Time to hand over the cash Vlad

Promising signs indeed, big time!

After our exit from what can only be described as a shambolic euro campaign, we could all have been forgiven for expecting a downtrodden Hearts performance yesteday. We have however a gargantuan squad of players and maybe they are not all world class but most are capable of doing a shift in the SPL. So there really is no excuse for a tepid performance when the team can basically be re-invented from a Thursday to a Sunday.
There have been stats like 49 changes in 8 weeks and 19 games on the bounce without the same team. This pales into insignificance when you compare it against benitez at Liverpool who have now gone 94 games on the trot with a different team - mind you they did get gubbed 2 - 0 at the weekend.

Dundee Utd got only one slice of the Roseburn stand so we could maximise the home support and i must say i am loving that, the more the merrier and the DUtd bit was full too. I had no misconceptions about this game, hard midweek soul crushing euro disaster or not, we were going to win this game and we were going to win it well.
Some of the stuff we played against Aberdeen and our general demeanour in domestic games since the scraped win against Motherwell let me to be full of confidence that we would despatch Dundee Utd. Not to mention my deep disregard for them as competition, with all the lack of respect i can muster they ( Dundee Utd ) have been murder for ages now.
In the first 20 minutes that was by far and away the best Dundee Utd i have seen at Tynecastle for ages, no idea about the Craig Brewster thing really but if their play in that 20 minutes was down to him, they should hang back and give him a chance.
Most of the reports have said that Hearts were sluggish and found it hard to get started in the game, maybe so but not fully, Dundee Utd started well and took the game to us. They played with pace and width and we were definitely troubled. A debatable offside goal, the woodwork and couple of standard Gordon saves, keeping the game scoreless.

As is the way of the world, whereas last year we started like a tornado and had most games at Tyney wrapped up in the first half hour, so this year Hearts take half an hour to remember we have a game to play. As time tick't closer to that point tho Hearts gradually began to impose themselves, that said the goal when it came, came out of nowhere. A lot of midfield to-ing and fro-ing and endeavour was sliced through by one intelligent pass from Miko straight through the left channel to the onrushing Velicka. He smashed the ball goalwards - a touch fortunate took a deflection but in it went.
From that point there was only one winner in this game.
The next 15 minutes saw some of the best football i have seen hearts play in ages.
Beslija could do nothing wrong, he was even screaming down the wing and hitting the byline like a proper winger. He was receiveng 40 yard pin point passes from Aguair and everything was coming off. This could just be the catalyst he needs, that and a decent run in the team and maybe Vlad will be forced to conceed that he did actually buy a player after all and finally do the homourable thing and pay for him. beslija's fine performance culminated in a raking cross from deep on the right across the six yard line to the on rushing Hearts attack, Velicka missed it but Makela was there - fantastic goal. Can't remember being so delighted in just the shear joy of a great goal in ages. It really is about enjoyment, sometimes.
Felt like the game was over and i think Hearts dropped a gear from that moment, still played some decent football but the momentum wasn't there anymore. Best of all was a midfield general display from Aguair, who was strolling through the game spraying passes all over the park.
Tall was on for Neilson, i believe it is very much horses for courses these days and maybe tougher opposition would have had Neilson on the park, as it may have had wallace instead of Fyassas but Hearts just look better to me when Tall is at right back, we play with more options and are less predictable coming forward. Wish Robbie could improve his distribution because when it comes to the defensive side to that position he is as good as anyone in Scotland.

I don't know who was to blame but someone one was, someone tossed a coin and it landed on it's edge or something. Something happened anyroads because the game kicked off with Hearts facing the home support in the first half. Just not cricket.

The second half, was played out with Dundee Utd playing some decent football but just not enough of a threat to trouble what seemed a very comfortable back 4. Miko had had one of his games, he had played really well, run himself into the ground really and left for Chesnauskis after the hour. This meant that Beslija was going to get his full game, this is good we really should give him a decent crack at the whip, seems to me that the quality into the box is better when it is coming off his foot. Bednar came on for Makela and Mole came on for Velicka - OK now i am thinking do we have an embarrassment of riches here? For this game we do.
Chesnauskis hit the bar and Beslija was played in to play for the penalty and get it, despatched by Hartley for 3 - 0, now from the kick off Utd played the ball back to their own 18 yard box, they played it back like a beaten team, Bednar stole in squared well to Mole who duly finished for 4 - 0.

So i have been reading a few of the comments on the Scotsman online articles with some Hibees getting involved - i think to myself have they nothing better to do than read and comment on Hearts articles, don't they get enough written about their own mob. Thats not my point. My point is next league game is against them down at Easter Road, and the excitement is groing. About time as well it seems like ages since we got to play them.
They haven't had the best of the past couple of games since they took out the big bad blue but i don't think that will mean much, they will be right up for it and confident they can do a number on us.
My prediction for the first derby game of the season..........................




Pain
Pain
and
humiliation
and
more pain
for the green ranks

Hearts will soak up an initial onslaught in the first 15 then strike with a clinical double to send Hibs into a tailspin. Desperate to recover they will lose at least another 2.