Heart of Midlothian

Watch highlights of Hearts' 4-1 defeat against Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

We asked for your views on Hearts' 4-1 defeat against Celtic.

Here's what some of you said:

Chris: Another embarrassing display overall with no real substantial threat, and Celtic tore us apart at their whim when felt like doing so. How we stick with a striker who can't score baffles me and the remainder of our squad has zero capabilities. Hopefully analytics recruitment works otherwise the team will make history as Hearts' worst side.

Keith: It's time we dropped Lawrence Shankland and give James Wilson a go, what have we got to lose?

Finn: It's the same old story. Get into great chances and not take them but the worst part is James Penrice is suspended for the Aberdeen game. Was already not confident about that game.

Steve: First half we showed we can play attractive football, Craig Gordon, James Penrice, Frankie Kent and Kye Rowles in particular. What does Shankland need to do to get subbed? I don't doubt his commitment but he's so out of form, top scorer playing 20 yards in his own half with no pace on the break. Musa Drammeh has looked a far better option every time he’s played.

Ian: Missing chances and poor defending, a recipe for relegation. How long do we wait for those so called good players we're supposed to have to start performing on a regular basis? Shankland’s getting criticism for missing chances, fair enough, but what about the very poor defending? The midfield going missing? We need to go on an unbeaten run and soon.

Will: I can't believe Hearts keep playing Shankland every week when he's not going to sign a new contract and worse he's not scoring. You can’t live on what he's done in the past. Put him and Kenneth Vargas in the B team. There's a good player in young Wilson, he wants to be at Hearts and scores when he gets games.

Chris: We are a one half team, I said it at half time and by full time it was proven true. Competitive and driven in the first, listless and toothless in the second. Shankland can go in January, I’m not sure why he still has the armband, he’s not our captain. Penrice has been the signing of the season, he's brilliant and deserves better.

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Hearts head coach Neil Critchley backed captain Lawrence Shankland to come good in front of goal after another frustrating display in Saturday's defeat by Celtic.

The Scotland striker spurned two gilt-edged chances at Tynecastle with the score still goalless, and looks low on confidence having only scored once in all competitions this season.

Shankland told media this week that there is no new contract on the table, with his existing deal due to expire in the summer, saying: "At this moment in time, my contract will be finishing. I won't have one at Hearts, so that indicates that you move on."

However, Critchley insists there is no reason to doubt Shankland's commitment to the Gorgie club between now and the summer.

"His all-round game has been excellent in the last few games, and you saw that again tonight," Critchley said after the Celtic loss.

"He put a real shift in, and he just needs one of those moments to go for him. He needs to stick at it, and we need to stick with him.

"He's contracted to the end of the season and when you see the way he plays tonight there's no reason to doubt his commitment to Hearts."

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• Celtic have scored seven goals via substitutes in the Premiership this season, only Aberdeen (eight) have scored more.

• Hearts have conceded six goals to opposition substitutes in the Premiership this season, no team has conceded more.

• Celtic have scored in 12 of their 12 games, no team has done so more often in the Premiership this season.

• Hearts have conceded four penalties in the Premiership this season, more than any other team.

Clinical Celtic moved three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership with what eventually proved a straightforward win over Hearts at Tynecastle.

After Aberdeen's first league loss of the season earlier on Saturday, Brendan Rodgers' side knew they could put daylight between themselves and the Dons for the first time this term with victory in the capital.

However, they started slowly and were fortunate to go in at half-time on level terms after Blair Spittal and Lawrence Shankland spurned golden chances to give Hearts the lead.

It was a different story after the break though and Kyogo Furuhashi's seventh goal of the season put Celtic in front at the second attempt after Craig Gordon initially saved when Daniel Oyegoke's clearance deflected into the Japanese striker's path.

A wonderful break and finish from Nicholas Kuhn doubled Celtic's advantage five minutes later and the result was never in doubt from that point onwards.

Adam Idah added a third after some tidy passing on the edge of the Hearts box despite the best efforts of goalkeeper Gordon.

Neil Critchley's side continued to show impressive industry, and were rewarded for their efforts when substitute Musa Drammeh grabbed a late consolation, beating Kasper Schmeichel from long range with a powerful drive.

Idah then made it four from the penalty spot in time added on after James Forrest was tripped by Jorge Grant, to cap an excellent second-half showing from his side.

Hearts fans, were you at Tynecastle or following along from home? Either way, we want your thoughts on the game. Have your say., external

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Hearts head coach Neil Critchley: "We were excellent first half. Good organisation, good structure, pressed well and created some really good moments.

