itzdrk Posted December 31, 2023 Share Posted December 31, 2023 8 minutes ago, VincentGuerin said: I'd be surprised if we went for a keeper in January. We have Clark, who is passable, and Gordon to come back if Clark dips terribly. If Gordon doesn't look up to it, then we'll probably sign one in the summer, but it doesn't seem a priority for me. We need a right-back, a back-up striker, and possibly a midfielder if the rumours of Beni being out for a while (and McKay) are true. Keeper seems well down the list. Yeah I was thinking that too, you have two first choice goalies and a backup, is Stone not due back from loan as well. Would seem like pissing money up the wall so I didn't think so. Just on the off chance something stupid was happening and anyone had heard about it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigie Jambo Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 Guessing this guy is an utter fantasist 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VincentGuerin Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 3 minutes ago, Craigie Jambo said: Guessing this guy is an utter fantasist I have no idea. But Rangers being GAZZUMPED by Wrexham would be a very funny reference point for the rest of the season. Can't imagine he'd move there with the Euros round the corner. Would seem like career suicide. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC92 Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 It's obviously nonsense. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigie Jambo Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 13 minutes ago, DC92 said: It's obviously nonsense. Despite that account apparently being over a decade old, it seems like clickbait; some people are strange Can't think what his angle is other than hoping he's guessed right, but he's obviously going to look like a pure dosser later 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigie Jambo Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 Meanwhile, https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/hearts-search-for-a-partner-for-lawrence-shankland-and-look-to-finish-on-a-high-4461814 Hearts search for a partner for Lawrence Shankland and look to finish on a high Costa Rican forward Kenneth Vargas is in contention to start against Livingston Lawrence Shankland remains Hearts' talisman with 17 goals in 27 appearances for the club this season, but the search for a suitable striking partner is ongoing. Costa Rican substitute Kenneth Vargas scored before Shankland to ignite Saturday's comeback from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Ross County, however other goalscorers are short in supply at Tynecastle Park. Alan Forrest and Yutaro Oda have both played up front alongside Shankland in recent weeks with Liam Boyce currently injured. Forrest, Oda and Vargas are all jointly below the captain on Hearts' goalscorers list but lagging way behind with only two goals each this term. Boyce is on one, his appearances restricted by injuries. Kyosuke Tagawa also has one strike to his name. He started against County but was substituted at the interval after an ineffective first half. Head coach Steven Naismith admits he is still striving to find an effective combination in attack. The 3-5-2 formation used during November and December allows two forwards but limits the number of attack-minded players selected in comparison to the 4-2-3-1 system used previously. Naismith acknowledged that Shankland needs help with goalscoring responsibilities. "It's been fits and starts for most of the boys up there," he told the Edinburgh News. "The change of shape hasn't helped our forward players with there being less players to occupy that area. A lot of the players in those positions are young. They have had moments. Kenneth came in on Saturday, did well and got us a goal to get us back in the game. All the guys need to grasp it and play well enough that they are undroppable. That's the case for most players in the squad." Vargas is a strong contender to partner Shankland for Hearts' first game of 2024, which comes on Tuesday away to Livingston. "Yes, I think he is. We forget how young he is," explained Naismith. "His ability is good but it's his style of game I like best. He is more mature than you think with the way he uses his body and where he takes his touch. His movement is good. These are all things that are hard to teach and he's got them. "He just needs time to develop but, at a club like Hearts, you are judged every time you play. If you don't produce something, it's: 'We need to get somebody better.' We need to let players settle, although obviously they do need to contribute. Kenneth is a comfortable finisher, not erratic, but in games you see his link-up play. Those small details are the sign of a good player. Alan Forrest has played up front for us and done well. He contributed on Saturday and gave us something different." Hearts head to West Lothian boasting seven wins and a draw from their last 11 matches since beating Livingston 1-0 in Gorgie on 1 November. December has been particularly demanding, with seven games crammed into the month. Tuesday's game is the last before a winter break lasting two and a half weeks. "If we can come through this and manage one more win, it will have been a brilliant block of fixtures for us," said Naismith. "I knew it was going to be a tough schedule. We weren't at our best on Saturday but we got into good positions in the first half. That fatigue makes you overhit or underhit the pass or lose