Heart of Midlothian

Nick Mheat
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Is a lack of cutting edge the reason why Hearts are consigned to the Scottish Premiership's bottom six?

Earlier this week, head coach Neil Critchley told BBC Scotland that the team pas opportunities had become a "recurring theme" of their season.

And chief executive Andrew McKinlay also pointed to the side's "inability to take our chances" in a club interview.

But what do the numbers say?

The Edinburgh club have the division's fourth-best expected goals tally but have only underperformed that slightly, scoring 43 goals from an xG total of 44.7.

However, if you dig a little deeper, the data backs up the view of Critchley and McKinlay.

According to Opta, only Celtic and Rangers have recorded more 'big chances' than Hearts (63).

But the Tynecastle side have only converted 33% of those opportunities - that is the worst in the league.

Critchley, having come in for intense criticism from some fans after missing out on a place in the top half, aims to win over doubters on Saturday when his team face Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup last four at Hampden.

Although disappointed at missing out on the top six, Critchley pointed out that his side's points return since he took charge is among the best in the Premiership.

Only Celtic, Rangers and Hibernian - the current top three - have collected more points than the 38 the Tynecastle club have taken in that 25-game period.

"We had two points after eight games," Critchley said. "Since I've been here, we've accumulated a lot of points.

"You could say in points per game, we'd be comfortably in the top six if I was here all season. But I wasn't and the reason I am is because of what happened [at the start of the season].

"I can only deal with the here and now and the group that's in front of me, and I think we've shown progress. The next step is for us to go and take a big step forward on Saturday and progress to the final."

Image source, SNS

Fourth round: Brechin City 1-4 Hearts (17 Jan)

While on paper it appeared a straightforward opening tie, the first half at Glebe Park proved to be anything but for Hearts.

Highland League Brechin took a surprise lead when Scott Bright launched a magnificent 35-yard strike into the net.

However, Yan Dhanda found the equaliser shortly before half-time to set up a far more comfortable second half as Kevin McHattie's own goal and Elton Kabangu's double booked the Jambos' spot in the next round.

Fifth round: St Mirren 1-1 Hearts (10 Feb)

Things didn't get easier for Neil Critchley's side in the next round as they were forced all the way to penalties by St Mirren.

Mikael Mandron gave the Buddies an early advantage in Paisley before substitute Calem Nieuwenhof scored with his first touch to take the tie to extra time.

Neither side could find a winner and veteran Hearts keeper Craig Gordon emerged as the shootout hero, saving two spot-kicks to help the visitors into the quarter-finals.

Quarter-finals: Hearts 3-1 Dundee (8 March)

January g Sander Kartum lit up Tynecastle in Hearts' last-eight win.

The Norwegian midfielder bagged his first Hearts goal with a stunning 20-yard strike.

Joe Shaughnessy drew Tony Docherty's side level but team-mate Simon Murray headed into his own net to put Hearts back in front.

Kartum added another impressive goal, slicing a low shot through the Dundee defence and beyond goalkeeper Trevor Carson, as Hearts booked their spot in the semis against Aberdeen.

As he prepares for the Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen this weekend, Hearts striker Elton Kabangu tells BBC Scotland he spent 16 days in a coma after contracting Covid in 2022.

Read the full story here

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Frankie Kent insists Hearts are determined to rebound from their top-six miss by reaching the Scottish Cup final to put a "positive spin" on their season.

Neil Critchley's men, having been consigned to the bottom half after last weekend's draw at Motherwell, face Aberdeen at Hampden in the Scottish Cup semis on Saturday.

Kent says a win would ease some of the pain the ers have endured in a disappointing league campaign.

"I wouldn't say it salvages it because we're expecting a lot from ourselves as a club and as individuals especially," he said.

"But it definitely puts a positive spin on it, in of something to look forward to, something for the fans to shout about and get excited about to hopefully get through to a final.

"Football moves quickly so you can't dwell on it too much. But everyone was gutted with how it went and how it turned out.

"But we've got a big game to look forward to and everyone's been up for that. And training has been really good this week. I feel like the boys have got a point to prove in of wanting to get the result and get through."

The 29-year-old defender returned to the squad last weekend after four months out with a quad injury and hopes to feature at Hampden.

"I'm experienced enough to be able to deal with these sorts of games," he added.

"And if I was put back in, then yes, I definitely feel like I'm ready. There are times to show bottle on a stage like this.

"I think we've shown, especially in my time here, that we can beat anyone.

