Heart of Midlothian's miserable start to the season continued, losing 1-0 at home to Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership. It means Hearts are winless in seven to start the season and go into the international break 11th, only ahead of Kilmarnock on goal difference.

The home side started well and got the crowd onside which was imperative. But they didn't capitalise on their territory and the good areas they got themselves into. As the game progressed it was the visitors who looked far more likely to score and win. Which they did through Ross Graham. 

There was an inevitability about the defeat when United were ahead. The full-time whistle was met by loud boos with Steven Naismith heading down the tunnel as fans vented their fury.

From poor to terrible to a disaster

Dundee United's centre-back Ross Graham had just sent an effort into the bottom corner of the Hearts goal. Steven Naismith's men trailed 1-0. The boos rained from from the Tynecastle Park stands. And, you know what, it was coming. There is a vulnerability about this side. And an inevitability. Not in a good way. After a promising start to the game, Hearts slowly but so very surely fizzled out of proceedings. Last season they demonstrated an impressive ability to respond to a poor first half with a strong performance after the interval. Only, this season it has gone from a poor first half to an even worse second half. That was the case at Falkirk. And on Thursday night against Viktoria Plzen. There were elements to it at Fir Park and in Plzen as well. For those sitting in the stands, who had backed the team and been patient, there was little to cling to. The team are yet to set a record in terms of winless games to start the season but they are heading that way with Celtic up next.

Goal struggles

Hearts are never going to win games if they don't score goals. They are not going to score goals if they don't create chances. For the fourth game running, they posted an xG of less than one. A quite terrible return whichever way you look at it. Hearts have not scored in the first half of a game this season. Every other team in the top four tiers of Scottish football has. Let that sink in. The thing is, returning to that xG, Hearts simply never looked like scoring. There were a couple of promising moments in the first half. But that's all they were. Promising moments. The second half was devoid of creativity, inspiration, excitement. Anything. There was a moment where Lawrence Shankland tried an overhead kick but toed the ball high up into the Gorgie Stand. Last season he'd probably have turned it into the top corner. But this is no longer this season. And no one looks capable of scoring goals any longer. A team issue rather than an individual-player issue.

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Right-back eyebrow raiser

Hearts signed two players to upgrade the right-back options with Nathaniel Atkinson still at the club but no longer in the plans. Gerald Taylor was understood to be rested due to picking up a knock or two in the loss to Viktoria Plzen. Curiously, however, it was Stephen Kingsley, the left-footed centre-back, who started there rather than Daniel Oyegoke, one of the right-backs signed. Oyegoke would come on with Kingsley then moving to left-back. With the performances and form, it just adds to what has been a very messy-looking start to the campaign.

The two recruits to impress

Of the nine summer signings, it is perhaps two of the most unheralded who have had the biggest impact. James Penrice has been a consistent performer at left, bombing up and down the flank with plenty of pace and power. He got himself into some great positions in an attacking sense against United and put the ball into dangerous areas on a couple of occasions. Then there was another strong performance from Malachi Boateng at the base of the midfield. Rather than recycle possession he showed a willingness to progress the ball forward and get himself into forward areas. Another positive element of his game is his reaction when the ball is lost. He'll work as hard out of possession as he does in it.

Dundee United deserving

There are games where you sit back, nod and say or maybe tweet, 'That's a great advert for Scottish football'. That wasn't one of these games. Possession was given up cheaply by both sides. There weren't any outstanding individual performers. There weren't any great periods of play. But the visitors were very much deserving of their win. They were resolute, defended well and frustrated Hearts with ease. They posed a threat going forward and created the better chances and took one to ensure the win.