Gary Mackay: Time to bring solid away form back to Tynecastle

Another solid performance away from home has brought us our third win of the season on the road and full credit must go to the management and the players for that.

But now it's time we sorted out our home form.

I'm usually a 'one game at a time' man, but it's hard not to look at our next two games at Tynecastle against St Mirren and Kilmarnock as an excellent chance to spark our home form into life and get another six points on the board ahead of the derby at Easter Road.

Our city rivals by contrast have a couple of tough-looking away games at Aberdeen and Dundee United so we've got a chance to open up a wee gap before we lock horns early next month.

The Hearts players seem to be finding it a bit harder to play at home than they do away and I think the main reason we've taken only two points from our four home games so far is possibly that there are several relatively new players in the team who are still trying to get used to the expectation levels that come from playing in a Hearts jersey at Tynecastle. Guys like Andy Driver and Lee Wallace, who are a couple of our longer-serving players, know what is required when playing at this great stadium of ours but they have been injured, while Marius Zaliukas has also missed the last couple of home games.

These guys would definitely help their newer colleagues feel more comfortable in home games.

Many of the guys who have started this season are fairly new to the club – even guys like Suso and Bouzid – and it may be that some of them are still trying to find their feet when it comes to understanding that Hearts players are expected to take the game to the opposition in home games. There's expectations that when Hearts play at home we should beat most teams outside the Old Firm and sometimes these expectations can prove difficult to meet both individually and collectively, especially if the players involved don't have too much experience of the situation.

The fans also have a part to play, though. In years gone by Tynecastle was always renowned as an intimidating stadium for the opposition, but that maybe hasn't been the case so much over the past few years as a result of supporters becoming disenchanted with the upheaval at the club. It would be great if the crowd could use the next two home games to try and recreate the intimidating atmosphere that Tynecastle used to be famed for.

These are two teams that will probably be a bid edgy coming through here because they'll be expecting to be put under a bit of pressure. If we can all get behind the team and roar them on to six points it would really set us up nicely for entering November. On paper, these are two games that look attractive from a Hearts point of view in terms of picking up points, but it's up to the players to grab the game by the scruff of the neck and go at their opponents.

With that in mind it's imperative that Zaliukas remains in the side.

For a start, it will give the fans a real lift. And more importantly, he is one man who, after over four years at the club, is now part of the furniture and knows exactly what is required in a home game and understands what the fans expect when they come along to Tynecastle on a Saturday. He is the club captain and provides a calming influence to those around him.

It's no coincidence that Zaliukas has returned and we've kept our first clean sheet for a while with Ismael Bouzid, Ruben Palazuelos and Darren Barr all having probably their best games of the season. It's great to get him back in the team.

The two central midfield players also played an important part on Saturday. Eggert Jonsson and Adrian Mrowiec aren't the most attacking of players, but if they stay in the side for the St Mirren game, then the likes of Suso, Rudi Skacel, Calum Elliot and Kyle will feel they have extra security behind them and will hopefully take advantage of that licence to roam that usually comes from playing at home to supposedly beatable opponents.

It pays to pay attention

It's reassuring to know that the people that matter at Hearts pay attention to the points I raise in this column.

Three weeks ago, I asked why Campbell Ogilvie hadn't been replaced and questioned the wisdom of leaving out our club captain.

Glad to see that both issues have been addressed and rectified, with David Southern confirmed as managing director and Marius Zaliukas restored to the side on Saturday. Mr Romanov retorted to my comments by asking whether I had ever paid for match tickets.

He'll be pleased to know that I ploughed some hard-earned cash into the club on Thursday when I visited the club shop and shelled out for a couple of footballs to get signed for a charity event.

Duo demonstrate commitment

I WAS down at East Mains yesterday morning to see our under-17s beat their Hibs counterparts 3-2 in the Edinburgh derby.

It was a fantastic result for the boys, but I was particularly pleased to see Gary Locke and Billy Brown giving up their Sunday morning to go down and support the youngsters. On the back of a good away win for the first team, Lockie and Billy didn't have to be there but hopefully they will have seen a glimpse of some potential Hearts players of the future.

The presence of those two on the sidelines will no doubt have given the boys a real boost.