Gary Mackay: We need Tynecastle to be rocking for derby

Published on Monday 2 November 2009 08:56

TOGETHERNESS is a word that Hearts have used a lot this season and I don't think there's a better way of describing the approach that the players and the supporters need to take this weekend.

When the derby comes around I don't think league position and form really comes into it too much because the game really takes care of itself. But the one thing that Hearts need on Saturday afternoon is the three sides of Tynecastle that house those in maroon to be right behind the team.

I actually think there's more pressure on Hibs than Hearts, simply because of the levels of expectancy. Csaba Laszlo got a great reaction from his players last season and I think that John Hughes has had a similar reaction since being appointed the Hibs manager in the summer.

But there's a positive vibe that comes from being in the semi-finals of the Co-operative Insurance Cup and hopefully we can carry that into the derby.

We all know that the gap right now is 11 and that it could be 14 after Saturday – but Hearts could also reduce that gap. There's no point in reading too much into that because I think you have to concern yourself with getting your own house right and not worry about what is happening across the city.

Right now Hibs have the bragging rights because of the way things have been going for them in the league, but, if we can get a win against them this weekend and cut the gap to eight points, then that would give us a real boost.

There was a similar gap with Hearts and Dundee United last year in the race for the European place and we still managed to overcome that and claim our place in the qualifiers come the end of the season.

The manager is working with a relatively new group of players this season when you consider who has come in and also who has been let go by the club.

The concern for Hearts is that Eggert Jonsson is not availableand Christian Nade looked like he picked up quite a bad injury in the game against Motherwell.They would be two players who would maybe not automatically be in the starting line-up but they would definitely be in the 18.

If the worst happens and the gap goes to 14 points then I think that I might well be flying out to Siberia on Saturday night – I think there's a flight leaves Edinburgh about 5pm so that's when the early kick-off comes in handy!

Seriously though, if the gap increases this weekend it would be hugely disappointing but, again, as the result against Celtic showed everyone, Hearts can be a match for anyone on their day.

The amount of changes in personnel over the summer has had an impact and the fact that the manager is playing a new system will have had an effect on the results. I don't think many of the players at Tynecastle will have played in a 4-2-3-1 before – and no matter what anyone says, that's what they have been playing.

In a lot of areas there have been positives but everyone seems to put the blame on the likes of Nade and David Witteveen or whoever the strikers happen to be. But if you look at St Johnstone and a player like Murray Davidson, he's already scored three goals from midfield this season.

Now, to me, I think that's a great record, especially when you consider the fact that he has only just stepped up from the First Division with Livingston last year to play with Saints in the SPL this season. That's something we should be looking at, we need more of an impact from people outwith the strikers.

Having looked at Gary Glen on Saturday, when he came on that was the most threatening Hearts had looked for a long time. He had a couple of half-chances and one that came off the post. Nade also worked very hard up until he was taken off but a lot of his work was in the wide left area just in front of Lee Wallace.

But as a lone striker, it's not really where you want him to be.

We need a real predator in the penalty box to be in there playing alongside him and I feel that Gary Glen is well capable of that.

I think Andrew Driver can be a match-winner for Hearts this weekend, but only if he's given freedom to cause problems by playing him up front alongside Glen.

Hibs have got Sol Bamba and Chris Hogg, who are quite dominant players, but they don't like playing against guys who are small and nippy, with a lot of movement and the youthfulness of Driver and Glen could be just the thing to upset them.

My heart says Hearts will win this weekend, as for my head, no-one will know what my head thinks until Sunday morning.

I got last laugh at Parkhead

ON A lighter note, I thoroughly enjoyed the win over Celtic in the Co-operative Insurance Cup quarter-finals last week.

I have to admit that it was a huge relief for me when the final whistle went at Parkhead, not because we were under pressure in the dying stages, but because I got some real abuse from the Celtic fans after making myself look a bit daft.

I thought that Ismael Bouzid's header in the first half had gone in, not past the post, and jumped right out of my seat in the press box to celebrate.

When they realised that the ball had gone by I took a fair bit of stick from some Celtic supporting pensioners who were sitting behind me.

As they say though, those who laugh last, laugh the longest and thankfully I was able to give them a wee wave on my way out of Parkhead at the end of the game with a smile on my face.