"It's going to be a tough game on Saturday. There's no getting away from that. But I feel like we're in a good place in of now addressing what's happened."

Image source, SNS

Chief executive Andrew McKinlay says there is "no way to sugarcoat" Hearts' failure to reach the Scottish Premiership's top six.

McKinlay said he was "confident" the Tynecastle side would finish in the top half back in December, but Saturday's goalless draw at Motherwell allowed St Mirren to snatch the final spot.

That has prompted intense criticism from the Hearts and McKinlay has issued an apology to the disgruntled fanbase.

"Like everyone else I'm absolutely gutted by it," the Hearts CEO said. "There's no way to sugarcoat it. It's really important I apologise to the fans.

"It's well below their expectations and our expectations as a club to be in the bottom six. I was ridiculed by some for saying I was confident we'd make top six. They can ridicule me now if they feel that's appropriate.

"As chief executive I take my share of the blame for that. We need to knuckle down and make sure we don't have a repeat of that in the future."

McKinlay pointed to the side's "inability to take our chances" and stressed the importance of improving the team's mindset.

Neil Critchley's men will be aiming to bounce back when they travel to Hampden on Saturday to face Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup last four.

"We need to get a mentality into the team that they are up for these big games," McKinlay added. "We've got no bigger game than the one coming up at the weekend.

"It's a huge opportunity for the team to prove their doubters wrong and I sincerely hope they do that."

Meet Hearts fan Julia Connachan and her Aberdeen-ing husband Keith. Which of the married couple will be smiling come full-time at Hampden on Saturday?

• Aberdeen have won eight and Hearts have won three of 13 meetings in the Scottish Cup.

• Hearts won their latest Scottish Cup meeting, Callum Paterson scoring the only goal in the fourth round at Tynecastle in January 2016.

• Aberdeen's latest Scottish Cup win over Hearts came by 2-0 in January 2010, when Darren Mackie and Lee Miller were the fourth-round scorers at Pittodrie.

• Hearts won 2-1 the last time the two sides met in a Scottish Cup semi-final, John Robertson opening the scoring, Duncan Shearer equalising for the Dons and Allan Johnston grabbing the winner in April 1996.

• Hearts won the latest knockout meeting between the sides, on penalties after a 2-2 draw at Tynecastle in the League Cup in September 2019.

• Both sides lost in last season's semi-finals, Aberdeen to Celtic and Hearts to Rangers.

• Hearts' last semi-final win came against Hibernian in 2022, when the eight-time cup winners lost the final to Rangers.

• Hibs were also Aberdeen's opponents the last time the seven-time cup winners won a semi-final, going on to lose to Celtic in 2017.

• Aberdeen are unbeaten in three meetings with Hearts this season, drawing at TynecastLe and Pittodrie after a 3-2 home win in October.

Image source, SNS

Hearts striker James Wilson has signed a new contract with the club, keeping him at Tynecastle until at least 2027.

Wilson, 18, has established himself in the first team this season - scoring six goals - and was rewarded with a Scotland debut last month against Greece.

It is his second contract renewal of the season, having previously agreed until the summer of 2026 in December and Hearts say there are "potential extensions" included in his latest deal.

Fellow academy graduate Adam Forrester has also committed his future to Hearts, g a new deal until 2028.

"It's great news that both James and Adam have committed their futures to the club," head coach Neil Critchley said.

"They have both contributed massively to the first team in their debut seasons and with more important games to come, we're confident that their attitude towards learning and their desire to improve means that they have a big future at the club.

"It's important to that neither are the finished article yet. They are young players who will continue to develop and the experiences they've encountered this season will be invaluable to their growth as first-team players.

"We're very proud to see two Hearts academy graduates rewarded with fully merited new contracts and great deal of credit goes to our academy staff.

"We look forward to watching them pull on the maroon shirt in the months and years ahead."

Could Lawrence Shankland rewrite the script of his season and propel Hearts to the Scottish Cup final?

Club legend John Robertson says he wouldn't be surprised if the captain, who hasn't been a guaranteed starter recently, pops up with the winner in their semi-final with Aberdeen on Saturday.

Shankland has only scored four goals in 38 appearances so far this season, a disappointing return after his remarkable free-scoring campaign last year.

"It's just one of these things. You keep trying, you keep going back, you know it's going to come again," Robertson said of the 29-year-old's form.

"I genuinely believe Lawrence has got the personality about him that this is the type of game he could well go and get.

