Just as with the last round of games two weeks ago, Hearts get the chance to extend their lead at the top to five points before Celtic play a day later. On that occasion, both teams left it late, relying on added-time winners to secure home wins.
Those wins were against teams with similar form; both on 8 points and neither had until then been defeated. This weekend, Hearts are at Kilmarnock, who are third in the table, while Celtic are at 11th placed Dundee. That variance might be useful.
The game at Kilmarnock will tell us a lot about the season ahead. Killie’s only defeat this season was courtesy of that late penalty in their 1-2 defeat to Celtic. Five of their seven games have been against six of the other sides in the top seven places in the table. They are a well-organised and difficult to beat side, who after Hearts, can look forward to more comfortable matches against struggling Newco and Aberdeen.
If Derek McInnes’ Hearts can win on the Kilmarnock plastic, we will face a team fighting for the title at Tynecastle a week later, no matter what the result at Dens. The next three weeks have a crucial look to them.
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Indeed Paul
Cross bar
I hope we’ll see something different at the weekend, we need to have been working to make sure we’re not getting more of the same ahead of a very important few weeks
Big games crammed into a short timeframe before the next international break. Could be season defining.
BACK TO BASICS
In June 1969, as a 15 year-old, I sailed on the SS Nevassa with Our Lady’s HS in Motherwell, and quite a few other Scottish schools, to Vigo, Gibraltar, Madeira and Lisbon.
In preparation for Lisbon, the 20 or so boys were given two excursion options — Fatima or Estadio Nacional. Only two elected to visit the Catholic shrine. The rest of us headed to the scene of Celtic’s triumph two short years previously.
I was one of a few who re-enacted Tam Gemmell’s thunderbolt and Stevie Chalmers’s pass into goal.
We also climbed the steps to Caesar’s podium. This was a truly magical moment. The stadium was unchanged from that glorious day and I wasn’t alone in shedding a tear or two.
I still have the photographs.
PS. Our Catholic brownie points were restored when we spent a day at St James’ Cathedral in Santiago de Compestella, near Vigo.
PPS. A young Dundee schoolboy named Derek Johnstone was also on that cruise. I often wonder what happened to him
Might be missing something but I’m just not seeing this Hearts for the league stuff.
So far most of the teams have looked pretty competitive. Are Hearts really going to get 28+ wins in this league? It’s certainly possible Celtic’s points will be down a bit, but I’d be surprised if it was to a total that Hearts would be likely to reach.
Bobby Clark signing in January, £6 million, a club signing?
CELTIC40ME@12.06
If the coaching staff had the full squad available over the break I would be more confident of getting that ‘something different’ but with so many away ,I’m not so sure
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL on 16TH OCTOBER 2025 12:17 PM
I still think Hearts will finish third.
https://share.google/xkXNN8IE8lBrp6lXw
Not played many games….
“They are a well-organised and difficult to beat side, who after Hearts, can look forward to more comfortable matches against struggling Newco and Aberdeen.”
Nice.
Tom McLauchlin
So how did big Derek get on at Fatima?🙂
Did Derek like the Portuguese or the pork and cheese?
Bobby Clark is 1.78Metres
Tom McLaughlin – cheers.
Brilliant ( dare I say “magical”? ) story.
I didn’t get to Estadio Nacional until I was in my 50s … but the same child like thrill abounded.
My daughter’s rucksack …
… with straps extended fully
… turned upside down
… so was narrower at the bottom than top
… to allegedly look like the European Cup
Was held aloft by each of us on the spot Billy stood.
Silly and enthralling in equal measure.
Neil Lennon on man management
Elite CSC
Not bad Paul.
Perhaps we are reaching that point where we, almost routinely, begin to hope Hearts’ opponents do something against them.
We also have to contend with a much more congested schedule than Hearts.
… with those extra games being toughies against proper teams, and some travel involved too.
All part of the bumpy ride across the remainder of 2025.
Pure hypothetical.
(Don’t think this will transpire .. but it might)
Hearts win this weekend
We draw
We come off a tough game against Sturm Graz and lose at Tynecastle
Hearts are 7 clear.
Wakey wakey !!!!
BSR 12.38
:-))))
HH
Desmond said Lennon would be ‘very difficult to replace ‘ when he left. Trying to remember how that went…..
Tom McLaughlin on 16th October 2025 12:08 pm
BACK TO BASICS
In June 1969, as a 15 year-old, I sailed on the SS Nevassa with Our Lady’s HS in Motherwell, and quite a few other Scottish schools, to Vigo, Gibraltar, Madeira and Lisbon.
