Jambos will toil without talismanic Gordon
Last updated : 09 August 2007 By Scott The Jambo
The day the Hearts fans have long been dreading finally came yesterday, as outstanding Keeper Craig Gordon left the club to join Sunderland.
Romanov's influence last year in helping Gordon sign a new deal was no doubt a major factor in Gordon becoming the most expensive Scottish goalkeeper in history.
However the satisfaction of knowing that, for once, Hearts have secured value for money for one of their main assets, will still be tinged with sadness as one of Hearts greatest ever players walks out the door.
The image of him clawing Rob Jones' header out of the top corner in the dying minutes at Easter Road will live with me forever. Ok, it was only a league game, but Hearts had battled back from 2-0 down, and a man down, in that match and, despite a valiant effort, but for Gordon's wondersave, would still have ended up losing.
Fond memories indeed. As is, off course, the image of Craig running to the Hearts support as Gavin Skelton's penalty hit the bar and sealed victory in the cup final for the Jambos.
But who is going to save our skins the next time we are playing badly, holding on to a 1-0 lead?
Which brings me on to my main concern.
While Steve Banks is, without doubt, a good goalkeeper, I fear that Hearts do not have enough quality elsewhere in the team to compensate for the points that, effectively, a top class keeper like Gordon wins you.
Banks might go through the entire season without making a mistake, however he will not be able to pull off as many spectacular saves as Gordon did, and thus, I think we will concede more goals and, enevitably, drop vital points.
The blow would be cushioned somewhat if the team was playing well, creating chances and scoring goals. But we have started the season with the same laboured, impotent approach we've witnessed pretty much since George Burley left.
The players play like strangers. They struggle to pass, and move. At one point on Monday, Lee Wallace attempted a step over and fell over!
We were beaten by an inferior team, in my opinion, because Hibernian came to Tynecastle organised and motivated, and are a team who do the basics of passing and moving well.
Organisation and motivation are no longer qualities I associate with Hearts.
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I think, to be honest, that Craig Gordon's brilliance has papered over these cracks for a while now, and from now on it'll be there for everyone to see just what a poor side Hearts have become.
Struggling to score goals, and more likely to concede them at the other end, I do not see much light at the end of the tunnel.
As the muffled chants of "You don't know what you're doing" were directed at the Hearts dugout on Monday night, one must ask himself if indeed Hearts as a club know what they're doing these days.
If only Mr Romanov could be bothered to turn up to games, he would see that a radical overhaul is required if Hearts even want to challenge for Europe this year.
