Hearts are in much better shape than they were earlier in the season and are now looking up instead of down.
Unbeaten in 2025, the Jambos carried on their form with a sensational 6-0 thumping of Dundee at the weekend with new striker Elton Kabangu helping himself to a brace and his fifth goal in three starts.
Manager Neil Critchley was chuffed with the six-star showing and discussed striker Lawrence Shankland looking like the ‘real deal’ again.
The Jambos concluded their January transfer dealings with Harry Milne coming in on deadline day and will hope the business they have done helps reinforce the progress they’ve been making.
Pundit Michael Stewart has been a Critchley doubter and even went as far as to suggest they should sack him when he was only months into the job.
But the former Hearts captain has definitely softened on that front.
Michael Stewart questions Naismith Hearts call
James Penrice and Blair Spittal have been Hearts’ two best players this season. The former has been a revelation at left-back while the latter is the club’s top scorer with six.
They seem to have a telepathic understanding down the left side with Spittal able to find his teammates surging runs from deep without even looking most of the time.
And it has made Michael Stewart wonder why former boss Steven Naismith didn’t play his summer signings together in that combination.
Speaking on Premier Sports’ Scottish Football Social Club, he said: “Make no mistake about that, that was a statement result to go away from home and bang six in. And it was the nature of the goals as well.
“Again that left side that has been so potent for Hearts, once they actually got played together. I really do wonder why Steven Naismith never got those two guys playing together earlier in the campaign.
“Because Penrice and Spittal, as soon as they’ve got that consistency in selection down the left hand side, they’ve been the strongest part of the team. He obviously brought them in during the summer, but then never played them together?
“They never played at all together down that left, which I find bizarre because you know that’s Spittal’s best role and Penrice loves bombing forward.”
Hearts ‘in fight’ for third
After sharing his concerns about his former club in the past, Stewart is now certain they are actually challengers for third.
After moving away from the bottom two, the Jam Tarts are now just five points behind Aberdeen in fourth and seven from Dundee United in third.
Stewart was always crying out for Hearts to add pace to their side and now they have done so with Kabangu, he thinks they’ve found the ideal balance.
He added: “The balance of the team wasn’t right. There was quality there but they needed to get the balance right, i.e. a bit of pace. Kabangu looks like he’s brought a bit of pace.
“Shankland then becomes a better player because he’s got better balance around him.
“The left hand side then doesn’t become the only line of attack. You’ve got Jamie McCart who is a good signing. Still not sure about a four-and-a-half year deal, but a good signing.
“And you look at the rest of the team and you’re going ‘well, the foundations of the team were always there.’
“There is no question Hearts are in the fight for third now. They should never have been but the only reason they are is the teams above them have hit the skids.”