I have just watched 78 minutes incorporating one of the most astonishing displays of tactical ineptitude I’ve ever witnessed.
Honestly. Is that what we’re calling it? Tactical ineptitude?
Because there are other names I could think of. It was obvious from the earliest moments of the game that Naismith’s dire run against the Ibrox side would continue; they stood off them to the extent that Lundstram and Cantwell had the freedom of the midfield. Their attacking – if you can call it that – was woefully disjointed. It was completely incoherent.
Before the game kicked off the general feeling on Celtic social media was that it was a waste of time Hearts fans showing up for that one today. Naismith hasn’t tried a leg against them at any point, in any match except the League Cup Final, and it too was characterised by sitting back and standing off instead of getting in their faces … the strategy which worked wonders for Motherwell, Celtic, Ross County and Dundee. It could have worked for Hearts.
We know it could have worked because when they come up against us that’s exactly how they play; it’s how they’ve beaten us home and away in this league campaign, it’s why they would have been a difficult and tricky cup final opponent, and they could have been if Naismith adopted the same approach to games against them as he does to games against us.
Other clubs have figured this out. This is his fifth go at it, and he did everything wrong that he’s been doing wrong all season long against them. Clement must love coming up against this guy. He never learns. He never improves. It’s not often I find myself embarrassed for Hearts fans; today I was, because they are the ones who were basically cheated here, and not by bad officials or some grand SFA conspiracy, but by their own head coach.
Those Celtic fans who said over the last 24 hours that their counterparts from Tynecastle were as well not showing up were proved 100% correct in that assessment, and I was proved 100% wrong in it because I thought that they surely had to show up today with a robust game-plan and go for the throat of an Ibrox team which is reeling and rocking and which I don’t think is a lock to beat St Mirren next weekend, and who I feel very comfortable facing in the final.
Hearts tactical decision making was abysmal from start to finish. Against our midfield three, they respond in kind and they fight for everything. I have never seen a team leave such gaps in the middle of the park as Hearts did today; it was woeful, and it lasted the whole game with Naismith not even making the slightest effort to correct it.
I felt sure he had to with his first series of subs; instead, he bizarrely ended up with three wingers and a central striker on the pitch, and no midfield to get the ball up to them. If the intent was self-sabotage that’s how you might have gone about it.
There is no way that he will play like that against us. Having sacrificed a cup final, the match with Celtic will be the cup final, and he will do his level best to help Ibrox take the campaign to the last day. Because he’s got one more opportunity that afternoon to hand them points and goals on a plate and I have not got the least doubt that he will, in any event.
That will make it six losses out of six against a single club, far and away the worst record he will post against any other opposition in this league, and his fans have to realise that there’s something badly wrong there, that’s there’s something out of whack … especially when you watch the radical difference in approaches whenever they play against us.
Naismith’s team didn’t try a leg today. But they’ll be out of the traps at Celtic Park in a couple of weeks time. I don’t doubt that for one single minute. You can read this guy like a book. He has no interest whatsoever in inflicting damage on the club across the city … even at the expense of the one he’s manager at. That was a shameful performance.
Didn’t watch the game but I know this – naebalance is a hun of the highest order , also when was the last time shankland scored against them – its staggering the guys got that gig , seems to me he can only get his team up for it against us – probably tells you everything
Wonder if Silva will get branded a cheat by the press like Hatate did last week ?
Agreed.
That was just what the doctor ordered . A nice introduction to the way of winning again, an opponent who will not lay a glove on you, and yes Steven, we know that we will see a different hearts, we always do. Clements second trophy was won today, wee Naismith on his mantlepiece. We are due to give them a real going over. HH
I mean the 2 Glasgow clubs in the final. What rational mind would have put money on that. I’ve said it before and been ignored. All sport is corrupt at every level. It’s like throwing your money into a bottomless pit. OK even I have an emotional attachment. Spend money? Never. I have a brain.
Duncan
So what your saying is there is a conspiracy to get both Glasgow teams into the showpiece Cup final? They do that every season right? Even though the last time it happened was in 2002 !!!!! Just as well you keep your money as you would be on a loss with that bet every year.
