their Leith rivals, the cry from Gorgie will be “come on ye Arabs”.

If you are heading to Hampden to back the tangerines, be sure to check out our Dundee United Cup final t-shirts.

Who do you tip to win tonight?

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A lot of cutbacks in place, still big losses

We’re certainly no financial wizards at WeKnowSFA and we do know that the Hearts debt situation is different to the one that is faced by the vast majority of clubs around the world. This is because Hearts are owned by Vladimir Romanov who is also chairman of UBIG, the investment company which links many different strands including Ukio Bankas and other industries together.

If all of Hearts debt is owed to their owner and his companies, there is not going to be a great rush to see them put of business. However, with these debts rising, cutbacks to turn the tide are likely to have an impact on the footballing side.

Jambo’s boss Jim Jefferies was putting on a brave face when questioned about the debt which now stands at £35m but the boss said that he knows his budget and he will work within it. It is one thing to work within it but can he make Hearts a success on a much reduced budget?

Hearts have been crying out for a striker this season and brought some strikers in on trial in the January transfer window. Other clubs were able to come in and offer more lucrative deals for Hearts so if the Jambos budget is reduced from what it was in January, what are the chances of getting someone good in?

Hearts may be able to turn to youth for the solution and there is no doubt that Hearts have a healthy crop of youngsters available to choose from. However, the sale of Christophe Berra was a major factor on the spreadsheet of released figures, so there is likely to be increasing pressure on player sales to continue?

Can Hearts continue to remain a top six team on a reduced budget?

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No happy return for Craig Brown

He may have a wealth of managerial experience behind him but Craig Brown has never managed in the top flight in Scotland. His time spent in the domestic game in Scotland was at Clyde, all underneath the Scottish Premier League.

This was not a great location to help him gain top flight experience but it was perfect to be part of the Largs mafia which has sewn up the coaching pathways of Scottish football for a number of decades.

Brown’s first match in charge of a top flight Scottish team ended in defeat as the Hearts revival continues.

Yet again, Michael Stewart was the goal scoring hero for Hearts but surprise surprise, he managed to score from open play.

Yes, up until now, every Michael Stewart goal had came from the penalty spot but Nade set up the captain to give Hearts a 1-0 lead which they managed to hold on to.

What was interesting to note was that in his post-match press conference, Brown stated that “any normal football person would see that Motherwell deserved to win.”

This is the sort of embarrassing guff that Brown would recite after Scotland were defeated. Who can forget the “ohh we got more corners than the other team” comment after a 1-0 loss in Greece?

He may only be at Motherwell for a short spell but it is good to see that Brown hasn’t changed.

Jambos, will this run of form be enough to beat Hibs on Sunday?

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Tynecastle still hopeful of hosting the match

First of all, there is an inspection scheduled for 2pm which may see this match between Hearts and Motherwell postponed but hopefully the game will be given the green light. Some of the other games this midweek have been postponed because of external factors as opposed to the state of the pitch, so it may not just be due to the work of the groundstaff.

Motherwell head to Tynecastle under new management but the new (old) duo won’t be picking the team.

Craig Brown and Archie Knox will be around to provide some experience to Motherwell whilst they come to terms with the sacking of Jim Gannon but the team selection is said to be left to Gordon Young, youth team coach.

Hearts are able to add Ian Black to a squad which has won their past two games although Craig Thomson may be absent for the home side.

With a change at the top at Motherwell, it may not be wise to try and second guess the line-up but it is not as if Motherwell have a massive squad to choose from. Either way, the players will be looking to impress the new men in charge at the club.

If the game beats the weather, who will come out on top?

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Defensive mishaps cause Celtic to drop points again.

Andy Hinkel wasn’t clever for the winner but the blunder made by Glen Loovens changed the course of the match. Even with 10 men, Celtic were by far the most impressive team and Tony Mowbray must be wondering what he has to do to get his team to cut out the stupid mistakes.

Much like at Tannadice when the defence chucked away two goals to cause a 2-1 defeat, once again, Celtic leave with nothing because of personal errors.

The best thing Mowbray could do is to get rid of all his centre halfs and replace them with his own men. If your centre halfs are going to get you the sack, they may as well be your own men.

Of course, it takes two to tango and credit to Hearts for winning the match. They may be wondering how they hung on to win the game but the winning goal, from an attacking perspective, was an excellent header from Bouzid.

Things started well for Celtic and Greek striker Samaras continued his good goal-scoring run of form by bundling home after Scott McDonald struck the post.

There was only one team in it but a Glenn Loovens blunder let Mole through on goal when Gary Caldwell challenged. On first view, it looked like a penalty and without the benefits of television replays, it was the only decision to be made.
Michael Stewart showed the Celtic players how to take a penalty, levelling the game.

In the second half, Celtic continued pummelling the Hearts goal and Aiden McGeady, who was sensational throughout the match, cracked the post from distance.

Giorgos Samaras then scooped the ball over the bar when some composure would have given the Glasgow club a 2-1 lead.

Swapping Fortune for McDonald was not enough to give Celtic the goal with further missed chances before the youngster Templeton swung in a tremendous ball for the winning goal.

There have been far too many hard luck stories for Celtic this season.

The strikers aren’t converting enough of the chances they are making and the defenders aren’t doing their job properly. No matter how exciting the style of play is, when these two instances occur, you will lose or draw games.

There is certainly nothing decided in the title race yet but you have to wonder how many days like this Celtic can have without giving Rangers the boost to drive on for 2 in a row.

Celtic fans, can you sort out the back line?

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