concentration. "We made a few changes but never really got the bounce we needed. The boys dug deep. We got to 2-2 and gave ourselves 15 minutes to go and try to win the game. We gave too many cheap fouls away, forced passes while we were fatigued and Ross County got the touch, so the momentum drains. We needed to keep building momentum. "It has been gruelling for the boys. We just need one more big performance to finish off what will have been a successful first half of the season. Livi will be tough. I will consistently say that the astro pitches make it more difficult because they even the game out a bit. The ball moves slower and the bounce is different, but we need to be aggressive. "There are no real excuses. On Saturday, we could say we were fatigued and Ross County looked fresh. That's a fair thing to say [after County had their previous two games postponed]. Livingston played on Saturday, so did we. Now we need to go and put on a performance to get the win we need." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigie Jambo Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 Wrexham, league 2, FFS 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigie Jambo Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 3 hours ago, VincentGuerin said: I have no idea. But Rangers being GAZZUMPED by Wrexham would be a very funny reference point for the rest of the season. Can't imagine he'd move there with the Euros round the corner. Would seem like career suicide. I can't foresee anything other than visiting the subject at end of Season We'll see how his contract negotiations go pretty soon too 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandomGuy. Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 9 hours ago, Craigie Jambo said: Despite that account apparently being over a decade old, it seems like clickbait; some people are strange Can't think what his angle is other than hoping he's guessed right, but he's obviously going to look like a pure dosser later A larger account than his ran the same rumour a few weeks ago and got a huge amount of "interactions". Hes either just copying other peoples tweets to try and sound ITK, or hes trying to jump on that wave and gain "interactions" too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gannonball Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 8 hours ago, Craigie Jambo said: Wrexham, league 2, FFS I wonder if Derek Adams thinks he can handle the massive step up 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigie Jambo Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Connor Smith is back today 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigie Jambo Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewanandmoreagain Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 On 26/12/2023 at 12:00, MazzyStar said: Nobody outside of Scotland is going for Shankland. Millwall signed Kevin Nisbet ! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJ2 Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 I think later today we might be saying turns out we’re pish after all… 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigie Jambo Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 2 hours ago, NJ2 said: I think later today we might be saying turns out we’re pish after all… Pity for livi that they had to try and play us at football 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VincentGuerin Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 League table looking pretty good just now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigie Jambo Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Would anyone take Holt or Brandon back? Sneaky suspicion we might be in for Holt, plus 3 X RWB sounds good 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigie Jambo Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Best form in the League, despite being stiffed out of 2 points by moanyface's lot, who shat it again against the sheep, at home, again Send thum doon wi livi and their plastic 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolf Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 4 minutes ago, Craigie Jambo said: Would anyone take Holt or Brandon back? Sneaky suspicion we might be in for Holt, plus 3 X RWB sounds good I’d be pissed right off if guys like Holt (no disrespect) we’re anywhere near signing for Hearts.We need some quality in midfield,right back and a decent option up front.Half term report card is really good but lots of room for improvement. Were finding ways to win games which is awesome but a couple of quality signings we’d be out of sight for best of the rest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VincentGuerin Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Just now, woolf said: I’d be pissed right off if guys like Holt (no disrespect) we’re anywhere near signing for Hearts.We need some quality in midfield,right back and a decent option up front.Half term report card is really good but lots of room for improvement. Were finding ways to win games which is awesome but a couple of quality signings we’d be out of sight for best of the rest. Agree. I don't think we're really short of quality anywhere, more that we need competition in certain positions. Right back is a must. If we're moving on some midfielders (I hope) then get one in. Back-up for Shankland as an actual striker. Also depends on what the injury situation is with McKay. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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