For too long now have Hearts struggled to find a marksman, a clinical one who can deliver 20 goals a season. In fact, you’d need to go back to the 90s with John Robertson to find someone who did. That goal stat has to fall this season.
The Jambos legend was the last player in maroon to score 20 goals in a season. It’s a grim stat that stretches all the way back to 1992, with very few getting near it since.
Kyle Lafferty got close during the 2017/18 season, falling just short with 19.
It’s a goal record that has to fall this season. Someone has to net 20 goals this campaign.
Smashing goal stat would help to no end
If they want to break it, a new striker is probably needed. No one at Hearts just now fits the bill as a 20 goal striker.
Uche Ikpeazu is a handful but isn’t going to score you 20 goals in a season. Steven Maclean is getting older and is likely not to feature as many times this campaign.
Aidan Keena can’t be expected to deliver 20 goals at a young age. The less said about David Vanecek and Craig Wighton the better.
If Steven Naismith signs on at a Tynecastle next season, he’ll be the most likely to deliver such a feat. He scored 10 goals in 19 starts last term, but fitness could hinder his chances of breaking it.
They have plenty of strikers at Hearts, but they need a revamp, urgently. There are some forwards at the club who are clearly not good enough to play for the Jambos.
The record has to fall this season. It has been far too long since the Tynecastle support had a goal hero like Robertson who could hit that illustrious 20 goal mark. Having someone who can hit such a target will see Hearts jump a few league places next year, helping them to no end.
If it takes bringing in a couple of new forward players to do so, Craig Levein should already have the chequebook out.