Hearts manager Craig Levein has blasted his players following their miserable Kilmarnock outing.
Killie walked away from Tynecastle with a 1-0 win thanks to a Chris Burke effort in the first half. It leaves Hearts ninth in the Premiership table.
Levein watched as his Hearts players toiled against Kilmarnock. (Photo by Jeff Holmes/Getty Images)
Levein is putting the blame firmly on the players for this defeat.
He told the Daily Record: “Too many of the players felt a little bit sorry for themselves. You could tell with their body language and that’s the bit that makes me angry.
“Everybody was waiting on somebody else being the one who changed the game. Did they try? Arguably. Did they try hard enough? Absolutely not.
Unhappy with his playing staff. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
“I’ve been at this point in the last four or five weeks where my job when they are struggling is to try and support them and help their confidence.”
Hearts were the architects of their own downfall
Even from the off it was difficult to imagine Hearts causing Kilmarnock any real issues. Ryotaro Meshino and Jake Mulraney were the only starting XI threats, whilst midfielder Sean Clare was deployed up top.
The club are crippled with injuries right now, but even so, a more positive outlook was needed. Starting with no recognised striker, when you have one on the bench, is baffling.
Levein put Clare up top. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
That being said, Hearts’ players didn’t do enough to win the game. Kilmarnock were well drilled and didn’t let Hearts cause them any damage, playing some good football in possession too.
Levein has been left questioning his players at the end of another defeat. The way things are just now though, everyone at Tynecastle needs a bit of a shake.