Heart of Midlothian

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

After scoring 11 goals in the past three games, it's fair to say Hearts are buying into Wouter Vrancken's attacking philosophy.

The "organised chaos" now looks more like organised attacking play. That shift has produced 32 efforts on goal across the Dundee United, Benfica and Inverness Caley Thistle matches, with half of them on target.

Encouragingly, most of the attackers have impressed during this run. Josh McPake and Calvin Miller have strengthened their claims for starting places with goals and assists, while Sabah Kerjota, the Albanian magician, has added creativity and end product after former boss Derek McInnes kept one of his best tricks up his sleeve last season.

The early scrutiny on Vrancken, after defeats in each of his first four games, has quickly faded. The main question now is whether he can guide us into the Conference League proper.

I'm expecting goals across both legs of the play-off with Rapid Vienna. Their 8-0 home win over Grazer last weekend kept them top of the Austrian Bundesliga and they look likely to be as formidable as Sturm Graz. Even so, we are in better shape for this tie than we were a month ago.

I don't have many concerns in the attacking third, aside from the lack of a clear starting number nine.

Defensively, we still need to tighten up, but there are signs of progress. Jamie McCart and Oisin McEntee have both delivered strong centre-half performances in the past fortnight and hopefully can carry that form into the tie against the Austrians.

If Calvin Miller starts at left-back again in Harry Milne's absence, his partnership with Josh McPake could give us plenty down that side. Both work hard, have the technical quality for intricate play, understand their defensive responsibilities, and are beginning to build a productive connection.

If we can get through Thursday night level in the tie - or better still, ahead - I'd strongly fancy us to finish the job, even though we haven't won a match outside of Edinburgh since late January.

A win in Vienna would be one for the history books, but whatever happens next, there is finally a sense Hearts are building something with real momentum.

Hearts fans, we asked for your views after Sunday's 6-2 win over Inverness CT in the Premier Sports Cup.

Here's what some of you said:

Tim: Very entertaining to watch, however looking way too vulnerable at the back. We need to get the defence sorted out.

The entertainment value is 10 out of 10 but our defensive errors will cost us against good teams.

Calum: Even if we're not *quite* defensively solid yet, you just know we'll score goals. Can't quite believe that we have such good wingers in Josh McPake, Calvin Miller (both of whom really should be getting Scotland call-ups from Pocognoli) and Sabah Kerjota. Bring a proven goal scorer in and it could be another season to remember!

Steve: 13 goals scored and 13 conceded in our last 5 games kinda tells its own story! Electric up top and suspect at the back - if we manage to tighten up in defence we are going to be a force this season.

Massive game on Thursday and we are improving every day as a team - a must win.

Amy: Conceding far too many goals, the backbone of football is being able to win 1-0.

It was a fantastic cup game today but we need to be tighter in order to progress in Europe.

Rupert: Once Claudio Braga and McPake came on I felt we got a grip of the game pretty well, our defence needs reinforcements if we are hoping to win more than we lose this season.

Small tweaks and we are looking electric. How good was Kerjota? On fire.

Hearts have made a move to sign a new striker by lodging a transfer offer for Rhode Island's American forward JJ Williams. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Monday's Scottish football gossip

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While Hearts were busy putting six goals past Inverness Caley Thistle in the Premier Sports Cup, their next opponents, Rapid Vienna, went two better.

The Austrian Bundesliga leaders warmed up for Thursday's Conference League play-off first leg at Tynecastle with an 8-0 demolition of Grazer AK.

Danish striker Tonni Adamsen scored four of the goals, with Ercan Kara grabbing an early double.

Nenad Cvetkovic and Yusuf Demir also found the back of the net at the Allianz Stadium.

Rapid Vienna enjoy a 100% record this season, winning all three of their league outings and registering big European victories against Santa Coloma and Paide Linnameeskond.

Hearts survived a second-half scare from Scottish Championship side Inverness Caledonian Thistle before racing away to make it into the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals.

Read the full match report here.

Let us know your thoughts here.

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Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken: "We didn't give too many chances away, only the five minutes in the second half. Then, we have to be more direct.

