Gary Mackay: Hearts need forward thinking from owner

I'VE battered on about it several times this season but, just when we seem to be making some headway, a game like yesterday's comes along and highlights once again our glaring deficiencies in the attacking third.

I know it's becoming tiresome and has been the story of our season, but I can't emphasise enough how imperative it is that we don't start next term with a similar lack of striking options.

It's great that the club have sold 5,000 season tickets at this stage but that won't go on unless the manager is allowed to bring in new players, particularly attackers.

Over the 90 minutes at Ibrox, there was a lot of nice play from Hearts and a lot of good defending but I don't think Allan McGregor had a save to make all day.

The previous manager knew what the problems were and he was very outspoken about things, to the extent that it probably cost him his job. Mr Romanov says he has a good relationship with Jim Jefferies. If that is indeed the case, then it's imperative that he proves that to the loyal fans, who have bought season tickets already by making the right signings during the summer. Darren Barr is a good player and – I mean absolutely no disrespect to the lad – but given where our problems so obviously lie, was signing another defender really a priority when we're so well covered at the back?

We've got young, attacking players like David Templeton, Gary Glen, Scott Robinson and Gordon Smith but they can't be expected to go in at the age that they are and perform consistently as a striker in the Premier League without the right partner next to them.

There was a real willingness from Suso and David Obua, who filled the two attacking positions against Rangers but, if I'm being honest, there wasn't any real quality from them. That's what happens when two players who aren't natural strikers find themselves playing up front together. That's not the manager's fault, he's simply had to do it through necessity as he doesn't have any experienced strikers available.

The back and the middle area of the team did fine but, if you're not going to register a shot on goal at Ibrox, then you're going to be in trouble because not many teams can go through there and keep a clean sheet. What I would say, however, is that we looked to be in no danger of losing a goal up until they scored through an unacceptable lapse in concentration. In the same way that we switched off at a corner against Motherwell last month, Obua allowed Kyle Lafferty to drift four yards off him and create a bit of space for himself to head home. When you put so much into a game, it's absolutely imperative that you don't let lapses like that undo all your hard work. If we are serious about finishing fourth, then it's crucial that no individual allows themselves to switch off like that again.

Speaking of fourth, the main positive from the weekend has to be that we didn't lose any ground on Motherwell and Hibs. We are in a mini league of three because Dundee United under the excellent guidance of Peter Houston have left the rest of us trailing in their wake. The objective is to finish fourth and that makes this weekend's game against Motherwell an absolutely massive one. One of the biggest games I ever played in my career was against Motherwell at Tynecastle when we needed to win to be sure of avoiding the play-offs. We won 2-0 and that meant we maintained our Premier League status. This one maybe doesn't have quite the same level of importance attached to it but it's still a huge game in terms of trying to finish fourth and secure a European place.

Scott Wilson always urges the Hearts fans to "make some noise" and I think it's vital they heed his advice on Saturday and get right behind the team. Craig Brown's men have lost four on the bounce so, on paper, it's probably the most winnable of our remaining games. Considering how difficult it will be to pick up points in the three games after the Motherwell one, it's imperative that we get a victory this weekend.

Time to freshen up our game

I READ in a newspaper yesterday that 22 years ago, Mike Galloway and I both scored in a 2-1 victory for Hearts over Celtic in front of 29,000 supporters at Tynecastle.

I know stadiums and admission prices have changed but I think the fact we would get just over half of that crowd for a game against Celtic today is evidence that our game needs freshened up.

I think for the good of Scottish football, we definitely need to get a bigger Premier League and do away with the split. I watch a lot of lower league games in midweek and there are definitely a few clubs in the First Division who would enhance the top flight and bring a bit of freshness.