"Would I be surprised if he got the winner on Saturday? Absolutely not.

"He'll go on again Saturday believing he'll be the difference between the two teams, that he'll be the man that scores the winning goal.

"There's an opportunity for him. He could be the next Hearts captain to lift the Scottish Cup."

When asked if he would name the Scotland striker in the starting XI at Hampden, Robertson answered: "Yes, absolutely".

Hearts are set to appoint Laurie Ellis, who is lead coach with Rangers' under-15 and under-16 teams, as their new head of academy. (Daily Record), external

Football fans heading to this weekend's Scottish Cup semi-finals at Hampden Park have been handed a timely travel boost, with ScotRail confirming additional trains and extra seats to help ers get to and from the national stadium. (The Herald), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter at Oriam

Image source, SNS

Hearts head coach Neil Critchley sat down with BBC Scotland before Saturday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen, live on the BBC.

Here are some of the key questions and crucial answers:

How have the last couple of days been for you after the disappointment at Motherwell?

"Yeah, tough. You can't lie. After not winning the game and setting out what we wanted to do. You play that game over in your head and you watch it back and you go through all the possible scenarios of what you could have done and should have done better and we have to accept responsibility for that as a group, myself included.

"But then you have to quickly move on. That's this job, that's this industry. You have to overcome disappointment. It was a disappointment, but we have to keep looking forward and moving forward because we've got a big game coming up this weekend."

The fans are angry about what happened at the weekend. Who should that anger and frustration be pointed at?

"I think it's always a collective. I'd rather them point it at me than the players, if I'm honest. After any game where you don't get the result that you want then there's going to be obvious anger, disappointment and frustration.

"That's totally understandable and I'd never criticise the ers for that because we all feel that.

"But again, I have to keep a sense of perspective on things. I have to be balanced and rational in my thinking and believe in what we're doing and I've seen signs of progress.

"I've seen a team that's honest and hard-working and is willing to fight on the pitch. Sometimes it's just fine margins. That little bit of a chance going your way or a bit of luck that can change the course of a game or your future.

"We've been very nearly there in the last couple of games and we didn't, and that's on us. With that comes anger, frustration and the ers have a right and an opinion to say what they feel."

Fans I've spoken to are struggling to understand as to why in so many big games -Petrocub, Hibs, Celtic, Rangers, Motherwell - they can't get over the line. Why is that and how can you get the team over the line? Are the players here to do that?

"I think that's a fair question. What I would say again to that is, it's your definition of a big game and I understand some games are bigger than others and more important, but when we first came in, I'd say every game was important.

"We were playing catch-up and we had to win games straight away and we've done that. So, I think in lots of those games as well we've deserved more and that's an easy thing to say. But I think there's evidence to suggest that would be the case and in lots of those games we've missed big chances.

"We've created chances and missed and that's been a recurring theme. That's been an issue because goals change games and in lots of those games we've been chasing rather than leading the game. I think that's psychologically, that's weighed on us a little bit and that's something for us to work on and a problem for us to solve in the future."

Have you been to Hampden before?

"Only a couple of weeks ago. To have a look around, it was my first time.

"It was obviously empty on the day, just to get a feel for it. It's something special about the stadium. It's an iconic stadium. It was obviously no one there on the day. Quite strange. Quite therapeutic standing there with nobody there.

"But you visualise and picture what it might be like on Saturday. I know we've got an incredible going. Hopefully we can do them proud and give them a performance and a win that they deserve."

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

If you were to ask Neil Critchley his favourite James Bond film, I'd be astonished if it was anything other than Diamonds Are Forever given his fixation for that shape in midfield.

Last Saturday's performance at Motherwell was a drab affair and we got out of it what we deserved.

A point means we drop back down into the bottom half of the league and given we have been there for 30 of 33 matchdays, it always had a good chance of happening.

The diamond formation favoured by Critchley has not worked for us and has not benefitted a single player.

James Penrice and Blair Spittal have gone off the boil and it has forced Elton Kabangu wide and away from goal.

We had to pick up one win from either Dundee United at home or Motherwell away, not teams Hearts should be fearing, but it was a meek showing in both games, devoid of attacking intent.

I do not want to get into this never-ending cycle of changing the head coach, but the fanbase's opinion seems to be set on this. If Critchley manages to beat Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup semi-final on Saturday, then he prolongs his stay until the final. Even then, fans would be fearing the worst given his record in big games thus far.