"You have to take your chances in these type of games, and we didn't. You also need an element of luck and they had it for the first goal. 4-1 looks like a drubbing but I didn't think it was a true reflection of the game.

"We need to bounce back. We're in a relatively decent position in Europe and we need to go and improve if we want to get something on Thursday night [against Cercle Brugge].

"I saw lots of positives tonight; it's important the players feel that."

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James Penrice was involved in nearly everything Hearts did well in the first half, and would have grabbed himself a couple of assists were his teammates more clinical in front of goal.

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Neil Critchley tweaked his system for the visit of the champions, dropping Kenneth Vargas in favour of another body in midfield, and it paid dividends early on.

Hearts pinched possession in dangerous areas, limited Celtic's chances to a minimum, and really should have gone into half-time with at least a one-goal lead.

Blair Spittal appeared not to realise the space and time he had inside two minutes when he scuffed his effort into Kasper Schmeichel's grateful arms, and the industrious James Penrice carved out multiple opportunities down Hearts’ left flank.

He twice teed up Lawrence Shankland, who shot tamely wide before heading straight at Schmeichel.

They were the type of chances the Scotland striker took without thinking last season, but he is a player clearly short of confidence after scoring just once in all competitions this term.

You sensed Hearts would be punished for their profligacy and so it proved. The first defensive lapse of any kind resulted in the opening goal and Critchley's side never truly recovered.

Still, Critchley will take some positives despite the scoreline, not least Musa Drammeh, who displayed an eye for goal Hearts have sorely lacked in recent weeks.

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Hearts: Gordon, Oyegoke, Kent, Rowles, Penrice, Devlin, Boateng, Baningime, Forrest, Spittal, Shankland.

Substitutes: Clark, Kingsley, Halkett, Grant, Dhanda, Wilson, Forrester, Musa, Vargas.

Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor, McGregor, Engels, Hatate, Kuhn, Maeda, Kyogo.

Substitutes: Sinisalo, Scales, Idah, Valle, McCowan, Bernardo, Forrest, Ralston.

"There is no contract on the table," says Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, with the striker adding "both the club and myself are comfortable where we're at." (Daily Record), external

Costa Rica forward Kenneth Vargas encountered a delay returning to Hearts from international duty and was not yet back in the country as of Friday lunchtime. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read the rest of Saturday's Scottish gossip.

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Hearts could welcome attacker Yutaro Oda back following a two-month lay-off but Calem Nieuwenhof (hamstring) is still not ready to be considered for selection.

Cameron Carter-Vickers will be back in the Celtic squad, with Odin Thiago Holm (calf) the champions' only absentee.

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Misfiring Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland believes his all-round game has improved and is confident the goals will soon follow.

Having netted 59 times in his first two years at the Edinburgh club, the 29-year-old Scotland international has just one goal this season amid Hearts' poor start.

"It's obviously been a difficult season in terms of as a collective," said Shankland.

"I think individually everybody's just pointing towards goals, which is obviously normal coming off the back of two really successful seasons that I had and scored so many.

"I'm in competition with myself with the amount of goals I'm scoring, which is sometimes a good thing and sometimes not so good. I think you take a step back and look at the bigger picture in terms of my all-round game.

"I feel like it's been improving and things have been starting to come together. I don't really get judged on that, I understand that, but me personally, I know if I get my game to a level where I can feel that I'm playing well, the goals will eventually come again. It's not something I'm getting too caught up in looking at numbers.

"I've been here before in my career, I've came through it and I'm sitting here today. I will survive it and going forward hopefully the goals will start flowing again."

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Hearts boss Neil Critchley has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to welcome Celtic on Saturday.

Here are the main points:

• Critchley is "excited" about the partnership with Jamestown Analytics and insists it's "fantastic for the football club".

• He adds: "It means we can use the knowledge and expertise in how we prepare for games, opposition analysis, how we look at our own performances post-match and also for recruitment which we hope will be beneficial for us."

• Kenneth Vargas has yet to return from international duty but could still be included in Saturday's squad.

• On the comments Vargas made to Costa Rican media, Critchley says: "I don’t want to go into too much detail until I've spoken to him one to one because I think that would be wrong."

• The Hearts boss says Celtic are "the best team in Scottish football at this time" and is well aware of the "challenge in front" of his side.

• But Critchley insists Hearts can "take confidence from recent performances" and adds: "If we are slightly better in certain areas of the pitch then we know we can pose Celtic problems."

We asked you what's the one thing nobody is talking about in relation to Hearts - good or bad.

