Steven Naismith: What Hearts expect from Hibs and fast start

The Hearts head coach was asked about the response after the defeat to Rangers, what he expects from Hibs, a fast start and the latest injury situation.

Here is everything he had to say...

READ MORE: The Hearts blueprint for bouncing back with success against Hibs

It's such a big week, do you have to move on quickly from the weekend in terms of preparation?

Yep, three games in a week. The way we've really worked, we're just pulling details from each game you think is relevant for the next one or it's one of those main characteristics that is good, or needs to be better. We're in a good rhythm with how we prepare and I think we're coming up against a team that's got an identity, a style that they've not veered from. Their formations have changed slightly, but on the whole, they do the same thing. We're quite well prepared.

What do you expect from Hibs in terms of the style of football?

I'd imagine very much the same as it has been. They want to try and have possession, they are really expansive, and they've got pace at the top end of the pitch - they've got quality as well. I don't think it will be much different to what we've seen most of the season from them.

Does it help to have a team like that coming to Tynecastle?

I think the two derbies so far have been entertaining in different ways. The last one lacked a lot of quality but both teams probably had opportunities to have good attacks. The first one was very open. We probably shot ourselves in the foot with a small period of that. It's two teams that want to have possession, two teams that want to attack. I'd imagine it will be an entertaining game.

Has the focus been on defence since the weekend, tighten up, concentration, getting your distances right?

I don't think it is as drastic as that. I think we had a poor performance. The five goals we concede, we're heavily involved in them all. There's not one where I'm thinking 'Rangers have done unbelievably, we need to applaud the move'. We were the makers of our own downfall but that's not overly been us this season. We've got a good defensive record. It stacks up quite well within the league. It's not as if we need to ram home and say 'we've not done this' - the players know that. It's been uncharacteristic for where we've been. The way we've been working is everything as normal. In possession we need to do certain things, there's certain movements we want to happen, and then we need to be good on the ball, like we were in the last derby.

You have spoken about getting a fast start, how do you go about getting that over the last couple of months, Hearts have been a second-half team?

A lot of the games recently have been against teams that have sat in, that will be different - Hibs will come to attack and that helps with that. It’s making choices when you have the ball and not being safe in possession. You have to have risk to get opportunities and we have done it at right times in the last couple of months but you do need to give the fans something to get behind and make the atmosphere good because it can be an intimidating one and we can use that to our advantage.

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Will it be using that environment to your favour with a few Hibs players having never experienced it before?

In every game, we need to use that to our advantage because it is a good weapon to have. At times we’ve not managed to do that this season and at other times it’s been good. I’ve experienced it as a player when the crowd has been with you and against you. It definitely is noticeable for players on the pitch.

Does the consistency in the back line help going into the game?

It has been one of the strongest things in the improvements we’ve had this season, defensively. Saturday was a bad performance for individuals, as a collective, managing the game - defending. But it’s not just defenders it’s the pressure on the ball, all these aspects were not at the level we wanted them to be or where they’ve been. It does come as a reminder to say you can’t take your foot off the gas at all because you do get punished. I think we have been good at managing games, controlling games and ultimately winning them in the last three months. Wednesday gives us that opportunity to get back to that.

Is it a case of not overreacting?

I think so, to lose one game in 13 is not bad. And you have gone up against the best team in the league at the moment who have probably had their best performance of the season so there is a collective thing. We didn’t help ourselves but you have to give some credit to Rangers, they played well.

READ MORE: Why Hearts v Hibs is not on TV - and how it could change (slightly) next season

You have got players in the squad that give the message that if it happens again there are players ready to step in?

That has probably helped us with our success over the last couple of months that we have a competitive squad. The levels of training and from individuals have been good, there is an element of that but every week that is there, ‘if I’m not performing I’m not going to get selected’. On top of that, you need to look at the game and who fits best for the game. That's another aspect we need to look at to make sure we get the right team on the pitch.

What's the injury latest?

[Yutaro] Oda is still out with a calf injury and everything else is much the same.