Critchley hasn't been helped with the performances of of his first-team squad this season, with Lawrence Shankland's rapid decline in form a mystery to many.

We have also had key players out for months at a time, including Frankie Kent, Craig Halkett, Steven Kingsley and Calem Nieuwenhof.

There's a real malaise and resignation within the Hearts that this season is as good as done.

If there's a diamond lining up in midfield at Hampden then I imagine those in Glasgow pubs and bowling clubs will head to the national stadium with dread as we prepare to face an Aberdeen side dominant in wide areas.

We will go into the game with the expectation to be let down, which is a sad indictment of Hearts at the moment and encapsulates this season up perfectly.

• Hearts v Dundee - Saturday, 26 April 2025

• Ross County v Hearts - Saturday, 3 May 2025

• Hearts v Motherwell - Saturday, 10 May 2025

• Hearts v St Johnstone - Wednesday, 14 May 2025

• Kilmarnock v Hearts - Sunday, 18 May 2025

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS

Hearts legend John Robertson says this weekend's Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen is a chance for Neil Critchley's side to bounce back after missing out on a top-six spot.

Their stalemate with Motherwell meant they were unable to take advantage of their position and claim a place in the table's top half.

But club hero Robertson hopes the team can set that disappointment to one side and give their fans something to celebrate at Hampden.

"It's a blow, but sometimes you've got to take a step back and take a deep breath," the former Tynecastle striker said of the side missing out on a top-six spot.

"Should Hearts have qualified for Europe knockout stages this season? Yes, they should have, but they didn't. Should they have qualified for the top six after the comeback they'd made under Critchley? Yes, they should have, but they haven't.

"So, in that respect, they've still got work to do, but this Saturday brings a completely different dynamic. It's an opportunity to get to a national cup final, and those are few and far between.

"It's a huge opportunity to make a disappointing season into a really, really good one."

Watch as former head coach Steven Naismith analyses Hearts' failure to make the top six on Sportscene.

Available in UK only

Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon insists Hearts have improved under head coach Neil Critchley, but says he understands fan frustration after they missed out on a top-six Premiership spot. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read the rest of Monday's Scottish gossip.

Watch the pick of the action from Fir Park as Motherwell and Hearts fight out a stalemate and fail to reach the top six. (Available to UK s only)

We asked for your views after Saturday's goalless draw with Motherwell consigned Hearts to the bottom six.

Here's what some of you said:

Tom: We got what we deserved. We don't have any inspiration or creativity on the park and there does not seem to be any motivation from the management team. No fire in the bellies and strange substitutions have been the story of this campaign.

Rob: We're just treading water. Neil Critchley took us off the bottom, but not by much. Some of the personnel decision-making is baffling. Blair Spittal couldn't make a against United yet starts again, Lawrence Shankland is still the best player yet stays on the bench? Calem Nieuwenhof coming on to protect 0-0. We'll be lucky if we don't get sucked down into a relegation dogfight.

Eric: Bit premature for people to be calling for the manager's head given the shambles he inherited, the bottom six is exactly what we have achieved this year. I have to say though the decision to drop our captain and, to be frank, our best attacking option for most important home and away games at the business end of season is questionable.

Robert: I said a couple of months ago I was eating humble pie. First, congratulations to the Saints, they deserve it, they attacked and scored unlike Hearts. We are a bit of a laughing stock. If Hearts lose to Aberdeen next week then it's curtains for Critchley.

Ken: Dire football for months with terrible gs. The fans deserve better. The board and the manager are culpable. Critchley picked the most negative team and he can't win big or pressure games.

Richard: To be fair to the manager the team wasn't scoring goals and wasn't winning before he inherited it and he's only had one window to try to change it. It could be it'll take all our budget just to patch the squad up, plug the holes at right-back and on the wing with little left to overhaul the style properly.

Image source, SNS

• Hearts have failed to score in their past three games in the Premiership, their last longer run of games without scoring a goal in the competition was a run of four games from 31 October 2018 to 24 November 2018.

• Motherwell have failed to score in 11 of their 33 games, only Ross County (14) and St Mirren (12) have drawn a blank more often in the Premiership this season.

• Motherwell failed to attempt a shot on target in this game, it's the first time they failed to attempt a shot on target in a game in the Premiership since facing Celtic on 26 December 2024.

• Hearts have failed to win in their past three games in the Premiership, their last t longest winless streak was from 10 November 2024 to 1 December 2024.