Here's what some of you said:

Calum: Malachi Boateng, he's been a revelation in midfield and has gone overlooked as far as I can tell. Everyone focusses on Lawrence Shankland, Craig Gordon, Kenneth Vargas, managers, and the analytics at the moment.

Bob: Hearts recently secured a £7m loan to manage finances and repay debts, but also posted a £1.2m loss despite a £20m turnover. Rising costs and the lack of European group stage football last season have added financial strain. Since Hearts are not guaranteed European football every year we need to ensure financial stability regardless.

John: Why Steven Naismith was appointed manager in the first place? Nothing against the man, but he should never have been given the position last season and the fact that we're now second bottom of the league is completely down to the board for taking the cheapest and easiest option. Will they now admit to this and apologise to us long suffering fans?

Ian: No one seems to be talking about the absence of the first team-squad from the remembrance service at Haymarket. Even the club chaplain had a dig at their absence but I've not heard anyone talking about it since. The Rangers match was at 5pm so no excuse as far as I'm concerned. Who at the club made the decision on this matter? It's disgraceful.

Steve: How much money has this board cost the loyal fans with all the compensation paid for poor managerial appointments, relegation and failure to retain or sell millions of pounds worth of talent? For example, Josh Ginnelly, John Souttar and Shankland. They are so lucky the fans have backed the club unreservedly. Foundation of Hearts should be asking why and voting accordingly.

Celtic are unbeaten in 26 domestic games. The last Scottish team to beat them? Saturday's opponents, Hearts.

Back in early March, the Jambos prevailed 2-0 in a VAR-dominated contest in which Celtic missed a penalty and had Yang Hyun-jun controversially sent off before a Jorge Grant spot-kick and Lawrence Shankland strike secured victory for the hosts.

The drama wasn't finished there. Brendan Rodgers' post-match comments - the Celtic boss complained of "incompetence" from the match officials - earned him a one-game touchline ban.

Will Saturday night's encounter in Gorgie be similarly combustible?

When the fixtures were announced this will have been one of the games that Brendan Rodgers noticed. If he had known then it was going to be a Saturday evening game, he might have been even more fearful of it.

A raucous Tynecastle roaring on the third-best team in the country who had brought in some Premiership-proven talent in the summer was a game to take note of.

Instead it is almost top v bottom, with Hearts 22 points behind having played two games more.

The bare numbers suggest a stroll for the champions, but something says a noisy stadium and Neil Critchley getting two weeks training with his new players will make this a tricky game for the leaders.

Hearts pushed Rangers close at Ibrox last time out and taking the scalp of Celtic would be a big help in the Englishman convincing Jambos he is the right man for them.

A win for Hearts and other results going their way would see them move up to eighth and mean a very different atmosphere among fans and players.

And the squad knows how it feels, winning 2-0 in March last season. A repeat performance would be Hearts' first back-to-back home league wins against Celtic for the first time since 2006 under Valdas Ivanauskas.

Celtic having 13 players returning from international duty - with their Japan contingent facing long journeys - might help Hearts' cause.

That said, you would imagine Rodgers, armed with sports science data on his squad, will select according to fatigue levels and whatever 11 he fields will be strong.

They despatched Hearts in September at Celtic Park but the visitors had a first-half penalty award overturned after Lawrence Shankland's header came off Liam Scales' arm - so the story could have been different.

But then you remember Celtic have won all six of their away league games this season by an aggregate score of 18-1.

Read all the weekend Premiership picks

It's been an eventful season already for Hearts with a managerial change, domestic troubles and a new analytics deal.

While the club are well placed for European progress to the Conference League knockout rounds, they remain rooted in the lower reaches of the Premiership.

But what is the one thing regarding Hearts - good or bad - that no one is talking about?

Let us know., external

• After their 2-0 win in March last season, Hearts could win back-to-back home league meetings with Celtic for the first time since August 2006 under Valdas Ivanauskas.

• Celtic have won both of their last two league meetings with Hearts without conceding. They last both won and kept a clean sheet three times in a row against the Jambos in the Scottish Premiership in May 2017 during Brendan Rodgers' first spell in charge.

• Only Celtic (177) have recorded more pressed sequences in the Scottish Premiership this season than Hearts (162).

• Celtic have won all six of their away league games this season by an aggregate score of 18-1. Only in 1957-58 (10), 1971-72 (9) and 2017-18 (7) have the Hoops ever won their opening seven away matches of a league campaign.

• Celtic's Nicolas Kuhn has been directly involved in 21 shots following a ball carry (10 shots, 11 chances created) in the Scottish Premiership this season, the most of any player. Indeed, his total carry distance of 2,087 metres is the most of any non-defender in the competition this term.