"In some moments, we played too naive and we let them come into the game. We sped up a little bit and it was much easier to take the game to them.

"The players [who were given a chance] have to show what is needed, especially energy. We can evaluate them. Some did good, some not that good. It's good that everyone got more minutes in the legs.

"We did what we had to do, no more than that. We created some good goals which is nice for the players and for the fans. We kept calm when we went behind, we took our moments and didn't panic.

"Rapid [Vienna] are a good team. On the ball, they are better than Sturm Graz, for example. They have a similar style, they want to press high and strong.

"In Europe, when you're the unseeded side, you always get a big team to play. We have to be fit and ready, play with conviction and believe we can take something there."

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Manager Wouter Vrancken insists Hearts "will not back down" after picking up their first win of the season last weekend.

The new boss had a tricky start to life at Tynecastle after losing his first three competitive matches in charge.

After a humbling 6-1 defeat in the first leg of their Europa League qualifier against Benfica, Hearts defeated Dundee United 4-0 in the Scottish Premiership before earning a creditable draw in the return leg of their European tie.

And on Sunday they host Championship side Inverness in the League Cup last 16 - the same stage they went out of the competition this time last season.

When asked if he's going to make significant changes to the side that starts on Sunday, Vrancken said: "First of all, you have to deserve an opportunity to play.

"That's an important point. You have to always show it in every minute you play, but also in the sessions.

"But again, we have to see with the little injuries [to players like Laurent Mendy and Harry Milne]. Can they come back? Who can play?

"But we will not back down. We have to push forward and we have to keep pushing. And it doesn't matter who is the side against you. Thursday, Benfica and Sunday, we have to show the same effort and try to do the same things with the same mentality and the same team spirit. This is for me the most important."

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Goalkeeper Kieran Wright has joined Hearts on a short-term contract until January, as head coach Wouter Vrancken looks to bolster his options between the sticks.

The 27-year-old spent more than a decade at Rangers without making a first-team appearance but did have 10 different loan spells.

His most recent game time came in the Championship with Airdrieonians in the 2024-25 campaign, while he also spent the summer on trial with Queen of the South and East Kilbride.

The shot-stopper also had spells at Livingston, Kilmarnock, Dumbarton, Alloa Athletic, Partick Thistle and Raith Rovers, with most of his appearances coming at a League 1 level.

Hearts now have four senior goalkeepers on the books. Beau Reus has replaced the departed Alexander Schwolow as number one since arriving this summer.

Ryan Fulton and Zander Clark have been deputies, although the latter has missed out on the last few squads.

Underneath them, Liam McFarlane and Harry Stone are on loan to Championship clubs Partick Thistle and Ayr United respectively.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Inverness Caledonian Thistle midfielder Graeme Shinnie says they need to harness the positivity from the start of their campaign going in to Sunday's Premier Sports Cup last 16 trip to Hearts.

The Caley Jags finished top of their group in the competition, one which included Premiership side St Johnstone, who they defeated 1-0.

They have also made a solid return to the Championship, drawing both their opening games in the second tier – against Dunfermline and Arbroath.

But Shinnie, 35, who arrived from Aberdeen this summer, is under no illusions about the size of the challenge they face in the capital.

"We are well aware of what they are and what they've got but it's a game for us to try and nullify what they've got as much as we can, and try and knock them off their rhythm," Shinnie said.

"If they play to their rhythm at home, they will be a powerhouse for anyone - like they showed last season.

"It's about trying to knock them off their game and trying to show ourselves as well and what we can do. We need to try and keep and take that positivity into Sunday and try to build on it."

Shinnie was in the Inverness side that faced Hearts in the League Cup semi-final in 2014. Under the guidance of John Hughes, they came from 2-1 down to win on penalties, despite playing the entirety of extra-time with nine men after two red cards.

Unfortunately for Caley Thistle, they couldn't pull off a similar upset in the final as they lost to Aberdeen - who Shinnie would join a year later.

"[A Cup shock] is always a possibility in these Cup games and there've been many over the years especially at Inverness that I've been involved in, but you need a lot to go for you on the day," he said.