——————-
Tom, re photies of the trip to the stadium, back in 69, I would be interested in seeing them if you could post them ?
Perhaps we are reaching that point where we, almost routinely, begin to hope Hearts’ opponents do something against them.
—
i always have “almost routinely…hope Hearts’ opponents do something against them.”
bournesouprecipe on 16th October 2025 12:38 pm
As elite as Gerrard…..
Clark was highly regarded by Klopp when he was only 17 or so. He was considered one of the hottest young talents in Europe. Looks like he has struggled a bit to live up to the hype but the talent must still be there as he is still only 20.
We wouldn’t be getting anywhere near him if he had fulfilled his early promise of becoming a Liverpool regular. 6 million sounds like a great bit of business.
Tauranga Bhoy…at least you have worn the tee-shirt…hand of friendship extended.
Pure hypothetical.
(Don’t think this will transpire .. but it might)
Hearts lose to Kilmarnock – Deek blames the platic pitch impacting the Tony Bloom Galacticos.
Celtic win
We come off a tough game against Sturm Graz with a winm and then win at tynecastle
Celtic go 4 points clear.
Wakey wakey !!!!
back to Neil hating, dearie me.
while not being an elite level manager, he was a huge overall contributor to our success these last 25 years,
i see some chat about “legacy” of the board, personal opinion but I do not think supporters treat owners/boards/executives/managers/coaches/players/employees fiarly while they are lost in the emotions of the moments.
Fiar to say, the greatness of Fegus wasnt recognise until 30 years after he arrived ? and is actually used as the benchmark against the current owners because he delivered a vision ? forgetting the huns won 9 on his watch.
Anyways.
LADTH – Lol. Me too.
Saint Stivs – yip. Events could easily unfold as you suggest.
Perhaps my broader point clumsily made – If things don’t go well for a bit, I’m not going to tear my hair out.
I don’t think this is complacency.
I trust BR’s ability to get the team playing better in the new year … with fewer fixtures in the way and the group having had more time together.
James McGrory.
https://tirnaog09.blogspot.com/2013/04/and-they-gave-us-james-mcgrory.html?spref=tw&m=1
HH
Bobby Clark then is it?
Central midfielder apparently.
Let me take a stab at his profile summary.
– Quick
– Two good feet
– Reads the game well
– Good range of passing
– Great movement
– Terrific shot on him
– Arrives in the box well
– Can also do the dirty side of the game
??????
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 16th October 2025 1:26 pm
LADTH – Lol. Me too.
Saint Stivs – yip. Events could easily unfold as you suggest.
——————–
I have watched a lot of the hertz games this season, scored quite a few goals, but imho carry a lot of good fortune at this moment, they are getting lots og publicity because they are ahead of Celtic and the SMSM will back anyone and talk them up, while ignoring their deficiencies. They havnt actually impressed me much.
Us not scoring enough worries me more, but as they always said ……… form is temporary.
I hope we come good.
Far too early to be focusing on hearts, focus on ourselves.
As P67 conceded last week an a rare moment of clarity, we’re functional down one side only and this is a very significant problem. We have to ensure that come January, we’re in a position to kick on with the addition of right wingers and a striker in that window.
LADTH
Yup. I think that is Paul’s point.
We could go into the LC semi 7pts behind Hearts and 4pts ahead of our much maligned Govan rivals.
Or
We could be in a healthy position at the top ahead in point v Hearts and double digit points v the Govan mob as we head into a critical LC semi.
Likewise we could be back in the hunt in Europa or as good as out of it.
We may well sign “right wingers and a striker”, but that doesn’t mean they’ll get a game.
With the manager leaving in the summer I don’t see him having a big say over the January window (quite rightly imo) so they’re more likely to be “club signings”.
Hopefully it’s AJ and Jota on the right by the end of January.
An Dun
We have a critical next month or so pre Jota return with no real change up top on the right but hopefully AJ return next week will help a bit there.
Not sure when Jota due back ? Any updates ?
AN DÚN on 16TH OCTOBER 2025 1:44 PM
Tounekti plays on the right for Tunisia, maybe he can do the same for us until Jota is back?
CELTIC40ME
Well, we’ve literally tried every other conceivable option, as outlined by P67.
However, moving your best performing attacker out of position whilst you’re already struggling to score seems a very high risk option.
Listening to the huddle break down, I thought Alan made a typically brilliant point.
He’s now off the opinion that changing our formation, far from being required, could lead to even bigger problems.
He basically said that our system, as we now play, allows us near total control of matches and we concede very little. Changing that to try and solve the right side issue would endanger the whole make up of the team and lead to far greater goals being conceded and basically de-rail the season.