Expectations and First Impressions

Tynie on a Tuesday night, how would it feel? Well basked in some welcome and unexpected Edinburgh mildness, the experience left me impressed yet confused..

How so you may ask...

Impressed, by the standard of football. Having witnessed the training session last Saturday, and having built up pre conceptions of the players abilities and that of their cohesive unit as a team, I was fearing the worst against a physical Bolton side, of whom I've seen ruffle a few premiership sides, and, to be honest, the first half did little to change my opinions, little movement off the ball, fractious patterns of play, and one Nade run and tackle to win a lost ball excepting, little in the way of commitment( I always expected a drop in standard from the EPL, and I forgive those with less talent, but lack of commitment and desire are my biggest footballing pet hates!)

It was no suprise then that tactical ineptitude led to the Bolton opener, however always a good barometer of a teams ability is how they respond in adversity, and this is what impressed the most, Hearts, seemingly riled by going one down, took the game to Bolton, (especially after the departure of the anonymous Kingston), and with the willing running of Suso, some good cameos by players who im yet to know (or be able to pronounce) and a good finish by Nade (who managed to cover some distance where it most mattered) we can consider ourselves unlucky not to have won the game..so does it bode well for the season ahead?

This is where the confusion, and the expectation managing comes in to it for me, how do you prepare yourself as a fan, at the start of a season, a clean slate, a chance of glory, that finishing 3rd is as good as it gets, perhaps a cup run and a victory parade, qualifying for the group stages of the Europa league!??! I found myself on the way home, re addressing 28 years of new season expectations, realizing that accepting second best is acceptable, and finishing 3rd might just be an acheivement in itself..perhaps that explains less commitment from some of the players if I/We realise it, then by default some of them must realise it also, and if you cant be the best, how does that affect your motivation....

Not that I want to put a downer on what was an enjoyable evening at Tynecastle, and I left last night being more optomistic about the new season than when I started, and with you guys to help me along, we might just get somewhere...

Now lets all march down to Vlad's and find that Striker he promised....