In fact since 1980 there have been only four all Glasgow scottish cup finals. Kinda throws your theory up in the air.
What can you say about that? Even McCoist couldn’t understand why Hearts wouldn’t shoot. Any time they got in good areas they became slow and clumsy, embarrassingly so, yet when they play us they’ll be quick and full of confidence in those same areas. Unbelievable. I thought it might be different in the cup but no, and after finding out they’ve never beat Sevco or rangers at Hamden shows. It never has been.
None of the two looked anythin impressive. Tho have tae disagree tae an extent. Apart from the goals, ah thought the hearts mob were handlin them well and even the more determined team for most part. It was, as you say, tactical ineptitude by naismith, that they were obviously outnumbered and givin too much room in midfield and he totally failed tae adjust it. Also in the final 3rd they were dire. Tho it’ll be a different tactical hearts mob at CP and of course it’s already 3 points banked for the ibrox team when they go there. Where we’re concerned, get the priority and thats this league and the Cup final can take care of itself
I listened a wee bit of Cowan and cosgrave today Cowan said something about celtic fan’s thinking hearts never try a leg against them and dismissed it aye right tam nae bother HH
The Hearts tactics against sevco comprise the players getting on all 4s and dropping their shorts.
I’m a jambo and was saying this before the game even kicked off. Gordon in goals, Kingsley and Atkinson at rb and lb when Lembikisia and Cochrane have been the better performers this side of Xmas. It was a dire performance. I didn’t even watch the game I knew what was coming.
Kyle, I’m sure you’ll agree with what I and the REST of my fellow Celtic fans are saying about Naismith’s team always lying down to Sevco? This wee runt cheated the 20,000 odd Hearts fans at Hampden yesterday out of the money they paid for their tickets, therefore you and those who feel the same way should demand a meeting with Ann Budge and let her know you want Naismith sacked ASAP and a new manager in place before the end of the season. Preferably one who ISN’T an ex-Rangers 1872-2012 player. Supporters groups need to let Budge and her board know that if Naismith is STILL manager when you play Sevco in the last game of the season and if he’s still there next season, fans will BOYCOTT games against them. Hit the club in the pocket and force their hand if they refuse to do the right thing as Naismith’s cheating has cost Hearts Cup Final prize money. As for SHANKLAND, yet ANOTHER empty shirt performance against the tribute act of his boyhood heroes proves he is as much of a cheat as his manager. Shankland will be on his way to Ibrox next season anyway, so he should never get another game for Hearts. Once Liam Boyce is fit, hopefully HE’LL start against Sevco at Tynecastle as unlike Shankland, Boyce WILL bust a gut against that mob. If Naismith hasn’t been sacked by the final game of the season, any Hearts fan attending that game will be an utter MUG as you will see more of the SAME capitulation as yesterday with Shankland going through the motions and Sevco heading back down the M8 with an easy three points. The only way you can avoid it is for your fans to mobilise and force Budge and her board to sack Naismith ASAP, with the threat of non-attendance at games if they refuse.
Is there any purpose to Heart’s FC?
To break The Heart’s of their supporters…
Every time that they face Sevco!
If the Hearts fans want to do something about it, then they get the heads of their supporters associations to demand a meeting with Ann Budge and tell her that fans will be asked to BOYCOTT games against Sevco unless Naismith is sacked ASAP.
And the corrupt sfa spfl will let it all go because there new club The ranjurs 2012 are in the final so sweep sweep cheating naismith whit the fuck are hearts doing watching their own manager toss away a final on 25th may surely hearts board our the fans will want to chase this scunhun bitter OB out of their club this guy never even tryed toget hearts to the final he told his team to sit back but watch when celtic go up to play them in 2 weeks time but its about time hearts got shot of naismith hes a dirty cheat the RAT.
Hearts need to sack Naismith at Best he is Tactically Incompetent. I don’t think his Teams Deliberately ? Lie Down to Sevco He in My VIEW not very Bright.
Naismith and the previous incumbent of Huncastle, have had dreadful records against their cousins!
The stats are undeniable !
P14 W0 D2 L12 GF6 GA36.
If you were a Hearts fan, would you not seriously be asking real questions of your manager(s) regarding these disgraceful statistics?