"We need to play to the best of our ability to give ourselves a chance, we need to make a mark in the game, we don't want to go there and just defend and defend and defend – we want to attack as well.

"There is a lot that needs to go our way but we are focussed and we are ready for it."

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Goalkeeper Beau Reus says Hearts can take confidence from Thursday's 1-1 draw with Benfica despite dropping out of the Europa League.

The Edinburgh club had a mountain to climb in the match at Tynecastle having been beaten 6-1 by the Portuguese giant in the first leg of the third qualifying round in Lisbon last week.

And although they lost out on aggregate, Wouter Vrancken's side put on a much improved performance to draw 1-1 with Marco Silva's men in Gorgie.

And Reus, who joined the club this summer, hopes that performance can give the side a confidence boost heading in to Sunday's League Cup last 16 tie against Inverness.

"Of course all competitions are important for us and we want to win them all," the Dutchman said.

"On Sunday, we just have to be in the same mindset as against Benfica and fight for every ball, don't give any percentage less because then you know it will be a hard game.

"If we play like we did on Thursday, I have all the confidence that we bring it to a good outcome Sunday."

After losing to Aberdeen in their opening game of the new season, Vrancken's side beat Dundee United 4-0 last weekend with an impressive performance.

"I think the Dundee United game gave us a boost in confidence," Reus added.

"They had zero shots on target, and then we just played really well against Benfica.

"It was a hard game and I'm just really proud of the guys, how we defended together and how we attacked together.

"I think we played really well as a team. Benfica made some changes but I don't think the team was anything less than last week.

"You could see we were fighting hard and playing for every ball. Obviously last week we conceded six so the goal was to concede less and I'm happy that we only took one."

Hearts fans, we asked for your views after Thursday night's 1-1 draw against Benfica in Europa League qualifying.

Here's what some of you said:

Tim: A transformation from the Hearts team from just a few weeks ago. The effort, commitment and quality from Hearts was fantastic. Some moments of excellence and very few lapses in concentration. Most importantly, this was a team performance with coherence and organisation. And the fans totally got behind the new manager and players.

Jim: Genuine progress being made. I think we will see a very different Hearts team come the end of September now that the new manager's playing style is bedding in and the players are responding. I would still like to see James Wilson given a chance alongside Braga. We have a few excellent players nearly ready to return so I expect us to challenge again for the title and cups.

Sarah: Despite our ragtag defence set up they were as strong as the old castle rock, lest for one momentary dip in concentration. I'm buoyed for the season ahead as I see our performances slowly but surely get to the level required to challenge once again.

Angela: What a fantastic evening under the summer sun watching Hearts take on one of the giants of European football - and watching us go toe to toe. The fans are still subdued after last seasons antics and we need more of these nights in Scottish football.

Rupert: Proud of the team, they gave absolutely everything out there and they got their rewards with an impressive draw to give Scottish football a small boost on the European stage. We are a couple of signings away from challenging again this season.

David: An all round excellent team performance from Hearts and a great confidence booster for the games with Rapid Vienna and season ahead in the league. The team has matured over the last few weeks and Calvin Miller is looking like a fantastic signing.

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Hearts head coach Wouter Vrancken: "I think the performance was excellent today against a side with a lot of millions on the pitch.

"Maybe it's a pity that we drew because we could also win the game, but when you see the overall performance, it's amazing to see.

"I think we also did well in the first half. We kept the ball a lot of times really well in the team, and we tried to go forward also in the first half.

"We just did some adaptations of course like we always try to do at half time, but again the boys were also in the first half showing some guts, and responsibility there.

"That's what we want to see, without taking stupid risks, but trying to play football and trying to use the spaces there are.

"It has to give confidence because we're realistic in the result of course after last week, but the aim was also to show yourselves here and to show who we are and to get confidence out of the performance and I think we succeeded in that.

"Rapid Vienna will be a totally different game but we have to take confidence from today into the next games."

Hearts' inevitable Europa League exit was confirmed, but pride was recovered in a well-deserved second-leg draw at home to Benfica.

