Robbie Neilson admits Hearts 'went to pot' as European group opener ends in 4-0 defeat

Robbie Neilson has bemoaned the fact that his side “went to pot” after conceding their second goal, leaving themselves no chance of salvaging anything from their first Conference League match, against Istanbul Basaksehir.

Hearts manager Robbie Neilson on the touchline during the 4-0 defeat to Istanbul Basaksehir at Tynecastle. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Insisting that their ongoing European adventure is a steep learning curve, he said that they will need to heed the lessons.

“We’re disappointed,” said the Hearts boss. “To be honest, I thought in the first half we played really well, I was pleased. I thought we were still in the game and we lost a really disappointing goal.

“Even at the start of the second half we were in it. Then we lost the second goal and we went to pot, and they started to show their quality because we became so open. We started chasing the game.

“And I think it is a learning curve for us all as players, as staff and as a club that, when it goes to 2-0, we keep our shape, stay compact and stay in the game.

“Because as soon as it goes three and four it becomes a different game and at the end there we just couldn’t get close to them because the game was so open, they got confidence and they started popping the ball about.

“We were really, really pleased with the first half because I think we showed we can compete against a top team - because they are a top team.

“But in the second half we need to learn that when things go against you, we need to keep that compactness and we make sure we don’t fall out of the game as quickly as we did”

Once again there were scoring opportunities fro Hearts but the couldn’t make more of them

“At this level you get two or three chances in a game and against Zurich and similar tonight, had we taken that first opportunity with the header it’s a different game.

“It’s all ifs and buts. Again, it’s a big learning curve for us all.

“We want to be a team that competes regularly at this level and tonight we competed for 45-50 minutes and then after that I don’t think we did.

“So it was a disappointing outcome and a disappointing last 30 minutes.”