Obviously they never have, and are quite happy for their team and manager, to play complete second fiddle, capitulation or complicity, whenever they take the field v their Ibrokes cousins.
Naismith called his team ‘immature,’ post match, whilst big Phil of Clement, stated ‘ it was as he expected!’
Big Phil must be reading the Celtic sites, as it’s what we all expect, every time they play.
This should add more desire to our team, to fully dismantle the disgrace that is Hearts, and then their dominant cousins…big Phil’s ‘superstars!’
Nothing would give us more satisfaction!!
hearts were abysmal….looked like shankland was thoroughly pissed off at his team-mates…he’s wasted there…
another fukn “no-show” from the huns cousins…what a joke they are…if a team can make cuntwell look like a good player….ffs !
we need to give them a good pumping when we get them at parkhead….tho, to take a leaf from the tav.pen phrase book…”the real heart will show up at parkhead”….
celtic and BR must get their shit in order…the next 6 games MUST be won…
has anyone found out why hart took a pen yesterday? that was a scandalous decision to allow him to take 1…was it arrogance or stupidity…? must NEVER happen again…
this league is far from over….
I did watch the game and it was quite poor. Hearts eventually huffed and puffed, but they were outnumbered in midfield from the get go.
Despite this they still got forward, however their efforts in the final third were truly appalling.
Hitting the first man with almost every cross ball and wrong decision making when faced with promising attacking situations.
Shankland was running at half pace and looked like he’d rather not be there. The rumour that there is a, ahem, gentleman’s agreement that he sees out the season with Hearts then off to Sevco for £2.5million bananas in the summer looked suspiciously true this afternoon.
The omission of Cochrane, who slogs his guts out against us, was strange. I actually think he’s a player who could do a job in a more cultured team and surroundings.
Hearts fans should be calling for Naismiths’ head this evening. Their sloppy passing and dreadful decision making was so obvious, even to amateur armchair coaches, and yet he actually made it worse by taking their best player, Devlin, off. That basically emptied any depth in their midfield which was already badly outnumbered.
Not surprised at all that they spurned yet another chance against their full fat cousins. A different Hearts will turn up at Celtic Park. Surely now even the most bitter Hearts fan must see that whilst it is great to kick lumps out of Celtic and even greater to get the results they have already achieved against us, just once in a while they have to ask why they don’t turn up with same verve, venom and tempo against their establishment masters?
Anyhoo, we need to get our defensive act together pronto and Liam Scales should stop talking to the press and concentrate on being the left sided centre back who needs to pick up his man instead of leaving the smallest guy in our team to pick up tall attacking defenders. Equally playing out from the back like a drunk baby giraffe with broken ankles is another trait that needs curbed.
I’m going to age ten years on the next month.
WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK !
So just watch The New Huns beat The Old Huns and Clement gets interviewed and asked…
“So you’re playing your biggest rivals in the final now – But this will give huge amounts of what, of energy, of confidence once again I’M HOPING”
Jesus – it’s true indeed as I’m visiting family and they’ve got pause and I played it back three times…
Aren’t they meant to be ‘neutral’ ?
(By The way I’m being parochial and downright sarcastic in the above line) !
Stuart McCall’s Motherwell used to do exactly the same thing James. I don’t think they took one solitary point against the old Rangers when he was their manager. And who could forget Motherwell being knocked of the League Cup by Sevco? Hearts fans should demand Naismith’s sacking after today and threaten to boycott the Sevco game unless he’s been sacked by then.
Heaven help us if the league goes all the way to the last game it’ll be a cricket score if need be.
For a bit of context Coventry managed by an ex Man Utd player played as if their lives depended on it and gave everything for their fans. Can the Hearts fans not see this!!!!
Correct there is other words you could definitely use against Naismith and you can be sure when the wee,*** comes to paradise it’s a cup final for him,he should’ve been in the other dugout yesterday
I think hearts fans are true huns at heart and dont give a f!!k when they get gubbed by zombie FC.
We wonder at times how they can watch this shit show time after time without going ape shit against their so called manager!
Ps I backed hearts at 9/1 to win the game. I thought at that price it was worth a tenner. The corruption in fitba in scotland is of the charts!
KTF.