THE OFFICIAL: "LET'S ALL LAUGH AT HEARTS"

[Panda]

1 hour ago, Jupiter said:

And it could be decades before both the gruesome twosome are so bad in the same season again.

That's the thing for me. See if Hearts were to win it, and were then in the running again next season, I'd respect it.

It's the fact you just know they won't even be top three next season!

[Ajja]

If Hearts can repeat their performances against the OF next season, Hibs improve by 10-15%, Motherwell hold onto JBA and obviously we improve markedly then we could start to close the gap collectively. Lot of IFs though

[Panda]

16 minutes ago, Ajja said:

If Hearts can repeat their performances against the OF next season, Hibs improve by 10-15%, Motherwell hold onto JBA and obviously we improve markedly then we could start to close the gap collectively. Lot of IFs though

JBA won't be Motherwell manager next season.

Hibs won't improve until they get rid of David Gray.

Hearts won't handle European football and league. 

Rangers will likely change manager again as there's already murmurs of discontent around Rohl.

Open goal for us to win everything next season tbh.

[TheDonbytheDee]

7 hours ago, Panda said:

Rangers will likely change manager again as there's already murmurs of discontent around Rohl.

 

 

[Goldie03]

12 hours ago, Ajja said:

I’m sticking resolutely to the ‘don’t want hearts to win it’ line rather than wanting Celtic to. Whatever the unintended consequences of them blowing it are is so deep into meh I can’t even express a view. If I was pushed on a choice between the three it would be Celtic then Jambos……Sevco aren’t a consideration, ever. The whole season is an utter disaster but at least I’m not a Hibs fan. Their pain is palpable

I'm with Ajja on this!! 

[wee toon red]

17 hours ago, Jupiter said:

If Hearts do win it, the most annoying thing will be that we could have won it if we hadn't had such a bad season. And it could be decades before both the gruesome twosome are so bad in the same season again.

I've read this a lot but it really isn't true. Hearts are currently on 73 points, Celtic 70 and Rangers 69. So the winner is highly likely to be exceeding 80 points. The best we've ever managed was 76 under McInnes in 16/17 so there's absolutely no basis to claim we could have won it this season any more than in any other. There's been no evidence beyond our three month purple patch last season that we've been in a position to garner that many points at any stage in a decade so to suggest we could've done so this season doesn't bear any scrutiny.

[wokinginashearerwonderland]

13 minutes ago, wee toon red said:

I've read this a lot but it really isn't true. Hearts are currently on 73 points, Celtic 70 and Rangers 69. So the winner is highly likely to be exceeding 80 points. The best we've ever managed was 76 under McInnes in 16/17 so there's absolutely no basis to claim we could have won it this season any more than in any other. There's been no evidence beyond our three month purple patch last season that we've been in a position to garner that many points at any stage in a decade so to suggest we could've done so this season doesn't bear any scrutiny.

Spot on.  I was going to post something similar earlier.  The suggestion that Hearts are in the position they are because the usual two have been rubbish is greatly exaggerated.  Rangers have only lost 3 games this season and are in third place.  We are mince and have been for years, absolutely no chance we would have been anywhere near the party this season. 

Whether or not they win the title, I also don't think Hearts are going away anytime soon.  They might lose a couple of their main players in the summer and will undoubtedly notice a drop off with the extra European games next season but they are generally signing good players and I don't see this season as being a one off.

 

 

 

 

[RicoS321]

13 minutes ago, wee toon red said:

I've read this a lot but it really isn't true. Hearts are currently on 73 points, Celtic 70 and Rangers 69. So the winner is highly likely to be exceeding 80 points. The best we've ever managed was 76 under McInnes in 16/17 so there's absolutely no basis to claim we could have won it this season any more than in any other. There's been no evidence beyond our three month purple patch last season that we've been in a position to garner that many points at any stage in a decade so to suggest we could've done so this season doesn't bear any scrutiny.

Exactly this. If Hearts exceed our previous total, it would be a big achievement. When folk were going on about us aiming to win leagues and such like, I always pointed out that we should be looking at points total and setting ourselves targets over time that we could look to gradually increase. The first step would be to build a squad that could regularly hit seventy (allowing for the obvious crap season or two), then aim for 75, then 80. At 80 points, you then have a very small outside chance of winning the league on that total, or one year hitting mid eighties, giving a much better chance to win. Consistently hitting the 70 point mark is definitely the sign that your squad, and club has found that particular level, and can look to develop beyond that. Unfortunately, I don't think McInnes' version of it was particularly sustainable with us, but Hearts do seem to have a much better platform of good coach and good transfers model that has allowed them to not only hit 70, but move beyond it in a short space of time. I think they'll be able to consistently repeat it too, looking at their squad.

[BigAl]

1 hour ago, RicoS321 said:

Exactly this. If Hearts exceed our previous total, it would be a big achievement. When folk were going on about us aiming to win leagues and such like, I always pointed out that we should be looking at points total and setting ourselves targets over time that we could look to gradually increase. The first step would be to build a squad that could regularly hit seventy (allowing for the obvious crap season or two), then aim for 75, then 80. At 80 points, you then have a very small outside chance of winning the league on that total, or one year hitting mid eighties, giving a much better chance to win. Consistently hitting the 70 point mark is definitely the sign that your squad, and club has found that particular level, and can look to develop beyond that. Unfortunately, I don't think McInnes' version of it was particularly sustainable with us, but Hearts do seem to have a much better platform of good coach and good transfers model that has allowed them to not only hit 70, but move beyond it in a short space of time. I think they'll be able to consistently repeat it too, looking at their squad.

Much as it hurts. I can't really disagree with any of that.

To suggest that Hearts have somehow only got to where they are because of the arse cheeks indifferent form is way off the mark. Unfortunately, regardless of whether they actually win the league this season or nor, and I fucking hope they don't, I genuinely believe that we are light years behind them on the pitch and will take a long time to catch up with them.

Don't for one second enjoy saying the above, but being realistic I rather feel it's true, although still hoping for some more of this forty years on 

 

[Ajja]

Not disagreeing with the points argument, it’s irrefutable as a data based analysis. Also worth noting that a  key difference to this season (re Hearts) has been their ability to take points out of the OF. That has a double impact on their competitiveness as it’s 13 points they’ve gained but a swing of 26. We’ve seen seasons before where Hearts have been solidly third by beating all the others pretty consistently but this is a game changer both for their overall points gained but also closing of the gap. Without that (ie OF being less pish) they are back in 65 point territory so can’t discount the poor form of the OF as a factor. 

Edited 3 hours ago by Ajja

[wee toon red]

2 hours ago, BigAl said:

Much as it hurts. I can't really disagree with any of that.

To suggest that Hearts have somehow only got to where they are because of the arse cheeks indifferent form is way off the mark. Unfortunately, regardless of whether they actually win the league this season or nor, and I fucking hope they don't, I genuinely believe that we are light years behind them on the pitch and will take a long time to catch up with them.

Don't for one second enjoy saying the above, but being realistic I rather feel it's true, although still hoping for some more of this forty years on 

 

I think we can cling on to the fact that things can and do change quickly in football. Indeed, Hearts this season are a prime example. They were shite last season and with the right investment used wisely they've done a 180.

[swaddon]

I won't be all that bothered if Hearts win it, but I would prefer a 1986-style final game collapse.

[BigAl]

21 minutes ago, swaddon said:

I won't be all that bothered if Hearts win it, but I would prefer a 1986-style final game collapse.