Match Day Thread Heart of Midlothian FC v Sunderland AFC - Saturday 26th July 2025 - KO 15:00

Can i please apologise. Sorry. I predicted a Sunderland win, last time i did that we lost 6 0 to Bolton. I take the blame entirely, and I'll go back to predicting defeats or draws at the best.
However, I must say I'm a bit concerned by the lack of creativity. I hoped with all these midfielders coming in we'd be a bit more threatening, I know its early but we didn't really trouble the keeper. I appreciate it was Neils first game but he looked so behind the standard we need, and I'm now concerned that he's been used so much in promoting the new home shirt that he is staying. I really hope not, unless as back up and we have a new captain, hopefully Xhaka.
3 games in and only one scored and that was as a result of a poor back pass ( sorry i don't include S Shields). Think this confirms why we were/ and hopefully are looking for a new striker. Mayenda will get plenty of time on the pitch to improve, but I'm not convinced on Wilson.
Oh and we def need a new starter keeper with Patto as number 2

 

To a man every player wasn't great today, however Neil was singled out from the start.

If he had done what Sadiki did for the 3rd goal this thread would probably be 18 pages longer.

Reads to me like pre judged feelings in my opinion, which im allowed

 

No pre judged feeling here. I'm a huge Neil fan and he's been an extremely important cog in our machine over the last 4 years. Just thought he was extremely poor today and i'm allowed that opinion as well.

 

I agree Aleksic was impressive

 

Was he any worse than the other midfielders though?

 

I've not said anything about Neil before this tho

Neil was shocking today, as a lot were (as I've said). I think one of the reasons Neil is getting belters is the CM 3 the last 2 1st halves have been ridiculously good.

Neil was so passive today, I was more concerned about his lack of desire out of possession - was a massive concern for me today

I'm one of Neil's biggest fans, often stuck up for him on here, but that performance from him was shocking imo

I'm not singling him out BTW, just responding about him as you mentioned him

 

Yeah, really good assessment of what happened on the pitch, irrespective of who they are.

 

Of course, as was the entire midfield no matter who played there.

Le fee disappeared most of the game as did diarra, but I don't see a ton of posts about that

 

Yes he was imo, wasn't the worst player on the pitch though. I'd give that to Seelt

Neil was shocking today, as many others were, nothing wrong with saying that

I'm certainly not writing him off

 

You could say that about all 3 of our midfield, not one of them shone today

 

For me yeah, that's the worst and laziest I have ever seen Dan Neil player.

Looked like he couldn't be arsed, lost pretty much every single tackle and his passing was just incredibly poor.

 

To me, yes. I think as well that new players to the system should be given more leeway than someone who has played a full season in it. Plus, all 3 have different roles so I don't think it's fair to judge them against eachother in the same game but I still thought Neil was the poorest of the 3 by a large margin.

 

Read my post tho, I mentioned evedy player that started and commented on each - never dug Neil out at all, commented on his performance as i did with others

 

Sadiki set the tone for his performance early on when he rolled the ball to their striker on the edge of the d under completely no pressure. His energy didn’t compensate for a performance of bad touches, bad passes and bad decisions. I have no doubt he will be MUCH better as we move forward but he was the standout midfield performer for all the wrong reasons today.

 

Aleksic has shown bits every game in pre season.

He’s one that we need to manage the steps of very carefully as he could be exceptional if we get it right.

 

I am still not sure why we are refusing to use him in his actual position.

 

I have read your post, I dont recall mentioning you as an individual at all in my posts?

I certainly haven't tagged you to complain about your post

 

https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/20...ds-brushed-aside-in-craig-gordons-testimonial

Simon Moore: 5/10
Didn’t get near any of the goals, with the second one in particular being quite soft despite it coming through a crowd. His kicking was not great either, putting Huggins in trouble for the opener.
Trai Hume: 5/10
Not the best game from Hume, didn’t look to have a great understanding with Talbi and was caught out of position a few times allowing a runner space in behind.
Dan Ballard: 7/10
Ballard was not phased at all by the home side’s physical display and made a number of important recovery tackles.
Jenson Seelt: 6/10
Was a bit unlucky with the opening goal, with his flicked header landing on the head of a Hearts’ striker but got beaten in the air from long balls on occasion and had a bit of a mix up with Huggins that Ballard had to recover.
Niall Huggins: 5/10
Looked lively enough when he got forward but did not look comfortable defensively, lost the ball too easily for the opening goal and was not a match for his man physically.
Noah Sadiki: 5/10
Was quite involved during his first half-hour on the pitch. Got around the pitch closing the opposition down, including a very strong shoulder barge to win the ball near the corner flag but also took a dreadful touch on the edge of his own box that he was very lucky to get away with. Came back on and was doing a good job in front of the back four but then passed straight to a Hearts player for the third.
Dan Neil (C): 5/10
Was often too casual with his passing and didn’t think he did a great job of protecting the back four. Did win a free kick near the edge of the opposition box that Le Fee fired just wide but not a good game by the skipper.
Chemsdine Talbi: 5/10
Was some nice touches here and there, one setting Diarra away but a quiet game with the winger not using his pace enough. Did get dispossessed too easily at one point and chased his man down to start an attack but just didn’t see that enough.
Enzo Le Fee: 5/10
Some dangerous moments around the opposition box, playing in Mayenda for the striker’s only half chance, curled a free kick just wide and some nice interplay but not as influential as usual.
Simon Adingra: 6/10
Was always lively down the right and easily our best attacker, even though that wasn’t saying much. Kept getting at his man and providing an option in behind, final ball wasn’t there but the effort was.
Eliezer Mayenda: 5/10
Had a half chance when Le Fee played him in but his shot was immediately blocked, otherwise was barely involved in the game.

Substitutes
Habib Diarra: 6/10
Covered a lot of ground after coming on for Sadiki and was always looking to break forward, his best chance to do that resulted in an overhit cross.
Patrick Roberts: 6/10
Played in Aleksic after a one-two between them but didn’t see the ball much otherwise.
Ahmed Abdullahi: 6/10
Competed better physically than Mayenda did but didn’t get a single chance.
Milan Aleksic: 6/10
Was lively, always looking to speed up play and played a nice one-two with Roberts that got him in down the side and his good cross really should have ended in a goal but there was no-one anticipating it.
Harrison Jones: 6/10
Competed well at left back after coming on.
Alan Browne: 6/10
Tidy enough on the ball.
Jenson Jones: 6/10
Made a good block after a Hearts player cut inside to prevent a certain goal.
Timur Tutierov: 6/10
Full of running but all of it off the ball, barely had a touch.
Tom Lavery: 6/10
Did OK at centre back against a physical side.

Man of the Match: Dan Ballard
The one player in the team who was prepared to mix it with a sharper Hearts side. Got stuck in and bailed his defence out on a few occasions with recovery tackles following some sloppy play from his team-mates.

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Photo by Scott Heppell/PA Images via Getty Images

 

We need to make sure we keep ELF away from the ball as much as possible

 

Defence given the run about a bit. Not seen Huggins that poor before. Neil disappointing thought he’d look the business next to our new signings. Talbi an interesting one looks more like a link up player rather than beating his man 1v1. Adringa will be frustrating at times but thought he was the main threat. Aleksic and Harrison Jones decent cameos.

Hopefully see Patto, Rigg and Isidor back for Hull and a couple of defensive reinforcements soon.