Hearts v Motherwell 23/08/2025

[FirParkCornerExile]

13 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:

Just watched the TV highlights too, which didn't do justice to our first half performance.  Yes, Hearts' 2nd goal was a close call, according to VAR lines.  I was however alarmed by the quality of our defending at times. If we want to turn our good play into points this does need addressed in the next 10 days or so.   

I didn't think the defence were that bad today. NO  defence will go to Tynecastle and stop Hearts creating some chances, our problem was our last line of defence i.e the keeper didn't do what we should expect. 

[grizzlyg]

We have been crying out for a new style for years and we now have a guy who i think is doing great so far and we are still unbeaten.

There are going to be bumps along the way but we are being entertained and enjoying going to games which wasn't the case under a certain manager who returns next week. 300 new season ticket holders says it all 

JB still assessing the squad so I fully expect more faces in soon.

Yes losing a 3-0 lead is so frustrating but we move on and with our next run of fixtures looking decent on paper then hopefully we can start getting wins and keeping up the feelgood factor.

COYW

[MFCL84]

I didn't make it along today, but I'm going to look beyond how the game went and look at the final result. A point at Tynecastle is a good point. Scoring 3 goals at any away ground is a good haul. This could be a very memorable season. We seem to be on to something. I have high hopes for this season.

[texanwellfan]

I was on a plane and so my first reaction was 3-3, looks like great game. Then the disappointment when I saw we had been 3 up but like many people I said before game I’d be happy with a point. As Grizzly pointed out, we still haven’t been beaten. 
by all accounts we are playing some lovely football which has definitely had an effect on the support. So considering where we are with the squad and new manager things are looking rosy. If most of the other teams stick with the usual dour SPFL tactics we should fair pretty well. Even if we finish 7th or 8th it seems like it will be a lot more enjoyable than it has been these previous years watching us finish there. 

[stv]

Tough being a goalkeeper. You stay at no 1  until you make a mistakes. If there's a equally good keeper in the wings it costs you your place. We'll our keeper made basic errors leading to two goals and dropped points . Ox next week please or what's the point of a second goalie apart for injury cover.

[FirParkCornerExile]

9 minutes ago, stv said:

Tough being a goalkeeper. You stay at no 1  until you make a mistakes. If there's a equally good keeper in the wings it costs you your place. We'll our keeper made basic errors leading to two goals and dropped points . Ox next week please or what's the point of a second goalie apart for injury cover.

The keeper was on twitter basically holding his hands up, felt a bit for him and although he cost us two goals he did bring out an outstanding save to stop them getting a 4th.  

[texanwellfan]

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[mfc]

Can we please start negotiating a new contract for eli just already,what a find he looks to be for us.

[mio]

39 minutes ago, FirParkCornerExile said:

The keeper was on twitter basically holding his hands up, felt a bit for him and although he cost us two goals he did bring out an outstanding save to stop them getting a 4th.  

I’d saw that, sometimes I just despair at the amount of bellends taking a pop at him directly. I think it’s one thing on a fans forum like this where we are all basically bellends who haven’t a clue 🤣 having an opinion …. but if the guy is decent enough to go on social media and praise the fans and put his hands up yet folk still take a pop at him….. it’s an absolute fkn riddy!!!

[wellgirl]

Some Hearts fans on the Motherwell Facebook page saying that Just got clapped off the park by some of their supporters 

[wellgirl]

25 minutes ago, mio said:

I’d saw that, sometimes I just despair at the amount of bellends taking a pop at him directly. I think it’s one thing on a fans forum like this where we are all basically bellends who haven’t a clue 🤣 having an opinion …. but if the guy is decent enough to go on social media and praise the fans and put his hands up yet folk still take a pop at him….. it’s an absolute fkn riddy!!!

Just par for the course for some of our support unfortunately - every team has them no doubt 

[robsterwood]

29 minutes ago, mio said:

I’d saw that, sometimes I just despair at the amount of bellends taking a pop at him directly. I think it’s one thing on a fans forum like this where we are all basically bellends who haven’t a clue 🤣 having an opinion …. but if the guy is decent enough to go on social media and praise the fans and put his hands up yet folk still take a pop at him….. it’s an absolute fkn riddy!!!

People are allowed an opinion whether the player apologised or not.  Speak for yourself. We are not all bellends. And some people have educated opinion. Some have football experience.

It's fine to say you are one though. But don't make generalisation.

[wellgirl]

7 minutes ago, robsterwood said:

People are allowed an opinion whether the player apologised or not.  Speak for yourself. We are not all bellends. And some people have educated opinion. Some have football experience.

It's fine to say you are one though. But don't make generalisation.

Yeah they are - but it's in the delivery. Ward doesn't deserve some of the comments he's had in my view - apparently he's to go and Ox back in - predictable. 

[stv]

Just now, wellgirl said:

Yeah they are - but it's in the delivery. Ward doesn't deserve some of the comments he's had in my view 

Sold two goals very cheaply and we dropped points after being 3-0 up. Ù

I think is is fair to leval criticism at the keeper, it's a forum of differing views after all .

