We don't have long to wait now. The first Edinburgh derby of the new season is inching ever closer, and Steven Naismith and his opposite number Nick Montgomery will be putting the final preparations in place for Saturday's encounter at Tynecastle Park.
Heart of Midlothian are the home side and, naturally, supporters will be hoping for - and even expecting - three points from the encounter. Hibs, meanwhile, come into the fixture in resurgent form under Montgomery's guidance.
It lays the table for what will surely be another compelling contest in Gorgie and, as always, Naismith finds himself with some big decisions to make regarding team selection. Below, our writers provide their predictions for the starting XI and explain their thought processes.
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Joel Sked
When it comes to the Edinburgh derby the most important thing is to win. Forget about style of play or performance, three points are all that matters. With that in mind, the system played against Ross County should give Hearts the best platform to shut down Hibs and ensure all three points remain in EH11.
Listening to this week's episode of Scarves Around the Funnel, Scott McIntosh, who appeared on Wednesday's morning briefing, and former Hearts star Ryan McGowan put across a compelling argument for a back four with a midfield three of Beni Baningime, Cammy Devlin and Calem Nieuwenhof. Beni would pick up the Hibs striker who drops deep, while the Aussie duo give the midfield plenty of mobility and energy, capable of pressing the opposition and getting control of the midfield area.
However, the argument for the system deployed in Dingwall provides a more solid defensive platform, better balance, as well as pressing qualities and a midfield which can control proceedings. Hibs have so much attacking threat and what elevates them in the final third is the pace and directness of Elie Youan and Martin Boyle. In a back four, if Hearts push their full-backs high up the pitch it leaves so much space for them to attack and exploit. Sibbick and Rowles' presence either side of Kent nullifies that some what. Both are mobile and quick and confident in defending wide areas.
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In midfield, Nieuwenhof, Devlin and Grant have a nice blend of qualities. Devlin, coming in for Aidan Denholm, was born to play in the Edinburgh derby. Chaotic, intense and confrontational. He thrives in such environments. Grant is forward thinking and comfortable on the ball but can mix it as well, while Nieuwenhof is an intelligent and composed player in and out of possession and defensively switched on.
Stephen Kingsley, Kenneth Vargas and Lawrence Shankland's inclusion speaks for itself. Kingsley has been very good of late, Vargas is the pace to trouble the Hibs backline and Shankland is the club's best player, even if he's not scored in seven. As for the right? Alan Forrest comes in for Odel Offiah. The Englishman looked uncomfortable as a right wing-back. As he said after the game, it is a position which is new to him. He is more of a centre-back/right-back than right-back/wing-back. Forrest is a diligent wide man and provides greater attacking threat which is required. He will do his defensive work but also look to put the Hibs left-back on the back foot.
The good news, should the personnel listed below be chosen, it allows Naismith the flexibility to switch systems during the game without having to make substitution.
Predicted line-up: Clark; Rowles, Kent, Sibbick; Kingsley, Nieuwenhof, Forrest; Devlin, Grant; Vargas, Shankland.
James Cairney
The biggest mystery heading into Saturday’s derby is the one surrounding the team’s shape. The 4-2-3-1 set-up that we have often seen this season appears to be Naismith’s preferred way of playing – and is perhaps the formation he ultimately wants this Hearts team to be using week in, week out – but it is hard to escape the fact that it remains a work in progress.
The final 20 minutes or so of the League Cup quarter-final victory at Rugby Park and Saturday’s win over County were both apt demonstrations of what can be achieved with the back three, however, and I expect Naismith to stick to what has been a winning formula of late. Hibs essentially play with a front four of Elie Youan, Adam Le Fondre, Dylan Vente and Martin Boyle and I think Naismith will be reluctant to go man-for-man at the back with the 4-2-3-1.
Boyle and Youan will be particularly difficult to deal with due to their pace and trickery with the ball at their feet, and having an extra man in defence can help combat that threat. For that reason, I think Naismith will stick with a back three of Kye Rowles, Frankie Kent and Toby Sibbick, with the added protection of Calem Nieuwenhof sitting in front of them in the No.6 position where he excelled against County.
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Over at left wing-back, Stephen Kingsley will surely get the nod but on the other flank, I think we could see a change. Alan Forrest impressed with his cameo off the bench last weekend and showed that he can stretch play down the right and get in behind his opponent’s: a skill-set that could prove useful indeed amid the hustle-and-bustle of an Edinburgh derby.
Cammy Devlin’s return to first-team training this week surely makes the Aussie a shoo-in to start in midfield. The 25-year-old thrives on chaos and will be vital to Hearts’ efforts to win the ball back in the middle, and I’d expect him to fulfil a similar role to the one he played against St Mirren in a slightly advanced position on the right. On the other side, I think Alex Lowry has shown enough in his last two outings to merit a start. Hearts will likely have an extra man in midfield and ideally, you would like that to be a playmaker who can make the most of any extra time and space afforded in the central areas – and I think Lowry can take advantage of those situations more regularly than Jorge Grant.
Up front, Lawrence Shankland will surely start and I expect him to be paired alongside Kenneth Vargas. The former is simply Hearts’ greatest attacking threat by a good distance, while the latter has enough pace to stretch the Hibs defence if and when the opportunity arises.
Predicted line-up: Clark; Rowles, Kent, Sibbick; Kingsley, Nieuwenhof, Forrest; Lowry, Devlin; Vargas, Shankland.
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