Hearts analysis as Rangers wait goes on but stars return

Steven Naismith's men had chances in both halves but were unable to breach Jack Butland's goal.

With results elsewhere, Hearts remain third as they head to Pittodrie to face Aberdeen on Saturday.

Here is the instant analysis from writers Joel Sked and James Cairney.

The Rangers wait goes on

The run without a victory against Rangers now stretches to 12 games. Unlike the League Cup semi-final, Hearts can be pleased with the fact they competed with the Ibrox side much better. The team created big chances in either half with Alex Cochrane having a goal-bound effort blocked by James Tavernier when the score was 0-0 and then Kenneth Vargas was denied by a fine Jack Butland save.

Also, unlike the loss to Celtic at Tynecastle earlier in the season, Rangers didn't have it easy. They were made to work and fight for their victory. These are just small positives. Hearts want to win against the Old Firm. The fans want to see their team beat the Old Firm more often. That needs to be the next step for this team.

Another small positive is the results elsewhere. On a night Hearts lost, so did St Mirren, Hibs and Aberdeen.

Joel Sked

Atkinson rusty upon return 

There were a fair few welcome sights when the Hearts team news came out with Craig Gordon, Craig Halkett and Barrie McKay all included on the substitutes’ bench, while Nathaniel Atkinson was given the nod at right wing-back. McKay had made just three appearances this term due to injury; Halkett and Gordon, meanwhile, hadn’t featured for the first team in almost a year. 

Having the quartet back in the matchday squad and available for selection is a timely boost for Steven Naismith and his coaching staff but on this evidence, it might take the returning players a little longer to get fully up to speed. 

Atkinson was pitched straight into the starting line-up, and the right wing-back looked every inch like a player who hadn’t kicked a ball in two months. There was an understandable rustiness to much of the Australian internationalist’s play that caused too many promising moves to break down before they could get going. He saw a lot of the ball and received it in good areas, but found himself too easily dispossessed on occasion. When Rangers took the lead through Abdullah Sima, Atkinson was one of the two covering defenders who probably should have been more alert to the danger. 

There were some bright points too, though. His link-up play with Lawrence Shankland almost produced an opening goal midway through the first half, and there were three occasions where Atkinson was the last man back where he managed to keep Rangers at bay. He was then replaced by Yutaro Oda at the break as Naismith switched to back four. 

With neither Alan Forrest nor Toby Sibbick convincing entirely during Atkinson’s absence, right wing-back has been something of a problem position at Hearts. Atkinson might just be the solution – but he will need more time before he is fully up to speed. 

James Cairney

Positive half-time change

Hearts were second-best during the opening 45 minutes at Tynecastle Park, but there wasn’t a whole lot between the two teams. Rangers’ goal was a well-taken breakaway and although Zander Clark was called into action once or twice, Hearts had had a few chances of their own, too.  

The main problem was that – not for the first time this season – the lack of pace on show severely limited Hearts’ ability to counter-attack effectively. The 3-5-2 shape means that the two strikers are the only players with a reasonable chance of getting in behind, but only one of them, Kyosuke Tagawa, had enough pace to do so. 

There was a moment in the first half that highlighted the issue. Rangers had a corner kick before Shankland won the ball back, playing a one-two with Jorge Grant that effectively sent him through on goal from the halfway line. The problem, though, is that Shankland didn’t have the legs to outpace John Lundstrum, and so Shankland had to slow things down rather than driving directly at goal. 

To Naismith’s credit, he realised the problem at half-time and made the necessary changes. Kenneth Vargas and Yutaro Oda, the two quickest players on Hearts’ bench, were brought on at the break as Naismith changed the shape to a 4-2-3-1, with Shankland playing in the No.10 role. All of a sudden, Hearts had some pace out wide and could pose Rangers some awkward questions. When Alan Forrest came on for Tagawa on the hour mark, Vargas moved into the middle as Forrest occupied the right wing, and the former Livingston and Ayr United man required no second invitation to charge at James Tavernier and drive menacingly down the wing. 

In the end the changes weren’t quite enough for Hearts to draw level, but they did give the team a foothold back into the match – and Naismith deserves credit for his proactive thinking. 

James Cairney

Gordon's presence

For the first time in 347 days, Craig Gordon was part of the first-team squad, named on the bench. Understandably, the sight of the club legend and one of the best, if not the best goalkeeper in Hearts history, was a delight to the home support. Steven Naismith spoke in the build up about the big decision he will have to make regarding the club's No.1 and it is one he is comfortable making.

An offshoot of his return and his presence on the bench will be the extra focus on Zander Clark. Over the last year the former St Johnstone keeper has filled in to a good standard and he has played a big part in the impressive defensive record the team has this season. It won't, however, stop every action from being scrutinised. 

The concession of the Rangers goal is a prime example. He came out towards the edge of his box to close the gap to Sima but seemed to hesitate, take a step back and end up in no man's land. It added to what was a messy concession of a goal. At the same time he produced big saves with his feet either side of the half, while also dropping a cross in a packed box which he apologised for. And then, with the clock ticking down he made a sensational stop to deny Sima, albeit the flag then went up. But it was a stop Gordon would have been proud of.

There is an element of Clark now having to be faultless as he aims to keep the No.1 jersey. A consequence of Hearts having an outstanding goalkeeper now ready to compete for one spot.

Joel Sked

How did Tagawa do?

Kyosuke Tagawa started just his second game for Hearts, paired with Lawrence Shankland. It arrived through a combination of an injury to Liam Boyce and a positive showing off the bench against Kilmarnock. In short, he cut a peripheral figure. He had just 15 touches during his hour or so on the pitch, the fewest by any starter, including Tom Lawrence, the Rangers midfielder who was replaced early in the first half with an injury.

The 24-year-old battled really well up against Leon Balogun and Connor Goldson but it was a night where nothing came off for him. In the first half he closed down well but the ball ricocheted off him unfavourably when it could easily have broken towards goal. Then in the second half he was played in by a cute Kenneth Vargas pass but just as it looked like he might connect with a volley and fire past Jack Butland he fresh-air swiped between two Rangers defenders.

It wasn't a brilliant evening but Tagawa showed enough with regards to dealing with the physicality of Scottish football and offering Hearts a mobile option in the final third who wants to get into goal-scoring positions.

Joel Sked