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Angus Beith has been appointed Hearts B team head coach, succeeding Liam Fox.

Former Tynecastle midfielder and youth coach Beith became B team assistant in the summer and had been filling in as interim boss in recent weeks following Fox's promotion to Neil Critchley's first-teaming coaching staff.

The 28-year-old, who was forced to retire from playing five years ago at age 23 because of injury, now takes the reins on a permanent basis, with Hearts B currently 13th in the Lowland League.

"I have a good relationship with the squad having coached many of them at youth level and that familiarity has only heightened after working closely with them this season," Beith said.

“I feel well placed to know what it takes to make the transition from youth sides into the first team, having made that same journey myself as a young player.

"My focus now is helping these players to reach their potential and I will put everything into it."

We asked for your views on Hearts' eye-catching data deal with Jamestown Analytics.

Here's what some of you said:

William: If this makes us more competitive in the future, then I'm all for it.

Steve: The link-up is exciting and I hope we identify promising prospects within our budget. My concern is we still have Andrew McKinlay involved around the selection process, his track record for appointing managers, renegotiation of contracts, or failure to do so is very poor. Take him out of the process and immediately extend Frankie Kent's contract.

Kj: The proof of the pudding, we are now entering the Moneyball phase of football.

Derek: It's a good looking deal, but the proof will be in the quality of players that are brought in and where they take us. We've not got huge coffers of cash, but if analytics can help us spend that wisely then I'm all for it! Not sure about the investment deal, but let's see how it goes - and as long as we remain fan-owned, I won't worry too much.

Peter: It appears on the surface to be a good decision and worth a try. Recruitment is crucial to success and selling players on at a profit and not buying square pegs for round holes is essential to balancing the books.

Anon: Call me 'old misery guts' but I'm a tad sceptical about all this. Sounds too good to be true. I remain to me convinced.

Andrew: I am not convinced this is going to prove beneficial as I am still bewildered that the managerial change has never been fully explained. What was the rationale behind the decision and how was this analysis interpreted by the board? However, I do acknowledge the team's performance has improved since the new appointment.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

With the international breaks now over for this year the full focus now is on club football at both domestic and European levels.

And between now and when the bells ring out the end of 2024 Hearts will be involved in matches that will have a major impact on how this season will eventually looked upon.

First of all Celtic will be the visitors to Tynecastle on Saturday night (I know that sounds strange) and if there is a good time to take on the champions it does appear this may well be it.

After the first international break this season Hearts travelled to Celtic Park and it was only a late Luke McCowan goal that sealed all three points for the home side.

Then in October Celtic were again at home and Aberdeen forced their way back to snatch a point after trailing 2-0 at half-time.

However, whenever you play Celtic you know things have to go your way. They have a squad full of players who know how to win, even when not at their best.

After Celtic it's a trip to face Cercle Brugge with the focus potential progression in the Conference League.

Given the performances so far, and despite the home defeat to Heidenheim, there should be plenty of optimism heading to Belgium.

But first things first and full focus should now be on how to stop Celtic. Sitting just one point above bottom club Hibs having played a game more is simply not good enough for Hearts and needs to be rectified sooner rather than later.

Discussions over a possible £10m investment continue between Hearts and Brighton owner Tony Bloom after the Edinburgh club confirmed a partnership with his analysis firm Jamestown Analytics. (Scotsman), external

Read the rest of Thursday's Scottish gossip.

Hearts will "reap the benefits" of an analytics service with a reputation that is "second to none" in football, says chief executive officer Andrew McKinlay.

The Tynecastle club have confirmed they have signed an agreement with Jamestown Analytics, who have enjoyed success working with Brighton, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and Como.

The firm are the by-product of the company Starlizard, who are owned by Brighton chairman Tony Bloom.

Hearts revealed the partnership means they become Scotland's "exclusive users" of the data service, which the Gorgie club say "will aid not only player recruitment but will also enhance opposition analysis".

"Jamestown Analytics’ reputation in footballing circles is second to none," McKinlay added.

"It is no understatement when I say they have made ground-breaking progress with clubs across Europe, so to be Scotland's sole beneficiaries of their expertise is truly exciting.

"I fully believe the club will reap the benefits of embracing this modern, innovative approach to analytics and we couldn't be prouder to be associated with Jamestown Analytics as we take Hearts into a new era."

Meanwhile, Justin Said, managing director of Jamestown Analytics, is eyeing more success with the player data analytics service.

"We are very selective about the clubs we want to work with and we feel that Hearts is a good fit," he said.

Hearts fans, what do make of it all? Send us your thoughts..., external

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