Read the match report here.

Have your say here.

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It may have been a bruising start to the season for Hearts, but former player Andy Halliday has seen "really positive signs" for new head coach Wouter Vrancken.

Opening with four successive defeats, the much-changed Edinburgh side registered a first win on Sunday, demolishing Dundee United 4-0 at Tynecastle.

Halliday gives his old team no chance of turning round a 6-1 deficit against Benfica in Europa League qualifying on Thursday, but does think there are grounds for optimism for the remainder of the campaign.

"You always look for passages of play and I've been impressed by some of Hearts work in possession," he told the BBC Scottish Football Podcast.

"Against Benfica, I don't think there was much expectation that they could have gone through.

"But Hearts were outstanding on the ball at times in Lisbon. They kept it well, got the goal, hit the bar, got into the penalty area on quite a few occasions.

"Out of possession, they look really open, although I think Benfica can make you look like that.

"They backed that up with a resounding victory and we saw that other side of the game, keeping a clean sheet and restricting United to zero shots on target."

Having been knocked out of Champions League qualifying by Sturm Graz, Hearts now face the prospect of dropping into the Conference League play-off against Rapid Vienna or Paide Linnameeskond.

On Benfica's second-leg visit to Tynecastle, Halliday added: "Fans will want to see a certain level of performance, a level of fight and desire, just do whatever they can to make it difficult on the night."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Oisin McEntee says he is enjoying a different style of play under new Hearts boss Wouter Vrancken, with less emphasis on "long-ball" football and a greater focus on "building from the back" and "patterns of play".

The more direct style under Derek McInnes came very close to winning Hearts their first top-flight title in 60 years, but it is now a case of adapting to new manager Vrancken's demands.

"I think just the patterns of play is probably the main thing," McEntee said. "I think we had a very different approach last year where we'd kind of play a lot of long-ball football and make teams defend from there.

"I think this season we're trying to build up from the back and the coaches are trying to introduce little patterns to play out from the back and play through midfield and just create chances. So I'd say that's the biggest difference.

"It's obviously different to last year in the style, but all the staff have been really helpful, like having individual meetings and helping each player with what they need to do."

Trailing 6-1 from last week's first leg, McEntee says he is looking forward to facing Benfica again, as he feels there are plenty of positives to take from the first game and the two previous European defeats to Sturm Graz.

He believes the level the side is being asked to play at will stand the players in very good stead for the rest of the season.

McEntee added: "You learn a lot because they're some of the best players that we as a team have come up against, and every little thing - like maybe the strikers' movements - can be different to what you've played against before.

"You just realise that these teams punish you when you make mistakes, so it's just about lifting your level again."

The Irishman says he and his team-mates are still confident of European group-stage football.

If Benfica do not blow a five-goal advantage at Tynecastle on Thursday, Hearts would very likely face Rapid Vienna for a place in the Conference League, with the Austrians comfortably ahead in their own tie.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Head coach Wouter Vrancken has been speaking to the media before the second leg of Hearts' third-round Europa League qualifier with Benfica.

Here are the key lines:

• Vrancken admits star striker Claudio Braga has spoken to him about his future but that those talks will remain confidential, with the Belgian coach fully confident that "as long as he's here" last season's PFA Scotland player of the year will remain "100 per cent committed".

• Vrancken says the Portuguese striker is "staying at the moment" as he's not aware of any "concrete bids" for the player, who's been linked in the media with a possible move away from the club following the departures of Lawrence Shankland, Cammy Devlin and, just this week, Alexandros Kyziridis.

• Vrancken says he "can't predict the future" but certainly hopes Braga, and his other top players, all remain at the club for the remainder of the season.

• The Belgian admits his side is "not at the level" to compete with the likes of Benfica and Sturm Graz, the two sides they've met so far in European competition, but that the big weekend win over Dundee United was good for the confidence of the squad as "the players are working really hard and trying to learn new things".

• "The next thing is you need some results," he adds. "It's good for the fans to see it works."

