| Report Index--> 2006-07--> All for 20061216 | ||||
| <-Page | <-Team | Sat 16 Dec 2006 Hearts 0 Aberdeen 1 | Team-> | Page-> |
| <-Srce | <-Type | Sunday Mail ------ Report | Type-> | Srce-> |
| Valdas Ivanauskas | <-auth | Rob Robertson | auth-> | Stuart Dougal |
| [S Lovell 87] | ||||
| 9 | of 015 | ----- | L SPL | H |
Hearts 0 - 1 AberdeenROB ROBERTSON at Tynecastle December 18 2006 The contrasting fortunes of Hearts and Aberdeen are graphically illustrated in the demeanour of their respective managers. Jimmy Calderwood is on a high and looking forward to the match against Rangers at Pittodrie next Saturday, the biggest game of Aberdeen's season so far. Valdas Ivanauskas, the Hearts head coach looks gaunt and haunted as his side slip down the league. As he sat poker-faced on Saturday night claiming it was a tactical decision to drop Paul Hartley from the starting line-up it was easy to see that he is not a man happy at his work. His blood pressure would also have been boiling at his side's 1-0 defeat which leaves them in fifth place in the Bank of Scotland Premierleague. With a game against in-form Dundee United at Tannadice next Saturday then the Edinburgh derby to negotiate this is a trying time for Ivanauskas. In the short term he has to deal with Craig Gordon's disciplinary hearing on Tuesday when the club will consider what action to take against the Scotland goalkeeper and now Hearts captain. Steven Pressley, the team's former leader, has already been shipped out for revealing dressing room unrest and Hartley could follow in the transfer window. Gordon will be treated differently because he will command a healthy transfer fee and will be kept on until the right offer comes in. Gordon had a bit of an off-day against Aberdeen and spilled a Scott Severin shot four minutes from time which was turned in by substitute Steve Lovell to give the visitors a win they just about deserved. Their cause was made easier because of some of the inexplicable tactical decisions by Ivanauskas. He claimed Hartley was left on the bench to allow Hearts to play a sitting midfield player and that it had nothing to do with the fact he had faced a disciplinary hearing last Thursday. He also believed the centre-back partnership of Ibrahim Tall and Jose Goncalves performed well. They didn't. In fact, it was probably the most inept performance by a Hearts centre-back partnership I have ever seen. Can this be the same team that only a few short years ago had Pressley and Andy Webster, two of the top defenders in Scotland, as the centre of their defence? Although the team selection played into the hands of Aberdeen, Calderwood's side have to be given credit for the way they played. Hearts looked like a team of strangers who have to deal with tactical and personnel changes week after week. Aberdeen, on the other hand, looked like a side who know each other well and are a settled side. One interesting statistic was that Aberdeen had a starting line-up made up of 11 Scots. Hearts had two, Craig Gordon and Neil McCann. That point was picked up on by Severin, the former Hearts player, who has been watching with sadness the continual turmoil at his former club. "Having Scots in the team does make a difference," said Severin. "It means you know everybody is together, that everybody is playing for each other and if you miss a tackle your team-mate will battle for the next one." It is that doctrine that has taken Aberdeen up into second in the league and their match against Rangers next Saturday will be one to savour. Confidence is high at Pittodrie and the visit of Paul Le Guen's side will hold no fears. A win will end any doubt neutrals have had of Calderwood's side ability to challenge for a Champions League place this season.  Taken from the Herald |
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| <-Page | <-Team | Sat 16 Dec 2006 Hearts 0 Aberdeen 1 | Team-> | Page-> |
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