Lawrence Shankland continues to silences doubters, John Robertson Hearts reminder, scoring goals and Scotland

Lawrence Shankland. ‘Rubbish record with Dundee United in the top flight’. ‘Didn’t cut it in Belgium’. ‘Not a Premiership striker’. Just some of the nonsense trotted out when the player signed a three-year-deal to join Hearts in July.

Snapshot judgements so often fail to consider context, like how he had to play right wing at times for Beerschot or was an isolated figure on the pitch under Micky Mellon in the top tier. With the 27-year-old sitting top of the cinch Premiership goalscoring charts alongside Aberdeen’s Bojan Miovski and Antonio Colak of Rangers, there will have been plenty of observers back in the summer now too full with the words they have had to eat. After a double salvo in the 3-1 win over Kilmarnock, his record in the maroon and white reads 14 goals in 25 appearances.

A player well aware that goals are “never far away from stopping”, Shankland thrives on chances. Something which he was starved of in the Premiership at United and in Belgium. Robbie Neilson knows that better than anyone and this Hearts team creates for him. Such is the range of his skillset, his awareness, touch and ability to create space for himself with and without the ball, playing in a slightly deeper and wider role against Killie did not thwart him from having that goal threat.

"It helped the team, utilising Gino’s space," he said. “We know how quick he is. He made good runs in behind. Maybe the striker role suited him better today but we are flexible in the front three. We know we can do all different jobs. It’s been good coming here. There have been a lot of chances for me to score. If I keep getting in positions, I back myself to put them away. Hopefully I can keep doing that.”

Robbo and Scotland

John Robertson. The 20-goal mark. The 1991/92 season. Shankland knew the question was coming. “Every time I score, I get reminded of that,” he chuckled. Just six away with at least 23 games remaining, there are plenty of opportunities to reach such a feat and for the The Dave Clark Five to boom out at Tynecastle with the Gorgie faithful reminding themselves that “we’ve got Lawrence Shankland” with his dad joining in.

“For a team that always tends to be at the top end of the table, it’s maybe unusual,” he said. “A few people have got close over the years but it’s not an easy thing to do, scoring 20 goals.It’s a good pressure. That’s what you want as a striker coming here. You know what it brings to be Hearts’ No 9. I knew what I was signing up for when I came in. Up till now, I’ve been thriving on it. Hopefully that will be the case for the rest of the season.”

An offshoot of scoring goals is a potential return to the Scotland national team fold which he has had a taste of before under Steve Clarke.

“My job is to come here every week, play for Hearts and do my best," Shankland said. “If I’m doing my best out there and scoring goals I can be honest with myself and give myself the best chance.”