• Asked what he needs to get the players up to the level required for European competition, Vrancken said they "need experience" of that level of football and need to be "physically ready".

• He then noted the discrepancy in levels between Thursday's opponents, who have recent Champions League experience, and the likes of Laurent Mendy and Tom Renaud in his squad, who came from the fifth and third tiers of England and France respectively.

• On Benfica, Vrancken said: "You can't rule out the quality of Benfica. Third in the league last season without losing a game. A nice team to watch, a quality team."

• Vrancken also revealed none of the players carrying injuries, like Harry Milne, will be available.

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

The month of August always sees an influx of arrivals into Edinburgh, with each newcomer looking to make a lasting impression.

Following the win against Dundee United, Wouter Vrancken and his Jamestown Analytics-assembled squad put on quite the show this festival season.

Despite what some defiant Jambos might tell you, it was important for our new gaffer to pick up a victory quickly.

For one afternoon at least, Hearts looked less like a production finding its feet and more like a Fringe sellout that had already found its audience.

It was encouraging to start so well and Tom Renaud's stoater of a strike and Calvin Miller's VAR-awarded penalty settled any nerves about another winless afternoon.

There were so many positives from the game: four different goalscorers, including three players making their Tynecastle league debut; a first clean sheet for Beau Reus and his makeshift back four; much-maligned pair Jamie McCart and Blair Spittal bouncing back with solid performances.

I get accused of being a "happy clapper" just as much as being told I'm "so negative I can't be a Jambo" when it comes to articulating how I feel as a fan, but we should be encouraged about the season ahead.

After Vrancken deployed a 4-2-4 formation in possession away to Benfica, I'm presuming we won't play with the handbrake on domestically. If that's the case, we should be involved in plenty more high-scoring matches.

With Alexandros Kyziridis now gone in a £1.7m deal after arriving on a free just 12 months ago, it's another encouraging sign Hearts' data-led model can work. Given Josh McPake's encouraging performance, crowned with the fourth goal, we may already have a ready-made replacement on the left flank.

In a week of discussion about the future of Scottish football, it was particularly pleasing to see strong performances from McPake, Miller, Spittal and McCart.

There's no doubt we'll need to do more to help academy players such as James Wilson become first-team regulars, but I hope Vrancken continues to build around a strong Scottish core.

I hate the term 'free hit', but that's exactly what Thursday's return fixture against Benfica is. The truth is we're unlikely to see Champions League calibre opposition in Gorgie for many years, so we should simply enjoy the occasion, both as supporters and as a team.

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Alexandros Kyziridis has penned an emotional farewell message to Hearts fans after the winger's departure to Turkish side Corum FK was confirmed.

The 25-year-old, capped for the first time this year by Greece, moved to Tynecastle as a free agent last summer from Slovakian side Zemplin Michalovce, and scored six goals and provided 11 assists in 45 appearances for Hearts.

Kyziridis was influential early in his time at the club and was a key part of the side that came close to a historic league title last season.

The winger said on Instagram:, external "I leave with a heart full of gratitude and memories that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

"The victories, the difficult moments, the celebrations, the defeats, the dressing room, the fans, and all those little moments that maybe seemed ordinary at the time but will always mean so much to me.

"This city will always have a very special place in my heart. It is not just the place where I played football and made memories - it is the place where my son was born. For that reason alone, a part of me will always belong here.

"This city will forever be connected to one of the most beautiful and important moments of my life.

"Thank you for believing in me, for supporting me, and for making me feel part of this family. I gave everything I had every time I wore this shirt, and I will always be proud of that.

"I leave knowing that I was part of something special, and I will always look back on this chapter with gratitude, pride, and a lot of love.

"This is not goodbye forever. It is simply goodbye for now."

Winger Calvin Miller, 28, is reluctant to acknowledge his defensive skills after playing at left-back in Hearts' 4-0 weekend win over Dundee United. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required, external)

Rangers are pushing to sign James Penrice, 27, and have submitted a loan offer with purchase option, but AEK Athens want a permanent transfer for the former Hearts full-back. (Barry Anderson, external)

Tuesday's Scottish gossip