[dinnae-punt-it]

2 minutes ago, stv said:

Sold two goals very cheaply and we dropped points after being 3-0 up. Ù

I think is is fair to leval criticism at the keeper, it's a forum of differing views after all .

Balmer started the problem for the first goal by getting his pass intercepted. Just could have reacted quicker to close down Milne. McGinn could have done better at the second by stepping up earlier, and could have got back in quicker, and yes, the goalie could do better for all goals. Any goal conceded is usually down to more than one player not being as effective as they could have been. Losing a 3 goal lead is sore, but we are still early days and work in progress. For what it’s worth, I don’t think either goalie is as good as I’d like. 

[wellon]

4 hours ago, GrahamH said:

Looked like a bit of a half-hearted effort at saving the second as he thought it was offside.

I was talking about balmer.

[fizoxy]

Commenting on players tweets is loser behavior. 

[SteelmaninOZ]

 

[mio]

7 hours ago, robsterwood said:

People are allowed an opinion whether the player apologised or not.  Speak for yourself. We are not all bellends. And some people have educated opinion. Some have football experience.

It's fine to say you are one though. But don't make generalisation.

You are quite right and I apologise for my hurty words.

You are also right about football experience, Kris Boyd has football experience and he’s a great guy, knows exactly what he’s talking about and is highly educated in his footballing opinions. No one could possibly say he is a bellend. 

[wellon]

8 hours ago, robsterwood said:

People are allowed an opinion whether the player apologised or not.  Speak for yourself. We are not all bellends. And some people have educated opinion. Some have football experience.

It's fine to say you are one though. But don't make generalisation.

Think Mio was being funny, no need to spit the dummy...I think Ward deserves another shot to see if he can turn it around, bar yesterday he's been fine.

[mio]

5 minutes ago, wellon said:

Think Mio was being funny, no need to spit the dummy...I think Ward deserves another shot to see if he can turn it around, bar yesterday he's been fine.

I was mate 👍 I know what it’s like though and I know I’m not funny 🤣

my point is even folk who have football experience talk nonsense and he’s right that everyone can have an opinion but I just think when they go online with faceless accounts and batter a player who is just trying to be decent is pathetic behaviour.

i agree also that ward has been doing ok and did make a number of great saves yesterday. He’s another one who has came on a tonne under JBA

[wellgirl]

8 hours ago, stv said:

Sold two goals very cheaply and we dropped points after being 3-0 up. Ù

I think is is fair to leval criticism at the keeper, it's a forum of differing views after all .

Wasn't particularly talking about on here - elsewhere on social media 

[robsterwood]

1 hour ago, mio said:

You are quite right and I apologise for my hurty words.

You are also right about football experience, Kris Boyd has football experience and he’s a great guy, knows exactly what he’s talking about and is highly educated in his footballing opinions. No one could possibly say he is a bellend. 

Your right too that often people criticise individuals for errors and it could be hurtful. Although allowed an opinion  it's not always measured and as you pointed out about the posting from GK. He feels bad about events. Think people frustrated at loosing a 3 goal lead and errors pointed out. 

[Kmcalpin]

9 hours ago, dinnae-punt-it said:

 Losing a 3 goal lead is sore, but we are still early days and work in progress. For what it’s worth, I don’t think either goalie is as good as I’d like. 

Hopefully we'll see 2 new central defenders and a defensive midfielder (a No 6 to some) arrive in the next week or so to make us more solid. Hearts had 19 shots to our 9 yesterday (9 against 3 on target). Those figures should make us sit up and take notice. In fairness then Ward will have, justifiably, expected better protection from those in front of him.  He should start next next week to give him a chance to redeem himself. The goals we lost were down to a combination of errors, not just down to Ward.   In truth though , both he and Oxborough would appear to be run of the mill keepers. Hearts gave our defence a thorough test yesterday and it was found wanting. 

[wellsince75]

15 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:

Hopefully we'll see 2 new central defenders and a defensive midfielder (a No 6 to some) arrive in the next week or so to make us more solid. Hearts had 19 shots to our 9 yesterday (9 against 3 on target). Those figures should make us sit up and take notice. In fairness then Ward will have, justifiably, expected better protection from those in front of him.  He should start next next week to give him a chance to redeem himself. The goals we lost we down to a combination of errors, not just down to Ward.   In truth though , both he and Oxborough would appear to be run of the mill keepers. Hearts gave our defence a thorough test yesterday and it was found wanting. 

I share your reflections .  If we could bring in a Randolph level keeper, central defenders and a no6 I think we'd be one of the best teams in the league. 

For me yesterday was so very enjoyable until they scored, some of the best football Ive seen us play.  We were brilliant as a team for 60 mins but then tired and were poor as a team. I don't think it's just individual errors, as a team we lost our way against a Hearts team who until they scored didn't have the crowd with them. 

Suspect we'll learn to have better ball retention and like you mentioned a few prudent signings will really help us.