Swashbuckling Lee Wallace looking to recapture last season's form

GIVEN Hearts' struggles for much of this season Lee Wallace cannot be alone in his contention that he has been unable to match his form of the previous campaign.

And perhaps his admission will raise eyebrows among Hearts supporters who regard the often swashbuckling left-back as one of their side's most potent attacking weapons during the current campaign. Wallace was absent due to a blister outbreak last weekend as the Tynecastle side slipped out of the Active Nation Scottish Cup to Aberdeen, but should return to duty this afternoon against St Mirren.

Unlikely as though it might seem, it is a meeting between in-form opponents. Hearts have not been beaten in their last five league matches, while St Mirren are on a three-match winning run. But Wallace knows the Hearts supporters will not pay too much attention to the current form of the visitors. They will expect a home victory, one which could see Hearts eat up some ground on those teams directly above them in the league.

Dundee United play Hibernian this afternoon, and a draw at Tannadice might be the best outcome for Csaba Laszlo's much improved side. That, however, assumes Hearts are able to overcome a St Mirren side who could themselves draw level on points with their opponents today should they claim three points. Gus MacPherson's side triumphed 2-1 when the sides last met in October.

"They (St Mirren] will be tough opponents," said Wallace. "It's up to us to turn it around from Aberdeen and go again. We expect to be under pressure at Tynecastle if we don't score early. It's been like that for a while now. But we understand why the fans are like that.

"St Mirren have been doing well, but if we play to our ability then we should be beating teams like St Mirren," he added.

Wallace bemoaned the continued absence of Andrew Driver, with whom he developed such an effective partnership down the left last season. Perhaps this is one reason why the player feels he has performed below par in recent months.

He has been given extra motivation to recapture his form of last season following Craig Levein's appointment as Scotland manager. He was in charge at Hearts when Wallace signed for the club in 2004, but had limited involvement with the youngster. But one of Levein's qualities is the interest he takes in youth football and it is inconceivable that he did not note Wallace's quick process, with the player making his debut under John Robertson in February 2005.

"Andy Driver's been a big miss," said Wallace. "We have a good connection on the left side, but these are the obstacles you have to clear in football. Whoever is in front of me I have to adapt and just get on with it. I've not captured the form of last season. I've done alright, but still not great.

"The confidence is still there, but things haven't gone the way I'd have liked," he continued. "It's not been that bad, but I'm still wanting more."

Wallace's insistence on this point is perhaps informed by Levein's appointment. The left-back is keen to add to his total of two caps, both of which were earned in the otherwise forgettable friendly encounters with Japan and Wales at the end of last year.

"It's good that Scotland have a new manager and I have to catch his eye," said Wallace. It's a positive for me that I have someone else to go out and impress ahead of a friendly game at the start of March.

"Craig was the manager when I signed full-time, but it was John Robertson who gave me my chance in the team. Craig will know me but I was young when he moved on and he'll know my best from coming up against me with United in the SPL. But I still feel that I have to try and catch his eye again. It's all down to form. He will only pick people on their merits."

Meanwhile, Hearts manager Laszlo does not expect to see injured striker Calum Elliot in action for a further two months. The former Scotland Under-21 marksman has not played since making a substitute appearance in the 6 December loss at Hamilton after suffering a reaction to the knee that he had surgery on earlier in the season.

Laszlo added: "He is very unlucky with this knee, I miss Calum, he was in our plan definitely to play in our squad from the beginning of the season. I think he needs three weeks just to come back to training, after you see what happens with his knee. I will be very happy to have him back.

"Until now, he has had two weeks training and then four or six weeks out because the reaction from the knee is always negative. Even if he comes back, he has not played football for nearly six months and he needs time. You can't use him for the next two months."